Would you like to keep an Oenpelli python?

[saintanger]

Can you tell me where you could purchase them 10 years ago and how you know they were 15k?

They were only released to the public in 2005 or 2006 from what I remember.

Roughies are similar to how these will be. They're not the prettiest eye catching snake and were never going to sustain the price they were set at in the beginning as the price is in the rarity. The albinos were selling at 5k for a few years.

Albino olives will probably remain above a few k for some years to come as their harder to breed and the market isn't flooded like with carpets. They still fetch 3.5-4k each.

this thread proves they were being breed 10 years ago
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/australian-snakes-37/albino-carpet-pythons-21098/

also the bloke i bought my albino off said he has been breeding them for 9 years and that his first clutch he sold for 15k each.

now if you need to know any more PM me so this thread gets back on track. thanks

 

[sniffmylizard]

How much where a pair of RSP's a few years ago?????
How much are they now?

Gavin has sunk a lot of his own money into this project and has spent more than 1300 hours in the field. Regardless of price he is trying ensure this species is saved and maybe one day they can be reintroduced. Oenpelli's are obviously few and far between. If you look at the impact of bushfire, cane toads feral cats and dogs in these areas it is a race against time before they are totally gone. People like Gavin should be respected and applauded because they are the ones doing something on a large scale to ensure the survival of threatened species.
Is the government in the NT doing anything about the survival of threatened species? Not that I can see. In Darwin you don’t need to do any land studies before clearing bushland if it is going to be used for business or farming. The bull dozers come in and take out the last breeding pair of whatever animal was there. Gone just like that.
Have look at the impact on the larger monitor species and frilled neck lizards around the top end. They are almost nonexistent and are totally extinct in areas that were previously well populated. To see a frill neck in Darwin you have to drive around the suburbs near Casuarina to see one. To see a Varanus Panoptes you have to go to East Point. This is because the local people have done a great job of curving the population of the cane toad and there is cane toad fencing and traps around East Point Reserve.
I spend a lot of time in the bush and can’t remember the last time I saw either one of these species running around. A few years ago it was a very different story.
If Gavin is successful with this program in a couple of years time Oenpelli’s will be available to everyone just like the Roughies are now. People will be able to own them for a reasonable price and that will also reduce the risk of people taking them from the wild.
If money was available for funding these projects from the Government this would not even be up for discussion.
So well done to the people like Gavin Bedford who dedicate their lives to wildlife and its survival.

 

[No-two]

That thread proves nothing but my point to be honest. Perhaps you should read the whole thing. I doubt you yourself were even around when the albino carpets actually came on the market let alone 10 years ago. Unless you bought yours from Simon Stone I doubt he's been breeding them for 9 years.

Im not trying to take anything away from what Gavin is doing, this is not the only project he has ever embarked on. 15k for a pair probably isn't a bad price for the first animals, it is however when you're not garunteed anything.

 

[Harvez]

Looks like an interesting project, wish him the best of luck! Would love to keep one myself just not quite sure i could justify the price!

 

[FAY]

A lot of man hours and money is needed for this project. You can only fly in to the right spots by helicopter.
I do not know why people are carrying on at the price they will be if a pair ever breeds...more than fair for the time and effort I would say.

 

[Shaggz]

While there may only be two in known captivity, there are a few other illegal animals out there. I believe there might even be an attempted pair/trio however the success is probably similar to everyone elses historical breeding attempts.

If these pair/trio were illegally obtained and you know the whereabouts of them maybe the person with them needs to be dobbed in. Apart from introduced species helping to kill them off Poaching is another factor in the absolute minimal numbers out there so maybe these specimens should be taken away from the illegal owners and donated to the people that have taken the time and expense of going through the right channels.

 

[Burnerism]

How many of these do you honestly think are been keeped in illegal collections? My bet is sweet bugger all.

 

[Renenet]

While I couldn't afford a pair at that price, I'd certainly consider buying one when and if the price comes down. That's if their temperaments are as gentle as I've heard - I'm not sure how people know that since they've rarely been held in captivity before - and if I have the space.

 

[getarealdog]

Just on the albino darwins, saw them for sale back in 2007 in Europe at a reptile show-e-bay gotta luv it! Wish Gavin the best of luck with this project, price doesn't matter you want it you will find the $$$. For me 15k-thats a lot of outdoor pits with Tiger snakes, RBB's & Copperheads!

 

[solar 17]

a lot of man hours and money is needed for this project. You can only fly in to the right spots by helicopter.
I do not know why people are carrying on at the price they will be if a pair ever breeds...more than fair for the time and effort i would say.

plus 1

 

[CarpetPythons.com.au]

I would own them because they intrigue me. Just like I own rough scale pythons. They are of herpetological significance and its sad that so few realise it.

 

[Firedrake]

At least you lot will get the choice whether or not to put money into this project, people living in WA don't even get a thought in this unless we aim to relocate as soon as he does produce anything! IMO all new species to the pet trade will be extremely costly to begin with, but without some of that money up front how do you expect the people who do go out and collect said new species to do so? They have lives as well I'm sure, and unfortunately nobody has hybridized a productive money tree yet so I'm sure every donation counts, if he's offering something at the end of it, to me that would be a bonus! How much money do people give to foreign charities and the like every year for not even a thankyou?
If I had 15k spare, provided I could get proof of what he's doing with it, I'd be more than willing to share, especially if I could go with him, I think it would be an amazing opportunity.
But that's just me, we are all entitled to our own opinions. I hope he does find what he's looking for and everybody gets to benefit from it in a few years.

