Hi all just wanted to pass on a new past time of mine. Started writing articles for hubpages and its been a lot of fun. You can write articles and they will pay you for advertising. Come check out my articles.
Hubpages Articles also you can become a writer yourself at Write articles for cash
Today in the news a very important iguana is laid to rest.
This guy makes in hard on responsible breeders he should have seen serious time .
I got my eyes on you
Old news but great article from www.reptilesalive.com
Locality boas and what they are and why captive breeding is important !
Locality boas are boas that have a distinct location of origin. These boas only live in a certain location in the world. The purpose of this article is to introduce you to the hogg island boa and why it is so unique.
Hogg island boas come from the hunduras area and were thought to be extinct . There have been reports of boas still there but very few. The captive breeding of these boas in the US in my opinion is a priceless resource. Without the hard work of breeders here in the US these boas could have been wiped out forever. How do you measure such a valueable resource . Clay Davenport has some great info on the hogg island boas. They are a naturally occuring hypomelanistic boa. They also have the ability to shift colors from day to night . They rech 4-6 feet as adults and are just beautiful. We have a pair in our collection and hope to breed them in the future. We were lucky enough to acquire a litter mate from the pictured animal. A reduced pattern striped and incredible. Check out www.ronsreptiles.com he has some great hoggs.
Ok these are what i consider ramblings. Since the beginning of the creation of the site i knew absolutely nothing about html . I taught myself html by reading the web and was able to learn html. I created the site and added a forum a chat a webcam etc. It was all a learning curve and im still learning. Since this has nothing to do with reptiles this is what i will consider ramblings. I have been using wordpress and receive 20 or so trackbacks daily . They are repoted to me via wordpress. And basically its a way to notify another blog you linked a reference in your blog to them. They can approve or decline your trackback , if they approve it a link will be left for you in their comments. Thanks to this site for the description that cleared things up for me . Notice how the words this site takes you to www.webtrainingwheels.com . If this was a wordpress blog a trackback would be sent to them to notify that we have linked to their site. Like I said these are ramblings !
The title says it all ! I have always been a ball python fanatic but my second snake owned was a florida king. This species of kings get quite large and make great pets . My king was 5ft easy and a great pet and a wonderful beginners snake. King snakes make great pet snakes and come in a variety of sizing and colors. One of the benefits of choosing a king as a pet is the setup can be very basic . A typical setup could be a 10 gallon aquarium with a small hide a water bowl and substrate. I have a fellow herper that has a great collection of kings and will post pics with this article. King snakes are relitively easy to care for and are very docile and reasonably priced.
The Amazing Ball Python
Ball pythons are a great choice for a first time breeder to learn the details about reptile breeding. Ball pythons are general well tempered heavy bodied snakes that grow to a maximum size of 4-5 feet. Ball Pythons have become very popular and are available in many color and pattern morphs today. I will try to give a brief explanation of basic breeding requirements. So sit back grab a cup of coffee and enjoy your article.
Male or Female Ball Python ?
The first basic requirement for breeding is to make sure you have two healthy Ball Pythons of opposite sex. I highly recommend a year of learning basic care requirements before attempting breeding . There are 2 ways to determine the sex of a ball python , Popping and probing. Popping is accomplished by forcing the hemipenes of the male to invert and positively identify the snake as male. The absence of hemipenes indicates a female but needs to be done correctly . Popping is relatively easy but you should learn from an experienced handler. Probing is done with a set of specially designed sexing probes that are inserted into the cloaca and into the base of the tail . The distance the probes travel will determine the sex and is a very delicate procedure. Probing should also be done by someone with experience to prevent damage to the sex organs. A male has a deeper channel and the channel will be 8-12 subcaudal scales . A female has a relatively shallow channel and will only probe 3-4 subcaudal scales. I prefer popping over probing and is very accurate when done correctly. Popping is much easier when done as hatching’s but is possible in adults. Once you have two Ball Pythons of opposite sex your ready for the next consideration.
