Normals in a group?

Why is it so important to have plenty of normal females in your collection? I understand breeders do it to prove out genetics and new morphs but is that the only reason?

If you are breeding I would think it is a nice way to deepen the gene pool in your collection. If you sell everything you breed then it is not a big deal. But if you keep a few hold backs here and there you have none related females to bring into your blood line to keep it strong.

Female normals are fairly cheap compared to female morphs.

You can take 1 morph male and breed him to 15 females producing more morphs or hets depending on your morph. For example I have 7 normal females and a mojave male, I expect to produce lots of mojave's next season and hold back all the females for future breeding.

However many breeders are replacing normals with co-dominant morphs. If your a breeder and want to follow the trends you need to start producing combo morphs.

I would say you could never have enough females regardless of morph. (if you have the room to house them)



Richard

Remember too every normal isn't like every other normal. It's not like they are rubber stamped with a certain pattern or color or marking. The normal female may have quite a lot of effect on how the offspring sired by a male morph looks so having a nice group of normal females to choose from can help a breeder "define" the look he or she is breeding for.

Thanks everyone it is good to learn these little things from everyone on here. Im not a breeder but I do plan on making some babies in the next few years and all this info helps out alot.

Great info. next step load up on more normal females!

yup picked up 2 more this weekend, they are pretty girls