Reptile & Amphibian Forums

In the Spring I'm going to be breeding Ringneck Snakes again. What are the chances that they will produce albinos? Besides slim to none. Is there anyway to make albinism occur?
Michael
Michael's Place

oh forget it..

That didn't help much.

The only way for this to just "spontaneously" occur is if the male and female you breed are het albino, the chances are extremely slim, but I wouldn't say impossible (otherwise albino animals wouldn't be found in the wild) But I would put the odds at somewhere around 1 billion to 1. And no I don't have a way I figured the odds on that, just a guesstimate.

Later
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Randall L Turner Jr.
www.aircapitalconstrictors.com

You never experience life until you have kids..then you realize what you should have done rather then what you did do

Hey,you know I help you all I can but come on there buddy! This device doesnt count as research,go to the library and read every little thing you can get on reptiles,then go and do the same thing at the NEXT library. Check out some of the fine new books on snake breeding,etc in the classifieds or on a commercial website........there is going to come a time(very soon) where your lack of knowledge and lack of commitment to learning causes people to stop wanting to help you. Dont let this happen! Go do your own homework!And dont ask me if its a good day in february to hunt snakes in PA again,lol,Jeff

Fine I'll take your advice again Jeff. Man you are really good at making me look dumb.
Michael

>>In the Spring I'm going to be breeding Ringneck Snakes again. What are the chances that they will produce albinos? Besides slim to none. Is there anyway to make albinism occur?
>>Michael
>>Michael's Place

from "Reptile and Amphibian Variants: Colors, Patterns, and Scales," by H. Bernard Bechtel, Krieger Publishing, Malabar, Florida, 1995 (and that's why jeff says check the literature--here's a whole book you should read if you really want to learn about albinism. Don't post here to ask jeff where to get it, do a google search!

"Though uncommon, (albinism) has been recorded in nearly every animal of which an adequate number have been observed, and is thought to be a universal recurring mutation. The incidence has been roughly estimated at 1:10,000 to 1:40,000 individuals, but this is a rough guess since the incidence cannot be estimated in rare animals of which only a limited number of individuals have been observed."

He's got more to say on the subject elsewhere in the book. And keep in mind that for every albino in the wild, there is (usually, unless it had an albino parent) a pair of hets as well.

To the books!

peace
terry dunham
albino tricolors
st pete, florida