Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Why is it that I am seeing so many adult albino female deaths. People try to breed them and the next thing...Death! Just read about a snow doing the same thing.
Seems I see more deaths than albino births(not really,but)...
Is it a genetic thing and the stress of breeding finishes them off?
Could they just be doomed from the start? Never to truely reach adulthood?
More information would be nice...
Thanks

If you look at other Albino animals that have been bred in captivity for awhile, like Corn Snakes, it is a common problem. Deaths, eye deformity, blindness, sterility etc. A lot of folks don't agree with crossing locals, but if you want to have some strong Albino blood, buy Albinos, or hets, with Suri or Argentine blood in them. Pete Kahl is selling some Argie/Columbian hets right now. Albinism is actually a weak mutation to begin with, meaning that it doesn't support the growth/evolution of a species. Sensitivity to light, poor camouflage etc. Combine that with inbreeding and you get junk.

jas
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sounddjinn@yahoo.com

Things always get cloudy, just before transformation.

I totally disagree with the second part of this post. You don't need to make mutts to have very healthy outcrossed boas. There is more than sufficient diversity in the gene pool of colombians that you never need to resort to making mutts for that reason.

Caden

I agree with Djinn partially as the reason, but in many cases it is also to do with people feeding the animals too darn much too quickly so they can try and breed as soon as possible. I know of several people with adult albinos that are healthy and getting "up there" in age for albinos (reaching close to 10 years of age and still going strong.) which seems like an old albino compared to alot of the 7 years or younger that die.
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Randall L Turner Jr.
Boas make the world go round.

Yes! People spend a grand on a Boa, and want a quick return on their investment. There are a lot of pinheads around lol. Pun intended!

jas
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sounddjinn@yahoo.com

Things always get cloudy, just before transformation.

I agree, its partially genetics.. and probably more about overfeeding and breeding too young. In my opinion, and in most husbandry books I've read, females reach sexual maturity at 5-6 years, and pushing the size of a boa is not the equivelent of having an older boa. Age over size, the best bet is waiting those 5-6 years to make sure your animals and its offspring will be the healthiest possible. And of course its also good pratice to use the best genetics you can in the production of albinos- use hets, crossbreeding, and do not use animals with defects in its family line (ie one eye, blindness, etc.).
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0.1 Het Albino
1.0 DH-Sunglow

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Joel Pretz