Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello
I am an elementary school teacher. I have an adult female Cal King in my class. I want to breed it and produce different patterns, colors, etc. I want to learn what genes are dominant/recessive. What specific type of male should I look for? My intention is to teach genetics to my class. Where can I find information on dominant and recessive snake genes? Thanks...

I would recommend that you not use California Kingsnakes as your educational tool, but rather Cornsnakes.

You can easily buy (1.1) double hets (anery/amel) and breed them and get a better educational result and rather quickly.

Cornsnakes have bigger clutches than California Kingsnakes and you can display the statistical "odds" better.

Kerby...

Hello
Could you explain to me who carries what genes and which are the dominate ones? Thanks
Robert

>>Hello
>> ... I want to learn what genes are dominant/recessive. My intention is to teach genetics to my class. Where can I find information on dominant and recessive snake genes? Thanks...

Generally speaking, the nature of the different morphs is already established so you can learn which is which from reading: bereding in classroom will more purposefully ILLUSTRATE those relationships than uncover them.

Speaking of red rats, the normal or wild type is generally dominant and the others recessives. The different morphs usually occur on different gene pairs so a snake can be het for, or can show, multiple morphs, the effects being combined in the end result. It's not the way the term's used genetically, but just in layman's terms, one morph may "dominate" another in the sense that amelanism may "dominate" hypomelanism in that if an animal is both, it might only look like an amel--which eliminates all melanin--thereby not giving the hypo morph, which reduces melanin--a chance to effect a change in the animal's appearance.

Hope that makes sense. It's a great way to show the kids about genetics.

peace
terry