1. It isn't natural
2. Hybrids could escape into the wild and contaminate wild populations.
3. Untrustworthy breeders may sell hybrids as pure species and therefore contaminate captive populations of otherwise pure species
4. Hybrids are sterile
My replies:
1. Natural would be if a snake were capable to roam free in the wild, eats when it pleases, choose it's own habitat, and temperature and live and breed exactly how it prefers according to it's circumstances provided by nature...as soon as you put a snake in a fish tank, rack system, vivarium, etc You are taking it our of it's natural environment. Keeping a snake as a pet, for breeding stock to make money, to educate people etc Is not natural. Instead of the snake having a choice, we choose when it feeds, what temperature, what area of space it will live, and what it will breed to.
For a snake to be truly pure bred in captivity, one must breed it with another from the same locality as each population in the wild across it's range has a different genetic makeup. For example a cornsnake from the Miami area of Florida expresses different traits to those that are found in Okeetee region of South Carolina if we were to breed these together yes we would still have a cornsnake but it would not be true to it's own unique population we have genetically changed it, in the wild Miami hatchlings have a preference for small lizards whereas Okeete cornsnakes preference is for rodents other differences are colour and size of individuals, these are all determined by the genetic makeup of the snake. Even if we were to breed animals from the same locality together, more than likely when choosing animals to add to our collection, we would choose those that expressed the most desirable traits. eg: bright colours, well defined pattern, healthy and robust etc.By doing so we are determining who breeds with who and choosing what traits of the animal we want their babies to express.
Basically the hybrid snakes being bred are designer snakes. They are pets. Produced for the purpose of beauty and amazement of people. Basically all of the snakes captive bred are man-made, just as hybrids are. Without selective breeding operations you'd never find the morphs we do today. So why is breeding a hybrid a bad thing??? We'd only be creating another snake with unique looks.
2. This is certainly true, but the same could be said for any escapee snake, the chances of a hybrid snake surviving in the wild in our country (Canada) is very slim, and then to breed with one of our native snakes and produce young, highly unlikely. Even escapees in countries, provinces, and states where the conditions are right for them they would probably perish and die before reproducing as there immune system would not be sufficient to survive. Captive bred snakes especially do not have strong immune systems.
3. If you buy a snake that is not what it is supposed to be, that's just too bad. I know that if I were to breed hybrid snakes I would NEVER pass them off as something else. When buying any snake you should buy from a trusted source. I think I'd be more worried about buying healthy stock than buying a "mutt". Any breeder could get away with selling you unheathly stock as easily as someone could sell you a hybrid as a pure bred. Either way, buying from a trusted source is the key.
4. All the hybrids can be infertile but some show higher fertility than some normal snakes. So really you'd best check your breeding stock. More fertility problems have been seen in snakes that have been inbred than with hybrids. A lot of hybrids are stronger more robust than there parents, this is known as hybrid vigor, the passing of good traits from both parents gives the snake a survival boost. Evolution is based primarily on changes in gene frequencies, resulting (among other processes) from mutation, reproductive isolation, and recombination of genes through hybridization.
I hope this has strengthened my point. Either way, I don't think I'll change anyone's mind. But I see no danger in producing or selling hybrids as long as that is what you sell them as...if anyone has anymore valid points I'd love to hear them...thanks.
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Chris Vanderwees
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