Ralph Davis Reptiles - The Martrix

Welcome to the Matrix! This is where you will find everything pertaining to genetics….like Punnett Squares, definitions and examples. In the Terminology Section, you will see the glossary from H. Bernard Bechtel's book - Reptile and Amphibian - Colors, Patterns and Scales. This glossary is very informative and helps explain some of the "genetics lingo" we hear but are not sure what the heck it means?? I think Bechtel's list of definitions is as good as you will find on this very confusing subject……….GENETICS!!!!!! If you are interested in Ball Python or Boa Constrictor Color/Pattern/Morphs/Mutations…….then you need to know the basics. The Matrix page is here for dummies like me……

Here I will show you what a Punnett Square is…….and how the thing works. The "Squares" section will be where you can view the squares and see what the outcome of different breedings will be. This is all about GENES people!! I always said that the Big Breeders are nothing more than "Gene Sales People" A ball python is a ball python……..but throw in some cool genes……….and everybody goes nuts!! I know I do………and that is why I learned about genetics and I still learn about it more and more each year.

Getting back to the squares………these things totally suck when you first start learning about genetics. The square can be very confusing to interpret at first………but once you learn the rules of the square…….and follow them each time……..you will get better at understanding the outcome. I still get confused just thinking about writing down a square???? ……..Anyway……..I will have a bunch of squares to see…….from simple recessive heterozygous, double heterozygous, triple heterozygous and homozygous……….to the most confusing……..DOMINANT and CO-DOMINANT combined with simple recessive genes……….AGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Genetics is all about heredity and how hereditary traits are passed on to offspring. Simply put into a quick example………::: when an aberrant ( example albino being a simple recessive trait ) python is bred to a normal "wild type" python……….all the offspring will be heterozygous ( gene carriers ) for the aberrant……we will say that the aberrant is Albino. So now you have all these pretty little normal looking babies running around…….these little guys are called F-1's……F-1 means these guys are the first generation of the project. By breeding F-1's together or breeding the F-1's back to the original aberrant python ( parents )………you then will see the final product of your breeding efforts…..and that would be more ALBINOS!!!!!!! Now you have proved that your aberrant is what??????…………yes!!!!!!………..It is an inheritable trait!!!!!!!!…….or as the breeders say…….."it's genetic"……..and you did this all by understanding genetics, and how some genes are inheritable and can be reproduced through your breeding efforts.

You will also find in the Matrix………."RALPH'S WORDS":…this is where you will find more of the "off the hip" stuff on genetics……...and any little "tid-bits" or "rants" I get in the mood to write.

Finally.........there is the Ball Python "Proven/Unproven Traits" page.........here I will try to list each and every mutation of the ball python that I know of ( Bogus or not )..........it will be hard...........because it seems like a "New Morph" pops up every week with these awesome pythons!!!...........I will briefly describe the status and genetics of each mutation..........maybe a picture or two...........and who produced it and when.

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!