Ethics of Hybrids

[Mendel's Balls]

What do you think of hybrid snakes?

[Adam_Wysocki]

How about ... "I don't care"

-adam

[Mendel's Balls]

For those of you who answer "Yes-For Another reason"....feel free to post that reason if you desire.

[elevatethis]

Is breeding hybrids irresponsible? I don't think so.

Do some of the people who breed hybrid snakes act irresponsibly? Maybe.

[Shelby]

I'd own one.. I happen to think greenXyellow anacondas are one of the most beautiful snakes in the world.

The only thing to be cautious of is keeping good records so that hybrids are known as such and aren't confused with snakes of pure blood.

One snake, the coastal plains milksnake (lampropeltis triangulum temporalis) which is indigenous to the east coast is a wild occuring hybrid between the scarlet kingsnake and a species of milksnake whose name escapes me now..

[Smulkin]

An angle of concern might be a reproduction-capable hybrid possibly getting out into its native population and mucking in the gene pool . . . . then again I guess that would only be a real issue if it involved 2 species (geographically isolated) that might never otherwise cross each others paths . . .

[Adam_Wysocki]

An angle of concern might be a reproduction-capable hybrid possibly getting out into its native population and mucking in the gene pool . . . . then again I guess that would only be a real issue if it involved 2 species (geographically isolated) that might never otherwise cross each others paths . . .

Couldn't that same argument be made against keeping any non-native herp in a captive collection? The possibility of escape and inter-breeding with native species, "mucking up" their gene pool?

So if you were anti-hybrid based on that argument, when you boil it down to nuts and bolts, wouldn't you also basically have to be against keeping most herps in captivity for the same reason? Or at least very selective about what herps you'd allow kept in what areas geographically?

Just some food for thought.

-adam

[elevatethis]

The tickled my left-brain. Ever take the LSAT???

[Adam_Wysocki]

The tickled my left-brain. Ever take the LSAT???

Nope, but I've spent A LOT of time around lawyers.

-adam

[Smulkin]

Couldn't that same argument be made against keeping any non-native herp in a captive collection? The possibility of escape and inter-breeding with native species, "mucking up" their gene pool?

So if you were anti-hybrid based on that argument, when you boil it down to nuts and bolts, wouldn't you also basically have to be against keeping most herps in captivity for the same reason? Or at least very selective about what herps you'd allow kept in what areas geographically?

Just some food for thought.

-adam

Sure - you could extend the underlying logic to cover any number of scenarios not adressed in the original topic.