Genetics are a very complicated subject. If a book were written about genetics today, it would be obsolete before
it was printed. The reason for this is that new traits and morphs are emerging everyday in the fast paced market. The competition
to produce the next
BIG thing is fierce!
One example of this is
the Black Eyed Leucistic Reticulated Python. This form was only first produced in 2008. The unique and interesting thing
about this trait is that it appears to be a 3 phase trait, unlike other traits previously developed. Much is still to
be learned from this trait.
Genetics are easy to understand once the concept recognized, but genetics tend
to be hard to explain. Included within this section, may be some terms that you are unfamiliar with. I will make every effort
to explain these terms and to answer any genetic questions that you may have.
These examples
only cover some of the more common traits that are more well known. If interested in finding out what your genetic breeding
combo's will produce, just use the appropriate breeding scenario, and then remove the uneanted trait and plug your
traits that you have in it's place.
Just remember that the key to learning genetics is to know if a
trait is recessive or co-dominant, and to know if an animal is heterozygous, or homozygous. You must know these things to
accurately estimate you expected breeding results.
Basic Terms and Definitions
1. Normal- This simple term refers to animals that appear
as if they were a typical wild caught animal without any genetic mutation, absent of any additional traits or genetic characteristics.
2. Co-dominant Trait (Co-Dom)- This refers to a trait which will have a visible effect on an animal in het form.
Only one gene need be present for the animal to appear different from a normal. Homozygous animals displaying a Co-dom trait
are often an exagerated form of the het co-dom animals. Examples include Tigers and Fires.
3. Recessive Trait-
This term refers to a trait that does not visibly appear in het form, and only appears in homozygous form. If an animal is
het for a recessive trait, it will appear normal, or will only show other genetics that it may possess, but a het for albino
animal will appear normal. A Tiger Retic het for Albino will look like any other Tiger Retic. Examples of recessive traits
include Albino, Anerythristic, Blonde, and Genetic Stripes.
4. Heterozygous (Het)- This means that an animal has
received only one gene for a particular trait from only one of it's parents. This can be either a recessive of co-dom
trait. If it is het for a co-dom trait, the animal will appear visibly different from normal animals. It if it is het for
a recessive trait, the trait will not appear visible. If bred, het animals only pass this gene on to half of their babies.
Examples of co-dom hets include Tigers and Fires. Examples of recessive hets include het Albino, het Blonde, and het
Genetic Stripe.
5. Homozygous (Hom)- This term means that an animal has received a particular gene for a particular
trait from each of it's parents, so it has both genes needed to make a trait fully appear. Examples of Homozygous animals
include Albino's, Genetic Stripes, Super Tigers, and Ivory Retics. Albino, Granite, and Labyrinth Burmese Pythons
are other examples. If bred, homozygous animals pass this gene on to all of their babies. Homozygous animals bred to
normals produce all hets. Homozygous animals bred to hets produce 50% hets, and 50% homozygous babies.
6. Double Het- This describes an animal that is Heterozygous for 2 traits. This animal can produce babies displaying
the one trait, or the other, or both in combination. Tripple hets and more are also possible.
7. Double Hom-
This describes an animal which possesses 2 visible traits that are both in homozygous form. Examples of this include Albino
Super Tigers, Albino Genetic Stripes, or Blonde Super Tigers.
Genetic Applications and Examples These are some examples of what to expect when breeding various traits and genetics together in different
combinations. These are only examples. When breeding hets, these numbers only serve as a guide of what to expect, but extremes
in either direction are possible. When applying these percentages to expected odd numbered clutches, it is difficult
to say if these odd eggs will be any particular morph.
Example #1.
Homozygous
1 x Homozygous 1= 100% Homozygous 1
Albino
x Albino = 100% Albino
Blonde x Blonde
= 100% Blonde
Genetic Stripe x Genetic Stripe = 100% Genetic
Stripe
Super Tiger x Super Tiger = 100%
Super Tiger
Example #2.
Homozygous 1 x Het 1 = 50%/50%: Hom
1 / Het 1
Albino x het Albino
= 50% Albino / 50% Het Albino
Super Tiger x Tiger =
50% Super Tiger / 50% Tiger
Blonde x Het Blonde =
50% Blonde / 50% Het Blonde
Example #3.
Het 1 x Het 1 = 25% Hom 1 / Het 50% 1 / 25% Normals
Het Albino x Het
Albino=25% Albino/ 50% Het Alb/ 25% Normal
Het Amel x Het Amel = 25% Amel/ 50% Het Amel/ 25% Normal
Het
Stripe x Het Stripe=25% Stripe/50% Het Stripe/25% Normal
(Normals indistinguishable from Hets, so advertise
as 66% het)
Apply this to any het x het recessive breeding
Tiger x Tiger = 25% Super Tiger / 50% Tiger
/ 25% Normals
Fire x Fire = 25% Ivory / 50% Fire / 25% Normals
(Apply this to any Co-Dom breeding, no possible
hets made)
Example #4.
Het x Normal = 50% Normals / 50% Hets
Het Albino
x Normal = 50% het Albino / 50% Normals
Tiger x Normal = 50% Tigers / 50% Normals
Example #5.
Homo x Normal = 100% Hets
Super Tiger x Normal = 100% Tigers
Albino x Normal = 100% Het Albino
Genetic Stripe x Normal = 100% Het Stripes
Amel x Normal = 100% Het Amels
Ivory x Fire = 100% Fires / Platinums
Example #6.
Homo 1 x Homo 2 = 100% Double Hets (D/H)
Albino x Stripe
= 100% Double hets for Albino Stripe
Super Tiger x Albino = all Tigers 100% het Albino
Albino x Blonde = 100% D/H
Albino Blonde
Example #7.
Het 1 x Het 2 = 25% Normal / 25% het 1
25% Het 2 / 25% Double Het
advertise as 50% het 1, 50% het 2, 25% D/H
Het Albino
x Het Stripe = 25% Normal / 25% het Albino
25% Het Stripe / 25% Double Het
advertise as 50% het Albino, 50% het Stripe, 25% D/H
Tiger
x Het Albino = 25% tigers / 25% Tiger Het Albino
25% Normal / 25% norm het Albino
advertise as Tigers 50% het albino / Norms 50% het Albino
More Genetics info will be posted soon!
