weird?

I had a friend send me a picture of a huge rattlesnake and the caption on the picture said the breeders found a way to breed a boa to a rattlesnake?? I just wanted to know if this is biologically possible to accomplish since it way different species of snake.

The chances are astronomical if not impossible even if you put the genetic differences aside they would have to overcome the fact that rattlesnakes lay eggs and boas have live birth.

Boas are live bearers and rattlesnakes lay eggs. So, no.

Its pretty much like saying a human can breed with an ostrich.

Its highly unlikely due to multiple factors... both have very different physiology, breeding behaviors, and husbandry requirements, btw rattlesnakes don't lay eggs, they are live bearers.

Like Katiekat said, Rattlesnakes are livebearers as well.
That still sounds laughable and I doubt we're ever going to see someone breed a BoaRattler hybrid. You'd have to overcome the issue of the Boa potentially dying were it to be bit as well.

One word: impossible.

I stand corrected. I did not know that rattlesnakes were live bearers. You all learnededed me well! :D

Still don't think its possible at all though.

Ha sounds like a wonderful hybrid. I will take four and they will be my guard snakes, and I will give them innocent sounding names like fluffy.

Am I the only one who wants to see this picture of the supposed hybrid....??

As far as them being able to hybridize, I doubt it could it happen. The above reasons are all good reasons for such. I believe they are not closely related enough to be able to hybridize. They are from entirely different families so they are only in the same order and sub order..Squamata and Serpentes.

All of the hybridized animals I know of, have come from with in the same genus. A couple examples would be Muskie X Northern Pike, Lion X Tiger, Grizzly Bear X Polar bear, Ball Python X Blood Python. I am not familiar with any hybridization coming from the same Family but two different Genus. Not to say that it cant happen, I am just not aware of such of a thing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by katiekat

Its highly unlikely due to multiple factors... both have very different physiology, breeding behaviors, and husbandry requirements, btw rattlesnakes don't lay eggs, they are live bearers.

---

Ditto. Rattlesnakes have live babies....a friend of mine used to breed west coast greens, and Eastern diamondbacks ;)

Thanks for all the answers guys

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Erndogg

Am I the only one who wants to see this picture of the supposed hybrid....??

As far as them being able to hybridize, I doubt it could it happen. The above reasons are all good reasons for such. I believe they are not closely related enough to be able to hybridize. They are from entirely different families so they are only in the same order and sub order..Squamata and Serpentes.

All of the hybridized animals I know of, have come from with in the same genus. A couple examples would be Muskie X Northern Pike, Lion X Tiger, Grizzly Bear X Polar bear, Ball Python X Blood Python. I am not familiar with any hybridization coming from the same Family but two different Genus. Not to say that it cant happen, I am just not aware of such of a thing.

---

Just to expound a bit on your above post, there have been hybrids outside of the genus. Python regius to Aspidites ramsayi has been done. It is called "the Wall". They are still both in the Pythonidae Family though.

With that said, I will not comment on wether or not the OP's hybrid could or could not be done, as I do not have enough knowledge to make an educated guess.

They aren't close enough genetically for this to be possible. "Pythons" can only successfully reproduce with other "pythons", "boas" with other "boas", and so on. But generally "boas" can't breed with "pythons" and most certainly cannot breed with pit vipers. It isn't a clear cut sort of thing, and usually comes down to the number of chromosomes the parents have. Kind of like why, despite all being from Canidae, a dog and a wolf can successfully reproduce but a dog and fox cannot. They don't necessarily have to be from the same genus though, like Muddoc said. But most certainly do have to be from the same family. There are "Walls" and King/Corn hybrids, etc... but they're from the same taxanomic family and/or tribe.

End: genetics are ridiculous.