general questions

[catfishrod69]

Ok im getting ready to pair my albino T. marcianus in a couple months. I just have a few questions. Can two albinos produce normal colored offspring? What does the terms het and hypo mean? How do I know what to label the babies as? Like would any of them be het, or hypo? Ive had my garters for about 2 years now. Tried breeding them once. They got along just great, but unfortunately I didnt know the needed to be brumated at the time. Also is there any suggestions you can give me as to caring for the young. Like special things I might not think of? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[guidofatherof5]

Albino + albino = albinos


Hypomelanistic - containing decreased amount of black and brown melanin.

Here's a link to Jeff B. homepage and a great article explaining some aspect of genetics.
Garter Snake Morph

Brumation is not always necessary for successful breeding.

[catfishrod69]

ok thanks very much. i will check it out.

Albino + albino = albinos


Hypomelanistic - containing decreased amount of black and brown melanin.

Here's a link to Jeff B. homepage and a great article explaining some aspect of genetics.
Garter Snake Morph

Brumation is not always necessary for successful breeding.

[EasternGirl]

There is an entire forum dedicated to breeding on this site...you may want to check it out: Breeding

[catfishrod69]

thanks. i have been reading through it as much as i can. still just not sure on some of the terms.

There is an entire forum dedicated to breeding on this site...you may want to check it out: Breeding

[chris-uk]

Are your two albinos unrelated? There are many albinos that have been inbred for generations, so more likely to have problems with the babies.

Here's one for the morph breeders - how many morph strains are there for marcianus? And if you breed two albinos with different base mutations, do you get more robust albinos?

[catfishrod69]

as far as i know they are unrelated. the guy that i got them from never bred them. this will be the first brumation they have went through, and the first pairing after brumating.

Are your two albinos unrelated? There are many albinos that have been inbred for generations, so more likely to have problems with the babies.

Here's one for the morph breeders - how many morph strains are there for marcianus? And if you breed two albinos with different base mutations, do you get more robust albinos?

[infernalis]

Chances are, they are related.

Like it has been said before, this strain has been heavily inbred forever.

[PINJOHN]

Chances are, they are related.

Like it has been said before, this strain has been heavily inbred forever.

maybe this could be an opportunity for those members with some knowledge of genetics to map out a way to freshen up our albino checkereds in future generations.
i know it can be complicated talking genes but is there a way to explain it to us thicko's.
for instance i have 1 albino female 1 normal female both unrelated, two unrelated males one of whom is from a wild caught father,....i have some young from the albino and male number2 also young from the normal female and the son of the wild caught ....the question is would that be enough genetic material to out cross and eventually get a vigorous albino and if so how many generations would it take to reach that point.

[chris-uk]

maybe this could be an opportunity for those members with some knowledge of genetics to map out a way to freshen up our albino checkereds in future generations.
i know it can be complicated talking genes but is there a way to explain it to us thicko's.
for instance i have 1 albino female 1 normal female both unrelated, two unrelated males one of whom is from a wild caught father,....i have some young from the albino and male number2 also young from the normal female and the son of the wild caught ....the question is would that be enough genetic material to out cross and eventually get a vigorous albino and if so how many generations would it take to reach that point.

I prepared a better answer to you yesterday John, but tried posting it twice with my phone screwing it up each time. Summary - you could introduce new genetic material over 4-5 years. At some point you get back to albinos you will have to pair half siblings, which isn't ideal but I'd wager that in the past your albino has either brother-sister or mother-son pairings.
Over 4 years you'd be able to get a half brother and sister, with the brother being 2 generations removed from WC. So at the end of the day you will end up with a close-relation pairing, however it would at least have good new genetic material from the WC. Starting with just a single albino I don't think you can do, any better, and whether the WC great-grandfather would be enough to strengthen the strain... I'm not sure, but better than breeding close relations without having the WC in the family tree.

I was going to post a picture of my scribbles working through the family tree, but that's when I lost my replies yesterday.