Is Red Really Red?

[guidofatherof5]

I just noticed something about my girl Nova. Her red coloring is not just scales but also skin coloring. Her son, Rudolph is a great looking red radix but his skin coloring between the red scales is normal?
Now, when it comes to genetics I know next to nothing, so I'm asking for help.
Do you think this observation gives any insight to whether Nova's red scale color and skin color can be passed on. In the case of Rudolph I guess only part of it, right.
Don, Is your red radix, red scales or skin both? Just wondering since they came from the same area.
Nova:

Rudolph:

[Snakers]

it will be interesting to see an answer!

[kibakiba]

I know nothing about genetics but I'm guessing it could be a possibility. Do one of those square things! Haha I don't know if that would help at all... I think my brain is melting away from not being in school

[BUSHSNAKE]

that red phase radix may not breed true but the "red" is inheritable

[BUSHSNAKE]

i think you know what i mean...no two are alike, right?

[guidofatherof5]

that red phase radix may not breed true but the "red" is inheritable

i think you know what i mean...no two are alike, right?

Yes I do. Thanks.

[SilentWrath*]

More than likely there are separate genes that account for the skin and scale color.
So yes, unless both parents were red skin with red scales I wouldn't expect to see many babies with that double recessive genotype on both genes.

I don't know two much about genetics but I remember some from bio.

[ConcinusMan]

I've noticed that quite often. I've even noticed snakes that had a red appearance on their sides but the red was ONLY on the skin between the scales, and not on the scales themselves.

Pigments are often not just in the scales (take a look at a scaleless snake, it still has color and pattern). That pic you posted recently of a healed snake injury clearly shows skin without scales and yet it is dark grey indicating that there is melanin there in the skin.

Man, Nova is extremely beautiful. I only wish that radixes like her were more common. I'd love to have one. Seems it's easier to find albinos for sale than a very red radix.

Want to know what I think? I think nova is a truly erythristic (mutated gene) snake. Not just your average red radix. Being erythristic, it's not surprising that red pigment happens on the skin between the scales. Sure, Rudolf has red, but it's not like what I would consider erythristic. The red doesn't take over everything and even bleed into the dorsal stripe like nova's red does and that brings up a good point. Red is not always red. One red snake can have the appearance of red but the pigment cells involved can be xanthosphores, usually associated with yellow but they can be red too.

One must consider that taking away certain pigments can give a snake the appearance of having excessive pigment of a different color. Just because a snake is very red doesn't indicate that it is erythristic but instead can mean another color is missing, leaving red behind. Just like some axanthic or anerythristic snakes appear somewhat blue. (see my avatar) It's not an addition of blue pigment but rather the lack of another, that gives them the blue appearance.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that one radix may appear red for completely different reason than another one does. Trying to breed red radixes from the two different types might not result in great success. I would guess that novas color is a recessive mutation just like albino. I would breed her with that in mind and see if you can prove it.

[ssssnakeluvr]

my red female has red on the scales and the skin. she bred with my het albino male and threw 12 nice babies. they show no red yet, hopefully will show up later. will be holding back at least a pair to breed to see if the red will come out.

here's my girl

[ConcinusMan]

my red female has red on the scales and the skin. she bred with my het albino male and threw 12 nice babies. they show no red yet, hopefully will show up later. will be holding back at least a pair to breed to see if the red will come out.

here's my girl

And I have two males and a female from that breeding if I understand correctly. Not sure what to expect from that but they do appear to be average every day normal radixes. Debating whether or not to breed an iowa male to that female, or breed brother and sister.