Issue of heritage?

[Jay]

Even before I had my first snake, Id planned on one day breeding at least one species of python. Not for profit, but because inevitably my pet would die, and I would have another snake that it had left in its place, and Id be helping to keep the species alive (especially how the environment in general is becoming ). Unfortunately Ive discovered that without having wild caught specimens (which mine are certainly not) it would be impossible to say without a doubt "this is a pure bred......". How do the rest of you manage to breed them without knowing 100%? Just something Ive been struggling with lately.

Jay

 

[Jarvis78]

most people don't really know if their snake is pure bred or not.

 

[NCHERPS]

I think it is a very emotive and sensitive topic for many people .

Scale counts usually reveal irregularities within the species if crossed.

I agree that many people probably have crossed locality animals within the same subspecies, ie. coastals from up and down the east coast of QLD and NSW, but they are still 'McDowelli' which ever way you look at it.

The trouble comes in when someone crosses a snake with another and it doesn't outwardly look to different to 'Joe blogg's', who then buys and breeds, this can snowball and lead to alot of false mis-representation, but usually because they are selling the offspring as what they got sold theirs as.
I got offered some striped Bredli a few month's ago, but they just didn't look right, they were sold by a breeder in VIC as 1.2 Bredli two years ago, but they have been crossed for sure, and they were all males to. I can't stand people that sucker in inexperienced people new to the game, they are the lowest of the low.

If someone wants to breed two different species then they should always sell them as what they are.
their will I am sure be plenty of new crosses and morphs developed in the next 5-10 years with the arrival of the albino's and they will be unmistakable in the main, and may lead to a whole host of usual lookig snakes never before seen in any other country before. That side of cross breeding is quite exciting, but I am sure they will be represented properly as to there true genetic properties, as they will be valuable animals.

Neil

 

[Jarvis78]

well said NCHERPS
I agree 100% that if you are going to cross breed snakes, (which I beleive can't cause much harm in our capitve population) at least be honest about.

 

[Jay]

I'd never flat out breed say whats definately a centralian with a diamond etc, but my 'jungle' (bought from shane strong, aka Gates of Eden) has such a beutiful pattern that looks so unique. I was told to put it down as 'carpet/diamond complex' as he said he wasnt 100% sure about what it was.
Basically whatever carpets I end up breeding Id sell at $100-$200 as just 'Unspecific Carpet Python'. lol

Jay

 

[BROWNS]

Yep well said NC!!

Look around and you will certainly find locality specific bred pythons of most species and sub species.Some do advertise locality animals which aren't so ask around and get a few informed opinions.

For quality locality bred animals look no further than www.southernxreptiles.com,you can't go wrong there!!

 

[dobermanmick]

I totally agree Neil !

 

[herptrader]

Even before I had my first snake, Id planned on one day breeding at least one species of python. Not for profit, but because inevitably my pet would die, and I would have another snake that it had left in its place, and Id be helping to keep the species alive (especially how the environment in general is becoming ). Unfortunately Ive discovered that without having wild caught specimens (which mine are certainly not) it would be impossible to say without a doubt "this is a pure bred......". How do the rest of you manage to breed them without knowing 100%? Just something Ive been struggling with lately.

Jay

You may be interested in some of the snakes that are becoming available from WA. They have been collected from the wild under strict permit conditions (A sensitive issue that is regularly done to death so lets please skip it for this thread.) Part of these conditions is the recording of the exact collection location using GPS. With this sort of information you can be pretty sure of their heritage.

These show up regularly on the Herp Trader.