The effects of ball pythons on the reptile community

Originally Posted by daniel1983

I find alot of 'other reptile' keepers dislike ball python owners.....why?

that might have more to do with the owners themselves, than the snakes they keep Perhaps you are asking the wrong question(s)

Originally Posted by hhmoore

that might have more to do with the owners themselves, than the snakes they keep Perhaps you are asking the wrong question(s)

The question never was intended to deal with issues concerning the actual animals....more of the issues associated with the community involved in caring for the animals.

It has everything to do with the owners. It seems like everywhere I go these days people that own ball pythons have developed some sort of 'sterotype' in other groups of reptile keepers.

For example.......Ball python owners keep their animals in "excurciatingly small enclosures" and are only concerned with the value of the animals "reducing them to commodities."

Obviously some people think that the way the ball python community has grown is negatively effecting the reptile hobby.....look at the poll. I just want to know what these 'negative issues' are that make this facet of the hobby disliked by others.

My first non-wild collected snake was a ball python. my mom bought it for me for getting an A in science (The only class I ever got A's in by the way). I keep 20 balls now, some het for this and that others are normals that I use and rotate through the shows I do with kids. Of the morphs, I only keep het males because for me, the production is half the fun. I know one day I will look into the incubator and I will see a Pied Albino baby. And I will cry. I think the bigger issue is that some people are into the breeding for the money of it, tagging lines like "investment quality" to the "high end morphs". I have never heard any of my wild caught females complain about being normal as their cage tag sugests but I know they are thinking it. Would a better question be, does calling the morphs Investment Quality somehow de-value the normals? All of my snakes are special to me (except for my male Nic boa, he bites me alot, ALOT!!) but what does how special to me relate to the actual value of them? Why would my albino ball python be any more valuable than a normal - the normal has regular unaltered genes... Just some thoughts.

Originally Posted by daniel1983

Why not state the reasons? Afraid of being harrassed because of your opinion?

I find alot of 'other reptile' keepers dislike ball python owners.....why?

Here are 3 reasons....

1) The term "investment animal".

2) Calling pastels "junk snakes" because they are ONLY worth $200.

3) The fight at Daytona...need I say more.

I think there is alot of price gouging with the newer morphs and only your large breeders can afford them. Everyone goes wild over them for a while.... When prices do come down, like they have this past year,(Not on all morphs, but most.) Before long the new morph is not worth half of what you paid for it. Be prepared to spend some high bucks for a pet! I'm NOT a breeder. However, the ball python that I paid $2000.00 for last year, for a pet, is now selling for 1,000.00. That's ALOT of money I could have saved on my Albino Ball, who is a sweetheart!

Originally Posted by garweft

2) Calling pastels "junk snakes" because they are ONLY worth $200.

3) The fight at Daytona...need I say more.

I think perhaps part of the problem is some judging ALL Ball Python owners by the actions of a few.

I have never called a pastel a "junk snake", and never will. They are beautiful snakes. In fact, I'm still going to be breeding some of them....as are a lot of other folks I know. I'll never get rich off from them...but then that was never my intention to begin with.

I wasn't involved in any fight in Daytona (lol) and actually, don't even really know what you're talking about for sure......

That's kind of like saying, "I hate everyone who owns a Thoroughbred horse, because the rich guys that own the ones they race call non-racing horses "junk horses", and did you see that fight a couple of the owners got into at the Kentucky Derby?? The Thoroughbred people bring nothing but shame to all horse owners everywhere."

Originally Posted by garweft

Here are 3 reasons....

1) The term "investment animal".

2) Calling pastels "junk snakes" because they are ONLY worth $200.

3) The fight at Daytona...need I say more.

Those sound like reasons to not like humans to me.

And humans never were one of my favorite species......

Originally Posted by daniel1983

I really want to know where the 'hate' that I am seeing towards the ball python community from other reptile communities originates from.....for those that voted negative, please share

I voted negative, but I didn’t read “hate” into the poll question.

1. I really like Ball Pythons as snakes—definitely in my top 3.
2. Thinking of the Ball Python breeders I know, (not just ones I know OF, but know as more than just a name / reputation) I think they are all very nice people. I wouldn't hold animosity toward someone just for keeping/breeding Ball Pythons--that would be ridiculous.

So it's neither the snakes nor the people themselves.

However, the poll says "The Age of Ball Pythons" has effected (affected?) the reptile community....” and essentially gives the option of choosing whether it’s been a positive, negative or neutral way. First of all, I think one’s answer depends on their interpretation of “the age” of ball pythons. Secondly, it asks about the affects on the reptile community—not the snakes themselves and not Herpetoculture in general. (This, by the way, would be a rather interesting discussion in my opinion.) I probably should have equated “the reptile community” with all of the people whom are involved with reptiles, but my first thought was mainly the ball python community. But, I’ve heard (or read) more complaints and woes than acclamations and tributes from people involved with the ball python community, thus my negative assessment.

I certainly mean no offense, and don’t want anyone to take it personally. I just wanted to explain my vote.

I certainly don't mean that I have a problem with anyone that keeps or breeds ball pythons. If so I would have to start with myself as I have more BP's than any other species of snake in my collection.

However I do believe that the reptile community has gone downhill since the "age of the ball python" has begun. There is less of an interest in diversity and more of an interest in equity. Then again I may just be missing the way things were.

Where have all the field herpers gone?

Hmmm.....OK, I never noticed, the title of the thread itself is " The effects of Ball Pythons" on the reptile community, but as Paul pointed out, the poll title is "The Age of Ball Pythons" has effected the reptile community.....

That puts it in a somewhat different perspective for me....I'm going to have to think on that answer for awhile.