Cross-species breeding

[laramie]

Hey Guys,
Just something I was wondering about. Has anyone ever bred two torts from different breeds? Also, if you had lets say, a leo tort and a sulcata tort (one male and one female) of sexual maturity, would they mate or would they not?

Just questions in my mind,

 

[dmmj]

RE: Interracial Dating

I believe there were some leo/sulctta hybrids at the reptile expo, they wanted a small fortune for them I believe. Most of us are purists, when it comes to hybrids.

 

[coreyc]

RE: Interracial Dating

I know there is a member with some Lepacata's 1/2 leopard 1/2 Sulcata they look awesome

 

[laramie]

RE: Interracial Dating

I know there is a member with some Lepacata's 1/2 leopard 1/2 Sulcata they look awesome

Yvonne, do you know which member that is?

 

[ascott]

RE: Interracial Dating

weird

 

[laramie]

RE: Interracial Dating

weird

Yeah, it may be a weird question, but every journey begins with curiosity.

 

[dmarcus]

RE: Interracial Dating

Here you go...

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Leaping-Lepracutta#axzz1Uw8Z6cNl

 

[ascott]

RE: Interracial Dating

No, no question to me is weird. To me it is simply weird, and unnatural to purposely cross breed tortoise/turtles, in my opinion
Does not mean I lay any type of judgement, just not ideal in my opinion, but as most say, to each is their own

 

[coreyc]

RE: Interracial Dating

I know there is a member with some Lepacata's 1/2 leopard 1/2 Sulcata they look awesome

Yvonne, do you know which member that is?

I think it's N2TORTS

 

[laramie]

RE: Interracial Dating

No, no question to me is weird. To me it is simply weird, and unnatural to purposely cross breed tortoise/turtles, in my opinion
Does not mean I lay any type of judgement, just not ideal in my opinion, but as most say, to each is their own

No worries ascott, I didn't take it as any judgement

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I believe there were some leo/sulctta hybrids at the reptile expo, they wanted a small fortune for them I believe. Most of us are purists, when it comes to hybrids.

Has anyone every crossbred any other kinds of torts?

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: Interracial Dating

They would have to be close in species. I would imagine that the Mediterranean species might mix. The different type of stars might mix.

But, like David said up above...I'm a purist too, and I don't approve of it.

Some of the different box turtles interbreed where their territories overlap in the real world, and that makes it hard to know what kind of box turtle you're looking at. (I keep all my box turtle species separate)

 

[GBtortoises]

RE: Interracial Dating

Maybe this thread should be more accurately entitled: "Inter species breeding".

Interracial dating is something totally different and as far as I know, only applies to Homo sapiens.

 

[grogansilver]

RE: Interracial Dating

Come on is this even possible a large full grown Male Sulcata tortoise and a small female Leo tort is this possible? I don't thing she would survive the mating ritual!

 

[Tom]

RE: Interracial Dating

Add me to the list of people who do NOT think this should be done. I don't think they should even be housed together, much less bred. Importation of sulcatas and leopards was banned many years ago. What we have right now is all there will ever be, as far as the genetic pool is concerned. We should be working to preserve what we have and improve upon it. Mixing species only dilutes and ruins our very precious resource.

 

[grogansilver]

RE: Interracial Dating

Maybe this thread should be more accurately entitled: "Inter species breeding".

Interracial dating is something totally different and as far as I know, only applies to Homo sapiens.

GB Even with Interracial dating Babies still can be made!!!

 

[pandacakes]

RE: Interracial Dating

Add me to the list of people who do NOT think this should be done. I don't think they should even be housed together, much less bred. Importation of sulcatas and leopards was banned many years ago. What we have right now is all there will ever be, as far as the genetic pool is concerned. We should be working to preserve what we have and improve upon it. Mixing species only dilutes and ruins our very precious resource.

I agree with Tom. (even though they look really cool!)

 

[Sky2Mina]

RE: Interracial Dating

First I thought this topic would be in Off Topic Chit Chat.

