Bad Match Breeding

[ssssnakeluvr]

Although, wouldn't that make melanistics and stuff defects too?

melanism isn't necessarily a defect, its a bit advantageous due to being able to absorb sunlight faster and warm the snake up quicker

[Stefan-A]

melanism isn't necessarily a defect, its a bit advantageous due to being able to absorb sunlight faster and warm the snake up quicker

On the other hand, birds spot melanistic individuals easier, so it's both a drawback and an advantage.

[RedSidedSPR]

Not as easily as albinos. I can't imagine an albino lives very long in the wild..

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Yeah...
It's weird. Its, with everything, "the morph". Most common. People who know nothing about that stuff know what an albino is. Yet, it's a defect. Seems weird.

Although, wouldn't that make melanistics and stuff defects too?

I wouldn't consider melanism a defect, wild populations of melanistic animals exist and thrive. Not the case with amels! But melanism is a genetic mutation, just as albinism is. I Personally prefer normal animals to albinos... Albino animals are not as pretty IMO. Albinos cant see as well either because light coming in from all sides of their head with no melanin to block and regulate it will not allOw the eyes to function as they should

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Not as easily as albinos. I can't imagine an albino lives very long in the wild..

A lot of them don't and majority found are young still, but adult animals of albino, leucistic, white sided and more have all been found.

[d_virginiana]

Might make them easier for birds to spot, but there's also plenty of snake species that are black so I wouldn't think it'd make too much of a difference...

[RedSidedSPR]

[QUOTE=aSnakeLovinBabe;I Personally prefer normal animals to albinos... Albino animals are not as pretty IMO. Albinos cant see as well either because light coming in from all sides of their head with no melanin to block and regulate it will not allOw the eyes to function as they should[/QUOTE]

Me too. I never really plan on getting one. I've always found them somewhat... unattractive... I mean, theyre cool, heck it's a garter snake, you can't not like it. But when I'm flipping through morphs, I see albino/snow, I think "eh... Next!"

[d_virginiana]

I like albinos and snows, and I think it'd be nice to have one some day, but I really prefer the more reddish colors like erythristics that can actually be found some places in nature.

[RdubSnider]

I've had great results with my albino checkereds. Normally mine eat chopped unscented pinky parts from birth and to date I've never had any jelly beans, kinked or still borns or any that died after birth while in my care from. However my pair is about 8 years old so there's a better chance mine aren't heavily inbred.
personally I love albinos snows ery, s ect. But that's not to say I like them more than the normals. I feel at f2 definitely not past f3 they should be outcrossed

[RedSidedSPR]

I like albinos and snows, and I think it'd be nice to have one some day, but I really prefer the more reddish colors like erythristics that can actually be found some places in nature.

What and albinos can't?