Reptile & Amphibian Forums

And if so isn't inbreeding a bad thing??
Just asking because I love them so much...people are telling me not to buy one because of the "inbreeding" thing
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Yours,

NiCoLE

"Trying to save someone from their own stupidity is like trying to teach a pig how to dance: it wastes your time, and annoys the pig."

- Robert
Heinlein

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It's selective breeding for a recessive trait. In the reptile business that probably means someone found one in the wild and began breeding it with their "livestock." Then bred siblings and a percent of the second generation(25%)will be true albino.
25% will have the same genes as their parents. And 50% will have 1 alele(sp) that's normal and one alele albino.

When the albino offspring are bred their offspring will be true albino. When the half and half (heterozygous) offspring are bred. I think half should be normal and half albino.

So, the short answer is: Yes, they are inbred. Is that bad? They've done it for years with dogs, cattle, wheat, grasses, etc, etc, etc. Breeding for certain traits is here to stay as long as there is a market for the new and improved, or unusual version.

I hope this helps.

Mike B

Inbreeding can bad thing, it can cause certin traits to continue to the next generation, and the next, and what you end up with a dozens to hundreds of animals with health problems ranging from sickness, joint and bone problems, many breeds of Dogs suffer from this, and its only recently people are noticing this, and the infected Dogs are cut out of the gene pool to stop the spread. True many Animals are simply born with problems fo no apparent reason, but thats pretty much where it starts. I know this because there is a Dog kennel near where I live where I got a puppy at, they found out that the puppies in the litter were suffering from seizures (Unforunatly my puppy also suffers from this) because their father had a wide skull, while their mother had a narrow skull, this caused a 'pinch' at the back of the puppies skulls, which squeezes their brains, causing seizures, they will grow out of it but its all the more clear how careful you have to be.

>>.....many breeds of Dogs suffer from this, and its only recently people are noticing this, and the infected Dogs are cut out of the gene pool to stop the spread.

I wonder....I have never seen a photo of an older albino tegu (unless the ones I think are young/smaller tegus are in fact older then they look in photos).
I have seen big reds, full grown blues and large/grown b/w's but never a larger albino....
hummm...
-----
Yours,

NiCoLE

"Trying to save someone from their own stupidity is like trying to teach a pig how to dance: it wastes your time, and annoys the pig."

- Robert
Heinlein

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>>So, the short answer is: Yes, they are inbred. Is that bad? They've done it for years with dogs, cattle, wheat, grasses, etc, etc, etc. Breeding for certain traits is here to stay as long as there is a market for the new and improved, or unusual version.

They say muts (dogs)are hardier then purebreds...is it safe to assume that the same is true for certain color variations in lizards....?
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Yours,

NiCoLE

"Trying to save someone from their own stupidity is like trying to teach a pig how to dance: it wastes your time, and annoys the pig."

- Robert
Heinlein

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Albinism is not CAUSED by inbreeding. Albinism is the lack of the ability to make pigments, the chemicals that give things color. True albinos are white with pink eyes. The eyes are pink because blood vessels show though. Sometimes the pink can be seen in other parts of the body too. Albinism is a recessive genetic trait that can occur in almost ANY species. Few albinos live long in nature because they stick out like a becon to their prey and/or preditors. There are many other color variations that are charcterized by a lot of white coloring but these are not alibinism.

The fequency of any trait, particularly recessives like albinism can be increased though inbreeding. Problems arise well other deleterious (harmful)recessive traits also occur with more frequency.

To answer your question:
Inbreeding never increases vigor within an individual or population BUT a little bit popbably won't hurt. A small amount most likely occurs in nature, particularly in some populations. Humans have been using it for years with livestock with varying degrees of success.

Probably more than you wanted...sorry,

Brian

>>Albinism is not CAUSED by inbreeding.

Yeah I know, but isn't excessive breeding (by commercial breeders)of albinos, created by inbreeding them?

>Few albinos live long in nature because they stick out like a >becon to their prey and/or preditors.

True, but is the albino animal, when it's bred to be such, "weaker" because of this coloration...i.e., more prone to disease etc?

>>To answer your question:
>>Inbreeding never increases vigor within an individual or population BUT a little bit popbably won't hurt. A small amount most likely occurs in nature, particularly in some populations. Humans have been using it for years with livestock with varying degrees of success.

It is a segment's opinion that breeding for color (or lack of) can be harmful to the species....I'm not saying this statement is factual, but it is being said. I just wanted the Tegu forum's opinion, because like I said...I love them and would love to own one....but not at the cost of having a weak animal that will cost in veterinary care down the road.
For example, I bought a "blue" waterdragon a while back...only to be left dragonless and broke in the end
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Yours,

NiCoLE

"Trying to save someone from their own stupidity is like trying to teach a pig how to dance: it wastes your time, and annoys the pig."

- Robert
Heinlein

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I'm gonna have to go with a "YEAH" but I'm pretty sure my teg and blue tongues are all hicks too...and they're fine