ELAPIDS and Pythond question

[ashley_morris22]

just a quik question

why are elapids so cheap compared to pythons?
i was looking at URS and got to thinking.
so is it a supple and demand thing
or there not so popular compared to pythons
or do they breed easy?

sorry to bother you all but i just wanted to know?

Thanks
ashley

 

[Sdaji]

Generally, it's that most people are in love with pythons, disinterested in colubrids and scared of elapids. As well as being non venomous (even non venomous colubrids get people scared because some colubrids are mildly venomous :roll: ) pythons are lower maintenance than the others. Prices fluctuate though. I remember in the late 90's there were people giving away adders and other elapids (often with difficulty) which would now fetch a reasonable price, while most of the pythons were more expensive than they are now. People still give away baby elapids at times, especially tigers, but some of them are definately more popular now, especially the adders. Maybe interest in elapids will continue to grow, let's hope!

 

[ashley_morris22]

thanks heaps sdaji

 

[Sdaji]

You're most welcome, Ashley.

 

[Greebo]

You hit the nail right between the eyes the first time. It is a supply and demand thing. There are a lot less people with the correct licenses to keep venemous snakes. There are special requirements to keeping them including experience.
I used to keep RBBs in my yonger days and they are very easy to breed. I had no idea what I was doing and still managed to breed them. You still see them for sale for as low as $20 even now.
A friend of mine has been trying to get a pair of Mulgas for some time and is now considering paying $500 for a pair.
It's all about supply and demand. Which is why a lot of python prices are beginning to come down as well.

 

[AGAMIDAE]

Hostpital cost.....and the time difference between being bitten by a hottie (vems) than a python

 

[moosenoose]

why are elapids so cheap compared to pythons?

Venom! :lol: :wink:

 

[ozherpconservation]

Yeah, there's not much demand for elapids, most people don't have the correct licence and don't want to take the risk of being bitten. Last year I had heaps of neonate Red bellies and adders available and I coudn't get rid of them. I tried selling the red bellies for $40 each and the adders for $80. The adders sold eventually but I had to give all the red bellies away, and even that wasn't easy. I don't intend to breed elapids anymore for that reason, well, except for the Mulga's, my favourites!

Daniel

 

[Ricko]

as everyone else said supply and demand as i was talking to roy pails a couple of weeks ago about breeding coastal taipans, and he said he used to give the hatchy's away and found even that hard but if he could breed them now he would get $300-$400 a hatchy, but alas his male is over the hill at the ripe old age of 21.

 

[ackie]

yeh, its just a higher demand for pythons coz most people more or less fear elapids.

ps-Sdaji, all colubrids are venomous with the exception of the genus elaphe but dont occur in australia.

 

[Guest]

When i get my relevant licence, you can all sell to me!!! Im hanging out to get some adders and a RBB!!!

 

[Greebo]

all colubrids are venomous

Even Green Tree Snakes?

 

[Fuscus]

http://www.venomdoc.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=683&sid=5977795428660e60f8994d36175d5d25

 

[ackie]

yes, all australian colubrids are now classed as venomous. Dr Fry has written up papers on them www.venomdoc.com

green tree snakes actually have large venom glands but their delivery system is fairly poor. A lot of the "non-venomous" colubrids actually have venom that is drop for drop as potent as viper and elapid venoms.
This means that green tree snakes, slatey-greys, keelbacks ect. are all venomous snakes. But i wouldnt get worried coz they have never killed anyone or even created real symtoms...as far as we know.

 

[Tommo]

yes, all australian colubrids are now classed as venomous. Dr Fry has written up papers on them www.venomdoc.com

green tree snakes actually have large venom glands but their delivery system is fairly poor. A lot of the "non-venomous" colubrids actually have venom that is drop for drop as potent as viper and elapid venoms.
This means that green tree snakes, slatey-greys, keelbacks ect. are all venomous snakes. But i wouldnt get worried coz they have never killed anyone or even created real symtoms...as far as we know.

dr fry is actually coming to darwin in afew days to collect some colubrid venom and DNA sample (guess whos going to :twisted: ).

back on topic the only reason elapids are so cheap is becasue not to many people want them. also there arnt to many specialist breeders in oz making the colours look beter(from what i know anyway).

i personally hope that the prices do go up, elapids would be worth the money

 

[ackie]

y do u want the money to go up? Even tho they r worth the money it just means that u r gonna pay more. lol smart thinkin tommo

 

[Sdaji]

ps-Sdaji, all colubrids are venomous with the exception of the genus elaphe but dont occur in australia.

I was wondering if anyone would say that. According to the strictest definition of venomous, all snakes are venomous, including pythons, in fact, all mammals are also venomous, including humans (perhaps with the exection of whales). In the same way that in general terms I do not consider humans, rabbits, skinks or pythons venomous, I do not consider things like common tree snakes and keelbacks venomous.

In any case, it's mostlyan argument over the definition of a word, rather than the affects of a "non venomous" colubid bite, ie, we all know a bite from one isn't going to do anything to you.

 

[BROWNS]

I do not consider things like common tree snakes and keelbacks venomous.

Not arguing the point,but,if these have been found to have venom glands i would've thought that they would then be classed as venomous wether a bite will harm you or not.

 

[Sdaji]

Not arguing the point,but,if these have been found to have venom glands i would've thought that they would then be classed as venomous wether a bite will harm you or not.

A venom gland is a salivary gland. Venom is saliva. Venom contains enzymes which damage biological tissues. I posess salivary glands which produce enzymes which destroy biological tissues. I am capable of biting you, breaking your skin with my teeth and putting a small amount of my saliva into your body, which will digest some of your bodily tissues.
Am I venomous? I would say no.

The exact point at which something is called "venomous" is grey, but I choose to draw the line on the other size of these snakes. I also find it hard to call them venomous when their main food is frogs (so presumably their venom would affect frogs, if anything) and you can get a keelback or common tree snake to regurgitate a live frog. Anyone who is familiar with watching these snakes feed will tell you that you can see the frogs or fish kicking around in the snake's belly for a while after it's been swallowed, so clearly this "venom" isn't doing much.
Others may disagree and that's fine, there's a heap of stuff in this world which we don't agree on.

 

[BROWNS]

cool,thanks for the explanation sdaji