"Striped" East African Gaboon

[Chantel]

This is one of the "Striped" East African Gaboons that we kept back. He's such a pretty little thing!

[Bushviper]

Chantel that is very pretty.

This is the third or fourth specimen that I have seen that is striped but I have never seen the western form B. rhinocerus with any striping what so ever.

I hope this is simple genetics and that you can breed more of these.

[Nasicornis]

Interesting.

What would cause something like this to occur in genetics? Could it just be a random "freak" mutation or could there be something more evolutionairy happening to a certain group of animals in a specific region?

It kinda looks like someone was trying to paint on it but got scared of the snake along the way and didn't complete the job.

[dave]

this one rocks would say its female.from the litter of uganda
gabby's??

[gaboon]

Looks like a female to me as well, maybe I'm just desperate.

[Viper_jnr]

very very nice snake!!!

[mania]

Wow that is really awesome

[Kay]

What a stunning snake!

[Gregg Madden]

First I want to say that is a really cool looking gaboon... Awesome...

Secondly, the stripe is not likely to be a "genetic" trait so to speak...
It is most likely just a random aberrant pattern that pops up in most reptile every once in a while... I saw a fully stripped West African gaboon at a reptile show a few years back... By the time I made my way back to the table to buy it, it was sold... I have also seen quite a few striped rhinos over the years as well...

I have also noticed in my captive bred animals there is some degree of aberrancy in the offspring...

With all that being said, I do not see why this aberrant pattern can not be line bred into the next generation and made more pronounced... Just keep in mind that it may not prove out...

[Bushviper]

Gregg I believe that it may not be genetic to the point of being either "striped or not but could be hetero for striped" situation. It may just be a variation which shows up and could be expressed more prominently with subsequent breeding within a certain gene pool. If I am not mistaken the zigzagging in corns snakes is a similar situation. Some show varying degrees of this trait so it cannot really be considered a morph as such. Line breeding does however eventually produce snakes which show complete zig zags, so line breeding could produce fully striped gaboons on a regular basis.

I have never seen a striped rhino so a picture of these would be greatly appreciated.

[Chantel]

This is enough to make a grown man cry - 42 still born gaboons, all striped or abberant! Some of them were born dead, others died shortly after being born.

After seeing that all of these babies were abberant or striped, my theory is that the mother was held for a good few months at the incorrect temporature before shipping. Any body else have any other ideas?

[Chantel]

Dave, yes - this particular striped gaboon is a female from a Ugandan litter.

[Bushviper]

That is heart breaking.

I am fairly sure the striping is from sub-optimum temperatures. That has been recorded in Burmese pythons and Boas constrictors too.

I take it you do not have the time to go and slap somebody around the head for doing this to you.

Look on the bright side, now you have king cobra food.

[neko]

Oh no. Thats absolutely horrible. That would have me in tears for weeks. Hopefully next year she'll have as many babies again.

[xerophak]

personally, I do not like single risk by his estriped
the original thing already we have very pretty natural,

I detest the experiments.

also I am not in favor of the hybrids