When is a Ball Python ready to breed ?
There is allot of controversy over the right age and weight to breed a Ball Python. I consider 1500 grams and 3 years of age the minimum for females . Males can and will breed at 1 year or less but I recommend 500 grams as a minimum weight . Older males of 2-3 years and 1000 grams are more successful than young males in my experience. Egg laying and breeding is very taxing for Ball Pythons and it is not uncommon for females to lose 50% of their body weight when laying eggs. Which brings us to the next section ….Health and weight .
Healthy Ball Python ?
I would recommend being very selective about the Ball Pythons you use in a breeding project. They must be in top condition and weight before any breeding is considered . Some issues to keep in mind when picking breeders are , soft stools , poor sheds, poor weight , runny vents , and anything that strikes you as unhealthy. We will now talk about what I consider the pre breeding season and why it is so important.
Pre Breeding for Ball Pythons ?
We start to get our females ready for the breeding season from June-September for the beginning of breeding in October. Females weights are recorded in June and extra meals are given through September to achieve a healthy weight. Many times females will go off feed and will not be used that season if a healthy weight cannot be achieved. Females must be in top breeding condition to be considered for that season. Males also need to be healthy but weight is not as critical for males. I would not breed an underweight or unhealthy male but excess weight for males does not seem to be as critical . So now you have a pair of healthy breed-able sexed Ball Pythons that have been prepared for breeding . We will now get into the details of the process and what will be required to have a successful clutch of eggs .
Temperature requirements for maintaining Ball Pythons !
The basic temperature for a Ball Python should be a varied temperature to offer a Thermal Gradient . A thermal gradient is a term used that allows the snake to self regulate itself. A hot spot of 90 degrees needs to be at one end of the enclosure and a cooler spot of 80 degrees and the opposing end. This allows the Ball Python to regulate its temperature to its needs . This is a normal temperature setup for maintaining a ball python in good health. We keep these temps from march - September as a maintenance temperature setting 24-7 . We use belly heat in the form of heat tape set to 95 degrees that gives the tubs a 90 degree hot spot. Breeding requires a lowering of temps to encourage the changing of season and entices breeding. OK go refill your coffee …….On to breeding temperatures !
Temperature Requirements for breeding Ball Pythons !
Ok you sexed your pair or pairs and put them through a pre breeding season . You fed them correctly and assured their health and heated them properly and now its September and you want to start your breeding. The
ball Pythons react to temperature changes and the coming of the new season . We lower our Temperatures 10 degrees at night beginning Sep 1st. They continue to receive the 90 degree hot spot and 95 degree tape temp during the day. We slowly lower night time temps to 75-80 degrees for 12 hours a night and maintain this drop until March 1st. The lowering of temperatures signals the females to start developing follicles which is the beginning stages of egg development and signals the males that breeding season has arrived . Starting October 1st we introduce males into female tubs from Mon-Fri for breeding . The males are removed on Friday night and males and females are offered food and rested the weekend. We continue this cycle through March 1st. A mid body swell will be noticed in females that is referred to as ovulation and last from 8-24 hours usually. An obvious ovulation will end the pairing for that female with a male and she is considered done for the season . If everything went as planned the male delivered viable sperm and the ova will be fertilized and develop into fertile eggs. We keep very accurate records showing the snakes paired when copulations were witnessed and obvious ovulation . Now what ? Onto egg laying and incubation !
When will my Ball Python lay eggs ?
When the eggs are fertilized will determine when they will be laid unfortunately that can be hard to determine. A Pre -Ovulation shed will occur and the eggs will be laid in approximately 30 days . The female may shed multiple times before egg laying occurs . We record every shed and expect eggs after every shed until eggs are laid and then onto the incubation process ! To be continued !
Investing ?
