Thoughts on Hybrids

[Slim]

I have no problems with hybrids. I can see why people are opposed to them, but I dont hear too many people complaining about genetically engineered (aka hybrid in most cases) food crops to keep production efficient. Just my 2 cents.

I guess in my mind the difference is that food crops don't have brains and blood running through them. Probably a weak distinction, but it's just a personal feeling.

[Bundu Boy]

Personally, I think hybrids are an abomination to nature.

I second that!

[littleindiangirl]

I have no problems with hybrids. I can see why people are opposed to them, but I dont hear too many people complaining about genetically engineered (aka hybrid in most cases) food crops to keep production efficient. Just my 2 cents.

Do you produce hybrid snakes for eating?

[_Venom_]

What's wrong with them????

[PythonWallace]

So are morphs, to a certain extent, its definitely not natural and is done by man for looks. Personally I think the most beautiful ball python is a NORMAL ball python. But I do like the looks of alot of morphs.

Here's where I draw my personal line in the sand; BP morphs, while not naturally occuring, are products of the same species of snake. Hybrids are not, and that's why I think they are abominations...at least I stopped short of saying they should all be thrown in the freezer or shot in the head like zombies....oh wait, I guess I didn't stop short

Morphs are natural occurances in nature. A lot of people seem to be under the impression that some genetics engineer created these mutation in an underground lab in New Mexico.

Every base mutation keepers breed for, and even some combos and homozygous co-doms were originally found in the wild.

Plus, every one of them is the same species, sub species and locality. While some of them might not survive long in the wild, a lot of them would likely thrive in the wild, and some even more so than normal, wild type balls. Some morphs have colors and patterns that would make them better camoflauged in the wild, and some have feeding responses that seem to trump normals. While we are heavily involved in producing greater numbers of each mutation, I don't think they can be put anywhere near the same catagory as hybrids, or even intergrates.

[PythonWallace]

I have no problems with hybrids. I can see why people are opposed to them, but I dont hear too many people complaining about genetically engineered (aka hybrid in most cases) food crops to keep production efficient. Just my 2 cents.

I complain heavily about GE food. One complaint I have is that if we are that worried about the food supply, maybe we should start by stopping the practice of paying farmers to not use their land for food production, instead of paying a bunch of scientists to grow less nutritious food than what's found in nature.

[nixer]

genetically engineered and hybrid are not exacly the same either

[hoo-t]

Morphs are natural occurances in nature. A lot of people seem to be under the impression that some genetics engineer created these mutation in an underground lab in New Mexico.


Plus, every one of them is the same species, sub species and locality. While some of them might not survive long in the wild, a lot of them would likely thrive in the wild, and some even more so than normal, wild type balls. Some morphs have colors and patterns that would make them better camoflauged in the wild, and some have feeding responses that seem to trump normals. While we are heavily involved in producing greater numbers of each mutation, I don't think they can be put anywhere near the same catagory as hybrids, or even intergrates.

I wondered if anyone was going to catch this. Every ball python base morph that is available can trace its ancestry to a wild caught specimen. When breeding morphs (even combos) there is nothing being done that can't occur in the wild. Although unlikely, it is POSSIBLE that there are wild bumblebees, spogs, axanthic spiders.... crawling around in the wilds of Africa.

Steve

[anatess]

Now this is wierd... because I have a gut-check feeling on this too. That it shouldn't be done. But, I don't know why I feel that way when I don't have the same gut-check feeling for cockapoos and labradoodles...

[wolfy-hound]

Perhaps because labradoodles are not hybrids? That would be closer to a morph than a hybrid. Labs and Poodles are both domestic dogs.

I dislike wolf hybrids, but that is because I feel if you want a wolf, get a wolf, and expect it to act like a wolf. Dog/wolf hybrids usually are owned by people who want them to act like dogs, but look like wolves, and they generally fail to do either. I've seen more malamute/husky/shepards mutts that looked wolf-like, than wolf hybrids. And wolf hybrids always have been neurotic either being aggressive or overly submissive, fear biters or freaks.
(yes I'm aware this is the point that someone will post that their family wolf mix was lassie in disguise and saved Timmy from the well and balanced the checkbook every sunday, I'm talking about all the wolf hybrids *I* personally have encountered)

Hybrid snakes are okay by me, as long as they are labeled hybrids. I don't really care much, but I don't really want to own one, nor do I want to breed one. However I did breed hybrid tegus, but since red and black-and-white tegus are both argentine tegus, I'll assume this is a possible natural cross as well.
It doesn't bother me that people hate hybrids, any more than it bothers me that people hate morphs, or hate cats, or hate pick-up trucks. Everyone is entitled to dislike something "just because", and if they have a legit reason, then all the more reason they are entitled to their opinion. There's plenty of folks who hate snakes, so why not those that hate morphs or hybrids?