super ball hybrids

[Liquid311]

Hey all, I am new to the boards, and to the world of snake breeding. I currently breed tarantulas, and I decided to get into something a little different also. I wanted some expert opinions on super ball hybrids. I know in the tarantula hobby hybrids are frowned upon. Do you think it would be ok to hybridize? What guide lines should I follow?I am planning on attempting to breed a female blood python with a male yellow belly ball python. I am open to any information, but hold the flames.

[Alexandra V]

Personally I've never bred any hybrids, but I don't really have that much of a problem with them. In fact, I've been getting more and more interested in burmballs and superballs (Borneo short-tail x ball python). I might even be getting one or two in the foreseeable future.

Sorry I couldn't be of much help information-wise, but I do support hybrids in snakes!

[sookieball]

i say since mother nature wouldn't par-take in the influence of hybrids,

than obviously humans have to do it for her! i dont think we should do it, but hey,
my way of life is not widley approved and against nature
have at it! and good luck! there's lots of people on here that do the whole hybrid thing!
i dont think they will comeout the closet but hey, one might chime in.

[mainbutter]

If you're planning on shooting for a hybrid, be prepared for failures upon failures before a success (if that ever comes).

Often times these attempts end up with clutch after clutch of slugs even if you get locks to happen.

My 2 personal rules for hybridizing:

1) Only hybridize snakes that are significantly visually different. Burmese x balls, woma and burmese x balls are two that are very unique looking and will never be mistaken by anyone who knows snakes as either contributing species. The ball x angolan however.. someone could feasibly attempt to flip one as a "new" ball python morph. That is the problem most anti-hybridizers picture 'destroying the hobby'. Even super balls as adults look very blood python-esque to the point where one might be mistaken as a non-hybrid.

2) never shoot for 75%ers, or in fact ever breed hybrids (even to other hybrids). The risk of creating an animal that could be mistaken as a non-hybrid is too great. Hybrids should not be investment animals, but a pet/display animal. It sucks that this hobby is so focused on animals as potential breeders, because then we wouldn't quite have such a controversy with hybrids.

I would love to have a wall or burmball in my collection someday.

[Liquid311]

I heard that it is a good idea to micro chip hybrids also. That way it can always be identified. These both are also my loved pets not just breeders. So, I am OK with the failures. Not really into it for the money. If I do get a successful clutch the offspring probably would not end up getting sold. due to the problem you mentioned above. Possibly to a few close business partners/friends that I can trust.

Mainly this is an experiment. I want to see if the yellow belly morph will carry anything over to the offspring. If anyone has an educated guess please chime in.

[Subdriven]

Lesser burms?? bumble bee blood?? lol

[cinderbird]

i LOVE snake hybrids (not integrates, but true hybrids) and plan on attempting to produce some in the future.

That said, any animals that leave my collection will be big enough to be microchipped and will come with photo IDs and documentation.

[SnakeGirl3]

I agree. I have no problem with hybrids as long as there's an attempt made to preserve the original species involved (and obviously, with balls, borneos, bloods, burms, etc. there's no shortage of that) and that they should always be indentified as what they are (hybrids) when sold--microchipping is definitely a great idea. Also, I believe that breeding hybrids should be done minimally, and as stated above, not to get out of hand trying to create 75%ers and so forth.

Some of the hybrids out there are really gorgeous! I love the blood/borneo-balls myself--and it's been said about them they seem to be the ideal pet snake--the disposition of a ball with the feeding response of a blood/borneo. The patterns/coloring that have come out on them is really gorgeous.

[Lucas339]

its a hit or miss on who likes them and who does not. im on the fence. i can see both sides to the arguement. recently, the carpet/gtp hybrids have been gaining popularity but there are still many who are skeptical.

like someone said before, be prepared for disappiontments. not only bad clutches but reabsorption of follicals, deformaties, eggs going full term with dead neos, and even if you get locks, they might not lead to eggs.

[mainbutter]

I want to see if the yellow belly morph will carry anything over to the offspring. If anyone has an educated guess please chime in.

Genetics from either parent will carry over to offspring.

It's been done (though not sure if it's been done with yellowbellies in BP hybrids), in fact one of the more popular morph hybrids out there are 'jagpondros' (jaguar carpet python x GTP). They very obviously display the jaguar trait inherited from the carpet python parent.

The YB trait is subtle enough that if you hit the odds, with the usually low success rate of getting eggs, and it gets passed on, the rest of the crazy stuff going on might mask the YB influence.