What defines hypo?

[TigerCoastal]

Hey guys i am looking at a striped coastal that the breeder has advertised as hypo. Looking at the snake there is still a small amount of black pigmentation, slightly less than the snake in this pic, and through all of the research i have done the only definition i can find is "reduced black pigment", so my question is how reduced does it have to be to be classed as hypo? And if you have a pic of a snake that is close to being classed as hypo but not quite could you please post it so that i can have a bit of a visual reference.
Cheers
Wrenny

 

[Miss_Stripey]

I have been boggled myself on this question. I have a "Hypo" Bredli which has black flecks still remaining through her body and a Male which has the black on the tip of his tail. They are both Beautiful animals and i would not trade them for the world but a Hypo deffinition or a proper classification would be nice to know more about!

 

[Snakelove]

I understand that it's also reduced black pigment and not no black pigment whatsoever. I'm starting to not believe in hypos anymore, just saw a thread earlier and it's of a hypo bredli 5 years on and it has black all over it's tail, quite similar to a classic bredli. Althought I must say, they ARE awesome when young with bright colours and all but everything dulls down with age. You're asking the same question as how reduced does a "reduced patterned morph" have to be to be classified as one. I don't think anyone can definitely answer that. lol just my opinion!

 

[ShadowDragon]

Like many characteristics which breeders charge extra for on occasion, "hypo" is an entirely subjective label. One person's regular looking Brisbane area carpet is suddenly transformed by another into a Holy Grail of hyposim/hypo-osity/hyponess (/hyperbole if you ask me). If this thread takes of you'll get floods of pictures with everything from what I'd consider true hypos - those with either no black or a few tiny speckles - to animals which anyone with eyes in their head would consider to be hypermelanistic.

 

[TigerCoastal]

i'm not paying anymore for this one than i did for the females in the pics which i bought as a stripe and i got her from the same breeder, So i know its not a matter of him upping the price for a "label". I trust this breeder as he has been breeding for 20 years or so and i have known him for a long time so i know its not a case of ripping me off, i just want to know what the more experienced breeders/keepers class as hypo

 

[AM Pythons]

when ppl say 'hypo' i dont want to see any black, imo, the only true hypo ive seen are bredli..

 

[Minka]

2 year old Hypo Coastal bred by myself.

 

[AM Pythons]

2 year old Hypo Coastal bred by myself.

still got black on its head & flecks through its body... not a hypo imo..

 

[AM Pythons]

depends on how you look at it, if 'hypo' means 'less black' to you thats cool, but 'hypo' to me means 'no black at all' not having a go at anyone, just what i want in a hypo..

 

[Minka]

Hypomelanisim is a reduction of black pigment. Obviously Bredl's can have more outstanding "Hypo" specimens as they are predominately orange/red and have very little black pigment overall, where as its not uncommon for Mcdowelli to be mostly black or dark in appearance. NO BLACK would represent a form of Albinism.

 

[clouded_mind]

but 'hypo' to me means 'no black at all' not having a go at anyone, just what i want in a hypo..

Then that would be an Amelanistic animal, not a Hypomelanistic one

 

[AUSHERP]

hypo is normally no black pigmentation, if you look at overseas hypos they have no black at all....

 

[AM Pythons]

ah ok thanx.., going by that rule all my snakes are hypo.. who defines that one snake has less black than the normal.. striped animals must be hypo then because they have less black than non striped ones..

 

[AUSHERP]

we are taliing about hypos arent we, hypo melanistic refers to an animal lacking in black pigmentation that would normally have black not an animal that has no black.

 

[AM Pythons]

example. a normal diamond compared to a high yellow one.. a normal is mostly black, a high yellow one has more yellow than black, so all the high yellow breeders should be selling there snakes as 'hypo's'..

 

[AM Pythons]

Hypomelanisim is a reduction of black pigment. Obviously Bredl's can have more outstanding "Hypo" specimens as they are predominately orange/red and have very little black pigment overall, where as its not uncommon for Mcdowelli to be mostly black or dark in appearance. NO BLACK would represent a form of Albinism.

so a hypo bredli is a form of albinism?

 

[AUSHERP]

no man because a high yellow diamond still has black..... i dunno what to say. hypos have no black....
example http://www.exoticreptiles.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Salmon-Hypo-Boa-Constrictor.JPG

 

[AUSHERP]

hypo melanism is a form of albinism, ie. lacking black pigment

 

[AM Pythons]

see this is why i stay away from so called 'hypo's'.. no one can say for sure what one is... im even more confused now...lol

 

[clouded_mind]

Hypomelanistic is reduced melanin.
Amelanistic is no melanin.
(Melanin is the black pigmentation)

Who defines whats hypo?
Anybody can. Especially those that want to make $$ and throw names & titles at everything