Personally I think cross-breeding is interesting. I'm still waiting to see full sized Leopard/Sulcatta mixes. I wonder what they will look like.

 

[Baoh]

RE: Interracial Dating

I am fine with it with one exception. That exception is when we are talking about wild populations of threatened species or of tortoises that are meant to be introduced into the wild. However, if it's a captive-born animal that would only be contributing to pet animal numbers, I am fine with it, as these are your animals that were or were not going to be allowed to reproduce at your say-so anyway.

Testudo species have been interbred. Redfoot x Radiated and Sulcata x Leopard, too. Gopherus hybrids have also occurred.

There are a great many turtle examples that have naturally occurred, too.

I actually have another reason that would be a potential positive for both the pet trade and dumped/shelter animals as well as reducing load on wild caught demand, but this is not the place for that discussion.

---

I'm still waiting to see full sized Leopard/Sulcatta mixes. I wonder what they will look like.

I have been excited to see this, too. I had wanted some for a beneficial experiment and to have as pets, but it looks like that won't happen.

 

[natsamjosh]

RE: Interracial Dating

I realize I'm probably in the minority, but taxonomy is simply a man-made, static construct, which, in many ways, is antithetical to evolution. Evolution is a continuum; taxonomy is a static view, and it's not even agreed upon what a species, much less a sub-species, is. Species and subspecies didn't evolve in isolation, quite the contrary. The idea of "natural intergrades" seems a bit backwards to me. In most cases that's an example of animals branching out and adapting from a common ancestor, not two separate species or subspecies "immorally" coming together and "interbreeding." And what happens when some group of scientists decides current taxonomy is incorrect and the change it? For example, recently the entire classification of mainland rainbow boas was changed. "Peruvian" and "Brazilian" rainbows are now considered on species rather than two distinct subspecies. So now what? Is it still "wrong" to breed Peruvians to Brazilians?

Bottom line for me is that mother nature doesn't give a **** about our taxonomic classifications. IMO, taxonomy is more about human ego and human satisfaction. Here's in interesting article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622115313.htm

It's all a natural part of evolution. Animals adapt and branch out, and sometimes they "branch in", so to speak. I have red hair and light skin. There is a theory that red hair and fair skin came from Neanderthals "interbreeding" with Homo sapiens. Now my wife has always accused me of being a cave man, but aside from that, should I consider myself possibly "polluted" or "impure?"

 

[grogansilver]

RE: Interracial Dating

I realize I'm probably in the minority, but taxonomy is simply a man-made, static construct, which, in many ways, is antithetical to evolution. Evolution is a continuum; taxonomy is a static view, and it's not even agreed upon what a species, much less a sub-species, is. Species and subspecies didn't evolve in isolation, quite the contrary. The idea of "natural intergrades" seems a bit backwards to me. In most cases that's an example of animals branching out and adapting from a common ancestor, not two separate species or subspecies "immorally" coming together and "interbreeding." And what happens when some group of scientists decides current taxonomy is incorrect and the change it? For example, recently the entire classification of mainland rainbow boas was changed. "Peruvian" and "Brazilian" rainbows are now considered on species rather than two distinct subspecies. So now what? Is it still "wrong" to breed Peruvians to Brazilians?

Bottom line for me is that mother nature doesn't give a **** about our taxonomic classifications. IMO, taxonomy is more about human ego and human satisfaction. Here's in interesting article:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622115313.htm

It's all a natural part of evolution. Animals adapt and branch out, and sometimes they "branch in", so to speak. I have red hair and light skin. There is a theory that red hair and fair skin came from Neanderthals "interbreeding" with Homo sapiens. Now my wife has always accused me of being a cave man, but aside from that, should I consider myself possibly "polluted" or "impure?"

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I'm with you on this! I think he has it right people with this one! Hum I'm going to see if my Russians will Breed with my snapping turtle it will be "interesting" a new Breed of tortoise or turtle should be brought upon us tommorrow, ill have a new genetic name for them? I then can contribute to life as we know it of tortoises and turtles!

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