Thanks, Soe.........(more)....

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Posted by Terry Cox on August 12, 2001 at 08:56:09:

In Reply to: What I believe is normal! posted by Pedersen, S�e on August 12, 2001 at 02:47:57:

Good morning!

Your answer is very definitive and puts us right where we should be with mandarina. My Mandarins are like the picture you show in your post, which I thought would be the most common form and would be from Eastern China. Mine are from Gillingham, by the way.

Like most species of snakes, Mandarins have a range of colors from light to dark. But also there are differences in pattern and size depending on where they come from. I think the areas that will show the biggest differences in over all pattern, color, and size will be to the south, Vietnam (as you mentioned), Taiwan to the east, the Indian/Burma form west, and also the Sichuan form to the northwest. Maybe some of these will become subspecies someday.

It remains to be seen what can still be imported to get private collections started. My next question is, will mandarina survive in any of these locations with all the environmental degradation and possible extinctions going on? It helps that they are montane and don't get as big as say, taeniura, anyway.

Have a great day, Soe.

Terry

: Hi Terry
: Actually a good question. I have made about 100 juveniles now and seen some other, and most of them looks very similar in ground color, BUT nearly all of them are from the old strains imported to Europe in late 70`ies or in the 8o�ies. Their origin is the eastern part of China. Later new imports are shown at the market from a more southern area and they are different. Especially the juveniles are different. They are bigger and their ground color has a green glow in stead of pure yellow. I have only seen a few of these, so I wouldn`t say that it is normal for these animals, but I was wondering when I saw them the first time.
: The juveniles from the old strains originating from Gillingham, M�nzenmaier,T.Schmidt and me looks very similar with 2 differences:
: 1. The ground color that normally is Aluminium-grey with very small dark markings could be darker and have a more yellow, brown or red coloration.
: 2. The diamants on the back can have some dark spots in the middle of the diamants. If they are shown there are normally only a few, but I have had up to 16 spots so far ( I find them very pretty)
: This is not so understandable without proper photo material. If you are looking in our Bible there is a nice photo of a yellow ground colored juvenile from M�nzenmaier (old strain) I wil place another of the common colorations below. On this animal the dark spots in the gray ground color is clearly visible and the final reddish colored was shown further below in this Forum.
: I hope that answers your question. I have practically no experience with the more southern mandarins, so I don�t think I am the right one to ask about those.
: Best wishes
: S�e

: : My mandarins have reddish brown marks on each scale, but the basic ground is light gray. Is gray the normal ground color, in your opinion?

: : TC

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: Good morning! : Your answer is very definitive and puts us right where we should be with mandarina. My Mandarins are like the picture you show in your post, which I thought would be the most common form and would be from Eastern China. Mine are from Gillingham, by the way. : Like most species of snakes, Mandarins have a range of colors from light to dark. But also there are differences in pattern and size depending on where they come from. I think the areas that will show the biggest differences in over all pattern, color, and size will be to the south, Vietnam (as you mentioned), Taiwan to the east, the Indian/Burma form west, and also the Sichuan form to the northwest. Maybe some of these will become subspecies someday. : It remains to be seen what can still be imported to get private collections started. My next question is, will mandarina survive in any of these locations with all the environmental degradation and possible extinctions going on? It helps that they are montane and don't get as big as say, taeniura, anyway. : Have a great day, Soe. : Terry : : : Hi Terry : : Actually a good question. I have made about 100 juveniles now and seen some other, and most of them looks very similar in ground color, BUT nearly all of them are from the old strains imported to Europe in late 70`ies or in the 8o�ies. Their origin is the eastern part of China. Later new imports are shown at the market from a more southern area and they are different. Especially the juveniles are different. They are bigger and their ground color has a green glow in stead of pure yellow. I have only seen a few of these, so I wouldn`t say that it is normal for these animals, but I was wondering when I saw them the first time. : : The juveniles from the old strains originating from Gillingham, M�nzenmaier,T.Schmidt and me looks very similar with 2 differences: : : 1. The ground color that normally is Aluminium-grey with very small dark markings could be darker and have a more yellow, brown or red coloration. : : 2. The diamants on the back can have some dark spots in the middle of the diamants. If they are shown there are normally only a few, but I have had up to 16 spots so far ( I find them very pretty) : : This is not so understandable without proper photo material. If you are looking in our Bible there is a nice photo of a yellow ground colored juvenile from M�nzenmaier (old strain) I wil place another of the common colorations below. On this animal the dark spots in the gray ground color is clearly visible and the final reddish colored was shown further below in this Forum. : : I hope that answers your question. I have practically no experience with the more southern mandarins, so I don�t think I am the right one to ask about those. : : Best wishes : : S�e : : : My mandarins have reddish brown marks on each scale, but the basic ground is light gray. Is gray the normal ground color, in your opinion? : : : TC

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