Reptile Conventions Part 1: What to know before you walk in

Tags

Ball python, Gecko, Python, Pythons, Reptile convention, Reptile fair, Reptile show, Reptiles, Snake

If you are into reptiles you will eventually attend a reptile convention. Many people go to these events to purchase reptiles from breeders to save money and also to find something more exotic than the average pet store may have. This post will be in two parts. This is part one and covers some tips for the average attendee and part two will cover what it is like being a vendor. Hopefully the vendor post will help attendees understand what goes on at the shows that they may not see.

Attending a reptile show can be overwhelming to some and just lame to others. Each show is different and different areas have different breeders. I have been to shows where half of the breeders where ball python breeder, the other quarter where gecko breeders and only one guy had a mixture of higher end reptiles. The bigger shows will cover every reptile species on the market, plus I have seen things like monkeys, hedgehogs, hybrid wolf puppies, and even captive bred and raised racoons. Many of these things can be purchased if you have the cash but buyer beware, many of the breeders are only there for cash and will be of little help when the snake you purchased grows to 30+ feet.

Here are my helpful tips for those who want to attend a reptile convention:

1. Preregister online- its cheaper and gets you in an hour earlier. This can make a break a trip for someone looking to spend serious money. Do know the vendors want to sell as much as possible as soon as possible. Go in early, make a cash offer and get what you want.
2. Research the vendors- you can go to the show’s main page and see who will be vending at the event. This allows you to window shop what they breed and look up reviews of the breeder. Many reputable breeders go to these events but there is also many who are trying to make a quick buck off of you. Always look for pictures on the breeder and see if they are just some guy keeping snakes in a van or a reputable breeder.
3. Research your purchase- before you buy a retic or an anaconda, know what it takes to care for them because the vendor will not help you past taking your money and it isn’t their responsibility to do so. Know what kind of animal you have the ability to care for and have the time for. You may want a retic but you are only skilled enough and can only manage a ball python.
4. Bring cash- cash talks, and it will be the biggest factor in getting $20 off to $100 off. Every reptile show I have been to I have gotten crazy good deals because I offered cash. It doesn’t take an accountant to know why a vendor would rather have cash than process a credit/debit card.
5. Buyer Beware- Inspect the animal you purchase and make sure you are buying a healthy animal. I always look for mites, watch breathing, watch movement in my hand, and check for a respiratory infection. The last thing you want is to purchase a sick animal that will hurt your other reptiles. I have seen many vendors selling unhealthy animals and argued with me over the health of the animal. I got into it when I heard the snake struggle to breath and bubbles coming from it’s nostrils. This snake could spread an illness to ever reptile there. He was asked to leave.
6. Beware the investment pitch- these animals are not an investment. The chances of someone becoming a successful breeder is very slim and you WILL NOT MAKE GOOD MONEY. These vendors will sell you on the idea of you breeding your own snakes and making some cash but that hardly works. Breeding reptiles requires time and effort. Everyday I see people trying to become reptile breeders and after a year, sell out of it because they didn’t produce anything or make any money. I call those people suckers, and they should never be allowed to own any animal. Many of the vendors are good people but walk in expecting them all to treat you like a used car salesman would.
7. BUY IT!!!- If there is something you want and try and play hard ball or wait too long, it will sell. This is why I always get in a hour early. I hit every vendor, see what they have and then buy fast.
8. Enjoy the shows- There are many educational shows at these events. Some are meant for kids but they all provide great information about the animals and the hobby. If you made a purchase just ask the vendor to hold on to it for a minute and they will, as long as you have already paid. Ask questions and learn something while you are there. The vendors are busy trying to keep an eye on their stuff and it can be hard for them to educate you on everything. The next post will cover more on vendors and why it isn’t a lot of fun to be a vendor at these events at times.
9. Don’t be annoying- be aware of the people around you, don’t ask to hold things unless you plan to buy them (it can over stress the already stressed out animal), don’t ask to see something that someone has already purchased, don’t act like a know it all, try to get a deal but don’t insult the vendor, do not ask the vendor to explain every last detail of the animal’s life, and watch your wallet. I can say that I have almost had this happen to me. I caught the guy as he yanked my wallet. I grabbed his wrist and took back my wallet. I pinned him until security arrived. Anytime you are at an event where there is a crowd of people in a tight space, you will get pick pockets. I mentioned these things because as a constant attendee and former vendor, I can tell you that many of these things cause issues and I mention them in your best interest.

