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Old 07-09-2012, 10:59 AM  
crazygal330
Hamster Pup
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 197
Default Re: Inbreeding Coefficiant

I don't know much about breeding of hamsters but I have I would say a "novice-fair" understanding of breeding in rats. OK not the same. HOWEVER I am aware that many rat breeders inbreed as a way of aiming for healthier lines. If you have a healthy base of genetics, by inbreeding 1 time, you gain a better understanding of the genetics you are playing with, and what you may or may not have. I am aware that there are always risks, and I haven't done extensive research on inbreeding, but of course you are going to run into problems if you are inbreeding when you do not know the majority of the genetics involved.
I believe if you have many generations of history then you already have a fairly good understanding of the genetics you are working with and at which point inbreeding is a useful tool. No one said she was going to closely or repeatedly inbreed. Inbreeding when you know your hammies have a healthy background and you know a lot about genetics and what you do and don't have(recessive and dominant) is much safer than outcrossing with unknown and potentially unhealthy genetics.

In short I believe that randomly breeding any unspecified individuals is far more dangerous than sensible inbreeding.
Not an answer for you I know but I don't think you should be completely slated for just considering the idea
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