F2 Gaboon/rhino viper hybrids...

[GreggMadden]

True the two spp cross breed in the wild, but it is not so common. In the few years I spent in West Africa I came across litterally thousands of rhinos and gaboons but only three hybrids.
But I do love rhinos and gaboons, big fat slugs especially gaboons, rhinos are a bit fiesty. A greater chance of been bitten by a sebae than a gaboon they are so placid.

I have seen a hundred or so wild caught crosses... It is more common than most think and many of the imported crosses can look to be either parent species especially when they are covered in mud and dirt... LOL... In fact, the male in the photo above was a wild caught and sold as a rhino... I knew it was a cross when I bought it but it was a fresh dirty import and was not easy to tell it apart from the rhinos in the same shipment....

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

Better in your care than in the empty petrol barrels they keep them in when they are collected.

 

[GreggMadden]

Im sure it's a nice looking snake you have created, but personally if i had a choice, i would take a pure gaboon or rhino over the homemade intergrade.
It seems like a bit like a waste of genes.
Are the any benefits to crossing the two sub species?

They are not subspecies... They are separate species...
Whats the benefit??? There is no benefit, but there is no drawback either... It is a natural cross that happens with some frequency in the wild and they make for some very impressive looking snakes... It is not a waste of genes... If you think about it, when you breed any species in captivity, you are throwing natural selection out of the window anyway even within a species...

Sure, those F2 babies are home made but the father of those babies was a wild caught hybrid and it was an adult...

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

Here is a photo of a good sized one!

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

Sure, those F2 babies are home made but the father of those babies was a wild caught hybrid and it was an adult...

Ah, well ok then, from you opening post i thought the parents were one of each.
And you are right, captive bred snakes in general are not naturally occuring animals at the best of times.

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

Just to give you an idea of what they look like when they arive out of africa.

And after a few sheds.

Not my photos, a friend sent me these photos ages ago. I wish they were mine though. These are crosses.

 

[reptilefan95]

Nice snakes mate!

 

[BenReyn]

Oh wow!
I'm loving the head on the left, like an aqua lil Gaboon Viper
I bet your loving owning 'em too!
Ben.

 

[falcon69]

what is the venom difference between the hybrid species..if any..

 

[reptilefan95]

BTW carpet pythons love the reptile room!

 

[GreggMadden]

Wow... Those are East African crosses... Stunning...

Their venom has not been studied but it is somewhat safe to say in theory that the SAIMR polyvent will be just as effective being that it handles both species... Then again, nothing is 100%.... Just need to keep your hands out of their mouths... LOL

 

[Frozenmouse]

the patterns on these species are amazing they look so intricate .
They do get alot bigger than the one in the photo their is a photo getting around of one eating an adult cat .

 

[Australis]

Here is a photo of a good sized one!]

Not a 'cross' though is it?

 

[euan]

I have seen a hundred or so wild caught crosses... It is more common than most think and many of the imported crosses can look to be either parent species especially when they are covered in mud and dirt... LOL... In fact, the male in the photo above was a wild caught and sold as a rhino... I knew it was a cross when I bought it but it was a fresh dirty import and was not easy to tell it apart from the rhinos in the same shipment....

I guess it all comes down to what one considers common. But haven spent a good deal of time in West Africa involved with the wildlife trade and spent time with the collectors actually collecting both gaboons and rhinos. Also knowing that they are kept together in captive situations in West Africa where many of the hybrids come from. I do not believe from firsthand experience that hybrids are particually common.

 

[GreggMadden]

Also knowing that they are kept together in captive situations in West Africa where many of the hybrids come from. I do not believe from firsthand experience that hybrids are particually common.

I just know what I have seen from imports brought into some facilities here in the states....

Can we all settle on "more common than some might think???" LOL

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

No because this is a reptile forum and everybody has to be right! Everybody else has to be wrong if they dont share your opinion and everybody has to agree! They also have to tell everybody else how pretty their snakes are! Is that not what the purpose of a forum is?