From the "Cornsnake Manual" page 80.

"Many aspiring breeders have been warned to avoid inbreeding their captive herps if possible, but they don't really know why. The simplest explanation is that inbreeding (mating animals closely related to one another in their family ancestry) concentrates triats, good and bad, within family lines. This increases the likelihood that undesirable traits will show up after two carriers of those genes mate. Hiden recessive traits probably exist in many individuals, lurking in a heterozygous state. They'll tend to get paired with similar recessive genes in other Corns and be able to show themselves sooner when more potential mates in the vicinity also carry the gene. Traits that would be disadvantageous in the wild, such as the many mutations in corn snakes that affect skin colors and patterns, are harmless and even desirable in the safety of captivity. But undesirablr traits also show up, such as kinked spines or deformed scales or eyes. Breeders must select their stock carefully, culling out those animals with physical deformities and breeding only those specimens exhibiting solely the desireable and non-harmful traits."
-----
King Snakes! Who can make a better mouse trap?
J Sierra

[ Show Entire Thread ]