Breeding Geckos - Genetics!

[Gopherhockey03]

You really need to understand genetics before attempting any breeding. If you don't know terms like recessive, dominant and co-dominant traits, then you're just gonna end up with a genetic mess. Here are other good sites to help...

http://www.paulsagereptiles.com/LeopardGenetics.htm
http://www.vmsherp.com/LCLeopardNames.htm

But please do your homework, or you'll be totally bummed by your results!

Explain a genetic mess please.

 

[LeoLover1]

Okay, here is a example: You have two albinos, male and female. But you don't know what strain (there are three known). If they are different strains, ALL the babies will be normal coloration, but carry the recessive genes for both strains. So now you try to breed one of the offspring to a known Tremper albino... if one of the original parents was a Tremper, you should get approximately half of this generation to be Tremper albino, the other half will be normals, but will again carry the recessive gene for both strains. This is what I mean by a genetic mess.

This is also why it is important to know what genes the parents carry, including what is called "hets". Heterozygous for a trait means it carries the gene, but it is not obvious by looking at it. Sometimes you'll see 50% possible hets. These mean the genetics allow for the animal to carry the gene, but it has a 50/50 chance. You'll only know for sure by breeding for that trait. And all this is just for recessive traits...

 

[Gopherhockey03]

I understand the genetics stuff fully. But if your keeping them strictly as pets who cares? I know not to mix albino strains cause it annoys me that Idk what mine is!!! haha

 

[Josh2]

It seems like the concern is if you continue to breed down the line with animals that are heterozygous for multiple traits, you may end up not knowing exactly what is expressed and what isn't - that WOULD be a mess. But you're right, if you're keeping the animals for yourself and they are all healthy, then there shouldn't be any issue.

 

[Leporard Geko Keeper]

It seems like the concern is if you continue to breed down the line with animals that are heterozygous for multiple traits, you may end up not knowing exactly what is expressed and what isn't - that WOULD be a mess. But you're right, if you're keeping the animals for yourself and they are all healthy, then there shouldn't be any issue.

Yes sir i agree and belive that a 100%

 

[Geckomaster743]

How do you find out the Genetics of a Gecko from the Pet store with out using Blood Samples/Etc. The ones i have are Random 100%

 

[Gopherhockey03]

It would be almost impossible to know what the genetics are. Unless you trace back to the breeder and he might not even know!!!

 

[LeoLover1]

The only way to find out would be by breeding them to know genotypes, and evaluating the offspring.

 

[Geckomaster743]

So find a Gecko with Genetics I'm Sure of and Mix them with the One i already have?

 

[Leporard Geko Keeper]

The only way to find out would be by breeding them to know genotypes, and evaluating the offspring.

That is right

 

[LeoLover1]

Yeah, but remember that breeding is playing the odds. You'll need to breed several offspring, and even then you can't always be positive. My original pair of normal parents gave me 5 out of 7 babies that were blizzards. The expected ratio is only 25% (or 1 in 4). They could just as easily given me all normal babies, and I would never had know they were het for blizzard...

 

[Geckomaster743]

Some one Explain to me, What is a normal gecko? I have been researching Het/Hom/Etc but i still don't understand exactly what a normal gecko is.

 

[Gopherhockey03]

Extremely variable, ranging from dark specimens and lighter specimens with fewer but larger spots. All are boldly patterned with brownish black spots and cream to yellowish background. Sometimes confused with the High yellow gecko that lacks the darker pigment that also has brighter yellows. Normals just don't express any of the Dom or Co Dom morphs it has or doesn't have. Many Normals that are produced are a result from various heterozygous outcrosses.

 

[LeoLover1]

Normal coloration is really variable, like Tanner said. Its mostly a yellowish background with dark spots all over. The tail is usually white with black spots. Its called normal because no genetic mutations are affecting the appearance (phenotype). But again, as Tanner said, there could be some mutations that it is heteorzygous for, like albino, but you can't tell by its appearance.

 

[Geckomaster743]

Oh, My Mack snow might not be a Mack snow then. His Tail his Black and White and his Patteren Consits of Black and Yellow Shades, The Spots and Small Spots of White may have made me think that he is one, I seriously need to re - evaluate things.

 

[LeoLover1]

A single copy Mac snow can be hard to distinguish. Snows tend to have white as a body base color. The trait is a co-dominant, and the effects are cumulative. The two I'm going to show are as I bought them, I'll be breeding them this year to prove out the genetics.
This is my Mac Super Snow (2 copy). All her progeny should be 1 copy snows.

and this is my snow/albino stripe, and he is supposed to be a 1 copy snow. Half his progeny should be 1 copy snows. You can see the white between the cream stripes high on his back.

 

[Geckomaster743]

Mine is for sure not a Mac Snow ill take a better Photo.