How do you determine heterozygous and homozygous traits in corn snakes? do you have to do scientific testing?

I want to start researching on how to breed corn snakes and i need to know how to determine what traits a snake has. I know the traits (example: motley, lavender, snow, etc.), i just need to know how to determine them.

How do you determine heterozygous and homozygous traits in corn snakes? do you have to do scientific testing?
I'm not sure what you mean by "determining" them. Those are all visual morph traits that you can observe by looking at the snake.



Some traits are co-dominant or dominant meaning they are visible in the heterozygous form. Others need to be homozygous before they are visible, so the heterozygous forms are indistinguishable from a normal corn snake. The only way you can tell is by breeding it to another heterozygous or homozygous snake for that trait.



Here is a good link that explains snake and morph genetics: http://ballpython.ca/genetics_101.html
Reply:well it depends on the gene.



say it's a recessive gene..

if the snake is heterozygous then it won't show for that recessive trait.

if it's homozygous it will.



And then there are the co-dominant traits, which are a pain in the behind. because you then do not kow what you have and when bred, there is often no clear way of telling if the offspring carry for a certain trait or not.. until you breed them to a Known as well.



Short of talking with the breeder of your snakes, about their line and what they bred to you are pretty much out of luck.



You will need to breed the snake to a KNOWN snake that you know for sure carries that gene and see what is born to know for sure what your snake carries and doesn't carry for.



I don't know of any blood work for snakes that will test for that kind of thing.

As a dachshund breeder, I do know the dog one is $120 a pop so it gest expensive. I can imagine if there is one for snakes it would be more expensive.
Reply:I have paint horses the only way to tell if there homozigous is by blood work im thinking it would be the same with snakes too.