What are your thoughts on domesticated reptiles?

Question

I didn't say captive, I said domesticated. Captive breeding is selecting for traits which are the opposite of what nature selects for--unusual colors for example. A high yellow albino ball python with pied markings would scream "Here's your lunch!" A super giant designer leopard gecko would stand out like the broiled scallop on an appetizer tray of cocktail franks to a hungry predator.

The changes we select for in captive breeding are not all readily visible. Animals which have less natural wariness breed more freely in captivity, passing this trait, which would get them quickly killed in nature, on to their offspring. It's the same selective breeding process which turned wolves into dogs and aurochs into cattle.

We are on the frontier of creating new domestic species with some of our captive bred reptiles. I don't see this as a bad thing. Our pets might someday be reverse selected to restock a disease or hunting depleted wild population. What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

I don't know that it's much different than what our anscestors did with dogs and cats. Breeders are selecting traits that have more "appeal", whether it be brighter coloration or just "something different than what everyone else has". The prices they get for the animals shows there is a market for them.

Personally, I like the "wild" colorations. I've taught in a number of settings and if I want to talk camoflage and natural behaviors of these animals, it's harder to do if all you have are "sunfire" bearded dragons and "tangerine" leopard geckos. As a pet, I don't think the latest designer colors affects the personalities as much as regular interaction with humans from the time they're young animals. Of course, the designer colors are mostly in animals with more docile personalities to begin with.

I don't know that the trend for lighter/brighter coloration will be an advantage to replacing wild populations. Albinism and lighter colors are for the most part recessive characteristics, and, as you pointed out, make the animals more visible to predators. Behavior is mostly instinct, but if breeders select the most passive/docile animals for breeding, this may, over time, reduce the natural wariness and aggression they would need to compete with the remaining wild members of their own species.

With all this said, I'm not against selective breeding for the pet trade - I just think that there's value in keeping natural traits as well.

Answer 2

I'm in graduate school for biology and am starting (hopefully!) vet school next year. I've had three snakes (formerly a Brazilian rainbow boa and currently a jungle carpet python and an anerythristic boa constrictor imperator). Now, I don't disagree with your first paragraph at all as this is certainly artificial selection. However, there are several things about reptiles that don't lend them to be truly domesticated. They can be tamed, but not domesticated. See Jared Diamond's famous "Guns, Germs, and Steel" for more requirements of domestication. Herps are more like folks who keep zebra or cervids. See link below on chapter 9 for more. But to your credit, an interesting argument (and not the sort of drivel I usually see on Yahoo Answers).

Answer 3

i have a snake and she is very happy.i have a ballpython and she sheds normally and eats normally...very loveable etc.... my point is its not a problem for them being domesticated, the problem is taking them out of the wild at an older age so they remember it.i think if they do capture them they should at a young age so they dont realy remember..

Answer 4

I don't think any reptiles should be sold. It should be illegal to own them. The majority of reptiles in captivity die because people don't care for them properly and I'm tired of seeing reptiles die. It's a shame for those like myself who acually care about their reptiles and research them and take them to the vet if they are sick. But for the sake of reptiles everywhere, reptiles should be illegal to own.

Answer 5

Aagh!!!. Hate reptiles.