Albinism?

[Herpo]

Hi all,

I have a lot of time to think lately, and I realise I don't really understand how Albinism works in snakes. How does a snake become Albino? Is it just a chance that a hatchling will lack the pigmentation (I think that's how it works)? If so, does that mean ay snake could just give birth to an albino?

I've heard the story of Blondie, but that hasn't really helped.
Thanks,
Herpo

 

[HiramAbiff]

It's a genetic deformity, plain and simple.

 

[BredliFreak]

Do you know the concept of heterozygous and homozygous? Essentially out in the wild there is a random small chance that there are hets (heterozygous) who carry the gene but not the phenotype (what it does aka looks) and then if two gets happen to mate then there is a chance that Albino offspring will occur (homozygous) which carries both the genotype and the phenotype. Brian barczyk has some good videos on it.

I guess all snakes probably have some kind of trait in them, whether it be a mutation like Albino or Axanthic or Hypo, or if it's just what their eyes look like etc. just like humans and you're either het, don't have it or you do.

 

[kittycat17]

So in easy terms a snake has to be carrying the albino gene meaning it is 'heterozygous' (aka het) for albino
While a 'homozygous' animal is one that is showing the albino gene

So hets are carrying the gene


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