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Snow Corns - genetically weaker?

K

Kerri B

New member
Hi all... My Godson would like to get a snow corn, but a breeder once told us that they are generally weaker than other types of morphs & recommended we not get one. Is this true? The pet shop has some beautiful ones at the moment, but I'm hesitant to let him get one as he had several hatchlings die on him last year - autopsies showed genetic problems & intestinal abnormalities. So I would hate for him to go through that heartache again. The breeder in question didn't have any snows at the time & I'm wondering if he said that in the hopes that would buy something else from him? Although he did say that he will never stock snows again because of their tendency to develop problems & not recover.. Incidentally, one of the hatchlings, a stunning amel motley, that died, was from him anyway!:(
 
I dont think that snow corns are genetically weaker. I have two snows and they are my best eaters and are happy and healthy. Maybe his snows are just subject to to much generations of inbreeding.
 
I have never had any specific problems with snow corns. Problems my arise from too much inbreeding, but that can happen with any Morph. If you really like snow corns, than get one. Follow proper husbandry, and you should not have any problems. I have had Snow Corns for many years and produced many here. I have never had any problems because they were "Snow Corns".
This is on of my breeder Snows, she just had this clutch 2 weeks ago.. This is her 3rd year breeding... Seems genetically strong to me :)
DSCN5204.jpg
 
She is stunning!! Think I may have to get myself one of the hatchlings if my better half will allow it....:spinner:
 
Snow is one of the oldest morphs available, so it shouldn't be subject to weaknesses. If the breeder is saying his/her Snows have such problems, then I suspect it's because s/he either had poor breeding animals to start with, or s/he's been breeding in isolation for many generations without introducing new bloodlines.

If your Godson has his heart set on a Snow, then I'd recommend finding one from a different breeder and a source other than the place that supplied the ones that died. You do sadly have the occasional loss of a hatchling due to developmental/genetic problems that don't show up until they reach a certain size, and then cause them to die without warning. However, to have multiple deaths diagnosed as genetic abnormality, may mean that the shop's supplier has suspect breeding stock that might be overly prone to the problem and you risk a repeat.

I'm guessing in South Africa there are limited opportunities to buy, so I realise that might be difficult to do.
 
I think the rumor that snows are genetically weaker because they are more inbred has been around for decades. I remember hearing something like that when I first got a pet corn in the early 90's. Not sure if it was even true back then, but maybe at some point when snow was a new morph they were not as strong genetically as they are today. Maybe the myth they are weaker has stayed around like some kind of corn snake urban legend.
 
Unfortunately, yes, we have a very limited choice here.. & more so in the town where I live - 2 petshops & 1 breeder.. At least the snow he is admiring is from different stock to the breeder.. He'll be very glad to hear all of this - thanks guys!!:)
 
maybe at some point when snow was a new morph they were not as strong genetically as they are today
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I remember when Bloodreds first appeared, they had a reputation for being picky feeders and physically fragile. However, years and generations down the line, they're now as well-nigh bomb-proof as any other morph.

Bloodlines must strengthen over the years. I guess it makes sense that a new morph - derived from a limited genetic pool which could amplify inherent weaknesses - might take a couple of generations of mixing with other genetic material before it stabilises. Not that this happens with all new morphs, by any means.
 
A snow is homozygous for two simple recessive traits and can be heterozygous for more. If this theory were true then ghosts, striped amels, ambers, blizzards, and the list goes on, would also be genetically weak. If anyone is having problems with weak genetics it is due to line breeding for too many generations without outcrossing. With proper temperatures and feeding you should have no problems with a snow.
 
Old_School said:
I have never had any specific problems with snow corns. Problems my arise from too much inbreeding, but that can happen with any Morph. If you really like snow corns, than get one. Follow proper husbandry, and you should not have any problems. I have had Snow Corns for many years and produced many here. I have never had any problems because they were "Snow Corns".
This is on of my breeder Snows, she just had this clutch 2 weeks ago.. This is her 3rd year breeding... Seems genetically strong to me :)
Click to expand...

Did I count 22 snowcorneggs ? => => Genetic Okay IMO
 
ghosthousecorns said:
I think the rumor that snows are genetically weaker because they are more inbred has been around for decades. I remember hearing something like that when I first got a pet corn in the early 90's. Not sure if it was even true back then, but maybe at some point when snow was a new morph they were not as strong genetically as they are today. Maybe the myth they are weaker has stayed around like some kind of corn snake urban legend.
Click to expand...

And do you remember how much those first snows cost us in 1990!:bang: lol!!
 
Old_School said:
Yes you did! 22 egg clutch all good. Infact we candled clutches last night and all 22 in that cutch were full of veins! :crazy02:
Click to expand...

I'll tell my Godson to wait & we'll get one of yours... I'm sure shipping to SA will only cost me the sale of one of my kidneys :D, but would be worth it to get some different genetic lines here instead of the same lines that have been going for probably years...
 
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