tyflier
[Insert Witty Commentary]
Ok...let me see if I can remember the whole story...
A few years ago, a "friend of a friend"(whose name I don't remember, unfortunately) was asking for information on where to find shovelnose snakes near Ridgecrest, CA. My friend, Shannon, gave him directions to a road that was known to be frequented by Mojave shovelnose snakes quite regurlary.
This guy went out, and instead of finding a Mojave shovelnose, he found an albino Movae Rattler(C.s. scutulatus). He called up Shannon, who went down there, tubed it, sexed it, and helped him find a suitable male to try and establish a breeding program.
The first year's hatchlings, all 100% het albino, were dispersed, except for a couple holdbacks to breed back to the original female.
This year, one of the male hets. was bred to the female, and she laid a clutch of 16...8 albino and 8 het albino. Somehow, either she laid on them and smothered them or they couldn't escape the yolk sacks, half of the clutch died in the first 24 hours. But 8 remained, and still...an even split....4 albino, 4 het albino.
While out at my friend Shannon's house yesterday, I was gifted the pleasure of observing one of only 5 known albino Mojave rattlers. For helping the guy establish a breeding program, he was given 1 albino baby, and a pair of het babies from this years clutch...and I got to play with the baby a little bit!
Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me. But I DID have my camera phone, and, with Shannon's permission, I snapped a couple pictures to share. This is the first known clutch of captive bred and born Albino Mojave Green rattlesnakes in existence. There are currently 5...4 babies and the original mother. I didn't take pics of the het babies because, well...they looked like any other Mojave green. But this albino baby was simply spectacular! The photos don't do it justice...but you get the idea!
Hope you enjoy them! One of these days, I'll go out with a decent camera and take some decent pics to share, but for now...these will whet your appetite!!
A few years ago, a "friend of a friend"(whose name I don't remember, unfortunately) was asking for information on where to find shovelnose snakes near Ridgecrest, CA. My friend, Shannon, gave him directions to a road that was known to be frequented by Mojave shovelnose snakes quite regurlary.
This guy went out, and instead of finding a Mojave shovelnose, he found an albino Movae Rattler(C.s. scutulatus). He called up Shannon, who went down there, tubed it, sexed it, and helped him find a suitable male to try and establish a breeding program.
The first year's hatchlings, all 100% het albino, were dispersed, except for a couple holdbacks to breed back to the original female.
This year, one of the male hets. was bred to the female, and she laid a clutch of 16...8 albino and 8 het albino. Somehow, either she laid on them and smothered them or they couldn't escape the yolk sacks, half of the clutch died in the first 24 hours. But 8 remained, and still...an even split....4 albino, 4 het albino.
While out at my friend Shannon's house yesterday, I was gifted the pleasure of observing one of only 5 known albino Mojave rattlers. For helping the guy establish a breeding program, he was given 1 albino baby, and a pair of het babies from this years clutch...and I got to play with the baby a little bit!
Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me. But I DID have my camera phone, and, with Shannon's permission, I snapped a couple pictures to share. This is the first known clutch of captive bred and born Albino Mojave Green rattlesnakes in existence. There are currently 5...4 babies and the original mother. I didn't take pics of the het babies because, well...they looked like any other Mojave green. But this albino baby was simply spectacular! The photos don't do it justice...but you get the idea!
Hope you enjoy them! One of these days, I'll go out with a decent camera and take some decent pics to share, but for now...these will whet your appetite!!
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