Reptile & Amphibian Forums

is it possible to have DNA testing done on leopard geckos? i want to eventually breed geckos but i need to know how to find out my gecko's geno and phenotypes. i know that you can get testing kits for dogs through the AKC but i was wondering if there are testing kits for geckos or just lizards in general. i know how the punette squares work but i don't know how to figure out what genes my gecko has. thanks for any help. websites with good info on this subject are also welcome
*ash

you wouldn't be able to figure out what genes it has. Unless you get DNA testing done on EVERY single morph. Then you could match up the alleles and chromosomes to figure out what alleles on what chromosomes affect color, size, etc. If it is a normal then it is probably not het for anything, else If it is a high yellow then it is probably not het for anything else, if it is an albino it probably isn't het for anything else, if it.......
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 tiger crested gecko (peachs)
1.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, and Bear)

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i only have a high yellow and i planned on getting the testing done on this one plus my new one when i decide to get another then match the chromosomes up on a punette square. i just need to know how i can get the testing done.

you can get testing done, i'm not sure who would do it. But any lab that looks for genes will probably do a test. but as i said you wouldn't be able to figure out which genes are which. Also like i said no matter what morph it is if you bought it from a pet store/breeder/dealer and they didn't say it was het/poss. het for anything then 99.99% of the time it will just be what it was sold as.
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 tiger crested gecko (peachs)
1.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, and Bear)

My image Gallery

as in they actually digitally map out ur individual chromosomes etc etc...im sure there is someone thats willing to do it...but im sure the money spent to test it would be enough to buy many groups of whatever morph adults u want
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"you won't know success if you haven't failed..."-eric chen
1.1.1 Hi-Yellow Leopard Geckoes
0.0.2 Blizzards
0.1.0 Western (Plains) Hognose Snake
0.1 Boxer Dog

There are only a few labs that I know of that have the relevant chromosomal maps of Eublepharis macularius, and they are all public institutions. I don't know of any private labs that do such testing. Any promising entrepreneurs should look into this...

Also, such a test would be quite expensive. Its unlikely your animals are het for anything that would make it cost effective. Also, many traits are "line-bred" and not genetic determinants (e.g., hypos, high-yellow, tangerines). I wouldn't worry about it...

yeah i found out more about it through fauna classifieds. i wasn't really looking just for morphs. i took biology last year and the punette square was erally intersting and i would like to do one when breeding anything. we will be breeding our golden retriver and we have to get her testing done. its like 40-50 dollars through the AKC thats why i was wondering about lizards. i won't be breeding any time soon and when i do it will be two snows. i love snow geckos and they arn't very readily available especially in my area. thanks for the help