Ball Python X Burmese Python Hybrid

[tyflier]

IMO...it is inevitable in the hobby.

Man is, by nature, both curious and manipulative. It is only a matter of time before man is crossing and re-crossing species from every type of animal, mammalian, reptilian, amphibian...whatever. If there is the possibility that crossing two animals from different species will produce viable offspring that can fill a niche in either pet, food, or working animal industries, it WILL be done.

Look at mules, and tell me it's any different today than it has always been. Really, the only difference is in the amount of knowledge and progression that has been made in the field of animal husbandry, and the types of animals being "experimented" with...

 

[TrpnBils]

i agree, any idea on how big it would get?

That's probably up in the air.... I really doubt these things live too long and I think the animal's in for a whole lot of health problems.

 

[Drizzt80]

I'll spout an opinion about opinions . . . how can it be alright for one type of hybrid crossing (corn x king) but not alright for another (ball x burm)? A hybrid's a hybrid in my book . . . and that's without judging good or bad. :shrugs:

D80

 

[Jimmy Johnson]

I agree

why is one hybrid any better or worse then another?

also there was a point that someone made about king and corn crosses happening in the wild....Nope don't think so. doesn't happen

and another mention about the defects that could occur?
what defects?

Or a prediction that it probably wouldn't live very long..
based on?


It's quite obvious the mix can be done.
The picture's there for the proof.

at least they are both pythons.
And the one pictured looks wicked.

 

[tyflier]

why is one hybrid any better or worse then another?

also there was a point that someone made about king and corn crosses happening in the wild....Nope don't think so. doesn't happen

and another mention about the defects that could occur?
what defects?

Or a prediction that it probably wouldn't live very long..
based on?


It's quite obvious the mix can be done.
The picture's there for the proof.

at least they are both pythons.
And the one pictured looks wicked.

I'll be perfectly honest...the picture is awesome looking. Looks like a fantastic snake...can you imagine an amel version??

I just don't see the reason for people to get all bent out of shape over hybrids. I understand that some people simply don't like them...but there will ALWAYS be a market for pets that do not occur in the wild, and there will always be the desire for experimentation. I really hope people never stop saying, "I wonder what would happen if I crossed a _____ with a _____". It's that same sort of curiosity that STARTED the industrial revolution...

 

[El Jefe]

My question is....how the heck did they do that? That is a tricky pairing with such a big size difference. And yeah...hybrid is a hybrid in my book.

 

[Dreqqus]

My guess would be that they used a very large Ball female, and a small adult Burmese males. I am curious as to whether it will be a case of hybrid vigor, or if it will remain smaller.
I have always been curious as to the workings of hybrid genetics, in other words with two different species worth of genetic markers, how is it that they ever sync up?
And I believe most peoples' issue with hybrids is the idea of responsible, and irresponsible hybridization. Responsible hybrids being those between species with similar care requirements, IE corns and kings, Morelia species, etc.,. Irresponsible crosses being those from different biotopes that may result in care issues for their progeny, IE the Ballnese that started the thread, or a cross between lets say an Old, and New World ratsnake(pure speculation, I haven't heard of this), or going outside the snake world, oh an Argus, and water monitor cross. AS long as care is taken to monitor the snakes until a basic idea of the needed care can be established, I see no problems even with the 'whackier; crosses.

 

[Joejr14]

Breeding a corn to a king, or a milksnake...or a different ratsnake is completely different. Those are crosses that can and do potentially happen in nature...and crosses between animals with similar habits, body structures, and equipped to more or less thrive in similar environments.

But crossing two snakes that have very different needs, could potentiall spell dissaster for the offspring. Maybe not...but it just feels irresponsible.

Corns do not mate with kingsnakes in nature. Kingsnake eat cornsnakes in nature.

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

Just an FYI, there's more to this story...

http://www.burmesepythonforums.com/view_topic.php?id=1060&forum_id=3&page=1

There's a claim that they produced an Albino variation from a Normal BP x Normal het Albino Retic. Also, the reason why this happened evidently wasn't because they wanted to do it...it was because they cohabbed a pair of each species for lack of space.

 

[Checkerbelly]

Muh oh, it's turning into a cohabitation thread. :flames: hehe

I would be a bit upset to see people hybridizing species that we have a limited supply of, like angolan pythons or anthill pythons. It's not like we're going to run out of pure balls and burms.

Tula, I thought you loved carpondros :shrugs: Now you're haterating this hybrid.

 

[The Nothing]

Unfortunately, this just seems to be the way the hobby is moving. In recent months I have heard of:

ATBxETB(which looks really cool)

at least this one IS a naturally occuring hybrid.

