Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Any of you remember that really nice Burmese X Retic hybrid "Hagrid" ? I was just wondering if the owner comes here or if there are any updated pics on him or anything? I have included the pic I got from here.. It's old though. Just curious about him.. Thanks for reading.

I don't have any info for you about the owner, but I know Hagrid was actually a jungle burm, or a burm x retic x burm (75%burm,25% retic)

"but I know Hagrid was actually a jungle burm, or a burm x retic x burm (75%burm,25% retic)"

Thanks for the info.. Guess I was a bit off. hehe Genetics isn't something I know alot about. So anyone willing to explain how a burm x retic x burm works? and 75% burm, 25% retic? I mean does it mean the breeder bred a burm to a retic, and another burm and the mixture of both made a baby? ::bit confused::

No,

It means that someone bred a burm to a retic(making a bateater). Then bred that bateater to a burm.

I love bateaters, always have, but I'v never seen what a bateater bred back to a burm or tic looks like.

Anyone got any pics?

Anyone got any pics of F2 bateaters?
-----
Please...
Keep an OPEN MIND, You'll be AMAZED...

I think thats what kilhd said...but , in any event, where did the moniker "bat eater" come from and why?

Here's the story that's been passed around (I can't take credit for it):

Once upon a time, there was a man named Hank Molt. He was an animal dealer like no dealer in business today. In the early 1970s, he had a import business the likes of which will never happen again, his occasional price lists were about the best reading there was in herpetoculture. Most of us back then learned many of our scientific names from those lists. He eventually got in trouble (over Fiji Island iguanas, among other things,) disappeared for awhile, and then resurfaced in a smaller business about 1980. In late 1981 he obtained either six or eight hybrid pythons, [once he told me they were from Europe and another time he told me they were from Philadelphia--the one thing for sure about Hank was that you could never be sure about what he told you (still true today, now that he's back in about his fourth herp business reincarnation)]
In any case, in late 1981 he sold a pair of the hybrids to The Shed, then the largest reptile dealership in the country, based in Miami, run by two wild and crazy guys named Louis Porras and Joe Beruducci. Louis was (is) an excellent photographer and he took a great picture of one of the little hybrids, a stunning little snake, they printed up a stack of the photos and on the back they printed a Christmas greeting and at the bottom identified the little snake as the "Borneo Bat Eating Python (Python nykerifagos borneonatis?)." They then sent this out in Christmas envelopes to several hundred of their best customers, including every zoo in the country.
It was a joke, a joke made obvious by the bogus scientific name. But of course, several parties didn't get the joke and really tried to buy the "new species." It made a big enough ruckus that later in June 1982 at the International Reptile Breeding Symposium, everyone was still humming about it when Hank Molt showed up with one of the specimens and let everyone handle the little snake. It was a big hit.
I only know where two of the animals went, and they were still alive in 1990 and they were still called Borneo bat-eaters. So the name hung around long enough to still be in use when Bob and Kevin figured out how to breed more

LOL. Many thanks for the history.
I knew a woman who breed and showed Basenji. When someone would rudely point and ask "What kind of dog is THAT?" she would politely reply, "a Peruvian Ass-Pinscher"--- canine equivalent to a Bateater, I suppose.

That all sounds right. I used to hang out in Hanks shop as a kid in the early 70`s.His place was on 611 right across from the Willow Grove Train Station.Very secret. I saw things there that were never before seen in the US and many of which were practically unknown to anyone.It was awesome. After a brief hiatus Hanks next shop was still off of 611 in Willow Grove just a few miles North.It was actually bigger and better. I was at the 1982 International Reptile Breeding Symposium in Dallas that year .Hank had a small bat-eater in a jar and was showing it to Tom Crutchfield and Tom was trying to guess what it was. I can still hear Tom saying " well it`s got retic in it. Look at those eyes. " Ernie Eison

I am not real big on hybrids.. But if you get something that looks like "Hagrid" from breeding a bateater to a burm. Why aren't they more popular than they are? I think hagrid is one of the best looking snakes ive ever seen.. and I have only seen 2 or 3 pics. = / Anyone sell these snakes? Forgive my ignorance on the subject.. I admit I know next to nothing about it.
Thanks for all info, and reading this.

SOmetimes Bob Clark has them for sale(he doesn't right now) the jungle burms and retics sell for about $2000, and the 50/50 bateaters are about $5000. Again not often available because of the time to raise up individuals, trying to get them to breed, and the fertility yeilds few offspring so they go fast and for ALOT

Thanks for all the info mike..
$2000 for one of those jungle burms doesnt seem as bad as I was expecting.. They look amazing if they all resemble the hagrid one. : )