 

[PilbaraPythons]

Gavin needs to bite the bullet and get in very hardcore experienced python hunters. Call me naive but I think the project (which I think is a extremely worthy one) would steam roll ahead then.

 

[abnrmal91]

Gavin needs to bite the bullet and get in very hardcore experienced python hunters. Call me naive but I think the project (which I think is a extremely worthy one) would steam roll ahead then.

You do realise that Gavin is a very very experienced python hunter (I prefer herpetologist) the biggest constraint is access to the land. To gain access requires a helicopter from Jabiru at the moment. Helicopters are around $1200 a hour with the trip taking about 40mins each way, depending on people and gear it takes 2 trips (so fairly expensive not including gear and supplies). Gavin has put a lot of time and effort into this project, more then most people realise. The land he is searching is perfect but almost too perfect. You can look in the right places at the right time but you need to be lucky to find them out and about. The Oenpelli blends into its environment very well, their colour is exactly the same colour as the rock caves and crevasse which they live in/around. They apparently shelter at the base of fig trees which are silver to grey so at night they look the same. This project is not a money making scheme or a scam.

 

[longqi]

It appears one other constraint is the relatively very small area he has to search in

 

[solar 17]

You do realise that Gavin is a very very experienced python hunter (I prefer herpetologist) the biggest constraint is access to the land. To gain access requires a helicopter from Jabiru at the moment. Helicopters are around $1200 a hour with the trip taking about 40mins each way, depending on people and gear it takes 2 trips (so fairly expensive not including gear and supplies). Gavin has put a lot of time and effort into this project, more then most people realise. The land he is searching is perfect but almost too perfect. You can look in the right places at the right time but you need to be lucky to find them out and about. The Oenpelli blends into its environment very well, their colour is exactly the same colour as the rock caves and crevasse which they live in/around. They apparently shelter at the base of fig trees which are silver to grey so at night they look the same. This project is not a money making scheme or a scam.

What a great "positive" post obviously some jealous "negative" people in this thread, l wouldn't know Gavin if l fell over him but by gee l hope he's successfull, a lot of critics on this thread of the people like Snake Ranch (rsp's) at least these people advance our hobby and not just sit back and whinge about someone might make the odd dollar after a lot of time and effort WELL GOOD ON THEM "IF" and thats a big "IF" THEY DO........solar 17

 

[Echiopsis]

You do realise that Gavin is a very very experienced python hunter (I prefer herpetologist) the biggest constraint is access to the land. To gain access requires a helicopter from Jabiru at the moment. Helicopters are around $1200 a hour with the trip taking about 40mins each way, depending on people and gear it takes 2 trips (so fairly expensive not including gear and supplies). Gavin has put a lot of time and effort into this project, more then most people realise. The land he is searching is perfect but almost too perfect. You can look in the right places at the right time but you need to be lucky to find them out and about. The Oenpelli blends into its environment very well, their colour is exactly the same colour as the rock caves and crevasse which they live in/around. They apparently shelter at the base of fig trees which are silver to grey so at night they look the same. This project is not a money making scheme or a scam.

That may well be true, but hes only one man. Having the money to go on the trip doesn't make you the best person for the job. Let the investors invest and the herpers herp. I'm sure there's plenty of real herpers (as opposed to arm chair herpers and breeders) that would take on the job for nothing more than the experience. I know I would. I fully support what Gavin is trying to do but I'm not convinced the methods are sound. Good luck to him all the same.

 

[Specks]

He cant just drive somewhere and spend days searching for these
At this point he only has his one permitted area to go and it is only accessible by helicopter
Having gone out on a trip with gavin looking for them it is by no means easy
Time is what it takes and for a busy man like Gav time isn't free
I have moved to darwin now and will be putting more time with gavin to hopefully find the elusive Dropbears
He only has one female and she is relatively young
They take a long time to mature from what peter Krauss has said and even with a pair they wont breed every year. They are slender snakes and wouldn't be able to sustain themselves on that kind of breeding cycle
People who don't know should sit back, shut it and let a man who is doing something do what he does. Unlike the haters he is actually doing something
Easy to have an opinion when you have no say on the matter or knowledge of it for that matter.

Thanks Scott

 

[PilbaraPythons]

I'm talking about getting equipment and supplies in the area that last specimen was caught so that a few hardcore fit keen experienced herpers can sustain themselves in that area for 3 solid months and spot with the best gear available every night, dusk until 3am every night. That’s how I would attack it.
Commercializing this operation it may get him there eventually and this just may very well be a straight out financial necessity on his part but it sounds like it isn’t the fastest approach. Let be real, anybody with no experience could simply pay for a trip and a poke around but unless they really are fit and have a well thought out hardcore plan. I’m not so sure this is going to be quick result ( I sure hope I am wrong though). Regardless of how it’s done, I am very much looking forward to seeing these beautiful pythons established within the hobby and sincerely wish Gavin the best with it.

 

[blakewilson]

Hey just wondering if someone can upload some HQ shots of an adult specimen