Axanthic (TSK) Royal Pythons for sale in the UK

Axanthic (TSK) is the name for The Snake Keeper's line of axanthic royal python (ball python). This recessive gene leaves the snake in black, grey and white by stripping most of the red and yellow away. Because there are several separate axanthic genes, the line name on a listing is just as important as the word axanthic. A TSK animal bred to a VPI one will not produce visuals.

Appearance

Axanthic works on the xanthophores, which are the cells for red and yellow pigment, while leaving iridescence and black pigment alone. This means a TSK Axanthic keeps the ordinary royal python pattern on the tail, body, head and belly as the colour is the only thing that changes. Hatchlings are black, grey and white, with little or no brown. Most axanthics warm toward brown as they mature, but how much an individual browns varies from animal to animal. Axanthic Mojave and Pastel Axanthic Mojave both came out of TSK's own collection. In combos, True Ghost is Axanthic (TSK) with Ghost.

Genetics

Axanthic (TSK) is a recessive trait, meaning any individual without a visual appearance looks like a normal royal python. You can buy Hets as Het Axanthic (TSK), 50% Het Axanthic (TSK), 66% Het Axanthic (TSK) and Pos Het Axanthic (TSK). The axanthic lines are not allelic: TSK paired with VPI gives a clutch of normal-looking double hets. Black Axanthic is the exception, which RGI shed testing in 2024 showed to be the same gene as Axanthic (TSK). Because a shed test covers the TSK line, you can confirm a het's line instead of taking it on trust. The first one was produced in 1999 by Dan and Colette Sutherland of TSK, Inc., The Snake Keeper, in Utah.