Breeding Question

[mfd]

Hello

I have a quick question to ask to the more experienced breeders out there.

Is is common practice in snake breeding to have siblings breed together? Would it be better to purchase a female from a different clutch, etc then the male or is it fine to breed the male with a female from the same clutch?

Thanks

MFD

[RB420]

there are a wide range of opinions on this. however, breeding siblings to each other and back to the parents is a very common practice in the snake world when trying to prove genetic traits. personally, if its not to prove geneitic, i think it would be better not to. although i have read somewhere on these forums of people inbreeding for several generations with out any negative effects.

[gonesnakee]

Out breeding is always my recommendation. No reason to breed siblings unless dealing with extremely rare specimens. Some foks seem to think it OK if it is only done for 2 or 3 generations. If you breed siblings together, who says the breeder you got them from didn't do the same & maybe the breeder before him/her & so on. I have experienced problems because of others inbreeding in the past as have other breeders I know. Large infertile clutches & malformed babies for no reasons other than genetics due to inbreeding. Irreguardless unrelated stock is always best, inbreeding is NOT GOOD no matter what the species. Most folks that think its OK do it themselves & IMHO is done more often than not just so one doesn't have to aquire specimens elsewhere, but can just use their own stock. One can always get say an Albino whatever from someone else to prove out their pos hets, rather then breed them back to their dad, but then that would cost them more $ now wouldn't it. Line breeding for new rare genetic traits is one thing, but to do so just to save $ or to save the hassles of aquiring unrelated bloodlines when your own could just be used is just Wrong IMHO Mark