Breeding related snakes?

[Lexa]

My friend and I are considering breeding our two snakes at some point in the future.

Thing is, we have no real idea about their genetic history. They came as a juvenile pair to us from a friend who had taken them in from someone who didn't want them, and now needed more space himself. He never found out if they're related.

The male is red-sided, and the female is florida blue.

Two questions:

1. With those two very different colourings, could they be related or is it an impossibility?

2. If there is a chance that they could be from the same parents, would it be alright to breed them? I don't know what the policy is on breeding closely related snakes. Would we create strange monsters, or would it be fine?

Thanks,

Lexa

[infernalis]

They are two different species, so very unlikely to be related.

on that same note, many purists would frown on hybridization of two species intentionally.

So very sorry if that is not what you wanted to hear.

[Lexa]

So they're actually different species?

How interesting. I didn't know that.

I'd always assumed it was just pigmentation - like breeding two corn snakes of different colours, rather than, say, breeding a rat snake with a royal python.

[infernalis]

Well I was off a bit, they are different sub species.

More like breeding a corn with a ratsnake or milk snake.

Pueblacorns are hybrids.

the blue snake is most likely a Thamnophis sirtalis similis

and the red sided is most likely a Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis

[Lexa]

So breeding them together wouldn't be advised, then? We'd create some kind of hybrid, rather than a legitimate garter?

We wouldn't mind if we shouldn't be breeding them - although we did hope to create the world's first purple snake, hehe...

[infernalis]

let your conscience guide you

But as I said the "purists" would frown.

however you would get something not likely purple as a result.

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

i thought florida blues were thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis and that they were more common that blue stripes which are thamnophis sirtalis similis

Well I was off a bit, they are different sub species.

More like breeding a corn with a ratsnake or milk snake.

Pueblacorns are hybrids.

the blue snake is most likely a Thamnophis sirtalis similis

and the red sided is most likely a Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis

[Zephyr]

It could be either Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis "Florida blue" or Thamnophis sirtalis similis.

[infernalis]

Either way, not a red sided.

[CrazyHedgehog]

I have both Florida blues and red sided...(amongst others!) I asked out of interest a while ago the same question, and basically, if you breed them, firstly they are not as likely to produce offspring being different sub species, and then secondly, if you are lucky and get young, you are likely to get some not so bright babies that you end up being stuck with cos no one wants a mongrel!!

the 'purist' argument as mentioned is basically if you do sell the offspring...what do you sell them as? and who stops the new owners from breeding from it and selling as pure breeds etc....(hence the purist thing...they want pure breeds!)

anyway hope that helps...