Imagine this...

[Ginevive]

I know that ball pythons can be crossed with angolan pythons, as well as with bloods. I wonder what you'd get if the BP you used in this, was something like a piebald or an albino?
Come on, someone with access to those species, do it already!

[Jeanne]

Hmmm.. interesting...


but...

I am not a fan of crossing different snakes that would otherwise not cross in the wild. However, your question should produce interesting answers from ppl who know or have an idea of the answer.

A question for those that read this thread: How do you feel about crosses that would result from breeding animals that would not otherwise meet in the wild? What kinds of effects may there be if the genes were incompatible in some way? (be it good or bad)

[frankykeno]

Interesting...yes...

I have to agree with you Jeanne on this one. I'm not a fan of playing with Mother Nature to that extent. I feel that snakes evolved in their natural habitat in certain ways and for very specific reasons over an incredibly long time. Why mess with that perfection.

Yes through selective breeding we change their colors, patterns, etc. but I see those as "cosmetic". I know in other animals (i.e. dogs and cats) those cosmetic changes can bring on a host of problems like boston terrier puppies bred for such a square head that the females are unlikely to ever free whelp them. This type of breeding for a popular "look" I disagree with as well because they are not only changing the look of the animal in this example but the actual physiology of it to the detriment of the animal.

Another example in my mind is the mating of tigers and lions...producing ligers and tigons. Both hybrids being either grossly oversized or grossly undersized and having generally shorter lifespans. Obviously nature did not intend these two large cats to ever meet and breed, only man got that bright idea.

I know a mammal model doesn't fully equate to the snake world, but for me it's the same concept of walking a fine line of what we want versus what is best for the creatures.

Guess what I'm saying in all this rambling is....when it comes to creatures that would normally have little or no contact with each other....just because something "can" breed doesn't mean that we as it's caretakers should breed just because we can or are curious of the outcome. Just my opinion....


~~Joanna~~

[SatanicIntention]

Off subject, but kind of in the same area. Bulldogs, for example, should not be able to reproduce unless they can do it naturally. All Bulldogs require cesarean sections to deliver puppies(what puppies? All 2 of them?). They are kind of cute, but if something can't breed naturally without artificial insemination being the only means and c-section being the only means of birthing puppies, then "maybe" the animal isn't meant to exist... Just my honest opinion though

I do think that the BloodxBall looks very neat, as well as the AngolanxBall. Angolans look wonderful by themselves, as well as Bloods and Balls. But if it can be done, why not... Can't hurt anything to breed them once and see what happens. If problems arise with the offspring in the future, then we know that it isn't a viable match.

[Ginevive]

I don't mind that crossbreeding snakes is done, as long as none are introduced into the wild. Of course, since there is such big money in this crossbreeding (ever try to buy an angolan python, let alone an angolan x ball cross?) that should never happen. There are no issues that I have ever read about regarding any difficulty in breeding them; they seem to be willing partners in the coupling (the snakes, I am talking about.)
People have been selectively breeding animals for human advancement for centuries. I see nothing wrong with it really; we have already trashed the environment in most places and daily we use and create unnatural things (such as plastic.) What I do have trouble with though, is when the animals themselves have to suffer for human gain. Like the dog breeds bred by humans, that are basically exploiting mutations such as short noses, etc, and the gross practice of snipping dogs ears and tails. I honestly wonder what goes through humans' heads sometimes! How can they rationalize that? It looks good? :[
But then again, am I a hypocrite because I eat genetically engineered chicken, and own weird-looking ornamental goldfish? I guess that all humans are hypocritical in one sense or another.

[chong_python]

sounds like a project for KLG

[bait4snake]

So, to follow your logic of not messing with "Mother Nature", white people and black people, or any other human subspecies, shouldn't breed together either. "Nature" made it so humans of northern Europe didn't need to produce as much melan in their skin because of the lack of UV rays, and needed ligher skin to absorb vitamin D, whereas "nature" made humans of central Africa with a heavy degree of melan to combat the harsh elements of the sun. So, I guess these people shouldn't breed or move to different areas of the world and stick to their "native" land because they only "evolved" there.
I've heard talk like this before... it's in the history books. A certain European leader 60 years ago was also a nature worshiper and thought less of humans as well.

[tigerlily]

No matter the racial background, we are all from the same subspecies...homo sapiens. The neanderthals and such were those that would be from a different subspecies.

[Shelby]

Only problem I could have with it is the rareness of the angolan pythons. As long as the survival of angolans as a species are not in danger, I don't see a problem.