Quote Originally Posted by jere000 View Post
Were those bloodlines ever compatible?
No. The reason they are not compatable is because the "albino" gene/s is/are found on different alleles, it has nothing to do with inbreeding that I am aware of (That goes for the boa strains as well).

Just as inbreeding can bring out the recessive traits some of us are looking for (i.e. color morphs), it can also bring out deleterious or undesired traits that are already in the gene pool as well.

I also haven't noticed deformities at any higher rate in garters than in other species. We see birth deffects more but I believe that is because with "live" birth we see it whether it lives or not, that would apply to the boas as well. I would guess those same defects are there at the same rate in most snake species, we just don't see the evidence because if an egg goes bad we throw it away before actually taking a look at what is inside.

To my knowledge I have never inbred any of my snakes (I attribute that to not having any unique specimens or lines), but I am in no ways against it. I think we too often look at inbreeding in general as a moral issue instead of what is actually taking place at a biological level. We try to lable it good or bad when in all reality it can be good, bad, both, or niether all in the same clutch.

-Thomas