Hey all got a few questions to run by the veterans around here.
What are the problematic genes when it comes to health (i mildy got into ball lythons years ago, spider if i recall sometimes acted weird) are there genetic combos that are problematic to health in boas?
Behavioral traits? Are some genetics more prone to being a bit more fiesty or more docile? Eat better? Ect.
Im going to be checking out the Atlanta reptile show tomorrow possibly grab another.
@logar shared a great page that will outline the issues some morphs can have. Be careful with supers, as there are some morphs that are perfectly fine in their heterozygous form, but can have problems (sometimes serious problems) in the super form. Not true for all supers (for example, super Hypo has no issues), but it’s definitely something to be aware of.
As far as behavioural traits, I think those tend to be linked more to locality than to morphs per se. Most morph boas are a mix of various localities, but some breeders make an effort to keep certain morphs “pure” to the locality the morph came from (for example, Leopard is found in Sonoran boas, and there are breeders who produce “pure Sonoran” leopards with no intentional mixing of other localities). Many of the “dwarf” localities (Sonoran, Central American, Nicaraguan, etc.) have a reputation for being a bit more nervous and defensive, so morphs that originated from those localities may have a higher likelihood of exhibiting more defensive behaviour. But even then, I think a lot of it still comes down to the individual snake, as well as how a keeper socializes them. Boas in general have lovely temperaments, and even the ones who are nervous and nippy as babies will usually calm down with proper handling and socialization.
I’ll add the caveat that I’m not a breeder, and am far from an expert, so hopefully those with more knowledge and experience will correct me if I’ve said anything inaccurate.