Hidden Gene Woma Royal Pythons for sale in the UK

A royal python (ball python) with the Hidden Gene Woma, or HGW for short, has a head that is almost entirely dark brown and a reduced, faded pattern over golden tones. Because one of its pairings is prohibited and both of its forms carry a welfare note, you should read Known issues before you buy one as breeding stock.

Appearance

The markings are reduced to faded alien heads that look like keyholes since the eye inside each one is usually a single spot instead of a pair. White and yellow appear on the sides while the body colour goes from a soft golden-brown to sharp black. Nearly all of the head is covered by chocolate-brown scales with very little blushing on the crown. The belly varies a good deal from one animal to the next and the tail follows the faded pattern of the body.

Genetics

Hidden Gene Woma is incomplete dominant, the kind of gene most keepers still call "co-dom". The family has two forms, Hidden Gene Woma and Super Hidden Gene Woma. The super, known in the hobby as Pearl, is lethal, so no live super is ever for sale. There is no second gene hiding in it: NERD first took it for a Woma carrying something extra, then found it bred true as its own mutation. Woma and HGW are separate genes that happen to look alike. A genetic test for HGW is available. It is grouped in the Spider complex alongside Spider, Champagne, Sable, Spotnose, Black Head, Chocolate, Cypress, Woma and Wookie. Put to a Lesser, it makes the Soul Sucker. Kevin McCurley of New England Reptile Distributors (NERD) first produced it around 1999.

Known issues

The two forms carry different welfare notes. A single-copy Hidden Gene Woma can be listed, but it is linked to a neurological condition known as 'wobble' that can affect balance and coordination. It ranges from severe to barely noticeable, and usually shows most when the snake is feeding or agitated. The two-copy Super Hidden Gene Woma, the Pearl, is lethal in this form - the animal dies in the egg or within hours of hatching, so it cannot be listed here. Severity varies between individuals - please research the morph and ask the seller about this specific animal before buying.

Pairings carry more risk than a single animal. Champagne with Hidden Gene Woma often produces severe neurological problems, and REPTA's Deleterious Gene Policy bars it from sale, so a listing carrying both genes is refused on BaskMarket. REPTA also lists Spider with Hidden Gene Woma among the risky pairings for neurological problems, and HGW with Sable is hard to hatch and shows a severe wobble. Every Hidden Gene Woma listing carries breeding guidance against pairing it with another Hidden Gene Woma, a Champagne or a Spider, and you confirm you have read it before you message the seller.