Emoji Snake with Smiley Face Pattern on Its Back: Fact Check

Story: 

This Emoji Snake has Smiley Face Pattern on its Back

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Reptile Breeder Spends Years Creating Emoji Pattern Snake

Fact Check:

An interesting story circling on internet space shows cute pictures and videos of an ‘Emoji Snake’ that has Smiley Face Pattern on its Back, which allegedly is the creation of a reptile breeder who spent years on same. Yes, it is a fact, as detailed below.

According to an article on Business Insider website businessinsider.com that reported the story in March 2017, Justin Kobylka is the selective python breeder who created the Emoji Ball Python Snake after 8 years of trying. The python’s skin has 3 smiley faces that also appear like alien heads from the other side. Justin shared a video of the emoji smiley python in his YouTube channel in August 2016 describing it as Lavender Albino Piebald Ball Python (aka Dreamsicle). In the description Justin also adds that Piebalds sometimes have faces patterns like this, but the 3 perfect faces in a Dreamsicle is rare, and that this is the first one.

Justin Kobylka has been breeding and selling many snakes with unique patterns. In his YouTube channel you can see videos of other such pythons with various patterns on their skin. The patterns on skin are caused by recessive mutations that do occur naturally, but is unlikely to happen in the wild. A Google Image search of Piebald python will show you many similar pattern snakes. Justin Kobylka calls the Lavender Albino Piebald Ball Python an extremely rare and unique snake, which he believes is worth around $4,500, but wishes to keep it with him.

Hoax or Fact:

Fact.

References:

Mutations: Types and Causes – Molecular Cell Biology – NCBI Bookshelf