It's all in the colour

[Waterrat]

There are 3 threads on ball python x this and that, people wanting exotics, jags, etc, etc..

Is the colour of the snake all that people admire? If it is, that's pretty sad and demonstrates the shallow interest in reptiles. "colourful pets" - is that all?

I apologise for the negativity in this post but it's almost painful to read "I wont one", whenever a photo of some screwed up hybrid appears on here - like kids in a lolly shop.

 

[Owzi]

Couldn't agree more Michael!
I do not get the interest at all.
I recently got myself some Rough Scaled Pythons, they have fascinated me since I first read Weigels article in Herpetofauna on his trials & tribulations of getting the first live photo of one. Being only described in 81 and their unusual adaptations like keeled scales, forward facing eyes, longer than average teeth, ability to change color, etc. just fascinate me.
I rekin to most of these ball python X JAG lovers, a RSP would be a boring brown snake.

Andrew

 

[Torah]

I love all animals , well maybe not so much cockroaches but aside that , love em all ! I would prefer a placid , easy snake over anything weather it be colour or breed or something else . But I do think jags , exotics etc are beautiful too.... Guess what Im saying is regardless of colour etc if it isnt a gentle/placid snake Im not interested .... So I go for temperament , thats just me but ..... And definately wouldnt pay $3500 for one .......

 

[cadwallader]

couldn't agree more my first spotted show very little colour and can be snappy but he is properly still my favourite over my super calm blondes anyday

 

[ThatTyeGuy]

i dont know if its just because of the colour....its because its something differnt. if we all lived in the states most of us would be saying how awesome it would be to have aussie snakes(that arent already over there).
personally i dont see a point in wanting to buy something that i didnt find beautiful to look at aswell.
not everyone buys snakes just to breed and sell...but to chill out in a room and watch the animals out of pure fascination.

 

[dickyknee]

I like ball pythons , the colours are great , but for me its more the size and the way they curl into a ball and not all the flavours they come in , I would be very happy to keep a plain brown one or a bright yellow one ....

Owzi , I agree , my RSP is one of my favourite snakes , 2 shades of brown is not always a bad thing.

 

[cactus2u]

I must say that my admiration towards your prime kept species 1st started as a colour thing Waterrat.Stunning the green is & having the colour change as well makes them particularly interesting. Now having just got Slim6y's Coastals after him returning to my/his motherland I am enjoying the colour & patterning of them as opposed to my Olives.Such contrast altho my Olives are stunning in their own right Especially just after shedding. But thats as far as it goes no intention of wanting an exotic There are so many native Aussie snakes that are breathtakingly beautiful & should be left that way

 

[Waterrat]

I know, it's not only the colour, the "collector's mentality" has a lot to do with it too. Each to heir own but I wouldn't see any value in "chilling out", watching some hybrid cruising around in a cage. The snake's behaviour can't be natural because the snake is not natural. For me, that's the beginning of the end. Don't get me wrong, I like colourful snakes but there has to be more to it than just that.

 

[mje772003]

I like the Iradesence of a water python

 

[sookie]

Truly i am a little insulted by your comment micheal,i 'want' a lot of things as most pple do.I have my jungle,bredlis,woma,childrenis and my beardies,and al were chosen by attitude and handling not by looks....who wants a beautiful biting machine that they can"t touch without pain?especially being a bit of a noob.

 

[CrystalMoon]

I am a very visual person, I admit freely that mine eyes go straight to pretty, glittery, shiny baubles and doodads......However where it comes to animals I tend to get the beauty of the animal/reptile from it's "whole"being. I am inexperienced with the keeping and handling of reptiles, and have done copius amounts of reading. I have the impression from said reading, that one of the snakes passed over because of it's "plain"looks is the Olive Python? I found this curious as I really love the look of them, and will definately be adding one to my collection(I am actually thinking of one as mine first snake)
I spose at the end of the day it gets down to personal choice and what floats an individuals boat
I love to look at exotics(pictures etc)but am very happy to have the privilege of keeping natives
Good point Waterrat

 

[Owzi]

who wants a beautiful biting machine that they can"t touch without pain?

