dumb newb question

[slipknot711]

what traits do you need to produce a snow? would it be albino and anery? i love snows just curious. any further information on genes mixed together that produce gorgeous snakes would be a great read for me. THNX EVERYONE!

[ConcinusMan]

Technically, what the hobby calls "albino" isn't albino, they're "amelanistic" but "snows" are albino. "Albino" is really an animal that completely lacks pigment like snows and leucistics.(a form of albinism that produces a white snake with dark eyes) The only reason that amelanistic humans are called "albino" is because melanin is the only pigment we produce. Take it away and there's no pigment left and having no pigment at all, is what albino is. Snakes have 2 other pigments that produce the reds and yellows. It takes a second mutation to take away these pigments. Usually anery and/or axanthic. So yes, "snows" are double homozygous amelanistic + anery/axanthic.

There is an eastern called "snow" (a poor choice of label IMO) that is first hypermelanistic (a completely black snake) then the amel mutation combined takes away the black. The result:

http://www.reptard.info/garters/snowflake.jpg

[slipknot711]

ty

[infernalis]

I know that snake! :)

[ConcinusMan]

Just so you know, it's not as simple as breeding an anery to an amel to produce snows because both traits are recessive. You have to breed together two snakes, each carrying both traits either het or homozygous form. Then it's a roll of the dice. Babies will only come out snow if they carry both traits in their homozygous state.

[Mommy2many]

That is a very pretty snake!