May I ask why you would want to do this ?

Because it's interesting.

Why would you even want to keep tortoises in captivity?... because it's interesting... it makes life interesting...

Where's the harm in either keeping the 2 together or cross breeding them?

Ed

Did not say there is any harm just wanted to know thats all.

I guess the standard answer to why you would want to do this is... because you can.

Ed

i suppose if we look back in time to when we very first tried to farm animals and domesticate them we have always tried to mix and mingle between subspecies. I suppose its just the way we are. look at the big cat, the Liger. completely manmade but strangely attractive. There is alot more tolerance to the idea of cross breeding and genetically altering our animals. I own a royal python moph and would love to get some more. so a spotted sulcatta? maybe. my two fave torts in one package. would be tempting. but i dont know. Do you think it could be done Ed?

__________________

Designer tortoises - now there a concept !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the case of domesticated animals it is done in the case of necessity or vanity. In the case of the tortoise it would have to be vanity in this case we are discussing.

It not only can be done... I mention it because it has been done. I saw two live babies... I don't know what happened to them nor have I ever seen a photo of them or an adult.

They were quite cool.

There is also a photo of a Redfoot X Radiated floating around.

Ed

Because of the time involved it's not really practical from a commercial standpoint as it is with lizards and snakes.

Ed

Wonder what that would be called " Red radiated" or "diated foot" I read that refoots and yellowfoots don't breed naturally where they over lap in the wild.

I imagine there must be quite a few genetic mutations in the wild. Doesnt somebody on this group have some albino redfoots?? i know they werent intentionally bred but that is were all of these things start. Personally, i like the "pedigree" standard in my animals. I have pedigree dogs and royal morph pythons. I select them and breed them them with set of genetic expectations ie, a dominant gene and a normal will give a mixed clutch of dominant and normals. i like the idea. And i know that a new clutch or pythons has just been hatched, bred from burmese and royals. Whether they turn out to be fertile or even viable will be a amatter of time. But morphs command high prices until the market is saturated, i suppose thats the nature of the beast.

__________________