Tags
Carpet Python, Morelia, Python, python hybrids, Pythons, Reptiles, Snake, Snakes
There is a misconception going around that all hybrid reptiles are sterile. I want to say that this is not true. Many hybrid enthusiasts have been taking their fascination with hybrids to the next level. Some of the more popular hybrids available are the Burmball (Burmese x Ball python), Superball (Blood x Ball), BatEater (Burmese x Reticulated), Carpalls (Carpet x Ball), Coma (Carpet x Woma), Wall (Woma x Ball), Carpondros (Carpet x Green Tree), Angry Ball (Angolan x Ball), and Carplot (Any Carpet x Macklots). These are the hybrids I have seen more of and the question on many people’s mind is, “Are they sterile?”
I say no and I have many examples that back this. The most common hybrid I have seen is the crossing of blood pythons to ball pythons. Very interesting combination that produces one amazing snake. You get the best attributes of both snakes and none of the flaws. If you go to http://roussisreptiles.com/our_collection/super-ball/ you will find images and descriptions of super balls and also see images of the F2 generations. The F2 generation is when a superball hybrid was bread to another superball hybrid. Offspring was produced by Roussis and he is showing to be a master of superball hybrids. Some of the combinations and colors he is producing are awesome.
Other than the F2 generations superballs, they have crossed a superballs back to a ball python to produce 75% ball python and 25% blood pythons and they call them mongrels. They have also done the same with crossing a superball to a blood for a 75% blood and 25% ball, and they call these mud bloods.
The next example I have seen proven to be fertile is the crossing of Macklots to any carpet pythons. The New England Reptile Distributors aka NERD has been using Macklots in several crosses with every carpet variation they could try. They call this hybrid a Carplot in most cases. If it is a Jungle Carpet to Macklots they call it a Junglot and if the jaguar gene is present and visible, they call it a Jaglot. These hybrids have been thrown back to every variation of carpets again to produce Jungle, Jag Macklots, and 75% Macklots and 25% Carpets. NERD has used this hybrid for many different variations and are clearly showing this hybrid is far from sterile.
The picture below is from http://www.prestigepythons.com/ They have many more wonderful images and I suggest you pay them a visit
Morelia pythons seem to be a very fertile group. Carpets have been bred with Ball pythons, Woma pythons, Green Tree pythons, and even a Blood python. I know of a group in Texas who is trying a Carpet to Burmese and Carpet to Retic mix. So far the Burmese and Retic to Carpet mixes haven’t yielded live results. The breeder claims a storm took out his power and cracked a window in his facility which killed all of his eggs and caused some of his breeders to get sick. They are making another attempt this year. Carpets have been the base of some awesome mixes and many of them are still being crossed. There are the Carpondros where a Carpet is bred to a Green Tree and these are far from sterile. There are 75% Green Tree with 25% Carpet and vice versa. The jaguar gene in carpets are also transfers over to whatever they are bred to. The Jagpondro is when the jaguar gene from the carpet is visible when bred to a Green Tree python. Carpets are also being bred to Woma pythons to create the Coma. Comas are then being bred back to carpets for different patterns and colors. There is a Bredli, Jungle, Woma, Jag on the market that looks amazing. I asked if I could place a picture of it on the blog but the breeder said no. Yet another case that hybrids are not sterile.
The image of the coma(woma x carpet) if from a public domain and I have not been able to track down the owner. I have been asking around a few boards but this image is on 13 other sites and no one is claiming to be the owner.
Follow this link for some carpondro hybrid images: http://moreliatrophyclub.com/Hybrids.html I would also recommend this page for those interested in morelia pythons of all types. Great site, great pictures and great information.
Now let’s look at the Burmese hybrids. The Reticulated python to Burmese pythons have been a very popular mix for larger snake keepers. They call it a Borneo BatEater and they have even been found in the wild. Breeders have gone a step further and bred this hybrid back to Burmese pythons and Reticulated pythons. The Jungle Retic is 75% Reticulated python and 25% Burmese. The Jungle Burms are 75% Burmese python and 25% reticulated python. Gorgeous animals and a sight to see in person.
The image of the retic to burmese hybrid is also from a public domain and I have not been able to track down the owner. Again, I have been asking around a few boards but this image is on 4 other sites and no one is claiming to be the owner.
Now the Burmball Hybrid has been catching attention of hybrid enthusiasts the world over as of 2014 the first albino hybrids were produced. Crystal Palace Reptiles was where I first saw the image. They have produced albino 75% Burm with 25% ball; 75% Ball with 25% Burm; and 50/50 Burmballs. Not only does this show that the Burmese hybrids are fertile but it shows that genetic mutations may be more transferable than once thought. With carpets we know the Jaguar gene can pass to any python it is bred with and now the albino burmball will be opening up the flood gates in my opinion.
The burmball you see below if from http://captivebred.co.uk/ and if I lived in the United Kingdom I would be making purchases from this guy. Very knowledgeable breeder and his work speaks for itself
The albino burmball above comes from http://www.crystalpalacereptiles.com/ and the guy has many reptiles I wish I could find here in the U.S. This is a snake I wish I could get my hands on and the image alone will make you drool.
Now there are a few hybrids that I have yet to see further mixes from. The Carpall (Carpet x Ball), the Angry Ball (Angolan x Ball), and the Wall (Woma x Ball). These hybrids have not shown any further off spring. I do not know anyone who has been working with these hybrids further and I am hoping to see some new hybrids from these soon.
If you have further questions feel free to message me and I will send you to the breeders of these magnificent pythons.