You hear this term allot on many forums with lots of ideas and opinions. Do the prices drop almost every year ? Do you have the passion to stay focused and stay with your projects? will you get rich overnight ? do I really care about the animals or the almighty dollar ? I will give you my take on the subject , it may or may not be your opinion but that’s OK.
I’m going to get rich!
If you read on someone site or forum “invest and make a pile of money ” remember the old saying if it sounds to good to be true it probably is. There’s allot of truth to that saying , I still believe you can make money for your hard work. If you are considering ball python breeding as a get rich quick project, think again. You really need to have that passion and love for these amazing reptiles first and foremost or you will never succeed. There’s more to it than buying a couple morphs and breeding them and selling them for a profit. I don’t mean to pop your bubble I just want to be honest about what to expect.
Just a short list of cost to consider
Breeding isn’t for everyone but it might be for you
OK did I scare you off yet ! if not than you may be passionate like me and will have those cost regardless. I love walking into my reptile room and get that I’m at the zoo feeling! I would keep and breed ball pythons weather i made a single dollar or not. If you have this same attitude you may as well make a few bucks and use it to pay for your hobby or build some supplemental income. will it happen overnight “No” , Can it happen “yes” it certainly can. the more effort you put into your projects the better your chances of success will be. Be aware of the market and plan accordingly for success.
The Price drop
The ball python market over the last few years has adjusted and many morphs that were high dollar morphs have really dropped in price. Some wine and moan and complain but its a market like any other market. The supply and demand drives any market and it will always be that way. Some feel tho drops in prices are bad some think its good. Here’s my take on the dropping prices! Lets use pastels as an example of a market swing. It wasn’t that long ago pastels were $5000.00 and basically the only sales were being made to breeders. How many people were able to lay down $5000.00 ? The prices have dropped to $200.00 and everyone that paid those big bucks are depressed. The drop in prices has made the demand grow because the guy with a couple hundred to spend can now grow his collection. would we all like to be getting $5000.00 of course. Would we make as many sales ? (Probably not)! The production of all the pastels drove the value down but drove the demand up which is a good thing. The ball python market is growing every year and we haven’t even touched the overseas market yet.
Co dominant vs Simple Recessive
Co doms are the quick morph and quick buck but as you can see from the pastels the market will adjust ! In my opinion the simple recessive morphs will hold there value just due to the time frame. With a Co dom like spiders you can get a baby male and a handful of female adult normals and be producing morphs in 1 year. Simple Recessives and double hets are the ticket for the long run! They take longer to produce therefore the production is lower and the demand stays high. I feel the simple recessive morphs under $1500.00 are the best market. You have to try to buy morphs in the highest bracket you can afford to produce babies that have a decent value after 3 years. Lets say you can afford a male and female Lavender Albino pair as babies. It will most likely be 3 years before the female is ready to breed . You can produce hets with the male in the first year or maybe two. The time factor is something you really need to consider and realize the market will change in 3 years.
To be continued !
Winterize and inspection !
Its that time of the year again and your vehicle needs to be prepared for winter ! Im just going to make this a short read for a quick reference. Below will be a few tips and checks to be made for your safety and save you money!
Wiper Blades
Wiper blades are one of the most overlooked items to be inspected annually. They have spent a long hot summer baking away and slowly deteriorating to a useless state. I have had to charge customers many times for blades that were stuck to the glass. They cook all summer and become glued to the glass and the first time it rains you turn them on. What can happen ? The motor amperage spikes blows the fuse and the wipers stop working. You take your car to a repair shop and they charge you 1hr diagnosis for an electrical failure. They find the blown fuse after the diagnosis replace the fuse and break the wipers free. You get charged 1hr diagnosis for the fuse and charged for a fuse, new wipers, and installation. What did it cost you . The other option could have been they broke free and the worn rubber falls off and puts a nice big scratch in the glass.
1hr labor $90.00 ,List price on wipers and fuse $32.00 , A scary ride in the rain with no wipers !