These events are a lot of fun and can be the only place to get specific reptiles. Its the only place you’ll find dwarf crocs, albino platinum retics, and an albino pied spider clown ball python. You will see animals you may never see again but do not be awe struck. Just because the nice man has pretty pythons and makes you believe you can become rich selling snakes is lying to you. Put the needs of the animals first and know that only a few reptile breeders will make good money breeding snakes. They become wealthy because they have connections to get wild caught things no one has seen and have worked harder than most trying to build their business. Many of those wealthy breeders have barns, barracks, and houses dedicated to housing their reptiles.

If you love reptiles or just want to experience something truly amazing, go to a reptile convention. I suggest going to http://www.repticon.com/ and finding an event near you.

The Super Angry Ball Python

Tags

Angolan, Angolan Python, Angry ball python, Ball python, Blood python, Python, python hybrids, Pythons, reptile hybrids, Reptiles, Snake, snake hybrd, Snakes, Superball python

On June 22nd I was checking Facebook and went to the Hybrid Pythons, Boas, and Reptiles page to discover something new had been achieved. Elijah Armas posted a picture of the first three way hybrid python. This snake is 50% Angolan python, 25% Blood python, and 25% Ball python. He bred his male Angolan to a SuperBall (Blood x Ball) python he had to create this new hybrid. This is the initial picture posted:

When I saw this I had to reach out to Elijah to ask him a few questions and share this with as many people as I could. Elijah agreed to answer my questions and said I could share his pictures, replies, and video. He will also keep me posted on them as he is not selling the,m but using them for other projects.

Question 1: What draws you into owning and breeding hybrids?

Reply: In 2011 I learned of ordering reptiles online and about the hobby in general. The fifth snake I ordered online happen to be a SuperBall hybrid. I didn’t know about the hate some have towards hybrids at the time but I can care less either way. I just like the way some of the hybrids look when mixed. Goal for this clutch was to get an animal that looked like a SuperBall with the skin texture of an Angolan python. It didn’t quite turn out that way but I couldn’t be more pleased with they way they are.

Question 2: How long have you been working on this project?

Reply: Not very long, I purchased an adult virgin male Angolan last summer. I went and bred him to the SuperBall in November so it was my very first attempt at breeding hybrids.

While many struggle for years to produce a hybrid, Elijah had nailed it with his first attempt. Some may some just dumb luck but I believe it is from his passion for the hobby and well kept snakes. Healthier snakes will breed easier and produce healthier offspring.

Question 3: Did you do any prior research before attempting the mix?

Reply: No research I just set them up with my ball and blood python breeding schedule.

Question 4: How many eggs and how many hatched?

Reply: 9 good eggs laid, 1 slug and dud as well. One egg starting going bad at the last week of incubation, the baby was severely deformed. As of now all babies are out and healthy except for one. The one that’s in the egg looks healthy as well but is taking his/her time to come out.

Question 5: Would you say these babies are larger or smaller than the normal ball or blood hatchlings?

Reply: There definitely longer then both other species. More girth then ball hatchlings but less then a blood.

At the time they were fresh from hatch and were not showing feeding signs yet. I did ask but he had not attempted a feeding. Since the initial interview with Elijah, they have started eating and have great appetites.

Question 6: Any signs of health issues?

Reply: No problems yet, they very active and a few are starting to show defensive signs.

I had ask several behavioral questions but they are still too young to start showing from which parents do they get their defenses from. As they get older Elijah said he will keep me updated on their behaviors. I will update post as he updates me.

Question 7: Any plans for these snakes or other hybrid projects?

Reply: I definitely want to pair up the two best looking babies to produce F2 versions. I may do this same pairing again this coming season if all of these hybrids are doing good by then. And I’ll be pairing the Angolan male directly to a Blood python. He tried locking with a blood last season but I didn’t give him enough chances to do so as I was to focused on him breeding with the SuperBall.

