Should geckos with deformities be culled? part 2

[marula]

hi guys

questione 1:
due the circling problem with some engimas and studies behind that problem for try to resolve it, i whant to ask to averyone of you if geckos (enigmas) with circling problems need to be culled
i has got only one born from my enigma groups that after 4 months show this problem again. some babies (expecially into the albino form) show it first 2 weeks and stop it after the first month, so i'm curious to knw your opinion..

question 2:
i has got one small incubator that has got too hight humidity and some geckos from it (4 babies) born with eyes deformities.
well, i don't feel good to give them away for free because i feel responsable for them and they are setted in my rack. they eat and have a nromal life, just some problems during shed for the eyes deformities.
expecially one of them need to be helped everytime.
do you consider in this case the possibility to culled him?
i'm not worried about the necessity to take care of him for all his life, just i whant to have your opinion about the quality of his life if he need to be stressed all shed for don't have problems

any opnion will be appreciated

 

[chadbandman]

Bad gex

I worked with leos from 1985-2005. I really think the eye thing your describing is a high incubation problem. We hatched 2 without eyes.4 without front legs and 5 hairlips. Thats over 20 years. All seemed to be traced back to high incubation temps.

 

[acpart]

I worked with leos from 1985-2005. I really think the eye thing your describing is a high incubation problem. We hatched 2 without eyes.4 without front legs and 5 hairlips. Thats over 20 years. All seemed to be traced back to high incubation temps.

I had a small number of front leg and eyelid problems this season, but my incubation temps never go above 82.

Aliza (responding from Israel . . .)

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Marula, this is a hard question to answer. There is a difference in culling by ending the animal's life, and culling by removing it from a breeding program. In my opinion, an animal that can thrive on it's own should not be culled by ending it's life. On the other hand, if an animal has a proven genetic fault that is not considered desirable, it should not be allowed to reproduce. But here's the problem... what is undesirable is very subjective! What I might find undesirable, someone else may not.

I have an Enigma male that never exhibited any circling or 'vestibular-like' symptoms until he was subject to breeding, and at one point during breeding season I was very concerned about him even being able to walk or eat! As soon as he was not breeding any longer, he returned to almost normal with the exception of a slight head tilt. I have considered not breeding him ever again for this reason.

I think until we can fully understand whether this behavior is a desirable trait or it isn't, we will have to make our own personal, professional, and ethical decisions whether to 'cull' or not.

In regard to eyelid, nostril, or limb extremity defects, I do not believe these are genetic problems. I have had my share of these issues last season, and I use Nature's Spirit incubators on Helix proportional temperature controllers! I feel in many cases these defects may very well be incubation temperature-related, but I also think that maternal supplementaion can play a key role as well.

 

[chadbandman]

Need to add

I never used anything but crix. I think some prblem are exp w/meal worms.

 

[thestack510]

I wouldn't cull anything that has a fighting chance at survival. I would only cull if the animal would lead a life of suffering. I agree that these problems are due to fluctuations in incubator temperatures and are not likely genetic. I have one with bad eyes, but he is able to hunt down food. As long as he can fend for himself in regard to hunting he has a good chance at living a decent life. I think he has partial vision.