The Sad Side to Breeding (Graphic)

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Originally Posted by 1nstinct

Sorry about the babies.
Question about babies with no eyes. When people say they have a no eyed baby, and it's eating and making a great pet. Why could you not breed it if it was a healthy snake? Would the offspring be at a greater risk to have no eyes as well? Just wondering.

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Why would you possibly breed an animal with birth defects?

Even though likely caused by a spike in incubator temps - why chance it?

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Originally Posted by Deborah

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...Reptiles/page2
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Thanks :). And I posted on that thread too..:rolleyes: :P

Yeah and not to mention snakes already don't see super well. Their number one sense is smell and feeling vibrations on the ground. Honestly albinos even have worse vision. They're practically blind. That's why snakes sometimes mistake your hand for food lol. The baby should be alright. Best of luck to you! Happy Herping!

Good on you for giving the little blind guy a chance! I'd love to buy that little guy from you as well! I don't think I could breed because of things like this.

:( That is sad. I hope the rest all do fine for you!

Dealing with this right now myself--a clutch of 4 small eggs that collapsed early on, and just wouldn't absorb moisture and plump back up. 3 hatching babies have already died, and spinal deformities were present. Only one left, now. He's breathing, but so were the other 3...all I can do is hope he manages to absorb his yolk, and make it. It's just something that has to be accepted...they won't all make it.

Little "no eyes" is out of the egg and is completely normal otherwise. I was glad to see it wasn't kinked or anything. It's next big step is feeding.

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/a...n/IMG_9587.jpg

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/a...n/IMG_9582.jpg



And the normal het pied clutch mate -

http://i859.photobucket.com/albums/a...n/IMG_9581.jpg

how did you euthanize the deformed baby? i wouldn't know what method to use because it is so...blobby....

other babies look great, even little blindy :)

Yes. I have an eyeless adult female that is now over 1000 grams.

It was also my misfortune to have a temp spike cause eyelessness in three out of ten babies from my long awaited fire clutch. I plan to give the eyeless babies every chance, seeing as I already have one and she's fantastic. I have a number of people who desire to adopt the eyeless babies if they do well, and I would like to think my frequent posts about my adult girl have some small part in that.

I am sorry for your losses, I know how hard it has been for me. I hope your little one does well, please let us know if it eats.

Gale

A warning--some eyeless or one-eye individuals have other problems that don't become apparent until they are older. Some may die with no prior symptoms, within their first few years. I suspect it is probably due to a defect in their heart, due to the suddenness and lack of any signs of a problem.

I recommend folks raising them keep this in mind, so they won't be too devastated if it happens, and I tell folks who adopt them from me that this risk exists.