Snakely Speaking

[guidofatherof5]

I thought it might be good to have a thread that introduces some of the terms used and uncommonly used in the keeping of snakes. Maybe even terms used by a Vet. in treatment.

I'll get the ball rolling with this. Seems this one comes up on the forum on a regular basis.
What do the numbers mean before the listing of a certain snake, for example: 1.2.3. T.radix?
The first number represents males, in this case 1 male
The second number represents females, in this case 2 females
The third number represents unsexed snakes, in this case 3 unsexed snakes.

Terms used for a snake shedding:
Ecdysis(ec·dy·sis  [ek-duh-sis])
Opaque Phase
Blue Phase

Term for a retained shed/retained eye cap:
Dysecdysis pronounced Dis-eck-die-sis

Does someone want to tackle some of the genetic terms and their pronunciations? Please

How about some of the Thamnophis(THAM-nuh-FIS ) species and subspecies and their pronounciations.

[kibakiba]

Ooooh. I like this idea! I like knowing how to pronounce things right :P

[Dameco13]

what is a radix?

[Snakers]

what is a radix?

a species OF GARTER SNAKE THAMNOPHIS.RADIX(PLAINS GARTER SNAKE)

[Dameco13]

thanks once again lol

[Stefan-A]

Terms used for a snake shedding:
Ecdysis(ec·dy·sis  [ek-duh-sis])
Opaque Phase
Blue Phase

Well actually... ecdysis would be when an arthropod sheds. When snakes shed, it's "moulting", "shedding" or "sloughing".

Nevermind, people still insist on using it when speaking about reptiles.

[guidofatherof5]

Well actually... ecdysis would be when an arthropod sheds. When snakes shed, it's "moulting", "shedding" or "sloughing".

Nevermind, people still insist on using it when speaking about reptiles.

I apologize if I made a mistake. I have found it on many website that talk about snakes and also in Mader's Reptile Medicine book. I didn't know.

[Spankenstyne]

You didn't make a mistake Steve. Here's a few quick examples that make note of reptiles in the definition:

ecdysis - definition of ecdysis by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

Ecdysis | Define Ecdysis at Dictionary.com

ecdysis definition - Dictionary - MSN Encarta

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...00053-0113.pdf

http://biology.uta.edu/clcox/Cox%20e...r%20object.pdf

[Stefan-A]

I apologize if I made a mistake. I have found it on many website that talk about snakes and also in Mader's Reptile Medicine book. I didn't know.

It's not a mistake, at worst it's a mild "misapplication". In the loosest sense of the word, we're in constant ecdysis.

You didn't make a mistake Steve. Here's a few quick examples that make note of reptiles in the definition:

ecdysis - definition of ecdysis by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

Ecdysis | Define Ecdysis at Dictionary.com

ecdysis definition - Dictionary - MSN Encarta

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...00053-0113.pdf

http://biology.uta.edu/clcox/Cox%20e...r%20object.pdf

Hence the "Nevermind, people still insist on using it when speaking about reptiles." part.

[ConcinusMan]

Some other useful terms that "newbies" might want to familiarize themselves with so that they don't feel like we are speaking a language they don't understand:

Basic Genetics Definitions

Allele - either of the two paired genes affecting an inherited trait (one from the father, one from the mother). Codominant - an allele that causes the homozygous form to look different than wild type and the heterozygous form to have traits of both. (All three look different from each other.) Dominant - an allele that causes the homozygous form and the heterozygous form to look the same as each other, but different than wild type. Recessive - an allele that affects a animal's appearance if it's present in the homozygous state only. An animal that's heterozygous for a mutant, recessive gene looks wild type, but that gene can be passed on to offspring. Heterozygous - having two different alleles for a genetic trait. Homozygous - having identical alleles for a genetic trait. Wild Type - the way an animal looks with the greatest frequency in a wild population ("normal").
Albino - a snake with absent or deficient melanin. Common name for "amelanistic". See tyrosinase-negative and tyrosinase-positive.
Amelanistic - having no melanin.
Anerythristic - having no red color.
Axanthic - having no yellow color.
(Co)Dominant - a "combination term" used in this Genetics Wizard to identify a gene that is either dominant or codominant. The Genetics Wizard will give you the correct genetic makeup of the offspring. You need to know if you are specifying a dominant trait or a codominant trait to determine what the babies will look like.
Codominant - a gene that causes the homozygous form to look different than the wild-type and the heterozygous form to have traits of both.
Dbl. Het. - double heterozygous.
Dominant - a gene that causes a snake to look different than the wild-type and where the homozygous form and the heterozygous form look the same as each other.
Double Heterozygous - being heterozygous for two different traits.
50% Possible Het. - a snake that comes from breeding a heterozygous snake with a wild-type. Statistically, one-half of the resulting babies are heterozygous. Until their genetics are proven, each of these baby snakes are known to be 50% possible "het.".
Gene - unit of heredity that determines the characteristics of the offspring.
Genetics - the study of heredity.
Heredity - the transmission of genetic characters from parents to offspring.
Het. - short for heterozygous.
Heterozygous - having two different genes for a given trait. Such a snake with one recessive, mutated gene looks normal, but it can pass the gene on through breeding. A heterozygous snake with one (co)dominant, mutated gene looks different than a wild-type because of that gene.
Homozygous - a snake where both genes for a given trait are the same. Even recessive genes, if they are in a homozygous state, will affect how a snake looks.
Hypomelanistic - a snake having less black and/or brown color than a wild-type.
Leucistic - a pure white snake with dark eyes.
Melanin - black or brown skin pigments.
Melanistic - abnormally dark, due to increased melanin.
Mutation - an abnormal gene that under certain circumstances can cause a snake to be born with an appearance other than wild-type.
Normal - a snake that looks like the wild-type generally seen, and it carries no mutated genes.
Offspring - babies.
Possible Het. - a snake from a known breeding that has either a 50% or 66% possibility of being "het." for a mutant gene. This is an inexpensive way to obtain snakes with the genetic makeup required to produce much more valuable snakes.
Recessive - a gene that affects a snake's appearance if it's present in the homozygous state. A heterozygous snake carrying a mutated, recessive gene looks normal.
66% Possible Het. - a snake that comes from breeding two snakes that are heterozygous for the same mutant gene. This produces babies in the following proportions: 25% will be homozygous, 50% will be heterozygous, and 25% will be wild-type. Of the normal-looking babies, 2 out of every 3 (66%) are heterozygous.
Snow - a snake that's homozygous for both albino and axanthic or (for some species) albino and anerythristic.
Tyrosinase - an enzyme needed to synthesize melanin.
Tyrosinase-negative - an albino whose cells lack tyrosinase, producing a white and yellow/orange snake with pink eyes. A separate albino mutation from tyrosinase-positive.
Tyrosinase-positive - an albino not able to synthesize melanin, but capable of synthesizing tyrosinase, which results in lavender-brown skin color.
Wild-type - the way the snake usually looks in nature (i.e. the normal color and pattern).
Xanthic - having more yellow color than wild-type.

The links provided give credit to the source of the info I just copied and pasted.