Question 8: Now do you plan on selling them?

Reply: I’m letting one go to a buddy for now and holding the rest back. I want to hold them for a while before anything as I know some hybrids die within a year even though they looked completely healthy.

Elijah is definitely a smart and responsible breeder. He allowed me the use of his pictures so here are the pictures for the Super Angry Ball Python:

You can also go to his YouTube video to see more:

Elijah currently does not have a website for further pictures or links but I look forward to updating this post.

Male or Female? Who is to blame?

Tags

Carpet Python, Mites, Morelia, Python, python hybrids, Pythons, Reptiles, Snake, Snakes

Another hybrid enthusiast had heard that male hybrids were sterile while females were fertile and asked me what I had learned. Well I reached out to a few hybrid breeders to see how their male hybrids have done in their breeding projects.

Breeding different python species is not an easy task for a breeder. Many times the snakes just ignore each other. Exact results cannot be judged just yet as breeding hybrids is not as easy as breeding ball pythons or geckos. There are more variables and you never know what breeding preferences each snake will take towards. Keeping that in mind, here is what I have found.

The amazing blood to ball hybrid may have been the first example that python hybrids were not sterile. Roussis reptiles has bred blood to ball pythons several times and even bred them back to each other for the first F2 generation. He bred a bloodball hybrid male to a bloodball hybrid female for those F2 bloodball hybrids. This is example one of both male and female being fertile.

The next hybrid pairing that has been a big deal for hybrid fans is the burmball hybrid. The burmball hybrid was from an albino Burmese python bred to a ball python. Those hybrids were bred back to each other several times because technically they were het for albino. Recently a burmball male and a burmball female that were het for albino produced the first python hybrid morph.

This albino burmball image is from http://www.crystalpalacereptiles.com/ and I would recommend checking them out.

A hybrid breeder in Germany wouldn’t let me use his pictures but he has informed me that he breeds Angryball hybrids (Angolan x Ball) from Angry ball to Angry ball. If this is true than we have yet another example of both the males and females of a hybrid being fertile. He did inform me that it has been a tricky project and took him a few years to get temps right for cooling as the hybrid as nothing like breeding Angolans or Balls. This breeder was found at www.Kewalskis-schlangenzucht.de

Have not found a breeder nor pictures but someone is claiming on several websites he has been breeding bateater to bateater for a few years in Canada. I have reached out to 13 breeders of bateaters just in Canada and none of them claim to be breeding bateater to bateater but with Jungle Burms and Jungle Retics we can assume that male bateaters are being used.

The last hybrid that I have had a response on are the carpondros. I have been told by many breeders that carpondro males and females will breed with other carpondros, carpets, and green trees very easily. Bill Stegall owns a carpondro where the father was in fact a hybrid as well. He has a great selection of pythons and I would recommend checking his website out at http://www.phoenixreptiles.net

As I get responses from breeders and get more facts I will visit this topic again. Many breeders could have a few issues preventing me from gathering 100% accurate data. Breeding hybrids is not easy to do, some of these hybrids could be sterile while some of them may be fertile. Again there are too many variables in this field for exacts.

Hybrids Aren’t Firing Blanks. They are Fully Loaded

Tags

Carpet Python, Morelia, Python, python hybrids, Pythons, Reptiles, Snake, Snakes

There is a misconception going around that all hybrid reptiles are sterile. I want to say that this is not true. Many hybrid enthusiasts have been taking their fascination with hybrids to the next level. Some of the more popular hybrids available are the Burmball (Burmese x Ball python), Superball (Blood x Ball), BatEater (Burmese x Reticulated), Carpalls (Carpet x Ball), Coma (Carpet x Woma), Wall (Woma x Ball), Carpondros (Carpet x Green Tree), Angry Ball (Angolan x Ball), and Carplot (Any Carpet x Macklots). These are the hybrids I have seen more of and the question on many people’s mind is, “Are they sterile?”

I say no and I have many examples that back this. The most common hybrid I have seen is the crossing of blood pythons to ball pythons. Very interesting combination that produces one amazing snake. You get the best attributes of both snakes and none of the flaws. If you go to http://roussisreptiles.com/our_collection/super-ball/ you will find images and descriptions of super balls and also see images of the F2 generations. The F2 generation is when a superball hybrid was bread to another superball hybrid. Offspring was produced by Roussis and he is showing to be a master of superball hybrids. Some of the combinations and colors he is producing are awesome.

