pastel or normal?

[Reyes81487]

is this a pastel or a clean normal?

[JLTerry]

Re: pastel or normal?

Well actually a pastel is a normal. Pastel is just a name given to selectively bred bloodlines where the boas exhibit a reduction of black pigment. Pastels usually have a bit more red, pink, or orange hues that show through (due in part because the layer of black is reduced, revealing these colors). The important thing here is that it is a bloodline. If you don't know for sure it came from a line such as Ronne pastels, EBV Red group, or inferno pastels then you really can't just throw that name on a boa.

That aside, from what I can tell from the pics it looks to be a non-pastel normal. A very nice boa though.

[MSwift]

Re: pastel or normal?

Well actually a pastel is a normal. Pastel is just a name given to selectively bred bloodlines where the boas exhibit a reduction of black pigment. Pastels usually have a bit more red, pink, or orange hues that show through (due in part because the layer of black is reduced, revealing these colors). The important thing here is that it is a bloodline. If you don't know for sure it came from a line such as Ronne pastels, EBV Red group, or inferno pastels then you really can't just throw that name on a boa.

That aside, from what I can tell from the pics it looks to be a non-pastel normal. A very nice boa though.

ya what he said lol but thats exactly right its not a morph just blood lines with black reduction that is a really nice normal though i like pattern very cool looking boa

[Reyes81487]

Re: pastel or normal?

I know I worded it all wrong the reason I'm asking if it looks like a pastel was because the person who is selling it called it an "Alex Smith cream pastel" I've never heard of that line before. Just the usual wAshington or east bay viv in my surounding area.

[Morgans Boas]

Re: pastel or normal?

The important thing here is that it is a bloodline. If you don't know for sure it came from a line such as Ronne pastels, EBV Red group, or inferno pastels then you really can't just throw that name on a boa.

This is not a true statement , as Jeff Ronne has said himself that Pastels can pop up from any litter . It's the look from the reduction of the black in the saddles, side diamonds, and along the sides of the tail that determines wether it should be considered a Pastel . It's not a genetic mutation , but rather a trait.
IMO though, the Boa in the original post is not a Pastel type normal, but rather a non-Pastel type normal.

[JLTerry]

Re: pastel or normal?

This is not a true statement , as Jeff Ronne has said himself that Pastels can pop up from any litter . It's the look from the reduction of the black in the saddles, side diamonds, and along the sides of the tail that determines wether it should be considered a Pastel . It's not a genetic mutation , but rather a trait.
IMO though, the Boa in the original post is not a Pastel type normal, but rather a non-Pastel type normal.

Yes it is understood that it is a selective trait and they can be created by any breeder with the right combination of animals, but there are generally accepted pastel bloodlines on the market and then there are people throwing the pastel label around. There have been alot of peeved people when anyone and everyone starts throwing the name pastel on a boa that is just clean and light when it may not exhibit all of the pastel traits and quality that Jeff's or other established lines exhibit. I guess the term pastel is just getting used a bit too loosely. I have no problem with someone creating a new line of pastels as long as it is up to the standard that the other established lines have set.

[Morgans Boas]

Re: pastel or normal?

Yes it is understood that it is a selective trait and they can be created by any breeder with the right combination of animals, but there are generally accepted pastel bloodlines on the market and then there are people throwing the pastel label around. There have been alot of peeved people when anyone and everyone starts throwing the name pastel on a boa that is just clean and light when it may not exhibit all of the pastel traits and quality that Jeff's or other established lines exhibit. I guess the term pastel is just getting used a bit too loosely. I have no problem with someone creating a new line of pastels as long as it is up to the standard that the other established lines have set.

Completely agreed . The term is very over-used.

Here is one that I produced by noy using any Pastel lines - now owend by other people --




. . . and one from my collection that is not from any Pastel lines ----

[BigPaPaErnest]

Re: pastel or normal?

Nice Normal Reyes!

MORGAN!!! YOUR KILLIN ME!...that is one SMOKIN Boa bro! I remember seeing these pics during the Calendar Pic Contest!

[Boa Amarali]

Re: pastel or normal?

I know I worded it all wrong the reason I'm asking if it looks like a pastel was because the person who is selling it called it an "Alex Smith cream pastel" I've never heard of that line before. Just the usual wAshington or east bay viv in my surounding area.

I have heard of the name "Alex Smith Cream Pastel" Line but I have never
actually seen one of the Pastels from that line.

The above pictured Boa may be from that Alex Smith Line but

I can confidently say it is not a Pastel Boa

not even a Low Low grade Pastel Boa

Its a regular Boa

[JLTerry]

Re: pastel or normal?

Completely agreed . The term is very over-used.

Here is one that I produced by noy using any Pastel lines - now owend by other people --




. . . and one from my collection that is not from any Pastel lines ----

I'd have no problem calling those boas "Pastels", they are smoking and I'd love to get ahold of a couple like that! They definitely have all the qualities of a good pastel.

[Reyes81487]

Re: pastel or normal?

Thanks for the picture it's one thing to just say no it's a normal and giving me picture examples!!! Greatly appreciated!!

[ClayEnglish]

Re: pastel or normal?

It is overused for sure. But today, thanks to the years of selective breeding, most "normals" today are far better looking than boas of 10 years ago. Today's litters by veteran and newbie breeders are going to look cleaner and more washed out in general, and I believe that is a result of these selective breeding programs. It is from purchasing high quality stock from selective breeders. Keeping the best of the best for themselves to breed in the future. Today you can find very nice boas even in the pet store trade if you look long enough.

What I always admired about the Pastel boa, were the Pastel bloodlines from Jeff Ronne... for example with the Dubay pastel bloodline, the individual Dubay boas themselves were not really pretty at all... I mean at all.

But the babies they could throw were spectacular.