New from St Kilda

[Ben_StKilda]

So after many years I have finally decided to own a snake finally. My interest began when I was a kid growing up in QLD and a primary school teacher of mine use to come to class with a carpet snake draped over her shoulders (she set up a tank in the classroom for it to stay when in school).

I live in an apartment in St Kilda and have pretty much settled on a small python such as a stimson or children python due mainly to space and I figure for a first timer the easiest to handle (?)

I've ordered a few books including Keeping and Breeding Australian Pythons edited by Mike Swan and applied for a license.

Can anyone recommend a reliable breeder or store in Melbourne/Victoria for me to go to?

 

[Imported_tuatara]

in march there's a reptile expo, tho i guess that is a few months away.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Hello mate, are you close by Amazing Amazon??
https://www.amazingamazon.com.au/reptiles-melbourne-victoria-australia-for-sale/pythons-snakes.html

They are a major Sponsor of AFT and we have been dealing with them for many years, supplied them with hatchling turtles, etc. Paul is a great guy and would look after you.

 

[Imported_tuatara]

forgot about them! they're awesome too.

 

[Smittiferous]

Buy from a reputable breeder, not a store. You’ll get a better quality animal, for less, with much less risk of mites or other contagions.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Buy from a reputable breeder, not a store. You’ll get a better quality animal, for less, with much less risk of mites or other contagions.

AFT are the most reputable breeders of turtles in Australia and we sold plenty to Amazing Amazon... They aren't your run of the mill pet store. I'm sure their snakes would be sourced from the same quality of people.

 

[Smittiferous]

AFT are the most reputable breeders of turtles in Australia and we sold plenty to Amazing Amazon... They aren't your run of the mill pet store. I'm sure their snakes would be sourced from the same quality of people.

I’m standing by my statement, unfortunately from a great degree of negative experience with multiple livestock purchases from “reputable” stores in Melbourne.

 

[pinefamily]

Welcome to the forum.
I second the breeder option. Cheaper, quality animal (from the right breeder of course), and advice and help. Nothing against Amazing Amazon, but they are a business. I've only ever known one reptile business more interested in the care of the reptile than selling you unnecessary stuff.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

I’m standing by my statement, unfortunately from a great degree of negative experience with multiple livestock purchases from “reputable” stores in Melbourne.

That's totally fine, the same can be said for "reputable breeders" too we had a girl yesterday contact us with some concerns about a new hatchling she'd just acquired from a "reputable breeder" in Sydney.. She'd contacted the breeder asking for some after sales advice to which he responded bluntly "we don't do refunds." She wasn't even wanting to return the animal or asking for a refund, just some feeding advice... Unfortunately There's good and bad with both options...

 

[Ben_StKilda]

Hello mate, are you close by Amazing Amazon??
https://www.amazingamazon.com.au/reptiles-melbourne-victoria-australia-for-sale/pythons-snakes.html

They are a major Sponsor of AFT and we have been dealing with them for many years, supplied them with hatchling turtles, etc. Paul is a great guy and would look after you.

Hey thanks Yep they're actually quite close. I'll check them out.

I totally get the "pet store" issue and I am dubious of them as well, although I don't think there are many puppy/kitten selling pet stores around much nowadays who also sell snakes. Even so I'd avoid those.

 

[Scutellatus]

It isn't so much a matter of what animals they sell but more so what conditions the animals are kept in by the store before being sold.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Doesn't hurt to look mate, ask questions, ask the knowledgeable people here first and trust their advice, check the snakes out at Amazing Amazon and if you have any concerns, ask questions here before purchasing anything, you don't have to commit to anything. Plenty of people will tell you they've had a bad experience, and will advise against pet stores, period... Hell, I've got a mate who bought a dodgy second hand Holden commodore 25 years ago and refuses outright still to this day to ever own another Holden in his life ever, even brand new from a dealership. LOL
Gotta remember all the positive stories that come from people too who I guess the naysayers will say "got lucky" with snakes from pet store purchases... I'm one of them, both my pythons came from a pet store. LOL Basically, you can't paint every store or breeder with the same brush. They're not all good and they're not all bad. There's a wee bit of luck involved too.