Other than the F2 generations superballs, they have crossed a superballs back to a ball python to produce 75% ball python and 25% blood pythons and they call them mongrels. They have also done the same with crossing a superball to a blood for a 75% blood and 25% ball, and they call these mud bloods.

The next example I have seen proven to be fertile is the crossing of Macklots to any carpet pythons. The New England Reptile Distributors aka NERD has been using Macklots in several crosses with every carpet variation they could try. They call this hybrid a Carplot in most cases. If it is a Jungle Carpet to Macklots they call it a Junglot and if the jaguar gene is present and visible, they call it a Jaglot. These hybrids have been thrown back to every variation of carpets again to produce Jungle, Jag Macklots, and 75% Macklots and 25% Carpets. NERD has used this hybrid for many different variations and are clearly showing this hybrid is far from sterile.

The picture below is from http://www.prestigepythons.com/ They have many more wonderful images and I suggest you pay them a visit

Morelia pythons seem to be a very fertile group. Carpets have been bred with Ball pythons, Woma pythons, Green Tree pythons, and even a Blood python. I know of a group in Texas who is trying a Carpet to Burmese and Carpet to Retic mix. So far the Burmese and Retic to Carpet mixes haven’t yielded live results. The breeder claims a storm took out his power and cracked a window in his facility which killed all of his eggs and caused some of his breeders to get sick. They are making another attempt this year. Carpets have been the base of some awesome mixes and many of them are still being crossed. There are the Carpondros where a Carpet is bred to a Green Tree and these are far from sterile. There are 75% Green Tree with 25% Carpet and vice versa. The jaguar gene in carpets are also transfers over to whatever they are bred to. The Jagpondro is when the jaguar gene from the carpet is visible when bred to a Green Tree python. Carpets are also being bred to Woma pythons to create the Coma. Comas are then being bred back to carpets for different patterns and colors. There is a Bredli, Jungle, Woma, Jag on the market that looks amazing. I asked if I could place a picture of it on the blog but the breeder said no. Yet another case that hybrids are not sterile.

The image of the coma(woma x carpet) if from a public domain and I have not been able to track down the owner. I have been asking around a few boards but this image is on 13 other sites and no one is claiming to be the owner.

Follow this link for some carpondro hybrid images: http://moreliatrophyclub.com/Hybrids.html I would also recommend this page for those interested in morelia pythons of all types. Great site, great pictures and great information.

Now let’s look at the Burmese hybrids. The Reticulated python to Burmese pythons have been a very popular mix for larger snake keepers. They call it a Borneo BatEater and they have even been found in the wild. Breeders have gone a step further and bred this hybrid back to Burmese pythons and Reticulated pythons. The Jungle Retic is 75% Reticulated python and 25% Burmese. The Jungle Burms are 75% Burmese python and 25% reticulated python. Gorgeous animals and a sight to see in person.

The image of the retic to burmese hybrid is also from a public domain and I have not been able to track down the owner. Again, I have been asking around a few boards but this image is on 4 other sites and no one is claiming to be the owner.

Now the Burmball Hybrid has been catching attention of hybrid enthusiasts the world over as of 2014 the first albino hybrids were produced. Crystal Palace Reptiles was where I first saw the image. They have produced albino 75% Burm with 25% ball; 75% Ball with 25% Burm; and 50/50 Burmballs. Not only does this show that the Burmese hybrids are fertile but it shows that genetic mutations may be more transferable than once thought. With carpets we know the Jaguar gene can pass to any python it is bred with and now the albino burmball will be opening up the flood gates in my opinion.

The burmball you see below if from http://captivebred.co.uk/ and if I lived in the United Kingdom I would be making purchases from this guy. Very knowledgeable breeder and his work speaks for itself

The albino burmball above comes from http://www.crystalpalacereptiles.com/ and the guy has many reptiles I wish I could find here in the U.S. This is a snake I wish I could get my hands on and the image alone will make you drool.

