Caramel Gene/Poor Feeders?

[westexherps]

I'm seeing a connection with some of my bad feeders (non-feeders/slow to start snakes) that most of them have the caramel gene in them. A large percentage of butter, amber, and amel het. caramel are the ones I'm having the most trouble from this year. I didn't know if this is normal for the gene or if it's just my bad luck with them this season. Any thoughts?

 

[Susan]

I can sympathize with you. I've had/still have the same problem with certain lines in my collection. I wouldn't say it is related to the caramel gene, or any particular morph, but your problem feeders may have inherited the "I'm not going to eat" trait if they are even partially related.

OR...you've just had a run in with Murphy's dang laws and simple bad luck. I'm hoping that's what happening with me and all of my bloodred/het bloodred hatchlings.

Either way, I hope you have better luck with them next season.

 

[Paradox]

My girl's a normal het Caramel and she's not eaten for me yet...I think there could be a connection

 

[janew]

Two of the caramel/butter/amber lines I know of here in the UK are absolute dustbins. I don't believe difficult feeding is a trait that can be tied to a particular morph, but I do believe it can be heritable. I guess you've just been unlucky.

 

[Kat]

I've had good luck with feeding responses from my amber's caramels.

Traits like this don't generally hitch around with morphs, but like janew said, can still lurk in particular lines. Other times it can be dumb luck that nobody wants to chow down on pinks.

Once upon a time bloodreds and miamis had picky feeding issues, but those have been bred out of most lines these days. Sunkissed are currently known for their aggressiveness, but also can be quite ready feeders (or so I'm told on that last part). Other than that, I don't know of any personality/behavior traits that are stuck with a particular morph.

-Kat

 

[bitsy]

I'm in the UK and my Amber, Caramel Motley & two Butter Motleys are total pigs. The only refused feed I've had between them so far was the Caramel Motley, a week before she laid eggs.

I agree with Kat, janew & Susan - you've maybe been unlucky with a bloodline trait, but not specifically a morph trait.

I hate it when hatchlings turn their noses up. Now is the summer of our discontent!

 

[cornsnake00]

Feeding Response?

Maybe you are just feeding them what they don't want!

 

[westexherps]

I'm guessing it's just my luck then, since the ambers, the butters, and the het. caramel all came from different stock. Guess it's anole time this weekend. Thanks for the info.

 

[kathylove]

I have found that a higher percentage of my caramel / butters prefer to start on lizards (anoles) or lizard scented pinks as compared to my non-caramels. When I outcrossed them into non-caramel lines, I found that more would start directly on pinks. Try the lizards or lizard scenting and let us know if it worked for some of them.

 

[Rich Z]

The original line of Butters I produced used to be a pain in the butt to get feeding on pinks, but that has mostly been bred out of them. Oddly enough, the Caramels never really were a problem getting to feed. But bear in mind, each and every one of them are individuals. For instance, neither of my brothers nor my sister mind eating spinach, but I won't TOUCH the stuff.

This year, the only lines of anything giving me problems are certain clutches related to the Upper Keys. Even though they are all somewhat related, some clutches are having a higher proportion then others apparently holding out for anoles. Other clutches are hitting 100 percent going right on pinks.

Just one of those things to drive you crazy.

But in a nutshell, no, at this point I have never found feed response to be irrevocably tied to any visually identifiable genetic trait.