Before I explain a little about these BHP's I must say that I don’t think the term “calico” accurately describes these animals. I’m simply going with the flow of this descriptive term until more is known about this transformation.

All ‘calico’ BHP hatchlings emerge from the egg with fairly normal colouration, around the age of sexual maturity (or older in some cases) they shed out their dark colouration replacing dark blotches with white, pink and apricot patches. In some cases the patches of lost pigment are small, in others the majority of the python’s body colour is transformed.

The mutation is/has proven to be genetically inheritable although we are yet to understand at what level. In one of our breedings we produced 4 'calicos' (3 girls, 1 boy) from a 12 egg clutch. In the 2009 season direct (normal) brothers were used with one of our females, it will take time to see what percentage of the clutch do change. In 2010 we’ll be pairing ‘calico’ to ‘calico’.

There has been much speculation as to why these BHP's do change. Some opinions are that the change is similar to the hormonal blue changes in green pythons. Another theory is that it's a deficiency in the thyroid that causes the unexplained change. At the end of the day all morphs are essentially deficient in something whether it be no melanin, reduced colour or enhance/reduced pattern. These amazing animals are no different in that respect and are quite breathtaking in the flesh.