A 5 second inspection and a stop at Walmart or Kragens would have been about $15.00 Dont overlook the possibility of a accident because your wipers are worn and making it hard to see during a downpour.
Tires
Take the time to inspect all 4 tires and the spare for the correct air pressure and wear. As it gets cooler outside your tire pressure will drop and should be adjusted. Look at the tread depth, the wear, and sidewall condition for cracks. A marginal tire that seemed fine during the dry hot summer may fail to hold traction under cold wet conditions and put you at risk of a spin out. Check the pressure in the spare and be prepared by making sure your jack and lug wrench are accessible. Proper air pressure is not the spec on the tire, check the door sticker or your owners manual for proper inflation. Proper tire inflation will also increase your fuel mileage so take advantage !
What is the Big Boys Syndrome?
That’s what I refer to a breeder that has grown so popular or his collection is so large trying to keep that image of the king of the hill. There are bound to be few of us that one day will find our way to the top of that pile but just remember where you started and how it was to be at the bottom. I just wonder how a breeder stays on top of a 5000 breeder collection? I couldn’t tell you how many times I sent E mails to these big time breeders with a question about a snake for sale and receive a response a week or two later. To me when your collection or business gets to the point that your customer service suffers , its time to scale back. I have had Big time Breeders that were happy to take my money for their animals for sale but didn’t have the time of day to help me as a new breeder and potential competitor. Its my goal to always treat every customer the same weather they are buying a $200.00 pastel or a $10000.00 morph. I have learned from these breeders to be open minded and help that new breeder. Your doing good if you can get someone to post your banner once you become a competitor. You go from being there best buddy with their hand open to your enemy ! I have learned from this mentality and will do my best to always be available for others. This is not a flame towards specific breeders just a an issue I have observed personally. Quality is the answer to this problem folks !
Selective Breeding !
This is the key to be a success in a very competitive market ! If you dont have the room or time to devote to a huge collection be very picky about quality and it will pay off. If you have the best animals available at maybe a slightly higher price with premium customer service you hit a home run. Try to purchase the most quality babies you can find and breed them to quality stock and your good reputation will follow. Anyone can buy a spider and a bunch of run of the mill normals and produce spiders. Be selective and find the best spider you can even if it cost you extra. Buy your females with distinct pattern in mind and build your quality every season. Remember to treat others the same as you would like to be treated and you will reap the benefits long term. If I ever become a big boy which i would love, I will remember this post and be grounded and remember how it felt to be blown off by the reptile elite! Be selective and produce quality stock at a fair price with the best customer service is the key to the top!
This is the #1 reason our forum was created The Ballbusters Breeders Club ! Located on our site under message board www.westcoastpythons.com . I have been a poster on many reptile boards and just got really tired of the drama and lack of respect towards others. The biggest reason most people come to reptile forums or any forum for that matter is to learn about a certain subject. Our forum offers a place for all questions and will be answered in a respectful and helpful manner period. We all started as newbies with no experience and we should share that experience with others. Many forums have a select few that like to flame on others for basic questions like “My snake wont eat what should I do? “ Thats a valid question and does not deserve a response like “Go read a book” . These type of disrespectful comments will never be tolerated on our forum. Every question deserves a helpful and knowledgeable response and there will be ! I cant tell you how many arguments I have witnessed over someones spelling ! If you don’t spell a word correctly we don’t care ! These forums can be very harsh on new comers to the hobby and that’s just plain sad! Im sure there are lots of people that have walked away from the hobby because of this type of treatment . Our forum will be friendly and helpful and I have control of the Ban user button and it will be used on flamers. We want to encourage others to be successful in the hobby and help them whenever we can. We can have differences of opinion but that doesn’t mean we need to disrespectful or hateful. So come to our forum and ask the most general question to the most advanced and we will do our best to give you good solid answers . There is no dumb question , if you have a question that shows you have the desire to learn about your reptile. the more you learn the better your chances are to provide quality care to your reptile !