Now there are a few hybrids that I have yet to see further mixes from. The Carpall (Carpet x Ball), the Angry Ball (Angolan x Ball), and the Wall (Woma x Ball). These hybrids have not shown any further off spring. I do not know anyone who has been working with these hybrids further and I am hoping to see some new hybrids from these soon.

If you have further questions feel free to message me and I will send you to the breeders of these magnificent pythons.

 

The Big Question: Is my snake ready to breed?

Tags

Carpet Python, Morelia, Python, Pythons, Reptiles, Snake, Snakes

As a snake enthusiast you may find your self wanting to breed you snakes. It a great way to learn more about your snakes and add some more fondness to your hobby. Some breed snakes out of passion for the hobby, while others for pure profit. I have met people who think they could retire just by breeding ball pythons and sell snakes as an investment.  I once had a website and over 42 ball pythons and became consumed by selling.  I closed the site and sold off every snake I had. I felt like I had become an insult to the hobby. After a while I did build up a collection again but this time it is about growing my knowledge, sharing my knowledge and some breeding projects but just for a bit of fun.

Now that I have ranted over my experience breeding reptile lets focus on how I can help you be better prepared for breeding you reptiles. I have purchased many books and even emailed a few experts on breeding ages, lengths, weights,  seasons, and more. I am going to share in this post all of that information so you, the reader, can have a one stop shop for this information. This post will be focused on pythons only and cover the more popular species to own and breed. Some of this species are power fed to get them to breed faster and I will not post the weights for those but will have age and length. Power feeding is wrong and will cause permanent damage to the snake and if you are one who wishes to power feed snakes for faster breeding then please avoid me and my blogs.

Here is what you should know:

• Ball Pythons: By far the most common of the snakes that will be listed. They are very popular on the pet trade and are probably the most bred snake at reptile shows. For optimal health you should breed males at 1 year of age and 700 grams, while I feel the MINIMUM for a female would be 3 years of age and 1700 grams. Ball Pythons can be bred year round as long as you establish the right conditions. Another interesting development is they no longer seem to need a cooling period. In 2013 I successfully produced baby ball pythons from uncooled parents. I had to test it to believe it and it did in fact work. Female dropped 6 eggs and 4 hatched and all 4 are still going strong. Normally ball pythons are cooled in November and introduced from then off and on until March.

• Burmese Pythons: Burmese pythons are a snake that I have seen too many people power feed to reach breeding weight and because of that I will not list a weight. For healthy breeding I suggest males be 4 years old and 7 to 9 feet in length while females should wait until 5 years old and 9 to 10 feet in length. These are spring breeders and do need a cooling period for proper sperm and egg development. I have heard of only one story of burms breeding with no cooling period but I have not found any truth in it.

• Reticulated Pythons: These large pythons have started catching popularity real fast in the recent years as more color morphs are being produced. This is yet another python I have seen to many people power feed for breeding and just to get the snake larger. It is suggested that males be 12 to 18 months of age and 9 to 10 feet, while females should be 3 years old and 13 feet long. Normally bred September through November but I know of a few breeders who have bred them at different points throughout the year.

• Blood Python: There are three different species that are referred to as blood pythons but for all 3 have the same breeding requirements. These pythons are very thick bodied and also known to be over fed so I will not list weights. Males need to be 2.5 to 3 years of age while females need to be 4 to 5 years of age. These pythons have been bred from November to March and I have yet to meet a blood python breeder who cools their pythons and some have even had some success breeding them out of season. I have yet to see this, so I still see year round breeding as still just rumor.

• Green Tree Python: These snakes are not the easiest snake to keep and are not for the beginner. For those who are ready for caring and breeding of these awesome pythons I would suggest waiting until the males are 2.5 to 3 years of age and females need to be 3.5 to 4 years of age. I have seen them bred from November to January.

