Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I looked through the forum to see if this question was asked, and never saw it. Has anyone successfully bred, or considered breeding a venomous to a nonvenomous?

I know this sounds nuts, but a rattleball would be gorgeous...especially with a spider, bumblebee, or piebald ball.

Would the rattlesnake be nonvenomous, would the ball have a rattler and fangs?...Imagine a non-venomous ball python with diamond patterns, and a rattler. ^_^
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1.0 Saharan Uromastyx (Jaina)
1.1 Armadillo Lizards (Turbo & Jet)
0.0.1 Chinese Water Dragons (Indra)
2.2 Ball Pythons (Scooter, BigBoy, Fatman, Wookiee)
0.1 Red Tail Boa (Killer)
1.1 Emperor Scorpions (Hacker & Chopper)
1.0 Rose-Hair Tarantula (Hera)
0.1 Stripped-knee Tarantula (Zeus)
1.1 Gerbils (Pinky, Factory) ^_^

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

No no no, no need to apologize. I'm a newb at this whole hybrid discussion. I would have NEVER thought it was possible until I heard mention of a 'Boathon' earlier. I thought members of different families would be unable to interbreed, but the 'Boathon' would prove that idea capoot.

While I doubt it is even possible, the idea potential alone was worth discussing and, from what I have seen, has not been.

Speaking of the 'Boathon'...if anyone can confirm it, or has pictures, that would be great!
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1.0 Saharan Uromastyx (Jaina)
1.1 Armadillo Lizards (Turbo & Jet)
0.0.1 Chinese Water Dragons (Indra)
2.2 Ball Pythons (Scooter, BigBoy, Fatman, Wookiee)
0.1 Red Tail Boa (Killer)
1.1 Emperor Scorpions (Hacker & Chopper)
1.0 Rose-Hair Tarantula (Hera)
0.1 Stripped-knee Tarantula (Zeus)
1.1 Gerbils (Pinky, Factory) ^_^

Maybe a rattle snake X garter snake? Both give birth to live young and are closer in size. I would think livebearers would be more likely to abort hybrid offspring instead of carrying it the whole term?

What type of venomous X venomous have been produced?

Well there have been manmade (and sometimes natural) hybrids produced with venomous species for sure. Some include:
Rhino X Gaboon
Puff X Gaboon
WDB X Massasauga
Sidewinder X Speckled
Cobra crosses (especially amongst asian species)
Cottonmouth X Copperhead

These are just a few off the top of my head before my morning coffee.
There are many more crosses, especially amongst the Crotalids.

-Yasser
HYBRID HAVEN

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