We have a couple starting to shed!
Also thoughts on this baby? I’m pretty sure they’re just an odd bamboo but they look very different from the other bamboos in the clutch/what I see online.
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The pattern looks more mojave to me personally, but the colors are closer to bamboo. Unless there’s an unaccounted for gene in mom (or possibly dad), I have to imagine that it’s just an odd bamboo?
The first 2 photos look Mojave. The third photo makes it look like maybe there’s another gene there, but from the parents listed genes there shouldn’t be.
If you can maybe get a few photos stretched out for better view of the pattern after they shed. They still look pretty shiny here and the colors can change a lot after the first shed.
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Yeah I’ll definitely take better pics once they’ve shed!
Dad is from Wilbanks and afaik is just a banana lesser (was sold as banana butter before the recent RGI discovery so I’m assuming).
I was only told that mom was a bamboo mojave with het ultramel, but being a BEL I wonder if she might not be hiding something else.
I’d love to do a full panel on her, but that kind of expense isn’t in the cards right now while I’m saving up to fly out and pick up a puppy from a breeder in early Nov.
Maybe afterwards though!
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Alright, returning with post-shed pics!
That little banana mojave is absolutely killing me, I didn’t realize how beautiful dark banana combos are 
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Mystery baby with the two bamboos and mojave in the clutch, they’ve definitely left me a little confused.
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Such beautiful babies all of them!
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And then the twins- they haven’t shed yet so they’re a little dirty from their time in the coco husk.
I’m pretty worried about them, especially the BEL. I know you normally wait until after the first shed to try and feed, but they’re just so pencil thin.
They also seem to have a slightly kinked tail?
Anyways, I’m picking up some hopper mice for the others and some fuzzy mice for these two, they’re still decently active so I’m hoping they’ll take to eating quickly and can get some weight on them 
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Thank you!
I’m absolutely in love with these little guys, even the fiestier ones that have tagged me a few times 
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Oh man those little twins are so precious! I do hope they thrive! Sending lots of love to them! 
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Yeah I think it’s so adorable when the little feisty ones try to act so big and tough! 
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It’s absolutely precious
So big and scary!
Fingers crossed that the twins do well, they’re too cute!
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Oh my lord they’re all so gorgeous 
If you like dark Banana combos I’d highly reccomend looking at Black Pastel + Banana combos. They look insane (at least as babies) and its a project I really want to get into considering my main focus this year was Banana pairings. They have dark lavender tones with an intense orange contrast.
As for the twins, its common for them to be pretty small and thin compared to the rest of their siblings but they don’t look horrible. The one with the tail kink will definitely be a pet only but it shouldn’t slow them down at all considering how insignificant the kink area is, and if you get worried about their weight and it does seem to be dropping try to offer them a rat pinky and see if they’ll take. The least it will do is give them a boost.
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Going to add on to Christina’s post…
Blk pastel banana is a beautiful combo. I was really hesitant about selling mine
If the twins start to seem more lethargic you can give them an assist feed to boost them up for a little. They may be difficult to start off on eating after though. Hopefully they won’t be
For the assist feed, if you are feeding the parents ft rats or mice you can cut the tail off and they take it pretty easily once it’s past the jaw. Just be careful with handling them for it.
I had what looked to be a failed twin with a very small (27g) hatchling. Because it wasn’t absorbing the yolk I had to assist feed 24 hours after they crawled out.
Ty for the advice and I’ll keep it in mind for the future but I’m happy to report that almost everyone ate! Including the twins!
The only one that didn’t, I’m pretty sure is because the hopper managed to drown itself first 
But it had only been in there for about an hour and a half and it was a fresh bowl, so I tossed it into the freezer. By the time they’ll take F/T, they’ll probably need bigger prey but it’s an attempt to reduce waste.
Thankfully this was with one of the chunkier hatchlings, so I’m not as worried about making them wait another 5-7 days before trying again (and removing the water bowl this time first 
)
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A little update!
Friday (10/3) I offered them their second meal, the twins were offered mouse hoppers and the rest were offered rat fuzzies.
The twins took the mice happily, and about half of the others took their rat fuzzies.
I think the other half were intimidated by the size, as they were hissing and striking at them but not attempting to bite and coil.
Not a problem, they were saved for later.
Admittedly when placing my order with my rat dealer, I had forgotten about the baby that missed their first meal due to the mouse taking a swim and got them a rat fuzzy which was a no-go.
I gave them a couple of days (today) and tried to offer up the mouse hopper as f/t and amazingly, it only took a couple of seconds for them to get with the program!
So now, not only has the last baby finally had their first meal, but they readily took it as f/t!
I’ll count that as a huge win!
Now everyone has had at least one meal
For everyone that took the rat fuzzy, I’m going to attempt f/t with the extras- those that are still eating mice or were intimidated by the rats, I’m going to try f/t mice this Friday.
Last but not least, the smallest twin finally shed! Quite a bit after their siblings, but they didn’t need any assistance, so another win!
I thought they were a BEL, and maybe they still are- just a kind of funky one? The other BEL siblings in this clutch hatched out white, they didn’t have any of these faint markings.
I’m assuming they’ll fade with age? (Other than the yellow marks obv)
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The all white one is a Mojave lesser. This one would most likely be lesser bamboo. Some BEL allelic combos aren’t as clean, like a mystic Mojave or a lesser special.
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I have quite a few in my clutch like that, definitely thinking Lesser Bamboo.
As far as the genetic calculator is saying, all of my BELs are Lesser Mystics- no other BEL combos except for Russo Mystics so it makes sense that I have so many in my clutch that look like that.
Edit: I will add that @desolim if you get a black light and shine it on that baby you’ll really see the pattern pop, its really cool to look at 
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Oooh good to know, I’ll need to grab a black light 
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Just a little update as I’m cleaning tubs and weighing the babies.
They’re doing well! The babies that didn’t eat the rat fuzzies, I offered f/t mouse fuzzies, which most of them took suprisingly readily!
There are still a few that were too intimidated by the live rat fuzzies but also weren’t clicking with the f/t mouse fuzziss, so we’re going to go for live again this week and then try again the following.
From taking notes, the babies that have taken a rat have had HUGE spurts of growth compared to their mouse-eating siblings, so I’d really like to get them switched over as soon as they’re willing.
In that regard, the smaller of the twins has actually surpassed their twin! …by 2g But hey, little victories, this lil guy is an absolute garbage disposal and I’m so glad that they’ve taken to f/t mouse fuzzies so readily.
I still need to sex them, I’ve watched tutorials but I’m worried about how fragile these little guys are 
Even if they’re eating supremely well, these guys aren’t leaving me until they’re 100g+ and consistently eating F/T since these guys are destined to be pets.
So it’s not too important to know their sexes until it’s closer to that time.
I might poke my rat dealer about demo-ing in person, but he’s also kind of a crotchedy rambler and there’s always the chance that he’s just going to rant about something unrelated the entire time I go to pick up rodents anyways
(Anyways, really need to keep doing research on keeping ASFs as a small hobbiest because I’m not breeding mice and the cost of live hoppers/fuzzies adds up quick @~@)
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