Zephyr
12-15-2008, 10:05 PM
(I'm probably going to get a lot of opposition for this, but it's only hypothetical...)
Well, I've noticed that there are a few of my garters who are a little more than just personable. There's Fatty, my best eater and who's grown the biggest in a year, and there's a new little red-sided male I got back in April who's growing like a weed. Both actively follow me at the front of their cage, will eat when in my hands, and are relaxed enough outside their cages that when I touch their tails they flick as if I were another snake. I don't believe I've trained them to do this; I never held Fatty or this red-sided when they were younger. I'm thinking this could be the first step in a small-scale domestication process. Now here's where the conflict comes in...
If I were to breed them, would this trait carry on? I know they're two different species, but I'm going for something other than color. There has to be something different in these two that other garters don't have. The goal of the breeding would be to bring out this trait and further it in a line of tame, pet garters. Of course, the same amount of care would be taken with these snakes as my checkered hybrids had. Also, I'd like to get an opinion on this before I do anything. (As of this year's projects, I'm looking at all purebreds.)
Well, I've noticed that there are a few of my garters who are a little more than just personable. There's Fatty, my best eater and who's grown the biggest in a year, and there's a new little red-sided male I got back in April who's growing like a weed. Both actively follow me at the front of their cage, will eat when in my hands, and are relaxed enough outside their cages that when I touch their tails they flick as if I were another snake. I don't believe I've trained them to do this; I never held Fatty or this red-sided when they were younger. I'm thinking this could be the first step in a small-scale domestication process. Now here's where the conflict comes in...
If I were to breed them, would this trait carry on? I know they're two different species, but I'm going for something other than color. There has to be something different in these two that other garters don't have. The goal of the breeding would be to bring out this trait and further it in a line of tame, pet garters. Of course, the same amount of care would be taken with these snakes as my checkered hybrids had. Also, I'd like to get an opinion on this before I do anything. (As of this year's projects, I'm looking at all purebreds.)