Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Over on the ball forum, it appears that there has been a statement made that albino ruthveni x albino ruthveni results in only dead in egg clutches.

This is in support of the statement that "homozygous lethal" exists in the snake world. However, my understanding of the term homozygous lethal is that there would be NO HOMOZYGOTES so you wouldn't have two albinos to breed together if it was a homozygous lethal trait!

So I have a question ....

Any truth to the report that albino ruthveni x albino ruthveni has NEVER resulted in a viable clutch?

Just curious. Love genetics discussions
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~Sasheena

I know of breeders who will only breed their albinos to albino hets since they were having less than 100% hatch, but I'm sure they had SOME that hatched.
:Mark

if albinism is a recessive lethal, then there would be no albinos to breed together period.

It could be that due to inbreeding (remember - there was only 1 albino ruthveni originally) some other trait is being carried along with the albinism (possibly linked?) that is a recessive lethal. That could explain the problem with the albino x albino crosses.
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Chris Harrison

I have tried both breedings with success. I used an albino male to a albino female and got a small clutch, 3 albino babies, and I tried an albino male to a het female and got 2 albino babies. I used a het male to albino females and got 2 clutches of 12 each with half albino babies. I have babies available if anyone is interested.

Dan