Madagascar Ground Boa x Dumeril Boa

[Westley Price]

I just saw this hybrid being advertised on Kingsnake.com and thought I'd share.

I have been wondering how this hybrid would turn out so it was by pure coincidence that I saw this ad.

It is being advertised by AHP Exotics and the pictures belong to them.

[fredsmith]

I quite fancy the look of that.

[Mitton]

Hybrid or Intergrade?
Pretty snake.

[Westley Price]

Hydrid in the biological/zoological sense.

I guess intergrade in the reptile keeping sense.

[rolandslf]

I like the look of that Westley. What were they going for pricewise?

[Bushviper]

Nope hybrid. That is from two different species not two sub species.

I have seen some produced here in South Africa by accident a number of years ago. They do pop up from time to time because people are not aware that they have these hybrids.

[Westley Price]

They were pretty cheap. US$300 if I remember correctly.

I've heard reptile enthusiats try to "sugar coat" hybrids by saying, "If their distribution overlaps and they could produce natural hybrids, they are intergrades."

I prefer the biological definition:

Hybrid: Offsping of two different species.

Intergrade: Offspring of two different subspecies of the same species.

[Bushviper]

These are also called "Bad news boas" because it is never good to cross breed two CITES 1 snakes with each other.

[Silvrav]

And I just learned something new

I know some people see hybrids as a no-no but what does the general community say about integrates?

[Westley Price]

I personally feel that if you are agaianst hybrids, you should also be against intergrades.

It would be double standards to allow intergrades be to be against hybrids.

Recently in South African herpetology, many sub species were elevated to full species so even intergrades might in reality be hybrids.

So to me personally, they're on and the same.

[fredsmith]

These are also called "Bad news boas" because it is never good to cross breed two CITES 1 snakes with each other.

Bad news boas? Why is that BV?

[Bushviper]

Fred these are snakes which are critically endangered in the wild and could become extinct if they dont get protection. To muddy their genes with other species is not a good idea on the off chance that something happens in Madagascar and the species is almost wiped out. To re-populate the island will become a problem if there are snakes that look like they might be one species but actually have other genetics in them.

[Durban Keeper]

almost like crossing a Angolan dwarf python with a Ball. Or people who cross Hog isle boas with the normal mainland ones. Pointlessly stupid. Just appreciate someting for what it is