• Carpet & Bredli Pythons: There are a few different carpet pythons on the pet trade. The main ones seen here in the United States is Irian Jaya, Jungle, Coastals, and Darwins are starting to be more available. I will include Bredli pythons in this section because they have similar breeding habits as carpets but must be noted they are classified as a separate python. They all need to be cooled for the November to March breeding season. The age range for all of the snakes should be 18 to 24 months for males and 3 to 4 years for females. The weights for each do vary though. Irian Jayas should be 800 grams for males and 1000 grams for females. Jungles and Darwins: Should be 1000g for males and 1500g for females. Coastals: Should be 1500g for males and 2000g for females. Bredli: should be 1200 grams for males and females should be 1800g

• Diamond Pythons: These snakes are growing in popularity but are not the easiest to keep and breed. These are truly an expert level snake. For those who attempt to breed these snakes I would say do your research. All I can provide to you, the readers, is that males should be bred at 4 years of age and 4 to 5 feet in length, while females should be 5 years old and 6 to 7 feet in length. Their breeding season is from November to March and need a very cold cooling.

• Woma Pythons: These pythons are a personal favorite of my wife. We have a pair because she suggested we get them and made a sad face. We love our Womas and they have an appetite unlike any snake I have ever seen. They are known for this appetite so over feeding can happen easily. Womas breed April to July but have also been bred in the winter during their cooling. It is suggested that males should be bred starting at 1 to 2 years of age and females should be 2 to 3 years of age. Weight for a male should be 1000g and females should be 1500g.

• Black-Headed Python:  These snakes are wonderful snakesand reach a good 8 feet in length and are a sight to see. For those breaking into these snakes it is suggested that males are bred starting at 2.5 to 4 years of age while females you should wait until 4 or 5 years of age. The breeders I reached out to suggested females should always be held off until 5 years of age. They are hardy eaters and are easily power fed so please be careful.

• Angolan: Not many people breed this pythons but they are an awesome snakes and a great addition to any collection. For those who do decide to breed these pythons it was suggested to me that Males should be 3 years old and at least 1500g and females should be 4 years old and at least 1800g. The need a cooling period and breeding season is November to March.

• Spotted & Children Pythons: These pythons are the smallest breeds and are great for any collection. I feel these are the best pythons for beginners and awesome for those looking for a snake for kids. For those breeding them they need no cooling and their breeding season is December to March. Males should be 18 months old and 270g while females should be 2 to 2.5 years old and 400 grams.

• Hybrids: When trying to produce hybrids please keep all of the ages, weights and seasons in mind. For some hybrid projects you have a very small window for when the two breeds have an overlapping season. Also make sure the female is the larger of these mixes. Also as of recently it has been discovered that even some genetic characteristics carry over. An albino 75% Burmese python 25% Ball python hybrid was born and thrives. This opens up all kinds of doors for projects in the future but please breed your snakes responsibly.

 

Wheezing and Sneezing Snakes (Respiratory Infections)

Tags

Mites, Python, python respiratory infection, python respiratory issues, Pythons, Reptile respiratory infection, Reptiles, respiratory infection, Snake, Snake Mites, snake respiratory infection, snake respiratory issues, Snakes

Everyone knows that getting a respiratory infection isn’t fun, and for our reptile it can can mean death. I recently had to deal with a snake that got a respiratory infection. I looked up all the local vets that would take reptiles and I couldn’t afford any of them. My pythons mean a lot to me. The one who was sick is my favorite because he scares away most of the people who come to my door trying to annoy me. He is an adult male Sumatran Short Tailed python or a Black blood for most. I call him Big Memphis and it pained me he was sick and I couldn’t afford a vet. I did find a great vet that was at an awesome price but before I found a vet I tried a home remedy that I think made the vet visit less of a need. This blog will break down how reptiles can get respiratory infections, the home remedy I found, and some tips for a vet visit.

How do reptiles get respiratory infections?

Taking proper care of your reptiles helps prevent these issues and prevention is much easier than dealing with an infection. Please make sure YOU ALWAYS RESEARCH PROPER CARE BEFORE YOU MAKE A PURCHASE!!!!!! That being said lets get into what can cause respiratory infections.

