Blue eye bearded dragons Marek's/herpies

Interesting and absurd theory! But remenber the first oke who mentioned the earth was round was also crazy... Go for it. It would be an interesting experiment.

Some pointers. Mareks is a viral disease caused by Herpesvirus. The condition in which the eyes are affected are typically seen in the more chronic cases of Mareks. The wings and limbs are affected and eventualy become paralysed (Has anyone noted paralysis in their blue eyed dragon?) The eyes are affected and also the vision. The pupil is irregular. (The pics of blue eyed dragons I have seen had normal pupils)

Herpes viruses are sometimes spread with breeding (maybe egg laying in dragons?) Why then dont we see any diseased offspring?

As for UV and eye colour. It is my opinion that the eyes would go darker as a result of chronic high UV exposure. This would be as a result of melanin deposition. It is a occurance in humans.

I am seriously hoping (and believe it is) that blue eyes are genetic. I am looking forward to seeing the first blue eyed Witblits... But as I said someone had to first think the world was round.

Goodluck!

Here is a video I found about Star the blue eyed dragon. I'm sorry, I have not read through this entire thread, but if the video wasn't already posted I hope it helps.

http://youtu.be/4lzqL-PD6KE

My opening post that started this thread was incomplete. This is a compilcated issue with lots of causes. I have created this web page in response to the video. http://bloodbankdragons.com/2011photos/zeyed.htm

Jeez Steven this is balls! You are making some serious statements without much prove/science behind them. Balls. Or in the world of science they will call it stupid... I am on both sides here. I dont think the blue eyed dragons are all pathological. Neither are all of them normal/healthy. Some amber eyes aren't healthy either. At this stage you are comparing pork ribs to apples ... Rather compare apples to pears. Its a far cry to compare human science and genetics to bearded dragons. Rather look to other reptiles for comparison. Blue eyed ball pythons do exist. You may not find any concrete science behind them but its a start. Goodluck

Originally Posted by witblits

Jeez Steven this is balls! You are making some serious statements without much prove/science behind them. Balls. Or in the world of science they will call it stupid... I am on both sides here. I dont think the blue eyed dragons are all pathological. Neither are all of them normal/healthy. Some amber eyes aren't healthy either. At this stage you are comparing pork ribs to apples ... Rather compare apples to pears. Its a far cry to compare human science and genetics to bearded dragons. Rather look to other reptiles for comparison. Blue eyed ball pythons do exist. You may not find any concrete science behind them but its a start. Goodluck

Well said.

@witblits I posted that there are lots of causes and you say that is "stupid", "pork ribs to apples"? I have made no statements about blue eyed ball pythons... Your post is one of the strangest I have ever read.

@Brandon Roesler LMAO! Well said? Witblits has said nothing but broken babble.

Steven Barnes

You don't understand it BECAUSE it makes sense Steve. Let me break it down for you "Elementary Style" so you get it... Comparing "apples to porkribs" = comparing a Dragon hypothesis to human science. Comparing "apples to pears" = comparing a dragon hypothesis to a relatively more equal creature, the BP. He never said anything else about BP's other than to say, "THEY exist, maybe try to compare your subpar research to them instead of oh, I don't know, a Chicken... Like you have. Do you understand now Professor??

It's pretty strange that with all your negative posts about steve, you still contact him and get a dragon.

Josh

Brandon, try to hear me out before you jump down my throat next.

You seem to be new here. New to dragons I mean. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe you have been doing this for awhile and have just now started posting on the message boards. Whatever the case, I have talked to several people and they too aren't familiar with you other then reading several of your posts over the last couple of weeks. Those posts, for better or worse stuck with them.

I guess I just don't understand your firm/aggresive stance on this. It seems to me that you don't even have a dog in the fight. Are you currently working with potential blue eyes and trying to prove this trait within your colony??

Sometimes it's best to keep your mouth closed and your ears open. It's a piece of advice that I have taken with me throughout life and it has paid off several times in the past for me.

In this instance, you have come out of the gates in a fury and are rapidly burning bridge after bridge. You have offended pioneers in this hobby. Guys that have been doing it for 20+ years.

The better option (in my opinion) might have been to just sit back and take it all in. Hear both sides out. This is obviously a topic that you are passionate about so if you feel the need to add something to the argument, then add supportive documentation that backs your beliefs up.

As it stands now, the last couple of weeks, you have come off as nothing more then a cocky hobbyists that is quick to run off at the mouth. Those aren't great qualities in a guy that wants to have a bearded dragon business I assume.

Steven (like him or not) is a pioneer in this hobby and he has done many great things with these animals. He is in no way the idiot that you are trying to make him out to be and even the folks that have butted heads with him over this whole blue eye debate know that.

He is a generous person and will answer the phone and give advise to anyone that calls him.

Wait, you already know this. He sent you an awesome adult male bearded dragon last week for just the cost of shipping didn't he?? I remember now. You took a break from the bashing long enough to secure that animal for free and now that you have received him, you are carving Steve up again.

Hopefully you take into consideration some of the things in which I have said. It wouldn't surprise me though if you just get defensive and add me to the list of people that you flame publicly.

Ball pythons have "pigment" in their eyes. The snakes pattern will often flow through the eye. Leucistics ball pythons have less pigment bringing the eye into the blue spectrum.

Brown eyes to blue. This is comparable to human eyes.

Dragons have no/very very little pigment in their eyes. Eye color in bearded dragons is result of blood vessels. Tight dense blood vessels produce a redish look. Less vascular eyes appear white. The less vascular eyes/white eyes have increased abnormalities/deformation of iris. (blood flow is important for function) When you add pigment to the white eyes via clouding/partial translucent eye you can achieve a blue hue.

I did not make this comparison because they are not similar. If you think its an intelligent comparison here it is.