I know of Childreni that display this trait - changing colour substantially to a silvery shade - and am of the understanding that it is also something that Rough Scaled Pythons are known to do...
...since my female Stimsoni's last shed she seems to be exhibiting a similar trait (I have never actually observed this trait in other animals so can only go on descriptions from others as my comparison)...
My female Stimsoni has generally been a fairly standard looking animal, quite dark colouration, with only slight contrast between base colour and markings. She had the occasional scales that were very pale, reminiscent of a 'calico' trait but FAR less pronounced...upon shedding (a few weeks ago) she immediately took a VERY pale silvery-cream colouration with much more pronounced contrast with her patterning, I was stoked, she had changed appearance entirely and coloured well...
...anyway, a few days later I got her out...and...back to her old self, quite dark with minimal contrast. I put it down to her looking spectacular immediately after her shed and then returning to her 'true' colouration. Since that time she has predominantly remained quite standard, however, on about three or four occasions (all at night so far) I have caught her out and about and again observed her showing VERY pale silvery-cream colouration with more pronounced markings...
Basically, I am hoping someone can explain in some detail how and/or why snakes change in this manner - I am unsure if any studies have been done, and was basically hoping that someone far more in the know than myself could either explain the process to me or point me in the direction of a study/paper that might help...
...I actually have NO photos of this snake at all, however, I will endeavour to get my hands on a decent camera shortly to try and get some shots of the snake in the two different colourations...
Thanks in advance...
...since my female Stimsoni's last shed she seems to be exhibiting a similar trait (I have never actually observed this trait in other animals so can only go on descriptions from others as my comparison)...
My female Stimsoni has generally been a fairly standard looking animal, quite dark colouration, with only slight contrast between base colour and markings. She had the occasional scales that were very pale, reminiscent of a 'calico' trait but FAR less pronounced...upon shedding (a few weeks ago) she immediately took a VERY pale silvery-cream colouration with much more pronounced contrast with her patterning, I was stoked, she had changed appearance entirely and coloured well...
...anyway, a few days later I got her out...and...back to her old self, quite dark with minimal contrast. I put it down to her looking spectacular immediately after her shed and then returning to her 'true' colouration. Since that time she has predominantly remained quite standard, however, on about three or four occasions (all at night so far) I have caught her out and about and again observed her showing VERY pale silvery-cream colouration with more pronounced markings...
Basically, I am hoping someone can explain in some detail how and/or why snakes change in this manner - I am unsure if any studies have been done, and was basically hoping that someone far more in the know than myself could either explain the process to me or point me in the direction of a study/paper that might help...
...I actually have NO photos of this snake at all, however, I will endeavour to get my hands on a decent camera shortly to try and get some shots of the snake in the two different colourations...
Thanks in advance...
