Coastal/jag sib

Are jag sibs normal Coastal carpet pythons? Are sibs called sibs to trace thier blood lines?

As far as I can gather it simply allows you to list their parentage, keeping them seperate from the jags,colours, patterns in their clutch, as they don't carry the gene as in the case of hets

'Jaguar siblings' or 'jag sibs' are so-called to denote that they are from a Jag breeding but are more normal-looking in appearance i.e. they don't inherit the colour and pattern mutations of the Jaguar gene.

The reason why they are called Jag sibs is to separate them from wild-type Coastals and also Jungle carpets - i.e. so they're parentage and ancestry is clear - as Buddy has mentioned. Some Jag sibs look like wild type Coastals and others resemble Jungle carpets, so with such a variation in possible appearance its easy to confuse them with something else.

The reason for this is that, although these 'normal-looking' Jag sibs do not inherit any of the Jaguar genes, their colour and contrast is enhanced by varying degrees, and many have characteristic patterns and appearances to them.

One of the big problems with breeding the many carpet python morphs out there is that there is greeat potential to produce incredibly confusing offspring that can be passed off as something they aren't.....this is why correct labelling, and also thoughtful and responsible breeding, is so important.

I done some research online and have heard of breeders culling sibs. This is madness. Some of the sibs are stunning animals and pets

Wow, now that is extreme.....some real stunners out there amongst the sibs and a few happily breed sib to jag to get some stunning offspring

It does happen unfortunately - because some breeders get so hacked off at people selling some Jag sibs as something they are not. I've even seen it myself over here and Jags have barely made it over here to date, so you can imagine how bad it is in parts of Europe and the U.S. where Jags are a lot more common.

I understand it but don't condone it - there are other ways to identify Jag sibs that sets them apart from the other carpet pythons. I like pure lines and also morphs, and keeping both lines separate is important for me and many others who work with the Morelia.

To these breeders, the solution is to cull any hatchlings whose identity could be confused. It is extreme but their actions do in principle have the interests and integrity of the hobby and the animals they work with at heart.

Its such an easy thing to do with the carpet python complex because the various subspecies / species are all so closely related and so variable in appearance anyway. It started with confusion between pure Diamond pythons and Diamond x Jungle intergrades, although most can be told apart if you know what to look for; nowadays a bigger concern is Jag sibs being sold off as 'high contrast Coastals', 'Jungles', or 'het Jaguar carpets'.....all ridiculous and misrepresentative labels. People look at a carpet python and the slightest hint of yellow means 'Jungle', or the slightest bit of white speckling means 'Diamond'.....but in reality it just doesn't work like that.

All I would say is don't believe what your told and always doubt the identity of something if it doesn't seem to quite add up - because some people will do anything to make a sale. Be especially wary of any carpet python with the word 'Jungle' in the name just because it has some yellow on it - I know of a few intergrades kicking about at the moment which are being sold with 'Jungle' in the mix when neither parent looks anything like a Jungle!

Also be wary of 'Jungle Jags' out there - many Jags have deep yellow colouration but are pure Coastals with no Jungle in the mix, yet they are often sold as 'Jungle Jags' because it makes them sound better.

I'm passionate about my Aussies and so correct labelling and ID of animals is important to me. Many people seem to assume they know what things are based on appearance rather than parentage / lineage info, which is wrong. All too often various names are interchanged freely because 'they are all carpet pythons'. This is dangerous to the hobby and downright stupid....Jungles are not the same as Coastals, Jungle Jags are not the same as Jags etc.

Some folk say breeding a jag to a jag sib will produce better jags. Is this true?

It is true yeah - well you at least improve your chances of producing better Jags and Jag sibs (genetics is all about probability).

The reason for this is simple - the more colourful or contrasting the parents are, the greater the chances that these traits will be carried on in their offspring. Because many Jag sibs are more colourful and contrasting than wild type Coastals, breeding one to a Jag then improves your chances of producing more stunning Jags.

Many breeders in Europe and the U.S. have used Jag x Jag sib breedings to 'improve' their Jags and line-breed very reduced pattern, eye-popping Jags and Jag sibs.

It seems crazy to cull sibs if gens wise they produce better jags