Heterozygous for Albinos ( Common Snappers)

Heterozygous means – the turtle looks normal colored, but has the gene (in this case, for albinism).

*The gene for Albinism is a recessive trait, meaning that both parents must have the gene for the trait for Albinism to be produced in breeding.

**If Albinism were a dominant trait (which it is not), only one parent would need the gene for the trait to be reproduced.

If it is a 100% heterozygous (or “Het”), that means it has the albino gene for certain.

If a turtle is a 66% Het, that means that 2 out of 3 of them have the gene, but there is no way to tell without expensive laboratory tests, which normal looking turtles actually have the gene, and which do not …

Breeding 66% Hets isn’t nearly as reliable, or expensive – but consider this, our entire production of 150+ Albino Pink Bellies started with only a hand full of 66% eight Hets years ago.

For exact percentages of breeding hets together, or breeding to pure albinos, see our old high school Punnett’s square chart.

Here are some important simple facts about breeding with Hets:

1) 100% Hets breeding together produce (on average)

produce 25% Albinos, 50% Hets and 25% normals.

(& All the normal colored ones can’t be differentiated.)

2) Breeding Albinos to 100% Hets will produce (on average) one half Albinos and the other half 100% Hets.

3) Breeding 66% Hets with anything has no guarantees…

But it does put you in the game for less money . . .

How ever you choose go, this year we have a nice group of Albinos and both types of Hets, all in both sexes, hatching early, so get them now.