unusaul colouring

[frosty987]

Hi all im new to these forums and appoligize in advance if this has been covered already.
Here is my issue
My 3 year year old bluey has shed its skin approx 2 months ago and I have just changed his lighting / heating setup to a ceramic heater globe, down light ( reptile UVA and UVB 10.0 ) as lighting plus a night light. I have had Fred ( my bluey ) out a fair bit as he loves to be handled and recently he has been acting a little spooked out and has had is belly go from almost red which has been quite normal for him to looking white which doesnt seem right as he hasnt had these color changes before apart from when he was shedding his colour changed similar but different if you know what I mean. Just after some advice as to what this may be I didnt think it would be another shedding as it has only recently shedded.

Oh and one more quick one for you gurus...... How do I tell if Fred is a boy or a now very sexually confussed girl with a weird female name.

Cheers steve

[Fatal_S]

Color change is probably another shed. 2 months is pretty normal.

Pictures may be able to help for gender ID. Otherwise seeing the junk or sperm plugs means a boy. Can be nearly impossible to tell though.

Thankfully, Fred can also be a girl's name (think Angel on TV), so I'm sure Fred feels fine regardless

[Katrina]

Yeah, like Fatal said - color change (white belly) is perfectly normal an an indicator of shedding. Shedding every 2 months is normal. He will go back to his normal colors in a day or two and then a couple days after that he will shed.

Welcome to the forum!!

[Scotts1au]

Reddish tones are an interesting case study. My observation under my temperature, feeding regime etc is that reddish tones on my Easterns (bellies) tends to be brightest in early to mid summer, non existent when they wake from brumation or are starting to prepare for brumation.

I also find that my highland blotchies follow a similar pattern, starting with more orange tones at the start of the season, drifting to pinkish later (as red tones start to come through). Their faces are often more yellow as well at the start of the season and whiter later.

I know with a number of species of reptiles reddish tones come in spring particularly in males, can't say that I've observed that in blueys.

As Mel and Kat have said also colours fade in response to shedding patterns.

[Katrina]

Very interesting observations Scott. I haven't noticed much difference with the Meraukes, but I will start to look closer. Four of my Meraukes have a very noticeable red color to the belly / neck area I think all the time, while Simon has no red. I hadn't really noticed before and hadn't noticed any seasonal changes, I will look now!

[frosty987]

you guys are great. Thanks very much, After having a little looksies at the pictures up on here I definatley need to start saving I want some other blueys there are some gorgeous coloured critters i Have always grown up with easterns and now have the burning desire to expand my reptillian family lol
Cheers once again gurus

[Scotts1au]

A few more observations - need to get a life eh.

Anyway, my blueys emerging from brumation outdoors seem to have the biggest variation in colour, particularly reddish tones. I think there is a relationship to nutritional status. Better nourished in summer than winter alters colours. I also think that the diet has something to do with colour expression but haven't been able to put my finger on how to manipulate it yet. Some time ago we discussed the possibility of carotenoids having an impact ...... maybe in time I'll work it out.

[Katrina]

A few more observations - need to get a life eh.

No!!! Don't get a life, who will discuss reddish tones of BTS with me then??

I love this topic, we should start a separate thread... I need to start looking closer at the reds.

[occi1]

I have been playing with this with goldfields. So far it seems that natural UV and diet helps to intensify orange /red tones.

[Scotts1au]

Here is an interesting article on the effect of carotenoids on colour in reptiles.

http://auburn.academia.edu/JohnSteffen/ ... own_Anoles

I've noticed some changes in my blueys over the duration of the year - I believe the changes may be linked to nutrition which would appear to make sense. Probably many factors none the least of which are genetic.

It may also explain why blueys kept indoors under heat and fed through brumation or with limited brumation seem to vary less in colour that those with extended brumations.

Wondering about other peoples thoughts.

Scott