Babies coloring up

[Sonya610]

Just wondering what the basic rules are regarding babies and color. Not many photos have been posted showing a scrub and then showing the animal as a adult and the color differences. Concinnusman posted photos of Amy but those are the only ones I recall. Of course some breeders with red parents show scrubs that are the palest orange, perhaps those babies will become equally red as adults?

What is normal to expect? Do they get most of their color in by 1 year or 2? Is it generally uniform?

I ask because the flame baby has solid bright red/orange on the LEFT side of his head, very little on the right side. Is it likely the brighter color will even out and become dominant/symmetrical? And by what age?

[guidofatherof5]

For my radixes I would say it's different for each snake.
Usually coloring up starts withing year 1.

[RicMartin]

It will vary with each snake's genes. Red is thought to be caused by several different genes or gene processes at various gene locations, so not two reds are exactly the same thing. My babies are all over a year old, my scrub from a Campbell high red dame is just now getting a subtle rusty-brown coat. She may turn red eventually, but not as red as her mom. Dad wasn't high red. I don't expect any of my other red parentage juvies to turn redder than they are, meaning just a faint pinkish look to their yellow-brown-green. They have very little red in them. We are all working on mapping the red behavior. We will know more in a few years.

[Sonya610]

So theoretically if an 8 week old scrub flame has some solid bright/red orange on their one side of their head/neck theoretically will they fill out evenly with a lot more of the same color intensity?

I realize the color could get darker, but will the color become uniform?

[RedSidedSPR]

well, i know the bellies etc may not start out red.. (don't have any experience in flames so...) but they eventually red as well. So i think it's pretty much uniform, but not the same on each snake. I think he may always be a little one sided with that coloring, but that's just a guess. What do i know?

Post some pics, I want to see him. I love flames. I may get one soon.

[Sonya610]

My camera is old and won't take macro shots. This is a digitally enhanced photo that shows pretty much what he looks like color wise.

His head is getting quite bright (on one side) and I am just wondering if he will fill out that way all over. Sorry the image quality is really awful, he is much prettier in real life.

http://www.grayanimalrescue.org/garters/flame_xred.jpg

[RdubSnider]

They may not color up the exact same on both sides however if there is some difference its generally not enough to really notice once the reach adulthood. They color normally comes in with growth and size. Nothing to worry about, he'll look fantastic as an adult

[Sonya610]

They color normally comes in with growth and size. Nothing to worry about, he'll look fantastic as an adult

So I guess what I think people are saying is yes, that bright color will pretty much fill in all over huh? I am probably not getting a direct answer because the question is so stupid people are confused! lol.

It's just I bought this little guy from Snakeman as a "low end flame" and didn't expect much color at all, but am wondering if he is going to be pretty bright red afterall. I won't be disappointed even if he stays like he is forever, he has a sweet and outgoing personality which is what matters in a pet.

[count dewclaw]

I am probably not getting a direct answer because the question is so stupid people are confused! lol.

The question is not stupid. The problem is coloring up varies so much from snake to snake that it is hard to give a definite answer.

[ConcinusMan]

Sonya, you can expect most flames to color up quite a bit, getting more intense as they grow up. Especially as they become sexually mature, you'll see a lot of coloring up. That is, more intense red/orange. I've seen plenty of "low end" flames that weren't nearly as colorful as yours, (just light orange) turn into intensely red high-end flames as they matured. Doesn't mean they all will do this, but there's a high probablilty that your flame will become more colorful, especially as he approaches about a year old.

I speculate that this may be because the snakes acquire the proteins necessary for making the color, from their food and it accumulates over time. Many birds do this, (Flamingos and Western Tanagers for example) so why not reptiles.

It's a little different with the concinnus baby. They are born red/orange right from the start. He'll pretty much stay the same color, but some actually fade a bit once they mature. I don't think yours will. He'll pretty much stay the way he is I think.


The question is not stupid. The problem is coloring up varies so much from snake to snake that it is hard to give a definite answer.

Exactly. This is why when a snake that has the potential to color up, but hasn't yet, is sold cheaper, or as "low end". Because it's really a matter of chance. You may get lucky like I did with Amy, or your snake might not color up, but as a general rule, flames do color up. The question is, how far will it go? only time will tell.

[Sonya610]

Sonya, you can expect most flames to color up quite a bit, getting more intense as they grow up.

Okay, I just wondered because the color comes in so "spotty". I never see photos of spotty looking adult flames, as in part is bright and other parts tan, but then again I guess most of the photos are taken to show off the spectacular looking examples.