Oenpelli Python may be on the market in our life times

[solar 17]

haha.. Is'nt that the truth.
I agree Waterrat . Will keep those with spare cash getting one just to say I've got a snake that reportedly gets bigger than an Olive
Somethings should stay off limits

l disagree totally on two points.. 1/ its points of view like this that has given us "no" tassie tigers and what about those with a deep passion for breeding reptiles or are they all going to be put in the money hungry breeders bin.....its people like snake ranch who have given us all a chance to look at the RSP and if they make a buck on the side..good on them
these faceless internet critics that have been in reptiles five minutes give me a rash with anybody that makes a few dollars out of reptiles if you listen to them the only ones that can make money out of reptiles are the chinese who are flooding the market with reptile accessories.....solar 17 [Baden]

 

[Waterrat]

The point is, this species is not another carpet or a scrubby. I know first hand from Peter what length he had to go to just to keep them feeding. Despite all efforts in NT, apart from Peter no one has bred them. For this reason alone, they should be in the hands of keepers who 1/ have a lot of experience, 2/ can provide 1st class facility (i.e. $$$) and 3/ who can invest the time and devotion such project would require.
I don't believe the NT gov will allow more than two or three pairs to be taken from the wild and the document already stated that breeders will not be exported from NT. From my own experience of 40 + years, I can say with confidence that species do best in captivity when housed within their natural distribution range - it's hard to improve on mother nature, hence I hope they will stay in NT until there is a sufficient stock bred up for dispersal. A deep passion for breeding reptiles is not enough in this case. Just like John took a full responsibility for his RSP project, so must this project be undertaken ..... think about "conservation breeding", not what it's going to bring to the hobby.
Turn the flame-throwers on now, I am ready.

 

[-Katana-]

The point is, this species is not another carpet or a scrubby. I know first hand from Peter what length he had to go to just to keep them feeding. Despite all efforts in NT, apart from Peter no one has bred them. For this reason alone, they should be in the hands of keepers who 1/ have a lot of experience, 2/ can provide 1st class facility (i.e. $$$) and 3/ who can invest the time and devotion such project would require.
I don't believe the NT gov will allow more than two or three pairs to be taken from the wild and the document already stated that breeders will not be exported from NT. From my own experience of 40 + years, I can say with confidence that species do best in captivity when housed within their natural distribution range - it's hard to improve on mother nature, hence I hope they will stay in NT until there is a sufficient stock bred up for dispersal. A deep passion for breeding reptiles is not enough in this case. Just like John took a full responsibility for his RSP project, so must this project be undertaken ..... think about "conservation breeding", not what it's going to bring to the hobby.
Turn the flame-throwers on now, I am ready.

Gods you're game!
By my watch it isn't Shiraz O'clock yet...teensy bit early for a pre-war bracer.:lol:

 

[DanN]

Well said Michael.

 

[longqi]

In the future Conservation breeding will eventually become a very necessary and common practice with many more than just Oenpellis I think
While I totally agree with Micheals words regarding these I dont think the feeding problems with these will continue past CB3
They are very similar in looks to another python smaller python from Timor that had similar problems with the wild caught adults and CB1 hatchies

 

[Waterrat]

I agree, the feeding should not be a big problem to overcome. Actually, the location may have been the course of the various problems; Peter kept them in a very wet, upland environment on the Atherton Tableland, very, very different to the Oenpelli country climate. That supports my opinion that they should be (initially) kept and bred as close to their natural habitat as possible.

 

[FusionMorelia]

their not exactly,hmmm how can i put this....
there pretty ugly..... they look like they have had serious acne scarring lol
but on topic, im with waterrat with this, dont rush it let the pro herpers have a good 10yrs+
with them b4 selling any hatchies off.

 

[longqi]

One point about these is important too
Most will agree that they will have a limited but reasonable market so breeding for eventual hobbyists is very good news
How many are there slithering around Arnhem Land now??
Although cited as vulnerable there are plenty of reports from fairly sources about their continued presence in the less accessible areas?
They do seem to have virtually vanished from the open plains areas though
Has a study/head count etc been done recently??

 

[Waterrat]

Their population density is unknown, nothing is known about their reproductive biology (e.g. do they breed every year?) and nothing is known about their ecology.
John Woinarski published paper on the drastic decrease of small mammals in the areas also inhabited by OPs. That rings alarm bells because these small mammals are most probably substantial part of the OP's diet. Add the cane toads and the picture of the whole ecosystem looks pretty grim.

 

[FusionMorelia]

dont they take 10yrs to reach breeding age?

 

[Waterrat]

dont they take 10yrs to reach breeding age?

Who said? Reference please.

 

[FusionMorelia]

read it on another forum(dont want o link it here pm me if u want it)

apparently it take them 10 years to reach maturity

i didnt know if its true thats why i asked here

 

[Waterrat]

The truth is, no one knows the truth but it's very unlikely. None of the other Aussie pythons take that long, why should this species?
Forums are not a good point of reference .... as we can see.

 

[FusionMorelia]

i know Peter Krauss has kept them but apart from that all i go off is a bit of info here and a bit there and asking questions
and trying to establish whats true and whats "the thought is" info
also it says 1st signs of sexual maturity documented in 83 the animal was 10yrs old at that time and female (p krauss, keeping n breeding aussie pythons)

 

[Waterrat]

I will ask Peter but I am almost certain that he meant "first signs of sexual activity". G. Gow had a pair of native GTPs that never reproduced. Does it meat they were sexually immature?

 

[FusionMorelia]

mate im just saying what it says, i was told to get this book its the python bible, im not making any personal judgments here im just trying to clarify this info, i just quoted it from the book,i wouldn't have the foggiest idea if their immature ,frigid ,homosexual or just lazy thats why i said,"apparently"its 10yrs just wondered if this observation has changed or as you say worded wrong....
either way their rare and unusual,
personally im not really fussed on them but then again i haven't seen many pics, let alone one in person
so i cant say for sure if i even like them or not i just hope the right people get them 1st
and we see some serious study on them b4 anyone even thinks about what hatchies are worth

 

[No-two]

People were thinking about what hatchies would be worth before they even tried to get permission to collect them.

 

[Waterrat]

People were thinking about what hatchies would be worth before they even tried to get permission to collect them.

You are right. People within the hobby but not the people applying for the permits. At the end of the day, the price of the hatchies will be a very important factor, considering the royalties payable to the indigenous mob, the NT gov and who knows who else will stick their hand out when the smell of the $ start to linger.

 

[GeckPhotographer]

I have talked with Gavin Bedford a few years ago at that time he certainly was of the intention to bring them into captivity, I think he is the most likely to do it.

 

[snakeluvver]

I think Oenpellis are pretty cool, good size and I like the thought of a massive childreni