Hybrids

[dylanjwicklund]

Hi I was wondering about hybriding a ball python to a carpet python I've read and seen videos of it being done but was wondering if anybody on here has one? Or a sd retic to a ball python?

Retic x ball

Carpet x ball

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[dylanjwicklund]

Another question 7ft male carpet to 4 and a half ft female ball python would that work?

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[Crowfingers]

I am not a breeder, or have any knowledge of breeding anything (other than guinea pigs), but I don't think any hybridization should ever be done. If it wouldn't breed naturally in the wild under it's own power, then it should not be done through human interference. Hybrids tend to have issues. Donkey-Horse hybrids (mules) are sterile, lion-tiger hybrids have growth regulation problems that can lead to deformities, so who knows what kind of genetic misfits could be produced in snakes. Recently red fox-grey fox hybrids are becoming popular as "domestic foxes", then when they get older and start acting like a fox, people dump them in the wild. They usually don't survive, but if they do, they will probably mate with wild foxes and you'll have a bunch of silver and white foxes diluting the wild population.

Then to go a step further, if ball-retic or other large snake hybrids became super popular, it's only a matter of time until some of them get loose in say, Florida. Then what happens when you have a man-made ball-retic that breeds with a feral burm? Even if it happens by accident a feral burm-rock hybrid could exist. What happens if that snake has the same gene issue as the "ligers" and it never stops growing. All in all, IMO hybridization is always a bad idea.

Sorry about the rant

[Reinz]

That CarBall is pretty cool looking!

But for me, I prefer the two different distinct species for my ownership.

[distaff]

There are valid agricultural reasons to make a mule - strength of a horse, but not so flighty and more intelligent.

Other than that sort of thing...just for fashion/novelty...NO.
These animals will end up in the pet trade and contaminate the gene pool of what ever species they most closely resemble.
The unknown health issues are not good for the snakes either.

[DennisM]

...What happens if that snake has the same gene issue as the "ligers" and it never stops growing.

i'm no fan of hybrids, but this pairing has been done. Contrary to what the anti-reptile hysteria states, the hybrid is the same size as a Burmese/rock, no giant man eating snakes here

[DennisM]

Another question 7ft male carpet to 4 and a half ft female ball python would that work?

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I believe the consensus in hybrid circles is that the female should be the larger of the two species. She may produce eggs larger than she's built for if she's the smaller species.

[dylanjwicklund]

I've seen a video on female carpet to male ball python and the eggs were pretty small so I'm thinking the eggs will be ball python size or smaller

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