Quote Originally Posted by ReptileGeek181 View Post
Hey could you please elaborate on what is "severe inbreeding depression". Thanks.
inbreeding depression - Google Scholar

"Deleterious mutations probably play a major role in causing inbreeding depression"

When you inbreed to select for something like amelanism for several generations you not only select for the mutated gene you want, but also for other detrimental things such as dwarfism or protein sythesis or growth deficiencies. In the case of the SF garters, the inbreeding depression ("bad genes" and inferior snakes) is a result of just not having any unrelated snakes to breed to one another.