Snakely Speaking

[ConcinusMan]

Some other useful terms that "newbies" might want to familiarize themselves with so that they don't feel like we are speaking a language they don't understand:

Basic Genetics Definitions

Allele - either of the two paired genes affecting an inherited trait (one from the father, one from the mother). Codominant - an allele that causes the homozygous form to look different than wild type and the heterozygous form to have traits of both. (All three look different from each other.) Dominant - an allele that causes the homozygous form and the heterozygous form to look the same as each other, but different than wild type. Recessive - an allele that affects a animal's appearance if it's present in the homozygous state only. An animal that's heterozygous for a mutant, recessive gene looks wild type, but that gene can be passed on to offspring. Heterozygous - having two different alleles for a genetic trait. Homozygous - having identical alleles for a genetic trait. Wild Type - the way an animal looks with the greatest frequency in a wild population ("normal").
Albino - a snake with absent or deficient melanin. Common name for "amelanistic". See tyrosinase-negative and tyrosinase-positive.
Amelanistic - having no melanin.
Anerythristic - having no red color.
Axanthic - having no yellow color.
(Co)Dominant - a "combination term" used in this Genetics Wizard to identify a gene that is either dominant or codominant. The Genetics Wizard will give you the correct genetic makeup of the offspring. You need to know if you are specifying a dominant trait or a codominant trait to determine what the babies will look like.
Codominant - a gene that causes the homozygous form to look different than the wild-type and the heterozygous form to have traits of both.
Dbl. Het. - double heterozygous.
Dominant - a gene that causes a snake to look different than the wild-type and where the homozygous form and the heterozygous form look the same as each other.
Double Heterozygous - being heterozygous for two different traits.
50% Possible Het. - a snake that comes from breeding a heterozygous snake with a wild-type. Statistically, one-half of the resulting babies are heterozygous. Until their genetics are proven, each of these baby snakes are known to be 50% possible "het.".
Gene - unit of heredity that determines the characteristics of the offspring.
Genetics - the study of heredity.
Heredity - the transmission of genetic characters from parents to offspring.
Het. - short for heterozygous.
Heterozygous - having two different genes for a given trait. Such a snake with one recessive, mutated gene looks normal, but it can pass the gene on through breeding. A heterozygous snake with one (co)dominant, mutated gene looks different than a wild-type because of that gene.
Homozygous - a snake where both genes for a given trait are the same. Even recessive genes, if they are in a homozygous state, will affect how a snake looks.
Hypomelanistic - a snake having less black and/or brown color than a wild-type.
Leucistic - a pure white snake with dark eyes.
Melanin - black or brown skin pigments.
Melanistic - abnormally dark, due to increased melanin.
Mutation - an abnormal gene that under certain circumstances can cause a snake to be born with an appearance other than wild-type.
Normal - a snake that looks like the wild-type generally seen, and it carries no mutated genes.
Offspring - babies.
Possible Het. - a snake from a known breeding that has either a 50% or 66% possibility of being "het." for a mutant gene. This is an inexpensive way to obtain snakes with the genetic makeup required to produce much more valuable snakes.
Recessive - a gene that affects a snake's appearance if it's present in the homozygous state. A heterozygous snake carrying a mutated, recessive gene looks normal.
66% Possible Het. - a snake that comes from breeding two snakes that are heterozygous for the same mutant gene. This produces babies in the following proportions: 25% will be homozygous, 50% will be heterozygous, and 25% will be wild-type. Of the normal-looking babies, 2 out of every 3 (66%) are heterozygous.
Snow - a snake that's homozygous for both albino and axanthic or (for some species) albino and anerythristic.
Tyrosinase - an enzyme needed to synthesize melanin.
Tyrosinase-negative - an albino whose cells lack tyrosinase, producing a white and yellow/orange snake with pink eyes. A separate albino mutation from tyrosinase-positive.
Tyrosinase-positive - an albino not able to synthesize melanin, but capable of synthesizing tyrosinase, which results in lavender-brown skin color.
Wild-type - the way the snake usually looks in nature (i.e. the normal color and pattern).
Xanthic - having more yellow color than wild-type.

The links provided give credit to the source of the info I just copied and pasted.

[Flicker]

Pulling from a question in a different thread - what EXACTLY does it mean when you state a snake is going into "blue" phase and then "opaque" phase. I noticed Flicker's eyes go blue - and I know that means he's sending fluids under his skin to loosen it - and he does look darker and more "brown" during those times... but his eyes don't stay blue - the fact that he's darker, does tht mean he's still in "blue phase"? And what is opaque phase?

[guidofatherof5]

Those are just terms for the shedding phase. Both are just loose terms created by anyone. I usually say blue phase or opaque phase. Both apply.

Pulling from a question in a different thread - what EXACTLY does it mean when you state a snake is going into "blue" phase and then "opaque" phase. I noticed Flicker's eyes go blue - and I know that means he's sending fluids under his skin to loosen it - and he does look darker and more "brown" during those times... but his eyes don't stay blue - the fact that he's darker, does tht mean he's still in "blue phase"? And what is opaque phase?