Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering how everyone feels about breeding boa siblings, offspring to parents, etc...I understand some genes such as albino, is weaker than others and birth defects can form. Do breeders usually inbreed with certain genes or try to stay away from it? I am wondering what peoples feelings are on this.

Thanks,

Mat

Certain times it is necessary, when proving out morphs, and in maintaining pure lines where there is a limited gene pool.

However it is best to avoid if possible. Birth defects are possible in any litter, but closely related has the potential to make them more prevalent.
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Gilbert Boas
The Boa List!

I think in general it is to be avoided but inbreeding or line breeding can improve your bloodline. Jeff Gee at Captive Bred Wildlife Foundation is up to F5's in his hypo line as of last year. That is litterally 4 successive generations of sibling breedings.

I myself have a couple of projects where I will breed sibs or offspring back to parent but not the norm.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Inbreeding is not in and of itself a bad thing. Line breeding is just one of the names to call it.
What happens with inbreeding is that bad genes become isolated, which is when you see things like birth defects, developmental problems, etc. However, most people see the birth defects and blame inbreeding, and then outcross like crazy believing that it was the inbreeding that resulted in the defects.
The inbreeding showed you the bad genes that animal was carrying, and by outcrossing you are perpetuating those bad genes by masking them under the good traits in other lines. However, if one knows the cause for the bad genes to show, and works to eliminate them by either no longer breeding that line OR (as I think most breeders here would prefer) working to eliminate the problem through careful selective breeding.

Inbreeding is a great tool for establishing and maintaining a quality line of animals that reproduces itself successfully.

~jenny
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