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Inbreeding...
- Thread starter Arson
- Start date
Amanda E
Snake Addict!
You have to inbreed snakes in order to bring out their recessive traits.
Just how inbred some breeders let their snakes get is up to them.
It really isn't looked down upon in this hobby. Yes, some people try to do what they can to limit it, but as far as I know, every cornsnake breeder does it.
Just how inbred some breeders let their snakes get is up to them.
It really isn't looked down upon in this hobby. Yes, some people try to do what they can to limit it, but as far as I know, every cornsnake breeder does it.
plastic
New member
like amanda said, it is fairly common. i have siblings now (with nice genes) that i am hoping to breed next year. but i wouldn't breed their offspring together. i think you have to stop somewhere or you'll have hatchlings popping out deformed, if they even live to hatch at all.
Darin Chappell
Very Senior Hillbilly
You would have to breed very closely related animals (siblings, etc.) for SEVERAL generations before you would see any real effects. In fact, I'm not certain I have ever heard of anyone ever having a deformed hatchling that was attributable to inbreeding in corns.
Other snakes, maybe. But never in corns.
Other snakes, maybe. But never in corns.
Kat
I'm talkin' to YOU.
What inbreeding does is to increase the probability that hidden genes will show up in future generations. If the snakes are carrying all healthy genes, then continually inbreeding them will result in NO problems in the offspring. They will have less genetic diversity, but will be no less healthy than any other snake.
The issue with inbreeding is that it's quite possible for any given snake to be carrying an unhealthy gene, or part of a set of genes that when stacked up cause health problems. The breeder doesn't know these detrimental genes exist, because they aren't in a configuration where they'd be expressed. Continued inbreeding will force them to be expressed, and it's this that will result in fertility problems, health problems and the like.
The point is, inbreeding is a tool. It is neither inherently good nor bad. It just helps increase the possibility that hidden traits will show. If these traits are good, then nothing bad happens. If these hidden traits are detrimental, then the offspring have problems. Ergo, inbreeding should be done responsibly. At the same time, it's impossible to put a rule of thumb for how much you can inbreed and be safe. It's a judgement call on the breeder's part.
-Kat
The issue with inbreeding is that it's quite possible for any given snake to be carrying an unhealthy gene, or part of a set of genes that when stacked up cause health problems. The breeder doesn't know these detrimental genes exist, because they aren't in a configuration where they'd be expressed. Continued inbreeding will force them to be expressed, and it's this that will result in fertility problems, health problems and the like.
The point is, inbreeding is a tool. It is neither inherently good nor bad. It just helps increase the possibility that hidden traits will show. If these traits are good, then nothing bad happens. If these hidden traits are detrimental, then the offspring have problems. Ergo, inbreeding should be done responsibly. At the same time, it's impossible to put a rule of thumb for how much you can inbreed and be safe. It's a judgement call on the breeder's part.
-Kat
I have been reading a lot of inbreeding lately and I would like to ask, how many of you keep ancestor record of your snakes? And does anybody calculate inbreeding coefficient for your hatchlings?
Breeders: how often (in generations) do you use linebreeding and inbreeding for your corns? In other words how many common ancestors do your corns have? What is the typical pattern?
Rich Zuchowski? Others?
Here is something interesting to read regarding to the subject:
http://www.kursus.kvl.dk/shares/vetgen/_Popgen/genetics/genetik.htm
(Chapter 4. Relationship and inbreeding, esp: 4.2, 4.3 and 4.5)
Breeders: how often (in generations) do you use linebreeding and inbreeding for your corns? In other words how many common ancestors do your corns have? What is the typical pattern?
Rich Zuchowski? Others?
Here is something interesting to read regarding to the subject:
http://www.kursus.kvl.dk/shares/vetgen/_Popgen/genetics/genetik.htm
(Chapter 4. Relationship and inbreeding, esp: 4.2, 4.3 and 4.5)