Reptile & Amphibian Forums

www.sciscoop.com/story/2003/8/8/63030/68523

I just heard about this study over dinner, and found this on the internet. While epigenetics may have profound implications for human beings and disease and many other things, I of course thought of leopard geckos. The study was on rats, a mammal, but one immediately wonders if such a mechanism may also take place in geckos, and what implications this may have.

It would be interesting to do a study on leopard geckos, and see if the diet fed to gravid females can affect the color of offspring. In this study rats were fed extra B12, folic acid, choline and something called betaine. The rats who recieved these supplements had brown offspring, while the rats not fed these supplements had yellow offspring.

Could diet play a role in the relative success vs. failure of some breeders to create for example blazing blizzards ortremprer patternless albinos? Could diet- not just incubation teperature- play a partial role in the differring appearance of Tremper albinos (e.g. chocolate albinos vs. light albinos).

Thoughts? Ideas? Speculations? Am I the only one who finds this fascinating?

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994017

The supplementation was also linked to reduced frequency of obesity and diabetes

Look at these rats---wow!!!

No one ever posts there, so it's near the top.

You know, if my memory serve me correctly - there was a guy who used to post on this forum who was doing research on the effects of Beta-carotine on the coloration of corn snakes. I don't think this is the same deal, but they were seeing if it had an effect on the pigmentation of their snakes.

Thanks for the good topic!!
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Monte Meyer
Powergeckos
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Mealworms . . . .you can't eat just one

well, carrots will effect the orange coloration in bearded dragons, and even humans, just ask my friend wes .
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your head will collapse, but there's nothing in it, and you'll ask yourself, "where is my mind"

if you have AIM, IM me at chichandoCONrosa