Those darn morphs

[ocular_factitus]

I was recently checking out some cham sites and came across flchams and they have this morph called a translucent Veiled. Now why would anyone want a translucent chameleon? One of the main reasons we keep them is because of COLOR!
I saw a pic of an adult translucent male on another site, i can't help but feel bad for these guys that have unknowingly had their gene's spliced, it's downright abomination. What's everyone's input on this?

 

[Julirs]

This was a natural mutation-and the animals have no obvious health related issues.

 

[jojackson]

Ugly! Natural dosent imply its the future of the species though, or infact any positive thing. You say mutation, I say abberation.
May have no obvious issues in captivity but thats no reason to retain such freaks through selective breeding Imo.
This trait would be short lived in the wild I think.

 

[chameleonneeds]

And the funny thing is you pay more for them!

I still think they cool, just because its a cham.

 

[Julirs]

By "natural" I meant there was no one "splicing" nor did I mean that it was the "future of the species". I don't think any of us will be here long enough to determine if it could or would be a positive thing or not.

 

[jojackson]

No, I understood that Julirs. By 'the future of chams' I meant, the trait will not likely become dominant in wild specimans.
How could it be positive except to CB keepers?

 

[WelshOneEmma]

I personally like them, but I think it's a case of each to their own. I wouldn't use the word 'freak', just different.

 

[Julirs]

No, I understood that Julirs. By 'the future of chams' I meant, the trait will not likely become dominant in wild specimans.
How could it be positive except to CB keepers?

Probably not positive in the wild at this point-they don't belnd in as well in their natural environment. I just think as slow as evolution and "adaptive morphing happens" we won't be around long enough to find out.

 

[ocular_factitus]

Hmm yeah i wonder if because of their skin type being as it is, if these would heat up quicker to the sun or bulbs, and perhaps get burned. Thanks all on your replies.

 

[WelshOneEmma]

Hmm yeah i wonder if because of their skin type being as it is, if these would heat up quicker to the sun or bulbs, and perhaps get burned. Thanks all on your replies.

They have had these in Europe for several years now, and from what I have read, there haven't been any problems.

 

[TreelionsUK]

These are not nice,really spooky mutation...i'd be paying less not more,but TBH i would not look twice at them.

 

[chameleon guy]

Not wanting to start a big argument but these creatures are just like any other cham. They have the same turret eyes, shooting tongue, lots of colors, prehensile tails and gripping feet. I find it mean and sad these chameleons are called ugly or gross. I think they are pretty cool. They have done nothing wrong but be born different looking that's all. They have every right to be on this planet as any other chameleon. They are also probably priced higher because they are unique. they have stranger colors and even whites! Some people are looking for something different. It is also sad people call them freaks. It was mutation at birth not some kind of experiment. I am thinking of getting one myself.

 

[ocular_factitus]

I was just on Fauna Classifieds and was looking at some of the chams there, and there it was an adult translucent, kinda nifty looking afterall!

Still rather ghostly though... i might get one since there rare! [crap, did i say that out loud?]

 

[Syn]

The genes can get bad after a while if you get them from a bad breeder. They keep breeding the lines closer and closer together..

It's just loss of pigments, I think.

 

[ocular_factitus]

The genes can get bad after a while if you get them from a bad breeder. They keep breeding the lines closer and closer together..

It's just loss of pigments, I think.

YES! Which is why I'd prefer if some breeders of Panthers will keep them solid to their homeland. Same thing with beardies! I want a true red sand fire female, not hypo this, and citrus that, and Blood X. Geez huh?! In the second pic it's kinda like looking into the dead eye of a great white huh?

 

[dondeb562]

This is more of a dominant gene so there would be no need to inbreed these. You put a trans with a normal you are going to get yield trans and normal offsrping. You put two trans together and you get high end, low end and normals still. I had talk to Mike of Fla chams about this at one of the shows and he said it has not proven to carry in the normal babies that have come from trans parents, meaning it is not recessive so no need to line breed or inbreed.
I see nothing wrong with this mute either since the gene came from wild veileds to begin with and not something that was morphed in captivity. I would imagine since it started in the wild you may find low ends in the wild considering to get a high end you would need to breed two trans together and the odds of that happening are probably slim (but not impossible).

 

[ocular_factitus]

Wow thanks! That was wicked informative, I've learned something new today! But i better read it over again so i can remember that.

 

[vindicatedornot]

Translucents are produced from breeding for recessive traits. It's a pain in the ass to pull out a no-pigment gene, but it isn't from inbreeding.

-Andrea

 

[jojackson]

Same thing with beardies! I want a true red sand fire female, not hypo this, and citrus that, and Blood X. Geez huh

There are reds and there are reds. What you refer to as 'sandfire' is just bred to enhance color, they dont exist outside captivity, and are no more 'true' than others you mention.
Natural Beardies can be stunning enough on their own, why play with it? Names like 'Sandfire' amuse me no end. Polluting the genepool (crossing stuff, creating bizzare animals) for vanity dosent amuse me so much.

 

[Julirs]

Translucents are produced from breeding for recessive traits. It's a pain in the ass to pull out a no-pigment gene, but it isn't from inbreeding.

-Andrea

It's co-dominant.