diamond python rosettes

[Earthling]

After reading a few care sheets on Diamond pythons i am led to believe that the better the rosettes on the python the better quality that the animal is. Now after looking through the galleries on different sites and searching the for sales everywhere for a couple of pythons with good rosettes to purchase, Im starting to wonder if there really is any diamonds out their with good rosettes. they tend to go from 5 or 6 dots clumped together with the odd central dot in the 'rosette', to patterns that resemble darwins. Am i being fed the wrong information or have they changed as of mans breeding of them???????????????? And what really makes a good diamond python(apart from the subjective "Its mine so i love it" outlook, which we all tend to go down :wink: ) Views :?:

 

[Retic]

The rosette size or shape or colour has no bearing on the 'quality' of the animal. What makes a good Diamond is whatever appeals to you. Some people love high yellow other like black and white. To me a nice Diamond is very yellow with small regular rosettes, that doesn't make it a better quality than any other though.

 

[zen]

After reading a few care sheets on Diamond pythons i am led to believe that the better the rosettes on the python the better quality that the animal is.

:roll: What care sheets say this :?:


The range of colouration is enormous in Diamonds, even within one litter from a single father.

Some pure Diamonds can have almost no rosettes, tiny spotting/tipping and be almost black in colour.
Whilst other pure specimens can have quite irregular rosettes and some anterior lateral striping.
Further valid individuals can even be almost banded 8)

There are some regional characteristics but it's very hard to be sure of geographic origin due to the almost infinite variation, even within one population.
In fact, no two Diamonds are exactly the same, so individual ID is possible.

IMO, very large rosettes, particularly if they're blotched like a Coastal can be an indication of hybridization or intergrade influence.
Also, some say that some "high yellows" are of questionable purity, once again usually with mcdowelli or intergrade blood.

If in doubt and purity is important to you, then specimens with small, regular rosettes and that are relatively black in overall colouration are a pretty safe bet.

As already stated, it comes down to a matter of taste most of the time.

 

[OuZo]

Yeah, it really depends on whatever you happen to personally think is the most attractive. I like high yellow with little or (preferably) no bands on them. What do you mean by 5 or 6 dots clumped together with an odd central dot? A 'rosette' is supposed to be made up of a certain number of individual dotted scales clumped together...I think I was once told 7 or less but don't quote me on that.

There are Diamonds out there with good rosettes but again it probably depends on what you define as good. We have one female with I think one band on her entire body and she's fairly high yellow, but the size of her rosettes is bigger than some...see, it depends lol

 

[Earthling]

Zen try this link for what makes a perfect diamond.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=4191
I Quote:
"To breeders, a diamond's pattern is its true mark of excellence. The spots, or rosettes, ideally should be small, measured in scales and not interconnected. Ideally, rosettes should be between three to seven scales across. The perfect diamond has evenly spaced, small rosettes. Those with connected rosettes, or large blotches instead of small rosettes, are considered to be less attractive by diamond python aficionados. Those with significant variations from this theme are often referred to as intergrades-which occur naturally where the diamond python range extends north and west into the carpet python's range. " End Quote.
Ouzo i meant ideally like a flower, hence rosette. But a lot i see have just a few dots in a bundle with no rosette shape. Just random dots clumped together...........sooooooo..........this is what im pondering, are they still 'good' diamond pythons....... which you guys/gals are answering by saying yes, it isnt that important the rosettes, as loooong as the snakes arent crossed with coastals. And good old personal preferance.

 

[OuZo]

Lol I've never seen a Diamond with flower shaped markings but maybe it's one to think about breeding in the future :lol:

'Rosette' doesn't mean flower shaped, it's exactly what you said, a few dots bundled together to make a sort of spot. That's what they're talking about in your quote as the 'perfect' Diamond. What do you mean by 'good'? Pure? Attactive? Attractive of course depends on you as said earlier and crosses, well, sometimes it's obvious if they're not pure and sometimes it's not. Even Diamonds where the rosettes have merged into bands all the way down their body can be pure as Zen said. Someone more experienced may be able to help you out when it comes to buying some...maybe you could show them pics of some you're looking at buying for their opinion.

 

[serpenttongue]

Earthling that article was written by Stan Chiras, and from what i've heard he's not well respected when it comes to diamonds.

If a diamond hatches out of it's egg as a healthy animal, then you've got yourself a quality diamond.As long as it's a pure diamond then forget about its rosettes or colours. I love all diamonds but a lot of high yellows send me running away screaming. I love 'em dark with as little yellow as possible, but that doesnt mean the colours i'm after make those specimens any better than what other keepers desire.

If you come across a wild diamond basking and it has crappy rosettes(as loads of them do) would you consider it not a quality animal? If so, mother nature and serpenttongue would be most disappointed :wink: .

 

[pugsly]

Everyone is different, I personally love a high yellow, I don't believe that jjust because it is a high yellow diamond it has mcdowelli in it somewhere but thats just me, Ive been lucky to photograph lots of the last 6 months and have seen all sorts of rosettes. Generally speaking the more clumped together the rosettes then there may be carpet in them and there generally located from gosford up. But there are always exceptions.

Here is one of mine with perfect rosettes and as you can see high gold, well as close as you can get. But she isnt my favourite..

 

[OuZo]

This is 2 of my Diamonds...the big blob in the centre is the male and the lumpy lookin one down the bottom is the female. She actually has a lot better colour than him but was coming up to a pre-lay at the time. They're a bit washed out from the flash too. But like pugs, I reckon these guys are pretty close to perfect rosettes. I love em anyway

 

[Earthling]

Cool bananas. The Rosette Question has been answered. Pugsley and Ouzo you both have stuuning diamonds. very nice indeedy. I must admit i do prefer the yellow/gold varieties, mmmmmm research always helps before you buy. Thanks all.

 

[JandC_Reptiles]

A perfect Diamond would have perfectly shaped rossettes and a dot on every other scale.
This is what breeders working with diamonds would strive for IMO. But as others have said it is all about personal preference.

 

[Earthling]

Sooooooo.................theres an ideal for the breeders........................and a hey it looks good for all the rest............mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[zen]

Spot on 8)

 

[peterjohnson64]

One other advantage of liking slug monster black diamonds from Wongawilli is that you pay less for them!!! My choice fro the darker ones is that they are the ones found where I grew up and so they are the ones I remember from when I was a kid. Really is personal preference Earthling. and be careful about what is a pure diamond. I sold a hybrid recently. I advertised it as a hybrid and every enquiry I got other than from this forum was an interest in my Diamond and most wanted to breed her. She ended up with a person that wasn't going to breed her but it shows that lots don't care.

 

[peterjohnson64]

Oh, you want pics of her too. Note the joining of the lateral rosettes.

 

[zen]

With all due respect Pete

I'd just like to eloborate...
Anterior lateral striping is legitimate, whereas extensive mid-mody & posterior lateral striping is indicative of tainting.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't your (X) hybrid possess mid-lateral striping (from memory) :?:

 

[Earthling]

Cool Pete............yeah...Ive seen quite a few for sale with rosettes joining up like your ol one and even similiar to darwins in the jagged look. tis a pity people dont care if their mongrel snakes or not and still breeding with them....well ..... some people...not all. aahhc well, now i just got to find some that I like.

 

[crackers]

diamonds

here are some perfect diamonds

 

[crackers]

diamonds

one more :wink:

 

[crackers]

diamonds

last one



love my babies :lol: