Scaleless garter

[redspot]

yeah i was thinking about getting one for a while but decided against it. I think keeping a snake thats poisiness enough to kill you is absolutely insane. its not if you get bit its when lol

Venomous not "poisiness"

Scaleless snakes are a genetic defect, not very cool.

[Jeff B]

"Scaleless snakes are a genetic defect, not very cool."

Whaaaaaaaaat???? Everybody wants to see the freak show!!!

[mustang]

"Scaleless snakes are a genetic defect, not very cool."

Whaaaaaaaaat???? Everybody wants to see the freak show!!!

"let the side show begin
hurry hurry
step right on in
cant afford to pass it by
guaranteed to make you cry"

[count dewclaw]

Is it really a genetic defect? Or is it just another genetic trait? Who decides which traits are good and which are bad? For example, some could argue that albinism is a defect. Just throwing that out there as food for thought. Personally, I think the scaleless snakes look kind of interesting, not sure I would consider it a defect.

[Jeff B]

It has been show to be a recessive gene mutation in corns I believe, and would likely be the case with that garter. When people say genetic defect, perhaps it sounds like they are saying that it is a birth defect or developemental mishap, and that may be how you are taking it, but I think what they really mean is that it is a genetic mutation.

[infernalis]

Certain people consider anything other than "normal" defective.

I must be defective, cuz I'm far from normal.

[ConcinusMan]

Now wait a minute, most of our albino morphs, Iowa, Nebraska, etc.. are not created by selective breeding. The trait is straight from nature. All we do is breed in favor of it. If nature sees fit to have them around, then how can it be a "defect"?

I'm pretty sure the scaleless snake is completely a product of gene combinations/mutations brought together by man. It's not like somebody found a scaleless snake one day and started breeding in favor of the trait. In fact, that's not even possible with scaleless snakes so I hear. No, it first appeared in captive collections so it does seem a bit unnatural.

Many species, including homo sapiens have albinos. It's not like we created albino garters. Unlike the scaleless snake, albino garters existed long before we started breeding them.

[Napta]

False, it was already found in nature scalesless perfectly viable. And the first born among Colubiasnakes scalesless Corn is not derived from desired selection. It is a random natural as well as the albino.

[GartersRock]

Now wait a minute, most of our albino morphs, Iowa, Nebraska, etc.. are not created by selective breeding. The trait is straight from nature. All we do is breed in favor of it. If nature sees fit to have them around, then how can it be a "defect"?

I'm pretty sure the scaleless snake is completely a product of gene combinations/mutations brought together by man. It's not like somebody found a scaleless snake one day and started breeding in favor of the trait. In fact, that's not even possible with scaleless snakes so I hear. No, it first appeared in captive collections so it does seem a bit unnatural.

Many species, including homo sapiens have albinos. It's not like we created albino garters. Unlike the scaleless snake, albino garters existed long before we started breeding them.

If it can suddenly exist in captivity it can exist in nature. It's not like we created the ability for the scaleless gene to appear.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Now wait a minute, most of our albino morphs, Iowa, Nebraska, etc.. are not created by selective breeding. The trait is straight from nature. All we do is breed in favor of it. If nature sees fit to have them around, then how can it be a "defect"?

I'm pretty sure the scaleless snake is completely a product of gene combinations/mutations brought together by man. It's not like somebody found a scaleless snake one day and started breeding in favor of the trait. In fact, that's not even possible with scaleless snakes so I hear. No, it first appeared in captive collections so it does seem a bit unnatural.

Many species, including homo sapiens have albinos. It's not like we created albino garters. Unlike the scaleless snake, albino garters existed long before we started breeding them.

You are wrong here....Scaleless snakes have been found in the wild and/or born from wild mothers on multiple occasions. Scaleless is not some "product" of humans... it is a naturally occuring genetic mutation just as albino. Instead of lacking the ability to produce melanin, these animals lack the ability to produce scales. Same exact idea, different chromosomes and genes. Somebody emailed me and brought up how a friend of his found a garter snake that was scaless in his own yard. Sadly the guy failed miserably at keeping garter snakes and killed his whole project. I was emailed photos ofthe WC animal, it had a few scales scattered over its naked body as scaleless snakes often do. I have like 10 email addresses though so digging it up seems a daunting task. But scaleless snakes have been found, just as albinos, and then people selectively breed for the trait.

Look at this here... this hatchling scaleless gopher was found in the wild and then studied:

http://compphys.bio.uci.edu/bennett/pubs/4.pdf