1:
The concept is exciting and mysterious and for the sake of experimentation could be very interesting for breeders, and probably very educational, but people sell B.albopilosum as H.lividum as it is...

I can just see some guy selling T's to unknowing public saying "this is the Pochypelma Metalliata, it's the RAREST tarantula in the world, but i'll sell you a sling for $5,000.000, because you are a nice guy!"

2: I would not pay money for a hybrid, but might take care of one to see how it matures and develops.

3: Yes I might consider it for a well documented experiment with VERY strict rules, but honestly I doubt it, I could keep myself busy breeding true species till I am a dusty old fart on a rocking chair.

Somebody reading this discussion might get excited about the great projects been attempted/suggested and go try make his own.
Who know he might have success.
He cant sell the slings as hybrids so will most probably pass them off as something else.
Something like a brachypelma will put out 600 slings onto the market.
Not good

Just to through a spanner in the worx, I personally don't think any species should be mixed. I haven't seen a Kudu humping an Impala, just for the sake of it. I mean they can do it, but they don't... for a reason.

Marula's too tired tonight, she'll try to put something together tomorrow if you guys don't mind. Just what she remembers from her personal rusty antique knowledge :blush:

I agree with Scarab.(and that sounds like a very interesting breeding attempt)



I feel it can be done or tried and that is all, cull the excess slings and only keep a handful for yourself to study and watch them grow.

But it is always to good to be true, in the hobby that we have, there is always the person that just sees the dollar signs and wants to also get the new more improved spider in the market.

If it is done properly and the person doing has got a brain in its head a responsibility in the hobby I see nothing wrong with a bit of cross breeding of species.

@ Spinnerkop: That's already going on. Remember, this is South Africa. Since Importing Invertebrates has been banned, we are essentially in-breeding as without imports the gene pool has become a little shallow. Thus I suspect that only a very few of us have any "pure" Tarantulas. I think the whole lack of imports thing was why Mammon left the hobby so you can see how bad it is.
On Topic again: I'm all for Hybrids as long as the following are adhered to:

1. If Offspring are to be sold they MUST be labeled as Hybrids WITH their Parent Species, example: Mother; Grammostola Rosea x Father; Grammostola Pulchra

2. If they are not destined to be sold then some should be culled and some kept and a few given to trustworthy keepers.

3. If Hybrids are going to be bred then they should only be bred to other Hybrids or not at all. Labeling also applies same format as before.

Is it just me or does it seem that people think that if you hybridize a, an example, Psalmopeous irminia MM to a Psalmopeous cambridgei MF that the female will forever remain Unpure? Well at least that's what I get from peoples comments.