Anyone catch it?

[JeffFlanagan]

Anyway, if this starts being done with any kind of regularity, we can pretty much say goodbye to our market. It would especially challenge those who do or would like to breed snakes for a living.
Bad for profit, good for poor snake lovers.

I think it could be good for snake breeders as long as the price on the lab snakes stays high. It could mean new expensive morphs from the lab in addition to those from Africa for us to add to our breeding programs. It would also raise public awareness of snakes as pets.

If they were produced in mass quantity through cloning, you're completely right. I suppose some day it will be possible to code a snake genome to include any morph combo you want, then produce thousands of embryos with that code. Of course the same tech could be used to create a custom virus and kill us all, so I hope it won't be any day soon.

[coldthumb]

Flying monkeys?......aren't the pidgeons bad enough?


...on the other hand...a pot-bellied elephant would be cool.

http://southpark.comedycentral.com/v...isodeId=103686

[littleindiangirl]

Okay, are we talking mass producing snakes through cloning now?

I have to say, it sounds like getting these snakes out there is a good thing, BUT more public awareness has to be made about the proper care.

I'm afraid that if these animals dropped in value so much, where a pied cost a few hundred, we'd see a TON of impulse buyers getting their hands on what we consider, high-end and extremely valuable.

I don't want a plague and epidemic of people buying snakes for a lark, and then learning that these animals can get a good size, and will live for 20+ years. The boom, and afterwards the crash, and release of countless snakes into the wild. Many dieing, and many living in an unnatural enviroment, hurting our own fauna and flora.

Look at how the iguanas were? Or still are in many cases. People buy them thinking they are cool, and we have literally thousands in shelters, and even more down south being released when they get too big.

Not saying BP's get too big, or need specialized care by any stretch of the imagination, but I can already see the mistreatment of snakes and reptiles skyrocketing when they are too affordable.

But the boas, and large pythons are already dumped now, it's almost nothing to dump a $100-$500 snake, but I bet ya they would reconsider just dumping a $5000 snake.

[JeffFlanagan]

Not saying BP's get too big, or need specialized care by any stretch of the imagination, but I can already see the mistreatment of snakes and reptiles skyrocketing when they are too affordable.

Sadly, I'm sure you're right. I'd prefer it if all pets cost at least as much as three vet visits to encourage proper care, but I don't think there's anything we can do about it.

[Freakie_frog]

Ok with out touching the evo v creation deal I will attempt to touch on genetic tampering for cosmetic purposes.

Genetic tampering to better human life in the way of food production or medical research. Imagine the out come of being able to replace organs with OEM part so to speak. Right now people that receive organs must take meds for life in order to keep the body from rejecting the organ. Think if you will people being able to receive a liver or kidney or cornea that is theirs not from another person. No rejection or meds it would be great. To also be able to fix congenital problems in children like MS and so on would be a huge step.

Genetic tampering for the sake of having a cool pet is a pointless waste of time money and resources in my mind. Now true some great discoveries may be made in the process but the chances are slim. Glowing pigs, rabbits, cats, hot pink ball pythons maybe one day but lets use the knowledge to better the creatures that will benefit the most from this us.

[mcbrayerreptiles]

OK OK I will no longer post on the suject of evolution vs. creation. We all have different opinions about what we believe. As far as the genetic engineering goes....I do not think it wise to tamper with DNA to a point of alteration. Our DNA is the way it is for a reason. I can't think of any good thing that would come from DNA alteration. just my POV.

I would like to politely invite anyone who wishes to carry on the religious debate with me, to private message me on this forum. I enjoy discussing the whole religious debate and all that other stuff as well...so please feel free to message me...Not to start an arguement, but just a simple conversation on the subjects at hand.

[Beardedragon]

Ive never really read into genetic engineering, but in cases with fish do they not make them to where they can not reproduce? How about Balls? I think it would be great for a serious collector.

How about a black and red spider? Id call it the widow

[SarahMB]

Strictly discussing the genetic engineering angle (although I'd be happy to discuss the religious POV), I personally think that specific genetic engineering for designer traits would rob us, as keepers, of the "magic" of hitting odds within a particular clutch. Would there be as much satisfaction in producing a clutch of 6 pieds out of 6 eggs from het x het as there would from genetically masterminding this to happen through controlled engineering? Absolutely not.

Hey Kara, I think you've made a very good point, I couldn't agree more with your assessment. Honestly, I don't see lab-grown animals ever replacing natural animals as pets. I could be wrong, and that would be incredibly sad.

How about a glow-in-the-dark pig?

Those are pretty cute too, but I did see an article not long ago about glowing kittens being produced. Much cuter, imo!
I've enjoyed all of your posts in this thread, you've shared some excellent information.

[NightLad]

Those are pretty cute too, but I did see an article not long ago about glowing kittens being produced. Much cuter, imo!
I've enjoyed all of your posts in this thread, you've shared some excellent information.

Ah, I just thought you were mentioning glow-in-the-dark cats for wishes sake. I didn't even know about them already existing! I learned something new today.



News.com article: Scientists create glow-in-the-dark cats
Yahoo News: SKoreans clone cats that glow in the dark

However, the process of creating them was different than the pigs, and they only glow under black/ultraviolet light.

Very interesting. Many people use black/ultraviolet lights to see our nocturnal pets anyway, so the side effect would be quite interesting.

And thanks, I enjoy your posts too!

[muddoc]

Currently at a pet co i was reading a article in a reptiles Magazine about genetic engineering in ball pythons( it showed a pied as a example), and how they might be able to make the white different colors

I don't really ever dive into the evolution vs. creation arguments, or discuss religion much. However, I did want to make a comment on this part of your post. I personally don't believe that you can change the color of the white on a Pied, and here is the reason. If our (meaning the herptoculturists) theories on Pieds is correct, then the white of a Pied is caused by a form of Leucism, in which the chromatophores are missing in the skin cells in the white areas. This would mean that pigments are present in those areas, but the skin is not capable of holdinh the pigment. With that said, you cannot change the color of "missing color".

Just my .01 cent.