There are a lot of Pastel Ball Pythons. Some breeders will grade them, with Grade-A being the most beautiful, and Grade-E being the least.
Pastel is a color mutation in Ball Python. Where on a Normal, its just dark color snake, whereas on a Pastel, its obvious Yellow coloration.
Even then, there are some Normals which looks like a Pastel. Dishonest breeders/sellers will sell Normals as Pastel. Typically, a Pastel cost more than a Normal, due to the co-dominant advantage on a Pastel. So, get your money worth.
A Normal breed to a Normal, will always give 100% Normal babies. While, a Pastel to a Pastel, will give Normals, Pastels & Super Pastels. A Super Pastel is a more intensely color snake. The beauty of a Super Pastel is when breed to a Normal, 100% of the offsprings will be Pastels. If a Pastel to a Normal, will give 50% Normals, 50% Pastels. So a Super Pastel is a great snake to have in a collection, when you have a future plan set-up.
There are a few ways to identify a Pastel. 1st, its Yellow coloration, but some normals do show yellowing coloration like a Pastel. 2nd, is a clear belly, most ball python morphs have clear belly. 3th, Pastel got Green to light Green eyes. Normals dont. Last, most pastel have a faded clear head. A few Breeders will go for the last method (including me), not as an indicator as a pastel, but they use this feature for future breeding purposes.
Here are my own Pastel collection. From a low grade to a very good Grade of Pastel.
1st, my very 1st Pastel Ball Python. I was once a newbie, so I didnt check for good grade Pastels.
He got nice yellow color, green eyes, but the faded clear head is not that great. I grade him as Grade-C.
2nd, one of my Female Pastel. This is one beautiful Pastel, very high Yellow coloration, faded head is also noticeable here. I grade her as Grade-B.
Lastly, a very Good grade Pastel Ball Python. Infact, she was sold as a Blonde Pastel Ball Python. Why blonde? There are a few very good lines of Pastels. NERD, Blonde, Lemon to name a few. Good thing is most pastel, brown out with age. With blonde, the yellow coloration stays till adulthood. Here she is, what do you think?
Her future is to be breed to a Pastel Yellow Belly, a Ball Python with 2 morphs. I'm not sure, what line, the Pastel Yellow Belly is, but i'll grade him as Grade-B. The Offsprings will be Normal, Pastel, Blonde Pastel, Yellow Belly, Pastel Yellow Belly, Blonde Pastel Yellow Belly, Super Pastel/Blonde & Super Pastel/Blonde Yellow Belly. Hopefully, I plan to bred and get a pure line of Blonde Pastels. I see, not a lot of breeders around here, emphasis on this importance. But if you know me, I'm more details on the work I done. Call me serious, but I want is customer satisfaction & my own reputation too.
Why i elaborate on the importance Pastel lines in a collection. If you want to do breeding in the future, like say, you want to produce a Bumblebee, thats a Pastel breed to a Spider. If you use a low grade Pastel, the Bumblebee, you produce will also be a low-grade one. Where a low-grade Bee, which is beautiful as hatchling, will brown-out with age. But if you use a good line Pastel, with that Spider, the Bumblebee you produce will be much more better, and the color stays bright. It will even have a new name, a BlondeBee.
Need to read more ->
CLICK.
