Tigers and a few other things............

[bookitten]

Hi
I heard that tigers take longer to reach sexual maturity, so is there any way to make this faster? And also, i was wondering if a panthera would breed with a tiger. because Kibeth is already sexually mature but salty [only about half a cm bigger than her] is not. I would quite like them to breed for 2 reasons: It would be interesting to see the results, and I just want to try looking after baby snails that my own have produced ;D

[anjieburdett]

You want to cross breed a tiger and a panthera?? Why?? You nutter lol. I understand its interesting to see what would come out but you don't know what genetic weaknesses would be present in the offspring. I'd keep the Tigers bloodline pure myself. You're soo impatient lol.

[Paul]

From the tiger page (one of the few species there is info about):

Achatina achatina attain sexual maturity within 21 to 24 months (Hodasi 1979, Ghose 1959, Lange 1950) and sometimes as long as 3 years. This period is halved if snails are raised under intensive feeding control in a captive environment.

And I do think it is possible for panthera to cross-breed with tigers. It would seem that genus doesn't seem to matter. But given that tigers aren't known for prolific breeding I think you may be waiting a long time.

[Paul]

I think crossbreeding would produce stronger snails not weaker ones. I think crossbreeding gets mixed up with inbreeding. I'm not saying there wouldn't be any problems, but animal crossbreeds are usually hardier and more robust, look at ligers, mules etc. The real question is could they breed because most crossbreeds are sterile. Somehow, I have a feeling snails may get around this problem because I think the various species are more similar than we imagine, it may just be like mongrel dogs.

The main disadvantage to crossbreeding is that we end up with even more confusing identification problems and any offspring that get rehomed may mean people start getting non-pure snail lines. I'd suggest that any crossbreeds that occurred should not be propagated by hatching any eggs.

Also, it does make matter more difficult because unless you have kept them together but isolated from others from a very young age, you've no idea whether they really are crossbreeds. And there is also talk about some self-fertilisation in snails so again you couldn't be sure.

I'd still love know if crossbreeds are sterile though

[bookitten]

blimey thats a long time! ok, toddler talk paul, ur forgetting. remember u need to talk toddler talk if ur gonna get it though to me!
so what does intensive feeding control meen? does that meen not much food or more?
hmm..... i see what ya meen about the prolific breeding bit

admin said:

From the tiger page (one of the few species there is info about):

Achatina achatina attain sexual maturity within 21 to 24 months (Hodasi 1979, Ghose 1959, Lange 1950) and sometimes as long as 3 years. This period is halved if snails are raised under intensive feeding control in a captive environment.

And I do think it is possible for panthera to cross-breed with tigers. It would seem that genus doesn't seem to matter. But given that tigers aren't known for prolific breeding I think you may be waiting a long time.

[bookitten]

anjieburdett said:

You're soo impatient lol.

yeah i know

[Paul]

Sophie, according to that, captive tigers could be sexually mature after 12-18 months. Intense feeding probably means nutritious food, possibly high protein that is available always or at least regularly. So that's the case for us keeping them as pets.

[bookitten]

well, the 2 snails that are closest to size in each other are kibeth [panthera] and salty [tiger]. i do have saraneth which is a tiger too, but smaller. if they did crossbreed, and i knew it was them because none of the others were ready etc., then i would only keep a few of the eggs and even they might not hatch.

[bookitten]

I have to give them more nutrisious food then, usually they might have whatever fruit i ahd to eat, but at the moment they only have cucumber and lettuce

[bookitten]

QUICK! TELL ME THE MOST NUTRITIOUS FOODS!!!!!!!

[Paul]

have a look through the feeding section, cereal crops are extremely nutritious and some are full of protein. I think a wide variety of food is best so even if you did use some cereal crops, it's wise to feed a wide-variety. Fish-farms feed almost exclusively high-protein foods, but they are interested in the size of the fish and not necessarily about what is good for them (as long as they are not ill or particularly unhealthy).

[anjieburdett]

my god Sophie, rofl, you can't rush nature lovey. They'll do if and when they are good and ready.

Yep Paul, i get what you say totally. I did think about the infertility thing too. What the hells a Liger rofl.

[bookitten]

a liger is this: www.tigers-animal-actors.com/about/liger/liger.html#liger
and this: www.sierrasafarizoo.com/animals/liger.htm

[anjieburdett]

OH MY GOD! thats one big kitty cat!! He's bloody HUGE. WOW!!

[bookitten]

hehehe

[bookitten]

I just realised on the web page www.sierrasafarizoo.com/animals/liger.htm at the top it says has no scientific name, but could be PANTHERA leo/tigris
see anjie, pantheras and tigers can be bred LOL