Morality of Cross breeding?

[reptilebrett]

I saw a pic of a Carpondro a Carpet x Green Tree cross, it was beautiful, is it wrong to cross breed species just to get something cool, any health risks?

[4theSNAKElady]

I actually saw some at a reptile show... very kewl! I think they called them "carpochondros" or something like that. Hybrids are one of those touchy subjects. I think its all in the eye of the beholder, as hybridization does happen in nature occasionally.

[DavidG]

hybridization does happen in nature occasionally.

This is a VERY touchy subject, hopefully we can tread loosely. Carpondros are really cool animals to some people and an utter disgrace to others. I like carpondros bred back to green trees. There is not much hybridization between non sub species animals in the wild. Carpets overlap and several colubrids cross breed in nature. There are naturally occurring carpondros because GTPs can be found on the tip of Australia where some species of carpet pythons are. There are even reports of wild caught crosses between amazon tree boas and emeralds. On a personal note I'm not opposed to breeds that could happen in the wild. I do not agree with carpet x ball or anything like that. However, that's only my opinion. Everything on the internet should be taken with a grain of salt.

[Hulihzack]

It doesn't really bother me... but you won't catch me doing it. I'd much rather have a clutch of carpets and a clutch of chondros. But hey, whatever floats your boat. Listening to Eugene Bassette talk about them on reptile radio might provide some better information, since he produces a lot of these. He refers to them as Cheviridis. A combination of M. S. Cheynei and M. Viridis. I remember him talking about knowing the genetics of what kind of chondro and carpet you are using, you can't just use any two specimens and produce viable offspring.

[mfkelly]

I don't know about carpodro's but I own a pair of corndurans. They are really beautiful animals and I was going to do an F2 generation but decided not to and I am just keeping them as pets, no breeding in their future. Corndurans are a Corn X Honduran Milk hybrid. They are a deep candy apple red, orange and black. Do a google search and they will pop up somewhere. Hybrids in general are a touchy subject, but I really like mine. They were the first snakes that I bought when I got back into them. I went looking for a honduran milk or a nice corn and found these guys, so at the time it made sense to me. Kind of the best of both worlds.
Mike Kelly

[bsash]

I have no issue with hybrid snakes. From what I hear, the reason most people have a problem with them is because when bred to each others you can get some that look like a pure green tree or carpet, etc. and are then sold off as pure. Obviously, this is a huge issue for the people who buy them thinking they are pure as they look it, also having the intent to breed, then once they are bred they find out they are not pure as they are getting babies that look nothing like the "pure" snake they purchased.

Again, I have no issue with hybrids, but I can see why people would if they are the ones getting sold something that is not what they were told it is. Other than that issue, I do not see any other issues with it. We just need to fix the people that are dishonest of what they are selling, ha ha.

[WingedWolfPsion]

No known health risks, so far. Just take lots of photos, and make sure you keep meticulous records. You want the parentage of your hybrids to be known.

There isn't anything intrinsically wrong with hybrids--all of our animals are pets, they are NEVER going to be released into the wild, and neither are their offspring. A person who wants to keep animals as a reservoir population for re-stocking wild populations needs to know exactly where their foundation animals originated, down the GPS location. If they don't, then they're not serious about it, and there is virtually no chance their animals, or the offspring of their animals, could ever be released.
It's a completely different situation, because the traits you select for in a reservoir population are those that will benefit wild animals--not those that make for good pets. You want reactive animals, vigorous animals, cryptically colored and shy and defensive of handling. Those animals will do well in the wild.

In pets, you want docile animals that don't mind cage life, are easily handled and experience no stress from it, eat FT rodents, and hang out in the open where we can see them. The polar opposite of wild survival behavior.

Obviously no morphs will be released! So, since these animals we're keeping are purely pets, and they and their offspring always will be, there is no problem with hybridizing them and breeding morphs and combos to make more interesting and beautiful pets. Again, just be certain that you keep careful lineage records--of the parents, of the offspring, and of who they're sold to.

[Tim Mead]

Pollution created by the whim of man, often for the sake of a buck..
My feelings on it..

[Seru1]

Honestly I don't see any problem with hybrids so long as the offspring are healthy.

Imperial kingsnakes
Corndurans
Chondros


All beautiful animals, gifts from God I believe. I would have to read more but I think they are healthy combos to and thats what matters. I certainly would not promote a combo that made sickly or unhealthy children.

[reptilebrett]

thanks guys for the input, from what i gathered most of everyone is cool with it as long as it is with the right intentions, mainly i just wanted to try to make something different than the norm.