Sure there's phenotyical and relatively slight genetic differences between thayeri populations... of course! But they are still more like each other than they are to another species.

It doesn't help anything to say that since there are slight differences within a species it's of no use defining that species and keeping it pure in captivity, subjective to what one's definition of purity. That has a use and it is to preserve natural variations and prevent a mishmashed monoculture that would untimately result in just a few types, ie big and little misc. tricolor, botched, striped and banded whatsits.

There's nothing wrong with hybrids if that's what you like but hybrid keepers would also do well to keep in mind that even hybrids must start with "pure" snakes if they are to have any kind of direction.
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