 

[cornsnakekid92]

why is one hybrid any better or worse then another?

I just don't see the reason for people to get all bent out of shape over hybrids. I understand that some people simply don't like them...but there will ALWAYS be a market for pets that do not occur in the wild, and there will always be the desire for experimentation. I really hope people never stop saying, "I wonder what would happen if I crossed a _____ with a _____". It's that same sort of curiosity that STARTED the industrial revolution...

So then is there any problem with human X Gorilla? or what about a human crossed with any monkey? or even sheep for that matter?

 

[Drizzt80]

or even sheep for that matter?

Okay, now you're just getting offensive . . . to my neighbors in Montana. :sidestep:

I also caught that 'behind the scenes' of Jerry Springer show . . . it was an episode with a guy in love with a pig . . . and his girlfriend (human girlfriend, not pig girlfriend) did voodoo . . .

D80

 

[tyflier]

...So then is there any problem with human X Gorilla? or what about a human crossed with any monkey? or even sheep for that matter?...

Well, unfortunately, you extremely irrelevant examples are not valid, because those animals are not able to produce viable offspring when mated.

In order for your examples to fit the situation, several criteria would need to be met:
1-we would have to be legally permitted to keep both species as pets

2-both species would need to be physically compatible in terms of mating

3-when sperm and egg join, they would need to fertilize and produce a viable, living, and healthy offspring without human interference of the developement.

Your examples can't even meet ONE of those criteria, let alone all 3. Every snake hybrid I have ever heard about has met all 3 of those criteria, at least...

 

[Jimmy Johnson]

Well, unfortunately, you extremely irrelevant examples are not valid, because those animals are not able to produce viable offspring when mated.

In order for your examples to fit the situation, several criteria would need to be met:
1-we would have to be legally permitted to keep both species as pets

2-both species would need to be physically compatible in terms of mating

3-when sperm and egg join, they would need to fertilize and produce a viable, living, and healthy offspring without human interference of the developement.

Your examples can't even meet ONE of those criteria, let alone all 3. Every snake hybrid I have ever heard about has met all 3 of those criteria, at least...

excellent response...says it all
thanks

 

[Checkerbelly]

So then is there any problem with human X Gorilla? or what about a human crossed with any monkey?

How about Oliver the humanzee? Too bad this myth was busted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_(chimpanzee)

 

[Intravenous]

Has this point ever actually been disproved though :razz::

3-when sperm and egg join, they would need to fertilize and produce a viable, living, and healthy offspring without human interference of the developement.

 

[Intravenous]

Has this point ever actually been disproved though :razz::

Oops , I'm getting too used to other forums smileys.

 

[tyflier]

Snake hybrids are born and incubated the same as non-hybrids. The eggs are not brought into a laboratory, where the chromosomes are manipulated to create pairings that would not otherwise be viable.

In other words...the only manipulation being done by humans to create hybrid species of snakes, is providing those snakes with ideal circumstances that both instigates and promotes the two different species to mate. Sometimes this requires "priming" with the same species, and then "switching" the mates, but that's about it, as far as I am aware. And often they don't even need "convincing"...

You would have a REAL hard time convincing an ape to mate with a human, regardless of which species is the male. Plus, the chormosomes are so different that there would be no matching pairs with which to produce a viable being. It's an impossibility at this point in time. We don't even have the technology to FORCE a creation of this nature with any sort of life expectancy...

 

[TWGarland]

Think about a Liger. Imagine how they feel. Tigers are solitary and Lions live in prides. Some bad psychological problems there. And that would never occur in the wild.

I have mixed feelings with regards to hybridization in reptiles for the most part but the production of 'Ligers' i think is just awfull. The point above has been found to produce BAD welfare problems in 'Ligers'.
Also theres a problem with growth control at the gene level that generally leads to either extremly high rates of obesity and difficulties in controlling diet or worse that a 'Ligers' extreme growth(they dont stop growing), more often than not leads to their hearts being unable to support their massive bodies and they die. Horrible.

I see no reason why something of this nature could not not happen with reptiles. A genetic problem like this may go unnoticed, allowing many, many more individuals to suffer than is necassary to know its not a good idea.

As i said i have mixed opinions. I just wanted to point out that hybridization doesn't necassarily mean increased vigour. You take a risk of personally causing unnecassary welfare/cruelty issues, if you just don't know what the results of your efforts will be, BUT as tyflier says; without experimentations we would never know.., maybe im just a coward with regards to ever putting my own animals health at risk.