They may look unique and beautiful, but these reptiles are ‘suffering silently’ from debilitating issues thanks to extreme selective breeding, experts say.
The RSPCA has warned that snakes and lizards with rare markings and unusual patterns are miserable due to their exaggerated physical traits.
This includes a snake whose head wobbles, leaving him with constant dizziness, and a python who has to eat in the dark.
The charity has also cared for a gecko with such bad eyesight that he bumps into the sides of his enclosure.
As with many exotic animals, a culture of the ‘more unique, the more they sell for’ has exacerbated problems, it warned in a new report.
Lead author Ashleigh Brown, RSPCA scientific and policy manager, said: ‘Some of the features that make reptiles appealing as exotic pets to those who know and love them – their unique needs, unusual colours and patterns, and often other–worldly appearance – has also made them vulnerable to experimental breeding for novel and rare traits – such as scalelessness or colour morphs associated with harmful genetic conditions.
‘Unfortunately, in many cases, this leads to them suffering in silence.’
This gecko has such bad eyesight that he bumps into the sides of his enclosure. The RSPCA warned exotic animals are ‘suffering silently’
Oscar is an albino royal python with striking yellow markings. In his case, he also has extreme light sensitivity affecting both his skin and eyes
Alongside the report, the RSPCA has released a documentary highlighting the crippling conditions some of these reptiles now live with.
In it, a team visit the Brighton Reptile Rescue, in Sussex, to meet some of the animals in its care.
One royal python, called Donnie, has been intentionally bred to have the ‘spider’ colour morph, which causes the pale–coloured web–like markings on his scales.
However, this also causes what’s become known as spider wobble syndrome.
This is a severe neurological issue affecting his inner ear which causes disrupted balance and uncoordinated movement, leading him to wobble, sway or so–called ‘star–gaze’ – an abnormal upwards tilting of the head.
He struggles to catch and eat his feed and has difficulty finding his way effectively around his environment.
The water bowl in his tank had to be changed for a shallower one so he wouldn’t accidentally drown in it, after his keeper found he was unable to move away from his regular bowl safely.
Fred Bark, head of reptiles at the centre, said: ‘These morph pythons became popular in the 1990s because of their distinctive markings. The more unique, the more they sell for.
One royal python, called Donnie, has been intentionally bred to have the ‘spider’ colour morph, is constantly dizzy because of the way his head wobbles
This gecko, called Cletus, has leucism caused by severe inbreeding. He is prone to prolapse because his abdominal muscles aren’t properly developed
‘But they later discovered that, after years of selective breeding and inbreeding, every single spider morph – that’s 100 per cent of the snakes – now have the genetic disorder causing the wobble. These morph snakes are now banned from all major UK expos.’
Snakes are not the only reptiles affected by harmful genetic traits.
Cletus is a leopard gecko who has been bred to be completely white – also known as leucism. His lack of pigmentation has left him with very sensitive eyes and skin, meaning he cannot cope with the same level of lighting as a typical leopard gecko.
‘Leopard geckos generally require low levels of light, but Cletus needs even weaker lighting to account for how sensitive his skin and eyes are, all issues caused by his genetics,’ Mr Bark added.
‘His leucism has been caused by severe inbreeding – you can also see this through deformities such as his multiple tail–tips. He can’t function like a normal leopard gecko would.
‘He is also prone to prolapse because his abdominal muscles aren’t properly developed so if he gets stressed then prolapse can happen.’
Oscar, meanwhile, is an albino royal python with striking yellow markings. In his case, he also has extreme light sensitivity affecting both his skin and eyes.
While not all albino pythons show the same extreme sensitivity to light as Oscar, it’s recommended that all albino reptiles should be provided with lower light levels than they would normally have in captivity.
Donnie struggles to catch and eat his feed and has difficulty finding his way effectively around his environment
Mr Bark added: ‘Oscar has such poor eyesight that he struggles to eat.
‘If he misses his prey twice in a row then he won’t eat, and he’ll be put off trying again for a month – a behaviour they utilise in the wild to conserve energy if hunting.
‘This obviously has potentially severe repercussions of malnutrition – but staff worked out that if we switch off the lights he’s more likely to eat successfully so now he has to eat in the dark.
‘This is unnatural selection for the wrong reasons.’
Ms Brown said that most people are aware that dog breeds such as pugs and bulldogs have breathing issues due to their flat faces, and that dachshunds can experience major spinal problems due to their short legs and long backs.
‘But people don’t always realise that this is an issue that affects a much wider range of pets; from flat–faced cats to lop–eared rabbits, tail–less rodents to bubble eye goldfish,’ she added.
‘And, being less commonly–seen pets, reptiles are at risk of becoming the forgotten victims of breeding for looks over health.’
