Dusty is a ball python surrendered to us in 2019. When we got him, he was extremely emaciated, had about seven layers of stuck shed and was severely impacted. Without intervention, he was hours away from death’s door. Dusty was so weak; he did not have the strength to hold his head up and or coil around his feeder rats. We nursed him back to health month by month over a two-year period. Many evenings he rested comfortably around our necks or in our arms. Dusty is how a healthy, happy daddy who loves cuddles and kisses.

Dusty is also part of a new gene project we are working on. This gene is an interesting gene and there is still lots to be discovered about it. It has proven to be genetic and is either dominant or co-dominant. Markers for the gene include the following: Overall matrix of the morph darkens with age; Is a dark base morph with some granite like speckling in the aliens. Base of the alien heads extend laterally along the belly and tend to link with the bases of the floating aliens which float up off the belly on the flanks; Keyholes display strong laterally stretching and some may try to bridge over the dorsal spine. Circle keyhole patterns form along the dorsal spine; Crown has a brown headstamp lighter than the rest of the body.