How much is too much?

[MSMD]

Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong forum. I debated between here and 'Breeding', but this one seems to get a little more action, and it didn't seem inappropriate for here....

Anyway, just wondering what everyone's opinions were on how much inbreeding/linebreeding is too much?? I have Great Danes, and am quite familiar with linebreeding and inbreeding selectively to lock in certain traits. I know it can be very beneficial to any breeding program. It appears to me that it seems to be done to a greater extent with the leos than with dogs, but I am assuming there is a point with them, also, that negative effects will occur.

Just curious as I am about to embark on my first breeding season and will be looking to lock in certain traits, but don't want to jeopardize the health of any of the animals!

Thanks!

 

[MichaelJ]

Line breeding isn't a problem in my opinion as long as after 3-5 generations (if you go that far) to outcross them with a non-related mate to revive the bloodline and hopefully avoid genetic problems.

Line breeding is responsible for most of our color morphs currently.

I think your experience with canines will help you vastly..

Take care of my baby girl and send me pics !

 

[T&KBrouse]

You know, I was actually contemplating asking this very question.

We have an rescued Albino Burm female that has chronic health issues. We know the breeder that she originally came from and tried our best to discourage these folks from buying any of his Burm stock. (We had already given hospice care to quite a few other Burms he produced)

Shes 3 and a half years old and only, just now, starting to hit the 7 foot mark (barely). She has liver, kidney and heart problems and has a seriously compromised immune system. We know a large percentage of her clutchmates were born eyeless.

The concensus seems to be multiple (and I mean MULTIPLE) generations of sibling breeding.

So, as ethical breeders, would you breed mother-son or father-daughter, and continue the line that way? Or can you safely breed brother to sister? And if you produced a clutch from, say, a father-daughter, can you safely breed one of those offspring back to one of the daughter's siblings?

(Oh, now ya'll are going to get the questions that make your head hurt... Should I just apologize now?):main_rolleyes:

 

[okapi]

With leopard geckos there seems to be a resistance to problems with inbreeding when compared to other animals. Considering how many are produced each year and how often they are inbred. There are problems, such as kinked tails, but these happen alot less than one would think. And when problems like that do turn up, most breeders retire the animals producing the defect. That keeps the defects from spreading. I guess we are just lucky to have people that stand behind their animals in this hobby.

 

[MSMD]

Thanks to everyone that responded! This helps me a lot!

Yes, Michael, your baby girl is well taken care of! :main_yes: Thank you so much for her. She is turning out nicely! I have a nice Tremper Blazing Blizzard w/ double snake eyes that will be her future 'boyfriend' when she is old enough!

I think they will make some pretty Blazing Blizzrd babies!

 

[Alusdra]

Well, my new gecko girl is blind. That I doubt is necessarily a line-bred trait but rather due to the fact that she's an albino. (Not sure what kind). I feel bad taking the poor kiddo out of her cage since she has no idea where she is and she can't eat anything but mealies as that's the only thing that can be kept in a bowl. It's a bit heartbreaking to see her eat- she finds the mealies by literally stepping on them, then she jerks back and starts to stab randomly into the bowl...

Ironically, when I had my three geckos together, she was bullying my healthy and older gecko into losing weight. (I've since separated them.) She didn't bother my severe MBD survivor, though.