....I have been a snake guy for a very long time. During that time I have seen many different species redesignated. There are several snakes that have had three different scientific names in recent decades. Imagine that, the snakes have been around for eons and man has been so silly and vane that he has hung different labels on them in just a few short decades. I have even seen some snakes change scientific names and then change back. Some taxonomists believe in splitting the animals into as many different subspecies as possible and some others believe in lumping them together in as few species as possible. Some just want to redesignate the animals so they can get their papers published. Does anyone here remember all the arguement about the reorganization of the Carpet and Green Tree Pythons? Not sure if any of this petty crap has anything to do with the 2008 paper on the Rainbow Boas. I have not read the paper. I have heard that it does not address the issue of the snakes we call Guyana Rainbow Boas. Those snakes are so very different that they cannot possibly be considered to be the same species as any of the animals on the new list. To me that would indicate more than anything that the work done in redesignating the Rainbow Boas is not complete. In the meantime, I will attempt to keep my bloodlines pure waiting on the very real possibility that some time in the future the gaigei subspecies will be recognized again.
....More specifically addressing the original question. It seems to me that if we crossbreed our animals we can honestly represent them to anyone we sell them to but the next time they change hands they may not be honestly represented.

[ Show Entire Thread ]