CB vs WC

im sure you all have discussed this topic before but im curious and new. How do each of you feel about keeping wild-caught critters and if you do keep them, are their uniques problems such as refusing to eat in captivity etc?

Tried to keep all sorts of w/c, and all have been different. Right now i have two w/c desert kings that one eats without hesitation and the other has not eaten yet after 3 weeks. I also have a Sidewinder that never quits eating, and also had a couple Western Diamondbacks that ate real well.. I had a Tiger Rattlesnake that was on and off feed all the time.. So i guess it all depends on the snake itself to some extent, also the surroundings, temps humidity etc... All i can say is, just try it and maybe you will get lucky and get one that's eating good.. Good luck!!! Mike

" beat the dog/horse while it is still down " phrase/syndrome. LOL ! It is of your thinking, feelings, convictions of the keeping of wild caught. Of my age, it was at one time about the only way to go. There are still relentless some wild species still pursued for the keeping. This is for new or different blood lines for breeding mostly ( I hope ) . Most w/c in all of my years of finding and keeping has no more problems of eating in captivity as captive bred does with certain criteria of sometimes a waiting game. Sure there are species more reluctant to feed once in captivity but I can think of several species that has as much problems as neonates in feeding in captive born. There is speculations and theories of disease and viruses and parasitic loads in w/c to pass along in a collection if certain procedures are not followed. The main procedure is QUARANTINE ! And away from any captive bred/born stock. In my 40 years of keeping, I have had 2 incidents of w/c spreading disease to my almost entire collection. But at the same time, in the same years of keeping I have had 1 incident of captive bred and born doing the same. You will find some hobbyist totally against the keeping of w/c. Because of this and that including almost every living reptile can be purchased now in captive bred and this does not take away the wild population. But as I have always commented, habitat destruction is a far more serious problem in most places these days than collecting w/c as to the decimation of wild populations. A LOT of hobbyist isn't old enough ( or it seems ) to remember this WHOLE industry originally was built on all wild caught in the early days and I mean every pure strain of original species. My .02 cents worth........

Originally Posted by sheeztrouble

im sure you all have discussed this topic before but im curious and new. How do each of you feel about keeping wild-caught critters and if you do keep them, are their uniques problems such as refusing to eat in captivity etc?