Bought by my girlfriend for me since I had wanted one. She got it from pet supplies and it was listed as a “fancy”. I’m very new to snakes and morphs but I was curious what it could be
3 Likes
Looks like a mojave to me. Hope she didn’t pay too much for it.
3 Likes
I think it was 100 dollars or so, she had 2 coupons, usually they charge 150 for “fancy” and 60 for normals.
1 Like
There is at least one alien face, maybe 3. Hard to tell from single photo. Mojaves should have one large spot in each side panel. Mojaves should also have a completely white underbelly. It may be part of a mojave clutch and didnt display 100% of the traits so the breeder sold it. Either way, beautiful BP. Im new to BPs as well but I have found this sight to be extremely helpful in multiple areas. Congrats on the new snake.
1 Like
From a cursery google search it def looks like it has mojave genes 
3 Likes
Im 99% its a single gene Mojave. 
4 Likes
BP genetics are almost mind blowing. Two mojaves being able to produce a blue eyed lucie makes my brain hurt.
So much to learn still.
2 Likes
Yep seems like a Mojave to me as well. I particularly like the pattern as adults. That’s when they seem the most defined. I’ll try to get pics of my Mojave het pied as a example
3 Likes
I’m going to give this a shot, however BELIEVE NOTHING I SAY UNTIL @t_h_wyman CHIMES IN
So the Mojave mutation reduces certain pigmentations.
One copy of this “code” is disruptive and causes what we see, but two copies is too much for the “code reader” to process and it just blanks out and causes a error in pigment production.
Sort of like when you ask a calculator to do a sum that makes no sense and you just get a error screen.
4 Likes
HI Congrats on your new baby. It definitely looks to be mojave.
3 Likes
Gotchya.
When I got my first BP…Oh I got this.pfft
When I got my morph…pfft, i got this
Then I started delving into morph genetics dominate, co dominate, recessive, hets…and on and on. I dont know squat. So much to learn. Thankful for this forum and the knowledge that gets shared.
3 Likes
I think everybody is of the same opinion. It looks like your gf got you a beautiful, healthy mojave. I hope you get years of enjoyment from both of them.
1 Like
Chiming in 
You got it pretty of close.
Being part of the BluEL family, the Mojave mutation disrupts distribution/deposition of ALL pigments. The presence of a single copy of the mutation creates a mild disruption so you have a little less pigment visualized and the pigment does not get laid down quite right so the patterning gets changed a bit. The presence of two copies of the mutation breaks the whole system so pigment is not deposited at all.
As an analogy; think of a package-carrying conveyor belt driven by two chains, one on each side. If the chain on the left side breaks, the conveyor still runs but it does not run smooth so the packages get shaken and jostled and some of them fall off and some of them end up in the wrong place. If the chains break on both sides, the belt stops and the packages go nowhere.
7 Likes
My middle goddaughter who is in high school has become absolutely obsessed with lucies now. I was trying to explain that they arent albinos. I just cant explain it in a professorial manner that fulfills her desire for detailed knowledge. So I just keep sending her links I find about BP morphs. She asked me if I thought she would be able to handle taking care of a BP.
Umm, you are in school, work part time with down syndrome kids, you work part time for a landscape nursery, and you wait tables a few days a week. You dont have time to play with a pet. You are only home at night. You would make a perfect BP owner!
2 Likes
Well I can solve this little conundrum for you.
An Albino has a complete lack of melanin synthesis so the animal loses all dark pigmentation but retains other pigments.
A Leucistic is (in most cases) a complete loss in the display of ALL pigments. The pigments are still synthesized however, which is why their eyes are still coloured. The process of eye pigmentation has two steps; one is the same one that involves pigmentation of the body and the other is independent of that pathway
4 Likes
I sent her a screen grab. Your info should lead her further down the BP wormhole. Much appreciated.
Ball pythons are basically the ultimate pet reptile because almost anyone can keep them. So yeah she should be able to keep them just fine. They only need to be fed about once a week so it’s a very flexible pet if need be
1 Like
She asked what I thought about getting a lucie. I told her she goes to school, she works PT with downs syndrome kids, PT at a landscape nursery, and waits tables. She’s only home at night. She’d make a great BP owner, if, if she ways the 20 year commitment and spends the summer educating herself about BPs. If shes 100%, gets her enclosure set up and ready then I will get her a lucy as a senior year kick off gift
A ball python would be pretty badass as any gift but especially one as a senior gift. There are also black eye Lucy’s as well. Many different ones to choose from, just be careful because some of them have some deformities such as bug eyes or small eyes but most are just fine. I personally like super Mojaves and super fires
1 Like