Deformed eyes...update

[Youkai]

Hi all,

I think most of you remember my posting about the little gecko I hatched with deformed eyes. So far she's still doing quite well. She still hunts well, and her eyes don't have the problems like when she first hatched.

Here are some updated pictures:

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/511/133gimpy.jpg">

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/511/133gimpy3.jpg">

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/511/133gimpy4.jpg">

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/511/133gimpy2.jpg">

[peregrinefalcon]

I'm glad she is doing well! She is a beautiful leo too, from what I can see. Is she a hypo tang?
Adam

[Repti]

So happy to hear she is doing great:D:D:D!!!! Keep us posted!!

[CDN-Cresties]

Thats great news, good luck with her :D

-Steve-

[Clownfishie]

Looks like she's doing great! :D She looks like a beautiful girl too...

[Youkai]

I'm glad you guys are so happy for her. :)

Yes, she's a hypo...nice one at that!

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/511/133gimpy5.jpg">

[matt_winter]

Glad to hear she is doing so well. Wow she is beautiful, i hope to add a hypo onto my collection too!!! They look so beautiful

[reptilesalonica]

What a beauty!!..unfort..you cannot breed her cause the sunken-deformed eyes will pass on some of her babies :(
~Greg~

[Youkai]

Actually, the eye deformity is a direct result of incubation, not genetics - though I still will not breed her.

[Emily-Fisher]

Damn, she is GORGEOUS!!! Glad to hear that she's doing well. :D

[marisa]

WOW That head is 100% amazing looking. WOW!

Marisa

[lilyskip]

beautiful! her eyes look great.

[Wuntu Menny]

Youkai, I'm curious to know how you've determined the defect to be a result of incubation as opposed to genetics. These type of mutations are very common in bloodlines that have been inbred too long without introducing fresh genes.

No disrespect, genuine curiousity

WM

[Youkai]

The male has been bred to a few females, all completely unrelated. I had this one girl with the deformities, as well as some others dead in the eggs, when I tried to do this 'tremper incubation' method to lock gender but provide nicer coloring. Eggs incubated normally from the same male and females hatched out with no problems at all.

[Wuntu Menny]

I see, very interesting. That seems to be sound reasoning. I'll have to keep that in mind if I try any unorthodox incubation methods.

Would you go so far as to say that the prescribed method was flawed, or were there mitigating circumstances that may have corrupted the experiment?

WM

[Youkai]

You know, it's a hot topic...
Many breeders, myself included, noticed high rates of deformity using that method. Most common were eye, eyelid, and I believe foot/leg deformities. Also a low hatch rate. Animals from the same parents incubated differently were always fine.
Then, you will have other breeders who say they have nothing but the best results and no problems.
When I used this method, I incubated for 2 weeks at around 80-82°F. Over the period of a week and a half I slowly increased the temperature to 88°F.

In any case, I know many large and small breeders here and also on ksnake will no longer be doing this after similar experiences to mine.

[Wuntu Menny]

I'll bet it is a hot topic. Its starting to make sense to me now. I've tried similar techniques with chameleon eggs but their wasn't enough data or eggs to establish any kind of baseline for comparison.

I wonder if altering the interval for the temp gradient would cut down on the defect ratios? Another factor I've always wanted to learn more about is the effects of barometric pressure on developing embryos. I'm convinced that it must have some influence on neonatal development.

WM

[Youkai]

I'm sure there are reasons for what happened, and maybe you could do it without deformities. The thing is, I'm not going to sacfrifice any more baby leos to do it.

I've wondered about other natural factors as well. Nature is much less stable than the wild...