Breeding vs The Law

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Herpo

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Hi all,
Okay, so I'm a bit confused. I read in a book that it is illegal to breed to different species of snake together to make a hybrid. Now, I understand that an intergrade is a combination of two different species of snake that bred together naturally in the wild, But how would you get an intergrade to breed in captivity? Do you simply get another intergrade, or are you not allowed?
 
As the like Ramsayi posted mentions intergrades are naturally occurring variance between distinct subspecies. Essentially distinct animals in their own right just too fine a distinction to be described.
This is different from intra-specific hybrids (crosses between subspecies within the same species). ie A coastal x jungle carpet python or some such.
Either way from a legal perspective the creation of intra-specific hybrids and intergrades in captivity is not illegal in any state though possibly frowned upon it.
Most captive or domestic animals are intra-specific hybrids.
 
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As the like Ramsayi posted mentions intergrades are naturally occurring variance between distinct subspecies. Essentially distinct animals in their own right just too fine a distinction to be described.
This is different from intra-specific hybrids (crosses between subspecies within the same species). ie A coastal x jungle carpet python or some such.
Either way from a legal perspective the creation of intra-specific hybrids and intergrades in captivity is not illegal in any state though possibly frowned upon it.
.

Possibly so in most States, but in WA it's strictly forbidden. DPaW would take action if they became aware of it. It's most likely to occur between carpet "sub-species", and now that we have two of these on our approved list, the risks are there that someone will try it. At their peril, I'd suggest! (Although the chances of people getting the newly-listed m.s. variegata aren't high just yet - rare as hens teeth over here).

S
 
Either way from a legal perspective the creation of intra-specific hybrids and intergrades in captivity is not illegal in any state though possibly frowned upon it.
Most captive or domestic animals are intra-specific hybrids.
I dunno if the book I read this from is outdated, but it distinctly said that it is frowned upon, as BigDaddyO said, and strictly forbidden. The book was "Keeping Australian Pythons in Captivity" by Adam Eliott. It didn't specify a state.

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So how would you go about breeding an intergrade?
 
Possibly so in most States, but in WA it's strictly forbidden. DPaW would take action if they became aware of it. It's most likely to occur between carpet "sub-species", and now that we have two of these on our approved list, the risks are there that someone will try it. At their peril, I'd suggest! (Although the chances of people getting the newly-listed m.s. variegata aren't high just yet - rare as hens teeth over here).
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Yeah WA is only just sort of coming into this issue. Unfortunately determining whether animals are subspecies hybrids is unfeasible due to the minute differences in genetics. Even pyscially there is such a wide range of appearance in most species that it many morelia subspecies can look identical. This issue is compounded by line breeding and genes like Jag or albino. Still feasible to police in WA due to small numbers but impossible in other states. Frankly not worth the our tax payers money to police subspecies hybrids.


So how would you go about breeding an intergrade?

Just mate one intergrade with another intergrade thats the same. Nothing wrong with breeding an intergrade. Assuming the animals are from the same intergrade/area they are the same animal.

The whole concept of an intergrade just arises from limitations of taxomony. Rightly so. Could you imagine if every little locale or colour variation was its own subspecies. It would be a mess.
 
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Ok, thanks. You have a point. It WOULD be a huge mess.
 
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