Hello From Ireland

[MarkJD]

Howdy All,

New to the forum so just wanted to pop in and say hello.

My name is Mark from Dublin, Ireland and i have been keeping reptiles since i was 13 im now 24. Took some breaks inbetween throughout the years but the hobby has always called me back. I started with leopard geckos (original male is still alive and well with family), did the whole breeding thing with them, then moved onto some other lizards like chameleons, water dragons, agamas & bearded dragons and then started to venture into snakes and i have to say that is where my passion luys.

Im currently keeping a male purple albino reticulated python and a male blackheaded python. I have recently decided that my passion is with the blackheaded pythons and will be selling on my male retic soon as I have two female bhp's enroute to me and they should be here within two weeks.

Currently involved with The HSI (The Herpetological Society of Ireland) as the Editor. Can check out details of the society if you want on www.thehsi.org. We always welcome worldwide members

Iv some good experience but i dont always trust myself and always like to double check things so you will probably find me asking silly and novice questions.

Anyways Nice to be here especially as i move forward with the BHP's im sure i will have lots and lots of questions.

 

[grannieannie]

Welcome Mark.....but I'll only accept you if you write with an Irish accent......LOL !!! Tell us about licences...if any....you need over there, and what type of snakes you're allowed to have. Also prices....I'd love to compare them with here. I only have one snake, a 3 yr old Stimsons Python named Barrie, he's gorgeous, a very gentle nature.

Once again, welcome and I hope you enjoy yourself here.... Annie

 

[Smithers]

Welcome mate

 

[MarkJD]

Welcome Mark.....but I'll only accept you if you write with an Irish accent......LOL !!! Tell us about licences...if any....you need over there, and what type of snakes you're allowed to have. Also prices....I'd love to compare them with here. I only have one snake, a 3 yr old Stimsons Python named Barrie, he's gorgeous, a very gentle nature.

Once again, welcome and I hope you enjoy yourself here.... Annie

Hi Annie,

Thanks for the warm welcome. Well lets start with licenses. Currently in the Republic of Ireland there are no Dangerous animal licences currently required by law. So what that means is basically people can keep what they want. With the growth in the hobby over the last 10+ years there is alot more dangerous stuff being kept over here and moved about freely.

There is alot of responsible keepers but there also those not so responsible and in it for a quick buck. Im not sure if you know the geographical layout of Ireland but up north there are some counties part of the UK, and as such they have a DWA (Dangerous Wild Animals) License in place which i think the majoriy of Irish keepers would be in favour of once it was rolled out properly and without any bias towards particular species.

Prices have dropped alot in the last 2 years and i guess they are really dictated by UK / EU prices. Most of the rarer stuff is being sourced from Hamm & Houten in Europe so its really the prices at the shows. It also depends who you are and how well you know people.

For example the BHP male i have cost €1000 under a year ago but i could now pick up a male in the UK for £500 / £600, that is if your lucky enough to get in there fast. They are in short supply. Im not aware of any other BHP keepers in Ireland and im hoping to be one of the first if not the first to produce some CB Irish babies later in the year or next year but prices are constantly dropping. Im not interested in the money i really just want to suceed with a species that iv read to be notoriously hard to breed / hatch and get the juviniles eating.

Sorry for the long post, anything else you want to know let me know. Id love to see some pictures of your snake.

Welcome mate

Thanks, good to be here.

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

Hi Mark, does Ben still own reptile haven on the Liffey? Did you ever go to a shop called kinsealy pets? Does it still exist?

 

[nico77]

Nice to meet you mark , i look forward to seeing some more pics of your snakes , i love the pics of your reticulated python

cheers nico

 

[chewbacca]

G'day mate welcome to the site i hope you enjoy being a part of the community. I'd love to see your BHP's when you get your hands on them! I currently own a centralian carpet also known as bredli as you most likely already know haha she's 2 1/2 years old and going great

 

[MarkJD]

Thanks for the welcome!

Thats a beautiful Bredli you have, they are truly stunning snakes. Yours has some amazing markings and colours especially near the tail tip. You planning on breeding her?

 

[chewbacca]

Thanks for the welcome!

Thats a beautiful Bredli you have, they are truly stunning snakes. Yours has some amazing markings and colours especially near the tail tip. You planning on breeding her?

I'd love to breed her but I've got alot more to learn, but if I could find a local breeder I'd be more then happy to haha, she was very very pale the first 12 months after hatching since then her colors have been getting brighter and stronger

 

[louise77]

Welcome Mark!

Not too sure St Pat would be all pleased with you bringing and breeding snakes back into Ireland LOL

I was born in Northern Ireland - grew up here in Oz (all of my extended family is still back there though).

I just started with this forum as I just got my first little Stimson python in November and I've got some great advice on here. Just met my first BHP last week too (there was a reptile display on at the local shops) all the local kids on school holidays loved him!

Loved those pictures of your Albino Reticulated Python - WOW! I appreciate those ones and their colours - but fear they could probably eat me if so desired!

I'm sure you'll get heaps of help and advice on here

Cheers,

Louise

 

[AllThingsReptile]

welcome mate, this is definately a great site if your looking for advice on aussie reptiles

 

[grannieannie]

Just tried to reply to you, but think I stuffed it up, so I'll try again....silly me !!! Anyway, what I wanted to say was, thanks for your great reply to my post. I'm afraid I'm not very good with computers and don't know how to upload pics, but my Barrie is just your ordinary garden variety Stimmie, probably fully grown now at about a metre long. Very placid nature. With Ireland being a....snake free country....I guess any snake over there is considered....exotic !! Which species is the most popular. I know you said you like BHPs....a bit big for me. I don't know much about Ireland except that everyone says it's a magnificent country and I know several people who have been on visit there. My Irish ancestors came to Australia from County Cork in about 1854....name of Mahony....that was on my fathers side. Don't know how they pronounce the name there, but my family pronounce the name...... mar ney ....!!! They were all strict Catholics in those days, but I think that's gone by the way a bit here now days. Only one of my brothers still is....don't know about cousins etc. Still we're talking about snakes here, not ancestors. Is it easier for you to get hatchies or fully grown snakes ?? Are you allowed to keep ven snakes too, or just non vens ???

Cheers, Annie