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Q: Hypo or normal?
Posted By:

squidward

In Relation To:

Jasmine

I am just curious, What is the difference in a Hypo and a Normal?  I have both, and there is just such a wide range of what a normal can look like, and what a hypo can look like... I just wanted to know what makes a corn snake be classified as a normal corn, or a hypo corn.  If I hadnt bought mine as hypos they would just look like super pretty normals to me.... can someone please explain the differences? 


Points: 150
Topics: General Health , Genetics
Tags: Cornsnake, Hypo, Morphs, Normal
Species: Other Colubrids > Other Colubrids > Elaphe guttata guttata
Administrative: Show/Hide

Member Comment 1/21/2012 11:25:17 AM

Tiki108

Personally that looks like a normal to me, Hypo greatly reduces the black, but I can pretty clearly see the black on that snake.  This is one of the problems I run into with certain morphs, they look so similar to the wild type that it's almost impossible to tell when they are young, it's usually easier once they grow to full size.

The other problem I run into is some people will sell a snake as one morph cause it looks very similar only to find out it is not that morph at all.

 
Member Comment 1/21/2012 11:27:34 AM

Doomtrooper

I'm not a corn expert  but Hypo is lacking black  and  she has some pretty dark saddles .. I would Guess  normal..  But Im  mildly retarted

 
Accepted Answer 1/21/2012 11:43:24 AM

Floof

I agree, that snake looks like a nice normal. "Hypomelanism" literally means "less black" (hypo = less; melanism = black pigment). Hypos, therefore, have reduced black pigment. Black "areas" on the snake (i.e. saddle borders and belly checkers) will often take on more of a purplish-grey hue. Saddle borders are often virtually non-existant.

The easiest time to tell Hypo vs Normal is when they're young. As they grow into their colors, you're right, there's such a massive variety that it can be hard to tell a light normal from a dark hypo. As babies, though, the difference in coloration is pretty notable (i.e. in hatchlings, the saddles on a normal are often nearly black where the saddles on a hypo are a nice light red or red-orange), making it relatively easy to tell normal from hypo.

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