Reptiles with distinctive markings and exaggerated physical traits are suffering from a range of debilitating health issues due to extreme selective breeding, experts from the RSPCA have warned. The charity reports that snakes and lizards bred for rare colors and patterns are experiencing conditions such as dizziness, extreme light sensitivity, poor eyesight, and prolapse.
Ashleigh Brown, RSPCA scientific and policy manager and lead author of a new report, stated that the desire for novel and rare traits, such as scalelessness or specific color morphs, has made these animals vulnerable. "Unfortunately, in many cases, this leads to them suffering in silence," Brown said.
One example highlighted by the RSPCA is Donnie, a royal python bred for the 'spider' color morph. This specific breeding has resulted in spider wobble syndrome, a neurological condition affecting his inner ear. This condition causes disrupted balance, uncoordinated movement, and head tilting, making it difficult for Donnie to navigate his environment and hunt effectively. Fred Bark, head of reptiles at Brighton Reptile Rescue, noted that 100% of spider morph snakes now carry this genetic disorder, leading to their ban from major UK reptile expos.
Reptiles bred for leucism, a lack of pigmentation, also face significant health challenges. Cletus, a leopard gecko bred to be completely white, has extremely sensitive eyes and skin, requiring significantly lower lighting than typical leopard geckos. Bark explained that Cletus's leucism, caused by severe inbreeding, also leads to deformities like multiple tail tips and a predisposition to prolapse due to underdeveloped abdominal muscles.
Oscar, an albino royal python with striking yellow markings, exhibits extreme light sensitivity in his skin and eyes, impacting his vision and hunting abilities. Staff at Brighton Reptile Rescue found that Oscar only eats successfully in the dark, an unnatural condition attributed to his selectively bred traits.
The RSPCA highlighted that while many are aware of health issues in popular dog breeds like pugs and bulldogs, the problem extends to a wider range of pets. "And, being less commonly-seen pets, reptiles are at risk of becoming the forgotten victims of breeding for looks over health," Brown added.
