Does attitude get passed down?

[Drew87]

Hey everyone, so i thought i would start this up, do you think that a snakes attitude is passed down threw genes? Do you have experence with this a clutch of eggs that had a sweet mother and the snakes were also sweet? Or just the other a nice mom and mean little babies? Post your ideas just thought this would be something interesting to see what people think and see what people have seen threw experience.

[janeothejungle]

Not to speak too geekish, but I personally believe that yes, there is genetic predisposition toward 'aggressive' behavior. That said, I think there is also a tremendous amount of variability within a given species, as well. In a way, it all goes back to the whole 'nature vs nurture' debate, right? Are we a product of our genes or of our environment. Current theory holds that it is a combination of both and I tend to agree.


Cheers,
Kat

[Drew87]

Not to speak too geekish, but I personally believe that yes, there is genetic predisposition toward 'aggressive' behavior. That said, I think there is also a tremendous amount of variability within a given species, as well. In a way, it all goes back to the whole 'nature vs nurture' debate, right? Are we a product of our genes or of our environment. Current theory holds that it is a combination of both and I tend to agree.


Cheers,
Kat

Very true Kat, nice point.

[blackcrystal22]

Not to speak too geekish, but I personally believe that yes, there is genetic predisposition toward 'aggressive' behavior. That said, I think there is also a tremendous amount of variability within a given species, as well. In a way, it all goes back to the whole 'nature vs nurture' debate, right? Are we a product of our genes or of our environment. Current theory holds that it is a combination of both and I tend to agree.


Cheers,
Kat

I wholeheartedly agree. However, we have to consider the psychological spectrum of a snake. Nature vs Nurture would fall more under environment as snakes do not need Nurture to survive, but if a snake goes unhandled, it may lose it's good temperament.
I have a corn that became very skittish with little handling and afraid, I also have snakes that are afraid despite the handling amount, and some that are sweet even when not handled for a long time. This tells me, that genetics can lead to their ability to adjust to a pet environment. Some snakes, can not adjust very well and even with attempted handling, may not ever be handled. While others could adjust, and are just born at a different starting level of temperament.

It is most definitely both, but I think genetics can not be ruled out here. I don't think it's genetically 'one or the other' but a bigger spectrum, and like Kat said, with different species too. Some may be born with a bad temperament and be handled into a calm temperament. Some may never be able to be handled, and some could have always been handled.

[Bruce Whitehead]

I am sure I have heard SA - Becky discuss a snappy female that produces snappy babies before as well. Not sure if it was tied to the morph... *scratches around in grey matter* I think it was a Granite.

Temperment may be passed along certain morph lines... just a completely random and ill-informed thought.

Bruce

[python.princess]

I know I've heard plenty of people talk about breeding for not only quality but personality as well. I think there's something to it.

[Drew87]

This is pretty cool seeing what everyone thinks. Anyone had a nice male or female that bred and the babies were nice like the mom or dad?? just seeing if we can get someone to prove this or just say they think its true or not.

[Tosha_Mc]

Yeah - I've had docile mothers beget docile babies -- but then the same girl will turn around and bred to a snippy male will throw little devils as well. It gets real confusing when you get the parents as sub-adults and you find out your docile dude was once a a little devil himself.

It's a little bit nature a little bit nurture.

[Sputnik]

I think it does also....

[MarkS]

Umm, since ball pythons don't nurture they're babies, I think it's ALL nature.... And yes, I have definitely noticed that personality is a heritable trait, however the inheritance is not a simple form. I know that when I breed a snippy male to a certain docile female, most of the babies will also be snippy and resemble the father in personality. However when I breed the same male to a different docile female, all the babies will be docile and take after the mother for their personality. I haven't got a clue how to figure out how to guide the outcome, but I can see that personality is obviously a heritable trait.