Pastel Spotnose

I have been trying to get a good picture of a Pastel Spotnose for the collection, and so far there have been not many good opportunities. They (the two sisters from this year) tend to bite when the camera comes out, so this one was especially docile for about five minutes, so I took the opportunity while I could.

I have to say, Spotnoses and their combinations are really growing on me. I did not jump into the morph very quickly. I actually did it somewhat reluctantly, to be honest, due to a trade offer that I took up.

I ended up with 1.1 Spotnoses het VPI Axanthic a few years ago, and bred the male to a few of my females.

I bred him to a Pastel, and this female was one of the outcomes of that breeding. So yes, she is 50% possible het for VPI Axanthic. Extra bonus? Absolutely.

It has been a blessing to have these guys here, as making things "Pastel" seems to make things that much more outstanding! 

Just look at that head pattern. Spotted noses aren't really the best identifier of a Spotnose. The head pattern is. It is an odd patterned area on top of the head that is distinctive.

Gotta love it!

So there you go. I hope to have a significantly nicer photo for the collection page.

Until then, these will have to do.

Have a great day, my friends!

Determining Breeders

Every year, Breeders looking to upgrade their collections and manifest new projects tend to reevaluate what they have, what they want to do, and the animals they are currently working with. Do they have enough space to keep everything they had previously? Do they have the resources to keep fifty more animals from the cuurrent year without moving anything out ?

These are the questions, and the answers are most of the time very difficult. The longer you do it, the more things get complex.. I can attest to that.

The thing that really is important to figure out is... Is it worth it anymore?

Is it worth it to feed that animal and use it next season for breeding? Males or females? Large or small?

Things floating around thru the community and in my own mind as well.

For example...

Are normal breeder females not worth the effort to have anymore?

They are still females producing eggs, but is it better to sell your breeder normals and het stuff that isn't easily create a morph, or do you keep them? Do you keep all of the newest and coolest females that you produce and replace the normals with them this year, or next year, or at all?

For me, every year is a bit more difficult... I am moving out some of the last of my breeder normal females, and it pains me to see them go. The same with my breeder males... It's one of those things that I feel guilty about, although it is a difficult decision, it is the best thing for my space and my collection.

And of course, the feeling that some people do not appreciate the breeders I am selling doesn't help the situation. This is not to say that my customers who get my breeders don't appreciate snakes.. That is not what I am saying at all. What bothers me more is the market for a breeder anything seems to be not much more than that of a hatchling... and this is the norm. So why buy hatchlings at all? (Another topic for another day)

But, it is part of the equation of being a breeder. Things loose value, other things are more interesting, and things change often.

The market is finicky, but the snakes are awesome. That is the bottom line.

So I clear out space for more snakes, more awesomeness, and next year the problem will again be where to put what I want to keep so that I can keep progressing in my goals as a breeder.

How bout you?

Have a great day, my friends!

Happy Fourth of July!

Well, the babies came out this weekend, and it is very obvious that they are Pastel Spotnoses.
Spotnoses are wierd looking critters in the egg, with the heads with all that pattern!

I really like what they do to Pastels, and vice versa. I thought I would be dissapointed with the way these guys were going to turn out, being just yellow and stuff, but I am actually very impressed with this morph and how it changes things!

One of them came out so bright, I was surprised! There is no way it is a Super, but then again, I have no idea what may be messing with the color other than the fact that it is possible het VPI Axanthic, and they tend to be a bit lighter. I'm honestly not sure. Plus the "Pastel" in the clutch looks like an Enchi... So I have no idea what is going on here until they shed. But it's a great clutch.

1.2 Pastel Spotnoses ph VPI Axanthic, 0.1 Spotnose ph VPI Axanthic, 0.1 "Pastel" and 1.0 Normal.

Not too shabby.

I'm happy!

So have a great fourth of July, and be safe. We'll be talking again real soon.

Have a great day, my friends.