YAY Weekend!

Chipo the Onyx

It's that time of the week again, and I have to say I can't wait to have another weekend. Seems like they are always so far apart, and when Sunday night comes around, I get sad that Monday is coming.

Nothing against Mondays of course... It's just that Mondays mean it's back to the grind more so than before, and I know I like my relaxing time, don't you?

If Monday was a person, she would be that annoying Aunt or Cousin or something that you can't get rid of, that always just irks you just tad when she comes around. It's nothing she did, of course, but the things that she COULD do... And I personify Monday as a She because don't we all know that Mondays can be a bitch...

Anyway, I digress.

I am looking forward to this weekend, and I have that one final last clutch to hatch out for the 2011 season. I hope that it comes out early, as it was laid 11/24... Usually my stuff hatches about a week early, so we may be on track to get a few pips in the next week. Fingers crossed for them, cause I can't wait to see what is going to pop out!

Until then, I will just have to satisfy my snake-ling cravings by playing with the ones I have out of the egg. I hope to get a lot of cool photos for you all this week, because I need to get back on track with introducing some animals, and talking about things, and eventually actually getting around to another YouTube Video.

I promised I would do one before the end of the year, and look.. I didn't.

I'm a Fail.

Sorry.

But, if you have suggestions, I am always open to them. And I know there have been requests for the YouTube things, so I will get on that. I just have to charge up the doohicky that takes them videos for me...  And actually use it.

Bumblefly (Bumblebee Fire)

With the wedding creeping closer and closer, I am getting a bit overwhelmed by the magnitude of work that still needs to be done too.

Weddings are no joke, people.

Elope.

LOL!

Anyway, have a great weekend, my friends. I will come back refreshed and better than ever for you all next week!

Pastel het Red Axanthic

Well, here we have a morph combination that is not often seen on the market, due to its abiguity of sorts. Het Red Axanthics are a "boring" base morph, and therefore do not get bred into many things. I know several breeders that work very closely with the morph, including myself, and hope to find some awesome never before seen combinations in the near future.

Now what makes a Pastel or even a base Het Red Axanthic?

First, it begins in the color. Het Red Axanthics have an overall darker tone, with less yellows and more browns. They are most well known for the common dorsal black back over the spine, but this is not the only indicator of the morph, and it also may not even occur on some Het Reds.

Note in the photos that there are odd shaped alien heads with squiggles.
These squiggles are located within the body of the pattern (in the alien heads themselves) and don't seem to fit anywhere else. Can you see them in the photo below? They are the random black side spots in an otherwise organized pattern. There is one right below the word "below".

You notice that these pastels are not as bright as some can be. Yes! That is true... Again with the Het Red morph being in play, the tone is more golden, not neon yellow as some Pastels can be.

They are, however, still stunning in their own right.

All three of these photos on the blog are of different Pastel het Red Axanthics. They can vary immensly, and if you are in anyway doubtful of a Het Red, just try and pinpoint what could be there as an indicator.

Again:

COLOR
PATTERN (w/squiggles)
BLACK BACK

I have heard from many people that some Het Reds rival that of Black Pastels. This is true, and that is actually how I became the first person to create the Onyx. I thought it would be an awesome idea to breed a dark "normal" to my Black Pastel to see what would pop out.

Of course, the rest is history, and the Het Red gained popularity. I hope with other combinations, it will continue to do the same. 

Have a great day, my friends.

Chipo update: The Onyx Ball Python

So I have gotten the credit of creating the first Het Red Axanthic Black Pastel Ball Python.

It is published in John Berry's book Designer Morphs (2nd edition) Volume one: Ball Python and Boa Constrictor.

My friend tells me Chipo is on page 37 fig.44.

Unfortunately for us here in the United States, we cannot buy the book until August.

BOOOOO.

Anyway, Chipo is the first Onyx, and I named the Onyx because I thought it was fitting.
They are one of the darker morphs, and Onyx is dark and awesome too!

So there you go.

For those who don't remember the story, Chipo hatched out from a clutch gone bad. Four eggs originally, two eggs good by the end, and only Chipo survived. She was gorgeous when she hatched out, and I couldn't have been prouder.

So in 2008, I was the first person to hatch these guys out. Ralph Davis then did it a month later with Cinnamons, and he named the combination "Gargoyle."

Since Black Pastels and Cinnamons are considered different yet similar morphs, I decided to name the combination of Het Red and Black Pastel the "Onyx" to help differentiate between the two.

Chipo has been a tough character, as she is not the best eater, but she is getting bigger slowly but surely.

Can't wait to incorporate her into the plans soon enough.


Have a fantastic day, my friends.