Scaleless BP

[Beardedragon]

Why not? According to the theory of evolution mammals evolved from reptiles which had evolved from fish. A scaleless or hairless or featherless animal is but a mutation in genetics which could lead to something new. Mankind decides now what lives and what dies within captivity. Do not argue that it "has a lesser chance at surviving" this is captivity, it isn't about predator and prey or climate, it is the choice of the owner what survives or not.

Because a Mammal is a Mammal...and a Reptile is a Reptile...

Would you enjoy if you had been born with scales?

[Oxylepy]

Would I have ever known what it would have been like to not have scales? Would I be part of a society that would shun me? Because the snake is neither of those. God you people are thick.

[m00kfu]

Lol, only took 4 pages before someone responded to me. haha. Oh well, I hve only seen one picture of theDerma ball. Now that I see that one.. doesn't look that cool.

Must have missed my post.

Because a Mammal is a Mammal...and a Reptile is a Reptile...

Would you enjoy if you had been born with scales?

Would you enjoy if you had been born with a thick coat of fur? Mammal or reptile, it's still an animal.

[Beardedragon]

Must have missed my post.



Would you enjoy if you had been born with a thick coat of fur? Mammal or reptile, it's still an animal.

No... I wouldn't...so if I was a reptile I don't think id want to be purposely born without scales.

[Anarchy]

I'm probably gonna' get crushed for this, but here goes....

I would not breed this BP. Color morphs are one thing, but this is a serious defect. No different than an Albino born without eyes....don't see a lot of people lining up to make more of those. Now I know there's a school of thought that says all color morphs are defects as well, because they don't look like a Normal. Not a school of thought that I subscribe to, but I'm sure that arguemnt will be brought up.

To me a BP born without scales or heat pits is the same as a human born with flippers...it just ain't right.

Having said all that, I have no doubt someone will breed this little freak, provided it's not sterile (one can always hope), and people will line up to pay stupid amounts of money for them. To each their own...you won't have to stand in line behind me to buy one.

dido man !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[butters!]

Not gonna comment on this one

ugh?
why?
its sweet!

[physalia]

Actually, since you asked, I don't agree with breeding Spiders or any BP with Spider genes, and I don't own one. I don't soap box about Spiders, because I know many, many people enjoy Spiders and Spider crosses. It's just my personal decision.

Just curious...

Why don't you agree with breeding spiders? Is there more to the morph than a pattern? New to BPs, just wondering.

[Oxylepy]

Because of the wobble. I would imagine that he wouldn't agree with breeding Caramels because of the kink or Womas because of the super's tendency to die as well.

[physalia]

Thanks Oxylepy...I found a thread on it too.

[Slim]

Dictionary:
mutation
(myū-tā'shən) pronunciation

3. Genetics.
1. A change of the DNA sequence within a gene or chromosome of an organism resulting in the creation of a new character or trait not found in the parental type.
2. The process by which such a change occurs in a chromosome, either through an alteration in the nucleotide sequence of the DNA coding for a gene or through a change in the physical arrangement of a chromosome.
3. A mutant.

The ball python in question is a mutant (def #3), a result of the event of definition #2: a rearrangement of chromosomes prior to its birth, dealing it a set of alleles that resulted in the inability to form scales, or perhaps a result of definition #1: a change in the sequence of its DNA making the proteins required for scale formation not-viable. Obviously this process could have been interrupted on any part of many pathways.

The organism is viable and stable. It could be considered "defective" because it doesn't have the protective layer over it, but neither do hairless rats, cats, or monkeys, who all do well and thrive in the comfort of a domestic environment.

I am wondering what definitions of 'mutation' and 'genetic defect' you're using that you don't think both are possibly applicable here (even interchangeably). I'm also wondering what course you took (who your teacher was) that gave you this impression...?

Never took a course, Morphie, and never had a professor, and never claimed I did.

My understanding of the mutation vice defect are more what I'd call "common man" understandings.

I stand corrected on my understanding of the terms...thanks for the dictionary lesson.

Now, more to the point, I still think a scaleless BP is mutant freak of nature and should not be bred. Don't think I can make is any simpler than that.