Just wanted to open a discussion on this topic and see what everyones views and experience is with it. Color morphs are such a big ticket item in the reptile industry. You know that the majority of breeders are trying to breed the morphs as fast as they can taking whatever shortcuts are possible. Breeding from two different lines is probably rare. The fact that it's endangering the health of the herps can't be ignored.
Here are a few quotes from reptile breeder sites, to get you thinking.

"While this type of genetic mutation in ball pythons may certainly make for a beautiful live snake, it may have also result in a ball python having a weaker natural immune system and higher a susceptibility to disease. It is important that only experienced pet reptile owners consider keeping rare color ball python morphs"
"I just think some have gone too far with their Selective Breeding and Line Breeding. Personally I like seeing a Burmese Python look like g-d intended. I have no interest in seeing them all yellow, albino, spotted, green or any other non-natural Color Morph or “designer scheme’. There are now hundreds of “Designer Snakes” out there. It seems some Pet Snakes are bred to match your outfit and look nothing like nature intended. For example there are now over 30 different “Designed” Color Morphs of the Corn Snake, Ball Python and Milk Snakes, not one of them natural. It is fast getting to the point were it is harder to find a normal Red Rat Snake then it is to find a “hypomelinistic, piebald, lucanistic morph” with recessive candy-cane genes. Like I said, this is the part of Reptile Breeding that makes me sick."

I myself could probably be called a hypocrite on the issue. While I'm against breeding all those designer colors and patterns that draw away from the natural beauty of the reptile. I do advocate breeding to enhance the natural colors in them.
So basically that's my opinion. I much prefer the natural colors and patterns of all reptiles because that's the way they appear in nature.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

As a keeper and breeder of corns color morphs are the big sellers though resposible breeding shouldn't take a back seat to getting these morphs, many times line breeding may be needed as only one example of the animal may exist the new 'Z' corn for example, though vairied blood lines should be used when possible. As of last year their were over 75 color and pattern mutation mixes possible in corn snakes as new genes are proven this number rises. But thier is alot of beauty in a true blue wild coloration snake.

I find that it's more the Newbies who really go for the morphs and long term keepers intrest is in the wild forms or the genetic study of the snake. Alot of the bad rap in breeding of morphs is not the morph in it self but he breeding pratices of some breeders.

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http://www.ig-phelsuma.de/
http://dght.de

Personally, I'm not a fan of color morphs. Not to say that I wouldn't give one a home if I had the space and one was in need, but I much prefer to see the snakes in their natural colors. They're beautiful and should be appreciated as the wild animals they are - not art pieces. There is a serious danger in creating "designer" pets that their owners might buy them just to impress other people or because they "look cool" and not take good care of them - or worse, have them destroyed once they no longer suit their needs. I've seen examples of this with other animals that were brought out of the wild to be basically decoration pieces, and most end up in pretty bad shape.

Also, I think as color morphs are continued to be bred, we will eventually begin to see new genetic diseases crop up that even the most careful breeders didn't anticipate. Generally that does happen when man messes with nature on a genetic level. It may not happen for generations to come, but I do think that that we can anticipate it eventually happening.

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

That's exactly one of the things I don't like. I've met more breeders who seem to be interested in the money aspect than actually creating as healthy a specimen as they can. Usually the ones that have been in the hobby for a long period of time recognize the importance of a healthy animal.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

This is a danger that is seen in the animal fancy as a whole. My family is new to raising snakes, we don't have our first clutch yet. However, we raised Tonkinese Cats for several years and showed cat for 10 years. Line breeding vs out-crossing is an age old argument. Out crosser say it strengthens the gene pool, line breeders, say you bring in an unknowns. So there is always an argument on either side. I plan on raising some morphs as we go. I love the normals just the same. What it boils down to, animals with immune systems that are not up to part, should not be breed. When we raised Tonks, we spayed a girl that had chronic URI's after a vaccine. I wasn't going to breed her with an immune system that wasn't up to par. It's about ethics, bottom line. And it's buyer beware. That is my biggest fear, is getting a snake from someone that isn't ethical.

Just my two cents on the subject.

Kate

It's the same thing really as buying captive versus wild caught. You take a risk buying wild caught not knowing the health of the animal. Regarding parasites and what not. With color morphs you'll pay more getting them from a reputable breeder but probably get a heathier reptile. The last monitors I bought I paid twice the price from a highly valued breeder versus the pet store down the road that had bred some as well.
There is still the issue though on how to find a reputable source for morphs if you're looking for a high quality specimen. I think there's just too much at stake for breeders when they can achieve their goals in a few years versus the more ethical way of twice that long at least.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

In the states as far as corn snakes go you can be protect your self and find out the genetics though the ACR (American Cornsnake Registry). They track the genetics of corns based on members breeding records. All in all you can track the snake your buying back as far as the first known pairing. The members are very trustworthy and dedicated to tracking cornsnake geneology to promote responsible breeding. Members include Rich Z. and Cathy Love, as well as other well respected names in corn breeding. As of last year the ACR opened to breeders world wide. So hopefully others will make use of this wonderful resource.

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http://www.ig-phelsuma.de/
http://dght.de

That is an awesome resource to tap into.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

The only isue I see with the registry is that it is far too easy to lie. Do they require genetic proof supplied via bloodwork? If it is based off the owners information supplied who is to say the owner has falsified their info? By falsifying the info, they get listed and earn instant "respect". I am not saying anyone is doing this, I am just saying it is always a possibility.

My opinion on this topic is simple. The animal comes first. I LOVE all the variations of Leopard Geckos on the market. I keep several normals (as my pictures depict) but I thoroughly enjoy all the variation out there.

Its not difficult to keep introducing new blood into a gene pool, so I do not completely understand why people simply don't do it regularly. I comprehend that breeding offspring to the parents increases the chance of a specific trait being inherited and possibly magnified, but as stated, it increases the chances of illness, deformities, and other abnormalities from surfacing.

I am against the inbreeding aspect for genetic color variation, but I completely support the variations when they are being bred responsibly.

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