Thamnophis marcianus - babies with yellow stripe

[Rebekka]

Hi everyone!
Ten days ago my checkered garter snake gave birth. It's her second clutch, there was 17 litter year ago and 26 now (9 albino + 17 normal).
It's interesting that albino babies have yellow stripe along along the back, is it normal or it can be a new morph?
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[infernalis]

sorry, nothing "new"... beautiful babies nonetheless.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Nice litter though! Congrats! Also Welcome to the forum.

[guidofatherof5]

Congrats. Be sure to introduce yourself in the "Welcome Lounge" so we can give you a proper hello.

Welcome Lounge (http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/welcome-lounge/)

[Rebekka]

Thank you for replies and congratulations!
I'll create thread in the Welcome Lounge just after this post.
Yes, I looked at old photos - you are right, strange that I've never noticed it before :)
They are really beautiful, and birth is always awesome event!
Also some of them has pattern on their heads, is it normal too? Here are photos of heads with and without this pattern.
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[guidofatherof5]

That head pattern isn't uncommon and we had a thread discussing it a while ago(2-4 years). I will see if I can find it.
If memory serves me correctly the pattern occurred on only certain snake and I think they were being called "Hypo" or something like that. I will search on.
Hope someone else has a better memory and can save me here.

I found this and will search on:

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/breeding/7554-pictures-hypo-checkereds.html
(http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/breeding/7554-pictures-hypo-checkereds.html)

[guidofatherof5]

I think the word being used to describe snakes with this unusual head pattern was "Pastel" I'm still searching for a thread on it.
I'm not saying you have a "pastel" snake just that this head pattern has something to do with it.

[Rebekka]

Thanks for link. Babies with pattern are lighter than without one but difference is not so obvious as on photos. But I'll look at them more attentively.

[Rebekka]

Steve you were right - these babies really looks like hypos. Here is labials of supposed hypo and normal baby:
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And bright hypo:
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[BLUESIRTALIS]

Wow! You've got some nice looking pastels!

[ConcinusMan]

It's interesting that albino babies have yellow stripe along along the back...

Most garter snakes do. :confused:


Also some of them has pattern on their heads, is it normal too?
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Nope. Those are "pastel" morph, which is thought to be codominant or incomplete dominant. It can vary widely in the degree of expression but it almost always affects the head pattern in some way.

[Jeff B]

Where did you get the parents?

[Rebekka]

I've bought them in Moscow and I don't know any details about theirs origin.