The Very First of Her Kind.

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

super hypo!! woo cant wait, possibly lead to hybinos too

[Sid]

Totally understand your excitement over the speciman you have. If I'm ever fortunate enough to find one like it I'll probably do cart wheels.

[GarterGuy]

Hmmmmm....very interesting...they're lightening up as they get older? Wonder if they're something else then a hypo? I would have thought that a hypo would have started out light ( I may be wrong, not real great with all the different "morphs" and how they express themselves in garters). Definitely a cool find anyway you look at it. Can't wait to see more pics of the babies and see how they're developing.

[Serpentine99]

nice snake, makes me want to go and try and find a rare garter right nowtheres over 2 inches of snow on the ground so im thinking my chances of finding anything are pretty slim right now

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Well the standard hypomelanistic gene as seen in most reptiles is simple recessive. That means they are born looking hypo and they stay that way. If mated with another hypo they will produce more that look exactly like them. Now if this gene is something else, something more complex, it may not be hypomelanism. Maybe something like a pastel? I know in BP's, when you breed two pastels you can produce super's.

[adamanteus]

I must confess, Shannon, my knowledge of genetics is patchy to say the least. I've never been a great fan of the artificially produced or enhanced morphs you see in certain snakes, especially Corns.
But there's no denying you've found something very special there, I wish you all the success in the world with it.... looking forward to seeing the results.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

thanks very much I will definately continue to use this site and keep you guys filled in on this breeding project. at only 19 i live many herper's ultimate dream to pioneer a new color morph. I am a little confused as to how I got so lucky.

[snakeman]

If you go by the scale counts that is not a sirtilis.It has 8 supra labials.Maybe it has mutant scales too.You never know.If fish and game bugs you.Tell them to do the scale count.

[Stefan-A]

One problem with the supralabial scale count, is that it's not absolute. Sirtalis usually has 7, but it can have 8 as well. You probably also know that the scale count isn't necessarily the same on both sides, either.

[adamanteus]

If you read some of Shannons' earlier posts regarding this snake, you will see that that upper labials are unusually (but not completely) divided, as can happen sometimes. I think she is correct in her identification of this snake.