Hatchling Carpet Colours

[bigguy]

I find it amazing that so many people enquiring to see pics of hatchling Carpets and Diamonds expect to see the colours of full adults. As anyone knows who breeds these species, hatchlings are born dark and can take up to 18 months to develope their full adult colours.

I recently advertised Diamonds, Proserpine and Centralian Carpets. I had a good response , with many people contacting me for pics of the hatchlings. Knowing the hatchlings were not coloured nice yet, I also sent pics of the parents to show their full potential.

Even though the parents were of exceptional quality showing what the hatchlings should achieve, I was shocked at how many people decided not to purchase as the hatchings were not the colour they were looking for, or in the case of the Diamonds they felt they were too dark.

When it comes to any Morelia species, it is absolutly useless asking to see hatchling pics. They just don't have their adult colours. I feel it would be much better in future just to send the pics of the parents instead. That way they can see that the hatchlings are from good lines.

What do you's guys think on the subject???. I would love to hear some opinions,

[Skorpious]

If I was interested I would still like to see pictures of the hatchling (as well as the parents), just to see it looks healthy and stuff, but I wouldn't expect it to be knock-out colours. I guess you gotta put up with 'tire-kickers'.

[Simon_Archibald]

I agree with Skorpius...pics of the hatchlings are still appreciated because it shows you the actual snake you're getting. In the case of the people you're talking about Bob, it seems they're interested only in colours, whereas a lot of buyers would be interested to see that the animal is in good health (which is really only about 20% accurate from what a picture can say anyhow but you get that).

Regardless, I'd rather not have any animals I've bred going to the sort of people who don't understand the colour change. Anyone who is not aware of that obviously hasn't done thier research about the animals and probably couldn't look after it anyhow.

Simon Archibald

[hugsta]

I agree Bob, it really shits me how ppl see hatchies and expect high colours. You show the parents and they just don't get it. Some understand and some don't. As Simon said, I'd rather not sell to someone who thought they were being sold a "bad" coloured snake/lizard as to not get a bad name for myself.

As far as I am concerned if they don't like it, they don't have to buy it, but it really is a waste of my time when I could be selling to others that actually want to buy them.

[womas4me]

i send a generic picture of one hatchling and the parents only. taking pics of all hatchlings is time consuming especially for those who are just interested, not serious about buying.
It proves itself on this site. Every time you put an animal up for sale the same YOUNG members are badgering for photos to be sent to them but they have NO intention to purchase, they just want to waste your time.

[Tim]

Yeah definitely agree with what everyone has said...I just bought a couple of diamond hatchies and in my own opinion, diamond hatchies are all bloody fugly but it was the fact that the parents were of quiet nice colouring that I decided to make the purchase. It's still nice to get a picture of the hatchling though. I don't know if I'm right here, but I still look at the patterning a bit because it would generally remain the same wouldn't it? Understand it would change a bit but like the main spots/bands would just stretch out wouldn't they? (I could be very very wrong in which case I'm going to look like a moron, but it wouldn't be the first time)

Haven't had enough experience to know any better yet

[OuZo]

I don't know if I'm right here, but I still look at the patterning because it would generally remain the same wouldn't it?

not sure about with coastals etc but my diamond had nice little perfectly spaced rosettes when he was a little tacker and as he's grown some of them have merged to form a couple of bands on his back and some of the side ones have lengthened down too. and i've heard of some doing the opposite - they can separate as they get older apparently (not from personal experience so dont take that as gospel ). that's kinda why i've decided if i'm gonna buy any more diamonds i'd rather buy something maybe 2-3ish so you can see it's young adult patterning and colours better...just my personal preference tho! but i still do think hatchy diamonds are cute tim

actually a question for any diamond breeders...do you find that hatchy diamonds tend to take patterning after their parents? sorry if this is a stoopid question lol but would say 2 animals with little to no banding produce hatchies where most would also grow up to have little to no banding? or is it pot luck like two banded animals could produce something with perfectly spaced rosettes?

[Greebo]

It must be frustrating for you Bob. I
It is a regular occurance for people to post pics on here of hatchlings they have bought and ask if it is what they paid for. There was a good recent example of a couple of juvie jungles. A couple of newbies said that they didn't think that they looked like jungles ( even though they were) and the seed of doubt was sown.

[craig.a.c]

I had posted a pic of my hatchling coastal to show what its colours and markings looked like. I was just curious if it would keep the strong markings or if they would fade. I did not get to see the parents, only in pics that weren't all that great.

[soulweaver]

if i ask to see pics its not for colour its for markings, espically with diamonds. If ppl ask for pics for colour then i see your point bigguy

[hugsta]

I only ask for pics for two reasons, 1 - to see what the adults look like and if it is what I am looking for in pattern and colour etc. and 2 - to see if the hatchies look nice and healthy and alert.

Other than that, you have to wait and see what they will turn out like.

[bigguy]

Dont get me wrong. It was not many newbies who did not understand the colour changes. It was in fact mosty regular well known posters to this site. I would have thought these particular people should have know better.
Perhaps they were just tire kicking and deliberately wanted to waste my time.

[Simon_Archibald]

Originally Posted by bigguy

Perhaps they were just tire kicking and deliberately wanted to waste my time.

That sounds a bit paranoid to me. I'm sure that people don't sit at home plotting on how they can best annoy Bob Withey this week. Don't give yourself so much credit ;-)

Simon Archibald

[bigguy]

Well Simon, the way I see it there are 2 choices only. Either they were deliberately wasting my time after I stated in my add no tire kickers please, or secondly, a lot a regulars(some with nearly 1000 posts) are very misinformed about snakes and need to learn a lot more before giving so many comments on their posts. Take your pick. :wink:

[lutzd]

Well, imho, if it was me, I'd send them the pics of the parents, and include a picture of the hatchling as well. I'd add a comment that I'd included the photos of the adults so they can get an idea of the likely colours and patterns of their new snake when it matured, and perhaps explain how they change.

If you have a standard letter for this sort of thing, tyre-kickers or not, it's not a big effort to simply edit and resend the same email to all people requesting info.

At first, I agreed with most of the above comments, but on reflection, when I was a newbie, I knew very little...... and the more I learn, the more I realise I still had to learn :-) [If only I knew the little that you know, I'd know a little! I'll have to keep my little ears open, you know!]
That's the great thing about sites like this - you are always learning. It's an on-going process.

To have that sort of thing explained in the email would be greatly appreciated, I reckon. And if you keep the original email as a template for future ones, there's very little effort involved in resending it.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth [who said, "Very little!???!?"]