Me

They don't always have to be "pets". Its just as rewarding setting up a landscaped natural looking enclosure & observing your animal go about its day to day life. Even very agressive animals can be managed well, but most calm down with routine anyway.

 

[kupper]

I'm insulted by the caliber of some people's Smarts on a daily basis sookie but that's just me

To me color is my poison , variation grabs me by the proverbials
But there is also nothing better than a knobtail in threat display or a knobtail communicating with the animal next door with it's tail signals

I recently got 7 greens for display purposes but I would be lieing if I said I did sit there in owe when I first seen one drink from it's coils and then lick it's lips , was gobsmacked !!!!

 

[Waterrat]

Insulted sookie? Why? You are a pet person, not a herpetologist, so be it, no one is insulting you. For most of my life I used to keep elapids, should I be insulted by your preferences?

 

[longqi]

That is probably my biggest peeve at the moment

Over here I can buy any reptile from anywhere on earth including jags rattlesnakes anacondas mambas etc
yet what do we have?
Chondros, a few normal and albino burmese and several retics and other local reptiles
The only exotic is a baby albino corn we bought for a customer who hasnt picked it up yet
and a Sulcata tortoise that simply blew me away when I saw it

The most beautiful jungle Ive ever seen is hopefully still slithering around near Tully
same goes for lots of Aussie species
As soon as Exotic or x breed is mentioned some seem to forget everything they first enjoyed about reptiles and demand to have it
Ball pythons have great colours but dont even really look like snakes
Much like the one we call Dipong here [python curtus I think]

Crossbreeding is a pretty nasty practise most of the time

As an example a pair of similar snakes put together for the first time will very occasionally fight resulting in damage to one or both and you accept that risk as you do with breeding any animal
But when they try cross breeding the fights are much more common and damaging
I have a friend who is right into crossing retics and burmese and every year he loses one or two absolutely magnificent adults
The majority of hatchlings take after either the father or the mother
Usually only about 30% take on the jag look
So what happens to the rest

 

[Cockney_Red]

Just dont get the fascination with something thats not natural, other than my pet Liger... Silicone implants are pretty to look at, but I only keep the natural....

 

[sara_sabian]

I get the most joy from my snakes when I sit in the dark in the herp room at night watching them do their thing. I appreciate a good looking snake, because I marvel at its evolution - a hybrid holds little value for me. It's probably my own prejudice but they seem so artificial, less real if that makes sense.

 

[KaotikJezta]

Truly i am a little insulted by your comment micheal,i 'want' a lot of things as most pple do.I have my jungle,bredlis,woma,childrenis and my beardies,and al were chosen by attitude and handling not by looks....who wants a beautiful biting machine that they can"t touch without pain?especially being a bit of a noob.

I have 3 beautiful biting machines, 2 spotted pythons and a water dragon, but they are all beautiful and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Sometimes it's nice to have something you don't handle as much as it is having something you do.

 

[Southside Morelia]

I see your point M with the newer herp keepers these days only wanting the latest creations because of their aesthetic look...although as an experienced keeper, I also like the look of the new jags and morphs....having said that I will always keep pure lines in a natural looking enclosure as they should be!!

What I plan to do with the jags is display them in a "unatural" display to show off their amazing colours/patterns through correct coloured background and lighting.

This is my personal way to enjoy the hobby as it progresses and keeping the different paths of the hobby separate as they should be. JMO Still nothing better than a pure python cruising around in an enclosure that mimics its natural habitat..... But also looking forward to the jag set up as well!

 

[Waterrat]

I wonder how many people here aspire to or would like to land a job with reptiles in a Zoo. How many of those who would like that are capable of setting up displays that would emphasize interesting aspects of particular species? How many of them know anything about the animal's natural history? Isn't all that interesting and fascinating? That's what I meant about shallow v in-depth interest in reptile keeping.
Someone asked me would I like to own a Ball python. No, I would much prefer half a dozen Aussie geckos, watch their interactions, go to places where they naturally occur and learn about their habitat. I couldn't do that with a Ball python.