Just a quick resonse since I'm at work, but here are the problems involved with this cross (rattler X Ball) as described.

First off, the main issue here is a reproductive barrier problem. Rattlers are neo-tropical pit vipers, and are thus live bearers. Ball/Royal pythons on the other hand, like all pythons, are egg layers. This is the main problem that would need to be addressed, even before genetic incompatibilites(ie. lethal combinations genotypically).

Secondly, these two types of snakes split apart a very very long time ago in the past, and have evolved along dissimilar lines since then. Main reason that most hybrids that are produced are possible, is that they either have branched apart from each other relatively recently(ie. carpet x green tree python, kingsnake x corn snake, etc.), or one is more along the lines of one being a more primordial version of the other(ie. ball X woma, woma x carpet, etc)

Hope this helps in your understanding of the problems involved with this cross, and don't take this as a "this will never happen" kind of response, because it is not. I am simply trying to state the problems that need to be overcome before this type of cross ever successfully produces offspring.

-Dan

[ Show Entire Thread ]