I am a little confused to the problems with in-breeding tarantulas. What problems if any does it cause? And do they suffer from genetic defects like most other animals ? I know it takes a few generations of inbreeding to cause genetic defects in humans (Not from personal experience may i add). And i know with tarantulas it should only be done as a last minute resort too stop the extinction of the species to the hobby. Any thoughts?
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from what i can make out, inbreeding causes no great problems, except maybe gradually shorten the life span. if you think, years ago only a small amount of some species was bought into the country, so along the line, they are all distantly related to each other today. i personally wouldnt breed two Ts from the same sac but like i said, they are all related somewhere down the lineTHE SOUTH EAST ARACHNID SHOW, SUNDAY 29TH JANUARY, ASHFORD INTERNATIONAL HOTEL, JUNCTION 10 M20
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As in all species of animal, inbreeding results in an increase in homozygosity (two identical dna sequences at one position on a chromosome as apposed to a differing pair). Over several generations this can lead to more and more recessive traits being passed on to the offspring and can result eventually in increased genetic disorders, shortened lifespans and sizes, lower fertility rates etc etc. It would take many decades for us to really see the effects of inbreeding. It's quite a slow process but should be avoided wherever possible though for the long term health of the species. Thats not always feasible though.
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i Know about the horrors of inbreeding from when my dad used to breed pygmy goats. He got a loan of a billy called elvis (had the quiff and everything) but he was so severly inbred that when the nanny was due too Kid they would die!!! When an autopsy was done they found that the Kids were nearly the same size as the mothers . None survived and we lost a fortune! So i am really cautious now .My Collection: - Support captive breeding
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Originally posted by jason holland View Postthink this has been discussed on here before..
Yep you are not wrong. Here and about every other spider forum known to man and in every case you get those who say "No don't do it as it is a crime against the laws of nature etc etc etc" and those who say "There is no problem with it, you can't prove those defects are due to inbreeding etc etc etc" , or at least words to this effect in some way or another.
I say breed what you want to breed (in this spider case before the police read this and want to check my celler!but if you want to read a little taste of what was taked about on here before click the link below:-
dull yeah!
Cheers
Chris
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Originally posted by Matthew Baines View Posti Know about the horrors of inbreeding from when my dad used to breed pygmy goats. He got a loan of a billy called elvis (had the quiff and everything) but he was so severly inbred that when the nanny was due too Kid they would die!!! When an autopsy was done they found that the Kids were nearly the same size as the mothers . None survived and we lost a fortune! So i am really cautious now .
Thanks for finding the thread Chris. It was certainly a lively debate.
Some interesting points from both sides. I myself am against inbreeding in principle but if we want to keep a wide range of T's and population sizes in the hobby then it is inevitable that its gonna occur and until any effects are noticed it can't really be argued against. The flipside of that is that it may be too late by then to undo the damage.
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im it goes on all the time without any of us knowing anyway. how do we know that some of our spiders havnt travelled back and forth across the uk etc. from the same sac, only to be in the hands of a couple of people that want to breed etc. theres no way we can find out wether there from the same sac etc.. (well there is but you know wot i mean). i cant see that it will ever be a major problem. at least not to the extent where spiders start growing arms and 20 legs etc... this hobby will never be able to fully stop inbreeding. i think tho, somone needs to (over a good few years) do some proper research into this. sith some fast growing species would be best as it would be quicker... i still cant see it being a major prob tho
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it's a thorny subject that! some people feel rather strongly about it, on both sides!
personally...i haven't bred anything yet (just mated my A chalcodes so far)...but if possible, just because there's room for doubt, i want to avoid inbreeding.
just seems to be the safest route.
you can't always guarantee or provide non-related spiders though, due to rarity in the hobby of some of them, in that case, we may sometimes have to do what we have to do to ensure we get a few circulating...until more become available...
hard question really! and one that deserves a fair bit of thought for each breeder, i'd say, regardless which way you choose to look at it.Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.
-Martin Luther King Jr.
<-Black Metal Contra Mundum->
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