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

Not many people are breeding non morph Childrens pythons around Vic, (well not that I know of) Most of the focus has moved onto Marbles and T+. Depending on your budget there is a stunning Marble male for sale right now from one of the most reputable breeders at a great price.

There are a couple of other breeders I know of so if you struggle to find what you want let me know and I might be able to help.

 

[Ben_StKilda]

Not many people are breeding non morph Childrens pythons around Vic, (well not that I know of) Most of the focus has moved onto Marbles and T+. Depending on your budget there is a stunning Marble male for sale right now from one of the most reputable breeders at a great price.

There are a couple of other breeders I know of so if you struggle to find what you want let me know and I might be able to help.

Thanks I'll keep that in mind. Just waiting on my license

 

[pinefamily]

My beef with reptile stores/shops isn't the quality of the reptiles, or how they are kept, but their insistence on selling over-priced, and sometimes unnecessary accessories to new keepers. I think the days of poorly kept animals are almost a thing of the past. Hopefully.

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

My beef with reptile stores/shops isn't the quality of the reptiles, or how they are kept, but their insistence on selling over-priced, and sometimes unnecessary accessories to new keepers. I think the days of poorly kept animals are almost a thing of the past. Hopefully.

Agreed. I sort of understand them being a little more expensive with their overheads but sometimes they are double the price of dealing with breeders. (And often the animals they sell came from a breeder at a discount price.
Try selling an animal to a pet shop and they will offer you a price less than 30% of its value then put it for sale at double the going price. (On top of that they feed them VERY sparingly so no real overheads associated.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

My beef with reptile stores/shops isn't the quality of the reptiles, or how they are kept, but their insistence on selling over-priced, and sometimes unnecessary accessories to new keepers.

I've never had that problem anywhere. I guess some people are easy marks though and a pushover.. Some people could be talked into buying a $400 kettle because it boils water hotter than a $35 one.

 

[Yellowtail]

Agreed. I sort of understand them being a little more expensive with their overheads but sometimes they are double the price of dealing with breeders. (And often the animals they sell came from a breeder at a discount price.
Try selling an animal to a pet shop and they will offer you a price less than 30% of its value then put it for sale at double the going price. (On top of that they feed them VERY sparingly so no real overheads associated.

My main concern with pet shops is they are motivated by profit margins and some appear to be purchasing whole clutches at distressed prices from dubious sources rather than reputable breeders without regard to the potential to spread virus's.
If I acquired any of these suspect hatchlings (I have been offered but always refused) they would have to be quarantined for at least a year before I would think about selling them or putting them anywhere near my collection, pet shops sell them immediately.
Some shops also seem happy to sell potentially aggressive species like Jungles to beginners because they can buy them cheap and they look pretty as hatchlings.
The same shops will sell a Macaw or Black Cockatoo to people who have no knowledge of how to care for birds, just think it will be a decoration for their patio. I have a beautiful male hand raised Red Tail that I rescued from such a situation, the owner paid $5,500 for a bird that breeders sell for $1500.

 

[Tyloop]

The problem with buying from breeders rather than a pet shop is that breeders often sell their animals within groups whereas someone new to the hobby may not be able to find the animal that they're after and even if they do they do not know who is reputable anyways.

I have bought animals from amazing amazon in the past and they offer pretty good advice, they will help you out after you take it home and I didn't have any issues with health. It may cost more - they are a business after all so they may sell you 'extra stuff', however, this was a better experience than I have had buying from some breeders with ****ty attitudes.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

There's a few breeders of turtles in NSW that I shall not publicly name and flame that blantanty refuse to sell their hatchlings unless you buy 2 or more... basically they won't let you buy just 1 which is outrageous and nothing more than a cash grab and a way for these people to turn over their offspriing quickly. Anyone who knows anything about keeping turtles knows you should never keep 2 together (much like snakes). So many people come to us after pretty much being forced to buy 2 turtles asking us how to stop them fighting... the only way to stop them is to permanently separate them... So many newcomers to turtle keepng learn that lesson the hard way. I totally get there's a little inflation and risk associated with pet stores and reptiles but no more than birds and any other pets, fish, mice, whatever.