I didn't realize Todd was babysitting these . . >

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Posted by terryp on February 26, 2003 at 15:49:49:

In Reply to: Albino Bairds Ratsnakes posted by PKossak on February 25, 2003 at 21:22:12:

for Bill. I had thought Todd got this project from Europ. My understanig was they were produced in Germany. I've checked it out a few times myself and my understanding goes like this:
There were some Texas Bairdi that were collected in Texas. They ended up in Germany for something like 10 plus years. During this time the original stock taken from Texas dropped an albino or two. Given back breeding for hets, etc it would take alot of years to consistently throw amels. I thought Todd got the albino bairds project from Germany. You say he was babysitting them for Bill. I live in Bakersfield, CA where Glenn Faukenhauser is and who happens to be Todd's partner. He may not be now, I don't know. I've asked Glenn several times about the albino's and he's mentioned to me if I would like any. I never have gotten any, but not becasue I don't think they are pure. At the time I didn't feel they looked as good as the normals. Just my opinion and I'm not saying they aren't nice looking. My normals looked better to me at the time. Keep in mind I've only seen 2 pics of these until recently. I don't think anyone had seen very many pics until now. I've seen a few more pics the last couple of weeks and they look better than I first thought. I had inquired a bout a month ago to Glenn about the albino and/or het bairds. He mentioned that Todd and he won't have anymore available, but they will have normal bairds. I sent Glenn an e-mail when I saw Bill Cowan put the an albino bairdi project on the classifieds and inquired were these the ones Todd had been working with. He never answered the inquiry. There has been discussions on this forum more than a couple times regarding their purity. There has been suspicion from the start as far as I know. It was even determined which snake might be the cross. I still haven't bought into it myself. There was talk of a black rat snake. There was talk of a yellow rat snake. Throw out the black rat snake. The yellow would make sense if any. The yellow rat snake starts out with blotches that turn to stripes as the bairdi does. The black rat snake does not do this. A bairdi crossed with a black rat would probably retain its blocthes I would think. An adult bairdi with blotches would definately spell the possibilty of a cross. There is definately the shadow of suspicion on these. Some Bairdi are collected in Texas and go to Germany. Ten plus years come back as albinos and hets. No other albino has cropped up in Texas. By the way Glenn breeds hybrids. He breeds and sells them at shows for lots of $$. He is a field biologist and has been doing morph genetics and has written several articles on it. If anyone could pull it off, he could do it. I've questioned him on it. He has always presented his snakes as they are that I know of. If its and hybrid or cross, he will tell people. He has never waivered or budged on the fact they are pure. If it was done he didn't do it and if they aren't pure he can't tell. He would have said so. I haven't seen anything outside of suspision regarding their purity. Saying they must be crossed with a black rat snake and/or a yellow rat snake isn't very much data or reason for me to doubt them. I lean towards pure right now. Simple as that. If you like these albino bairds and you trust or feel comfortable with the person you buy them from; then congrats, you have just bought a very nice albino Texas Bairdi. I could get a little nit picky and say if you haven't talk to the breeder in Germany; then you have not talked to the real breeder. I wouldn't want to end this by clearing anything up. LOL

:I was just wondering what everyone thought about these. I am receiving a pair of hets next week from Bill Corwin (these are the parents, Bill gave me permission to post the pic). I think that the albino male looks absolutely gorgeous, and I am really excited to get into this project. I know some doubt the purity of these guys, but to me it looks like 100% Bairdi. Bill told me that his stock originated in Europe from pure East Texas Bairdi, and that's where BHB received their's as well. Well, just looking for other's opinions on these guys. Thanks,

:Paul
:

Follow Ups:

Thanks again for the great detail and explanation Terry... gofer 02/26/03 (6)
- Good luck with your albino bairds Gregg . . > terryp 02/27/03 (5)
  - Another new pic, showing some head detail and color.. gofer 02/28/03 (0)
  - Brand new pics, okay but still not showing his true colors.. gofer 02/28/03 (2)
    - I'd like to see one in person. . . .>.. terryp 02/28/03 (1)
      - Thanks Terry, i'll send you one soon if you really want to.. gofer 02/28/03 (0)
  - Re: Good luck with your albino bairds Gregg . . > gofer 02/27/03 (0)
Re: I didn't realize Todd was babysitting these . . > PKossak 02/26/03 (4)
- Oops, I hit the enter before I was . . .> terryp 02/27/03 (2)
  - Re: Oops, I hit the enter before I was . . .> PKossak 02/27/03 (1)
    - Brought the snakes out last Sunday . . .> terryp 02/27/03 (0)
- No sweat on the climacs Paul . . . terryp 02/26/03 (0)