Quote Originally Posted by rabernet View Post
The first and only one to be found and brought in from Africa did it, and survived in the wild before he was found and imported.

Also spiders are direct descendants of this original spider, and one of the most outcrossed mutations.

NO ONE bred FOR the wobble or personality - it has been and always will be - part of the mutation.

So in answer to your question, a wild spider did in fact thrive in Africa with this condition.
How old was that imported spider? If it's so common to have a wild mutation 'thriving', why don't they have them from the wild more often? In certain areas of florida people sometimes find an albino rattlesnake. There aren't more than one, and they probably won't ever find more than that. The wild one from Africa might not have had the neurological problems as much as some of the captive bred ones do. And if it did, why aren't imported morphs very common?
Quote Originally Posted by mainbutter View Post
This is not what spiders do at all. Sometimes it happens, but it is not a constant vibration in the head. Sometimes it seems to be an inner ear issue, balance issue, tremors, corkscrewing, or any number of odd movements. More often than not, it is simply a slight "head tilt" when the "wobble" is exhibited.
I just saw it at the last reptile show I was at. It was in a clear display box. For the 15 minutes I was talking to that vendor, the spider constantly vibrated its head. I don't care what you call it. Moving like that is NOT natural. Finding a wild mutation isn't natural. I can find corn snakes outside. You can find some slightly different phases, like Miami phase, but never albino, anery, snow, motley, lavender, candycane, pewter, or any other morphs.
As for "quality of life".. I'm of the opinion that if a snake eats, lives, and breeds, it is certainly thriving. I wouldn't tell a human with a genetic disorder that they shouldn't have children, that's up to them. I'm certainly not going to say it is 'wrong' for someone to breed for the spider trait in ball pythons either. Frankly I think that these animals should have even more of a reason to get some sex than your typical pet BP.
You changed these two words. There is a difference. I don't think people should have kids if they know they will pass on the problem. They obviously wouldn't care about their kids, since they knew they would have the problem. It's similar to people without enough money, living in a country in poverty, having 10 kids with half of them still living, but somehow they don't understand what they are putting their kids through. It's repeating a cycle. The same thing with a genetic disorder.
It's partly wrong for them to breed spiders. I think that if someone doesn't care about the animals having ANY problems, they shouldn't be breeding them.
That said:

I have no interest in the spider trait. You guys who like it can keep it to yourselves. I do personally find the wobble to be just as distasteful as, say, poor coloration.. but no more so.
The animals don't care what color they are, as much as how they have to live with that problem. People on here call it a problem if animals have problems, why would someone breed them? Aren't there enough morphs to pick from without problems?