Burm/ball hybrid

[StudentoReptile]

There's a few "news" articles floating around there with statements from "scientists" that claim the two species could hybridize (which is plausible; it certainly happens in captivity). But as far as I can tell no one has ever found the two species copulating with each other, nor has anyone actually ever found an actual hybrid.

Its all speculation, and the media has hyped it up in that "Super Snake" special you;re referring to. Given the small market for Afrocks compared to Burms, and taking into account that burms have established themselves in Florida decades before anyone ever found the first Afrock, AND...with the recent rule listing that bans importation of both species, and the ROC law that prohibits ownership of both in Florida.......it is doubtful that Afrocks will ever become really established enough down there to become a real threat, so such a hybrid is even more unlikely.

And I personally don't think they are any more equipped to handle Florida's climate than Burms (perhaps less so), so I don't know why a hybrid would be MORE adaptable.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by StudentoReptile

There's a few "news" articles floating around there with statements from "scientists" that claim the two species could hybridize (which is plausible; it certainly happens in captivity). But as far as I can tell no one has ever found the two species copulating with each other, nor has anyone actually ever found an actual hybrid.

Its all speculation, and the media has hyped it up in that "Super Snake" special you;re referring to. Given the small market for Afrocks compared to Burms, and taking into account that burms have established themselves in Florida decades before anyone ever found the first Afrock, AND...with the recent rule listing that bans importation of both species, and the ROC law that prohibits ownership of both in Florida.......it is doubtful that Afrocks will ever become really established enough down there to become a real threat, so such a hybrid is even more unlikely.

And I personally don't think they are any more equipped to handle Florida's climate than Burms (perhaps less so), so I don't know why a hybrid would be MORE adaptable.

What your thoughts on why it may be less equipped to handle Florida's climate?

[StudentoReptile]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

What your thoughts on why it may be less equipped to handle Florida's climate?

Note "perhaps."

I suppose it would depend on which species of Afrock we're talking about.

Seems like the Burm's native environment is a slightly closer match to southern Florida than that of Python sebae natalensis. Python sebae sebae....meh, about the same.