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tourett

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I'm sure I read on one of those Genetics101 web sites that breeding related snakes or lizards was not that big an issue and could be done fairly safely ( No birth defects)
As we all know this is a big No No with mammals.
Is it OK with reptiles?
 
I've read/been told that too tourett
I still wouldn't be keen on doing it though - just my own paranoia!! For some reason I would be more worried about doing that with lizards rather than snakes!! How crazy's that!! :lol:
But from what I was told, you can breed siblings together, but only for a certain amount of generations, otherwise you will begin to get deformed animals.
Ie, you could breed 2 siblings together, then take 2 of their bubs and breed them together, then take 2 of THEIR bubs and breed them together etc etc...
But I am certainly not the best one to ask since I'm not doing it, I haven't looked into it all that much ;)
Bex
 
From what I was told, it's far worse to breed cousins together than it is brother and sister. And apparently after a few generations of doing what Bex said (breed siblings together, then their kids together etc etc) you will get a lowered hatch rate...the ones that don't hatch being the ones that would have had deformities I think. Correct me if I'm wrong but that's how I understood it lol.
 
most of the cool phases/ funky colour and pattern formations i've seen have resulted from in-breeding.
 
i hear that you can inbreed for up to 4 generations before things might start going weird..I think it was a breeder I bought my lizards off.
 
re Breeding

It made me think of tasmanians this thread ,the poor buggers,yeh its not a big deal inbreeding really i think all the thousands of albino burmese pythons came from one animal,wouldnt encourage it though :D
 
Anybody got proof to back up their claims of de-formalities from in-breeding?

Many breeders have in-bred multi generations to increase certain traits whether it be colour or markings etc. I have not heard of any negative issues arising from this practise from anyone with 1st hand experience, and I know members who have bred for years from the same blood.

Many keepers do throw in new blood to their collection every few years out of speculation & fear of de-formalities or low clutch rates, but I have never heard direct from anyone who has experienced these problems themselves.

Anyone with 1st hand knowledge?
 
I was about to burst into laughter again, but JandC's post was too rational and well based.

Cunningham's skinks are a very unusual case where inbreeding can cause problems, but I don't know of any other examples in captivity. There is the very well known study on European adders, but these are exceptions to an overwhealming rule of it not being a problem. Don't listen to the 'x generations is fine but one more suddenly isn't' nonsense stories, or the 'cousins can't breed but siblings can' rubbish.

In many cases, it's bad in mammals, but in many cases it isn't. There is a massive overestimation of the problems caused by inbreeding. What gets published in the scientific literature is heavily biased. If a study finds that inbreeding caused no problem, it won't be published, but if they do find a problem, it likely will. This bias actually bothered me so much that last year I was involved in the first of a series of discussions which actually changed the official meaning of 'inbreeding depression' (although incidentally, it wasn't the change I'd wanted and I didn't really agree with it being relevant!).

Having said all this, don't marry your siblings or have kids with them. The kids will probably be healthy, but it's just gross! :lol:
 
It should probably be said here that outbreeding depression exists too ie, problems in the offspring from individuals which come from different populations. This commonly shows up in the second generation (F2) after not showing up in the first generation, even when the first generation (F1) is more healthy/robust/fit than either of the parents. This is arguably as good a reason to know the origins of your animals and avoid crossing unknowns as inbreeding depression is to avoid breeding relatives.
 
If any body thinks inbreeding with humans is okay well be warned. Rock is the living proof that such practises should remain banned.
 
this is definatly an interesting post as a newby. if you quite happily breed brother/sister combos and their bubs come out healthy does the theory of hybrid viger still work - ie if you breed two completly unrelated animals would the young show greater growth and health than ones of related parents?

cheers
James
 
re Breeding

womas4me said:
If my animals ever take up the banjo thats it, time for new bloodlines
PMSL womas,mate you came from Mt Druitt dude you should know its standard practice here HaHa like deliverance sqeel like a pig and get porked by a hillbilly. Cheers oldfellazulusbobsybaby.
 
If any body thinks inbreeding with humans is okay well be warned. Rock is the living proof that such practises should remain banned.

Haha, the moderators must love you! :)

Who is your example of outbreeding depression? Surely there are some Kiwis around who you can accuse of being sheep-human hybrids ;)
 
well i wouldnt inbreed lizards, mainly beacuase i keep beardies and there is heeps of them, but as for snakes i dont see a problem in it, most bigger breeders would do it imo to get the best looking animals with the best characteristicts, but i wouldnt inbreed to much, i would through some new 'blood' in there every second generation or so if it was me.
 
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