breeding ball pythons with blood pythons. need opinions.

wanna breed my female bp with a blood python. what are the chances of them actually breeding and what do you think the temperments will be since blood pythons have a temper. also think its profitable if i wanted to sell them? lots of questions about this.

I found this. They look neat.

http://www.roussisreptiles.com/collectionpages/balls/super.html

i think im gonna try it out. in that site you left though he said it took him 4 years to accomplish it so i think im gonna have a hell of a time to get em to breed.

Don't cross breed!

why not?

I think hybridizing must always be done responsibly. As said on the site linked in this forum:

Quote :

We at Roussis Reptiles stress the importance of preserving the genetic integrity of all animals, we must be responsible when breeding and selling hybrids. All hybrids should be micro chipped, and if sold should always be identified as such. Distinguishing between pure bred and hybrid animals by keeping proper records and micro chipping hybrids animals is a must. We are constantly shaping the future of herpetoculture with designer snakes, lets do it responsibly.

The danger in cross breeding is that some people will sell the animal as a pure specimen of one or the other species, which causes a whole chain of hybrids to be bred sometimes unwittingly. You may think "well it's obvious that this is not a pure bred ball python/blood python," but if someone were to then breed this hybrid to a ball python, you'd end up with something more similar in appearance to a ball python. This leads to a degradation of the gene pool...and many mutt snakes.

In my personal opinion, hybrid projects should not be undertaken lightly. First ask yourself what is your goal. If it is to make money, don't do it! If it is just because you think the offspring is "cool," don't do it! Remember that breeding snakes produces more than one offspring. You are responsible for finding each one a KNOWLEDGEABLE, honest home. This is a slippery slope, so tred carefully! Do more research too!

There are many other reasons not to hybridize, not the least of which is that many reptiles in the trade are endangered in the wild. There may come a time when those in the pet trade are all that remain to us. We're not being good caretakers of the species by mingling them to the point of confusing the genetics!

DaganGecko wrote:

I think hybridizing must always be done responsibly. As said on the site linked in this forum:

Quote :

We at Roussis Reptiles stress the importance of preserving the genetic integrity of all animals, we must be responsible when breeding and selling hybrids. All hybrids should be micro chipped, and if sold should always be identified as such. Distinguishing between pure bred and hybrid animals by keeping proper records and micro chipping hybrids animals is a must. We are constantly shaping the future of herpetoculture with designer snakes, lets do it responsibly.

The danger in cross breeding is that some people will sell the animal as a pure specimen of one or the other species, which causes a whole chain of hybrids to be bred sometimes unwittingly. You may think "well it's obvious that this is not a pure bred ball python/blood python," but if someone were to then breed this hybrid to a ball python, you'd end up with something more similar in appearance to a ball python. This leads to a degradation of the gene pool...and many mutt snakes.

In my personal opinion, hybrid projects should not be undertaken lightly. First ask yourself what is your goal. If it is to make money, don't do it! If it is just because you think the offspring is "cool," don't do it! Remember that breeding snakes produces more than one offspring. You are responsible for finding each one a KNOWLEDGEABLE, honest home. This is a slippery slope, so tred carefully! Do more research too!

There are many other reasons not to hybridize, not the least of which is that many reptiles in the trade are endangered in the wild. There may come a time when those in the pet trade are all that remain to us. We're not being good caretakers of the species by mingling them to the point of confusing the genetics!

I agree 100 percent

Thanks!

I guess I could add that there are so many GORGEOUS animals out there, so why do you feel the need to create one that is "unnatural?" I am not accusing you of this, but sometimes people hybridize animals because it is a cheap way to get something "special."

I'm not down with hybrids... just my personal opinion but I love my balls and and happy with them the way they are... there are so many morphs available and the list is ever growing, i'd rather focus my time on them than a hybrid...

well guys you have made some great points. i did not look at it that way. well there goes that idea out the window. lol. no biggy. but yea you guys make a good point. i guess it had to do with me liking blood pythons but not the temperment so much. yes i know handling them will take that down a couple knotches but the way i was lookin at it is bp's have such a good temperment that i was thinking i could get what i wanted if i cross bred them. no worrys though. you guys changed my mind with out being mean about it. appreciate the honest opinions.

It's refreshing to see someone who asks questions before leaping into a controversial project like that. Kudos to you! If I were you, I would sell the blood pythons that you have (if you have any) and funnel that money into some simple ball python morphs, since you prefer the ball python temper. Look for a project that you might like to build up to.

yea think im going to richmond sunday for the expo. hope like hell its worth it though. its a 2 hour drive from were i am

Same for me, but if I can find feeders there, it will definitely be worth it!