I kinda started this topic in another thread, but feel that it is such an important issue it needed its own thread.
Inbreeding/line breeding- When is it ok, when do breeders take it too far, and what damage has been caused by continual inbreeding/line breeding of various morphs.
Wikipedia does a good job of defining the two terms:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inbreeding (line breeding is linked there)
In spiders we have the wobble, in caramels we have kinks, there's the duckbills in super cinnamon and I think in a few other morphs as as well, right? What other genetic flaws are out there? How many of these flaws have been able to be corrected by responsible breeders who patiently out-cross generations of flawed snakes to healthy snakes to correct the damage? Many kudos and thanks to these breeders!
As a general rule, inbreeding or line breeding for a generation or two will not cause any harm. After about the third generation, you start getting retarded and deformed babies. If you see deformities showing up early, OUT-CROSS to unrelated animals! Then breed those babies together. Yes it takes longer to get the results you want, but you will have a stronger, healthier animal for future generations. What good is a pink snake if it crawls sideways and has a square head?
Here's an example of how serious this can get. In cockatiels, inbreeding was so prevalent that not only were there mutations like a bald spot on the head, thin, curled or missing feathers, and splayed legs, but the life expectancy dropped from 20 to 30 years down to around 5. It was such a serious problem that special arrangements were finally made with Australia to import a number of wild birds to save our captive population.
Genetic diversity is essential to a species' survival! So please, let's breed responsibly!