Pastel Blood?

[Blackmarked]

At what age do boas generaly stop growing lighter and begin to darken in color? The reason I am asking is my girl (BCI) shed again yesterday(one year old), she went from light gray with lavender and pink highlights to silvery lavender throughout most of her body and generally lightened overall while retaining her dark chocolate brown saddles . There is even a difference in how light she is today from yesterday, much lighter today. Man I wish I had some way of posting pics!!!! Is it possible she has pastel blood?

p.s. she is gorgeous, wish I could share pics!

[lukeUK]

Re: Pastel Blood?

My BCI's seem to change colour daily! but my BCC's dont seem to be so variable, as far as I have seen, in my BCI, the older thay get the darker thay get. I have also found that useing a natrual spectrum light greatly enhances the colour of my boas! ;D ;D ;D ;D

[ClayEnglish]

Re: Pastel Blood?

Well you know after shedding is the best possible time for pics because boas and their colors are at their best.

As far as the pastel thing goes, there are pastel bloodlines and then there are boas with pastel attributes... Although 2 different things, the attributes are easily defined, and they are...

Reduction in black pigment. This is primarily seen in the dorsal saddles. This attribute is definable by very light/washed out tan saddles instead of the dark brown/black normal saddles.

Brilliant highlights/coloring. A normal orange or pink tint to the overall body and head region.

Here is a comparision picture.

[Blackmarked]

Re: Pastel Blood?

Well I don't know, mine does have light milk chocolate brown saddles but they are well defined with no washed out appearance and the pink head and body coloration. Oh well in the end who cares, she is beautiful and that all there is to that. I should be able to post some pics this summer when I get some money, I'm a university student and if you know how that goes money tends to be very tight! Thanx guys.

[TaranScorp]

Re: Pastel Blood?

This is my Boa. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
lol

[ClayEnglish]

Re: Pastel Blood?

Hey TaranScorp we will need some NEW pics after he sheds...

Mine will be outdated very soon... ;D

Also, have you been to the Critters forum yet? Brand new place for your Tarans and Scorps...

[Blackmarked]

Re: Pastel Blood?

So Clay are pastel attributes due to the breeding of pastels with regular bci or are they just something that naturally occurs?

[ClayEnglish]

Re: Pastel Blood?

Funny you should ask that... ;D I had thought about trying to explain it anyway so here goes...

Pastel bloodlines have taken years of selective breeding to achieve what we now see in some of the most notable bloodlines.. People like Jeff Ronne, who created the Dubay and Washington pastel bloodlines, bred boas that constantly had these beautiful pastel boas, so then he would breed the best of the best, the ones with the most washed out patterns to the ones with the brightest colors to each other, and then offspring from those to other selective offspring again. Several years, and several generations have led to a true pastel bloodline as a Co-dominant trait. Just like hypos. If a pastel bloodline is bred to a normal colombian then half of the offspring will be pastel.

Now off the bloodline subject for a moment...

A boa can exhibit pastel attributes and not be from a bloodline breeding.... I have seen extremely nice boas and purchased boas that are screamers.. True pastel attributes... And yet they were from regular breedings. Yet you could raise this screamer and breed it and have all very normal looking babies.. OR you could breed it and pass on this trait to some of the offspring.

For example the famous "Monster Tail" boa that made Jeff Ronne famous came from what he called "ugly" parents. All the boas in this litter were very very common, except this one extreme boa. And the results from the Monster Tail breedings are well known. In other words, extremely nice boas can result from even the most common breedings...

So you can have a boa with pastel attributes, and it can be a screamer, and yet not be from a proven bloodline. BUT you could selectively breed it and over time prove it out and create your own pastel bloodline..

[Blackmarked]

Re: Pastel Blood?

Thanx, that is very interesting. Guess you can be constanly suprised by the common boa. Man I love boas, so many choices so little space and cash to devote to them!