Mixing species?

[infernalis]

Just don't let them cross-breed. Some of the folks on this forum get rather upset about that.

...um... why?

Hybridization.. it's rather frowned upon.

I have one hybrid garter I adopted a few years ago, he's fine.

[Didymus20X6]

As best I can tell, it's because it is believed that cross-breeding screws up the gene pool of the species in question. While some might say that an accidental cross-breed is okay as long as it is kept in captivity for the rest of its life, and never allowed to breed at all, others say that it is an environmental risk, and should one occur, it should be killed. Either way, the consensus is, don't do it.

[infernalis]

should one occur, it should be killed. Either way, the consensus is, don't do it.

That's how I wound up adopting mine, It was an accidental breeding, The fellow that had the parents was torn between killing the babies or giving them away to responsible keepers.

I was given one male, he lives completely solo.. He's interesting though.

Part checkered garter and part eastern.

I think other people here have siblings from that litter.

[RdubSnider]

IMO when you keep any type of snake and want to breed then you have a responsibility to keep the blood lines pure.

[ssssnakeluvr]

I have a pair of the hybrids eastern/checkereds also. nice snakes, but will never be allowed to breed.

[RedSidedSPR]

Gotcha that's what I thought. I'm not breeding so don't worry. All males for now.... for now.

[Sonya610]

Hybrid snakes can't be released back into the wild. They would have to be cared for for the rest of their lives or euthanized.

Do we have reason to believe most of the captive bred snakes that have been fed pinky parts and tilapia their entire lives could survive in the wild? I would expect they would have to remain captive their entire lives too, assuming this is about the individual animals and not just what a hybrid could possibly do to the wild population.

[Spankenstyne]

I don't see it as a possible release back into the wild issue. I see it as trying to keep the ssp as pure as possible so we don't get what you see in many rat/corn snakes, Pituophis etc. There has been so much ssp crossing and hybridizing in those that it really muddies up the gene pool and puts doubt into what people might actually have.

[RedSidedSPR]

Kinda like dogs... very few people actually know what they have.

"what kind of dog is that? He's pretty", "We don't know. Some kinda MIX".

[Stefan-A]

Do we have reason to believe most of the captive bred snakes that have been fed pinky parts and tilapia their entire lives could survive in the wild?

Yes. Even our truly domesticated species have done it. All of them. Not one exception.