Just to note, it's not the AKC screwing up the breeds. The AKC is a registry and an advocate of purebred dogs. The standards accepted into the AKC are actually set by each breed's parent club. Each breed's parent club is made up of members, some of whom are influential judges and breeders and handlers in each breed. When judges put up "trendy" dogs instead of those that adhere to the standard, or award "favor" wins to handlers & breeders, those trends are sometimes taken back to the parent club and actually voted upon as proposed standard changes. Responsibility for the overall heath and well-being of each breed should start with the parent club.Originally Posted by 3skulls
As far as ball pythons go, I think the prevalence of RI or other diseases has more to do with husbandry issues than they do with any sort of inbreeding depression related to color mutations. Mites, stagnantly humid air, cross-contamination and other stressful factors can pack quite a punch...IMO it shows up more in morphs because that is what folks are focused on breeding.
$.02...
Reply With Quote