genetics
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Leopard Gecko Morph Special: the New Bluebelly Pastel Gene
Geckos with the new “pastel” single gene were officially released by Ron Tremper in 2014.
The project started back in 2008 with a raptor baby which hatched out with a bright blue belly color through spontaneous genetic mutation . His pictures went across the globe and raised a huge interest in the global gecko community at that time. The bright blue belly-coloration faded after some weeks, but the animal and some of its relatives expressed a different pattern combined with a generally improved coloration of the animals. The project has been selectively bred and developed since 2009. More
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Biology of Breeding: Considerations for Maximizing Genetic Diversity of Breeding Groups
When a person joins the hobby of reptile keeping and makes the decision to breed animals of any species, they silently make the acknowledgement that they are going to be playing god with the species they choose to reproduce. Not only accelerating evolution through artificial selection, but also picking and choosing which ecological and evolutionary forces, or lack thereof affect their breeding populations. More
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Enigma Syndrome in Leopard Geckos: An Autosomal Dominant Disorder
Usually, we don’t notice a gene until a mutation changes it. This is true for the vestibular system of Leopard Geckos. Around 2006 certain leopard geckos began to display equilibrium deficiencies, often (but not always) associated with the Enigma morph. These disoriented geckos were diagnosed with a disorder dubbed Enigma Syndrome.
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Selectively Breeding a Trait: Bold Stripe Leopard Geckos
We all know when we see something we have to have as well as something that may need to be changed or refined. Very seldom do you see both of these characteristics in a single morph. Bold Stripes have always been one of my favorite morphs due to their deep dark bold colors and their full length stripes. More
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Breeder Chronicles: Season Comes to a Difficult End
So I can finally announce this breeding season as a complete failure. My final clutch of eggs hatched and I had a nice Jungle RAPTOR and Tremper Albino hatchling. They were squealing and running around but I decided to keep them in the incubator for a few extra days just to be sure all was well. After checking on them daily I went to move them into tubs on the third day to find the Jungle RAPTOR dead but the Tremper doing just fine.
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Facing Reality: What to Expect as a First-time Reptile Breeder
Nowadays a huge number of reptile pet keepers eventually make the decision to produce offspring from their pets. Breeding your beloved reptiles and experiencing the miracle of new life can be one of the most beautiful hobbies in the world – no question about that.
However, there is so much more to be considered when it comes to breeding than just putting males and females together and watching your pretty babies hatch. More -
Leopard Gecko Pro: A Review of Ron Tremper’s New App
Ron Tremper, who could rightfully be called one of the “fathers” of leopard gecko selective breeding, has recently launched a new app (for iphone and android) called “Leopard Gecko Pro”. This new app is one of a series of leopard gecko morph, gecko care and snake care apps that he has released. I was unable to resist this app and its $9.95 price tag which includes a “lifetime” of free updates in a field that is constantly evolving.
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Fun with Hets: Leopard Geckos Teach Genetics 101
A successful reptile breeder, in addition to knowing the mechanics of breeding and caring for hatchlings, must also understand basic genetics in order to plan and execute reptile pairings. In addition, the only way to make a positive contribution to herpetoculture requires the ability to provide the genetic history of the animal he or she produces. More
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The Leopard Gecko Wiki
The Leopard Gecko Wiki was originally created in August of 2007 to provide a searchable database of accurate Leopard Gecko information for breeders, keepers, and prospective owners of Leopard Geckos. At the time of the creation, I was breeding Leopard Geckos on a full scale and did not see a true one-stop outlet for Leopard Gecko information that covered care, genetics, natural history, health issues, and of course morphs. My goal was to create an environment where any type of Leopard Gecko owner or prospective owner could find information easily. More