• Humidity levels are off: If the humidity levels are off, then your reptiles will not be able to breathe or shed properly. This stress can lower the immune system of reptiles and before you know it, your reptiles have a reptile infection.
• Mites: Yes, mites. Like mites aren’t bad enough. They can over stress the snake and cause major health issues, one of which is respiratory issues. Mites can also spread these health issues among all of your reptiles.
• Mite Treatment and cage Cleaners: Different chemicals for cleaning cages and treating for mites can get breathed in by your reptiles. This can then turn into respiratory issues for your reptiles. I personally use vinegar and water to clean but I still let the cage air out a bit before I put any reptiles back in the cage.
• Dust: Normal house dust can in fact get your reptiles sick just as easy as it can you. If you wouldn’t want to inhale a bunch of dust, then why would your reptiles? Dust can also come from the bedding you use in the cage. I have seen that aspen dust can cause reptiles serious breathing issues
• Dirty Cages: All kinds of nasty bacteria can form if you don’t properly clean your reptile enclosures. I suggesting cleaning daily for everything but snakes. Snakes should be cleaned the day they shed and the day the release their bowels.
• Temperature: If temps get to low, then your reptiles will get sick. A respiratory infection may be the least of your problems if you have a cold snake who has food in its belly and no heat for a long period of time.

These are all prevented with proper care of your reptiles. Mine python got sick from a mite problem I had after bringing in a new reptile. I attacked the problem fast and he was the only one who got sick, thank God, but this still could have been prevented. Always take care of your reptiles and make sure they always have the right temps, clean water, and proper living conditions.

Symptoms

Some of the signs of a respiratory infection are:

• Breathing/ Wheezing issues
• Mouth open like it is gasping for breathe
• Discharge from the mouth and/or nose
• Lethargic
• stops eating

If you see these things than you have a problem but do note that sometimes snake can have bedding in their throat they are getting out. Sometimes reptiles will have bubbles or water near nostrils after a drink of water. I have a snake with a scar on its nose and it whistles when she breathes.

Home remedy

The first thing people will suggest is get cage to proper humidity for the reptile, increase heat in the cage a bit and remove the water bowl. This can help with minor cases but it is very rare it is the method to solve your reptile’s problem.

Now this home remedy wasn’t my idea. I got it from an episode of Snakebytes. Brian Barczyk is one of the biggest names in the reptile industry and will forget more about reptiles than any of us will probably learn. I testes his method and can say it was in fact working but I also wanted my snake seen by a vet to be 100% sure. Here is what you will need:

• Plastic tub that can hold your reptile with a few holes in it and one whole if a tub to go in
•  
• Reptile fogger

• F10 Sc Veterinary Disinfectant

Now the F10 Sc is a concentrated chemical so I only used a few CCs as Brian suggested. The tub was large enough for my python but small enough for the fogger to fill the entire thing up with fog. Think of it as a reptile nebulizer/breathing treatment. I only left my python in there for 5 to 8 minutes each time and did it every other day, He has yet to show any negative affects from this treatment and is healthy as can be. This method had my python go from yellow mucus to no nasal discharge in no time. The vet said he looked to be headed in the right direction when I brought him in but we both agreed better safe than sorry. The F10 did help and I wanted to share it because if it wasn’t for my Snakebyte TV habit who knows it Big Memphis (the snake that was sick) would have made it. Here is a link to the exact episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJCnPfuqaBM

Going to the Vet

Now I will also suggest having a vet saved into your contacts. There will be times that serious meds will be needed to save your reptile’s life. Find a local vet that has knowledge of reptiles or is comfortable seeing them. The vet I used did a great job and her vet tech got to have some fun. When it was time to give Big Memphis his first shot he rose up out of the tub and looked the vet tech right in the eyes. I helped hold the snake down but the vet said it was one of his most intimidating experiences. Now the vet should be up to date on the needed meds but just in case I would like to suggest that if you have to go to a vet to treat a respiratory infection I would say ask for Fortaz Ceftazidime. The typical medication used is Baytril but they both can treat the same illnesses but Fortaz Ceftazidime doesn’t cause some of the scarring issues that you can get from Baytril.

Closing remarks

The home remedy listed above shouldn’t be you go to solution. It is great to have the needed stuff ready just in-case but also have a vet who knows you and your pets. I do want to say thanks to Brian for all he is doing in the reptile community and I suggest that everyone goes through the Snakebytes/Animalbytes Youtube episodes. There are a lot of helpful videos and fun things to watch on his page. Like myself Brian is also on Facebook and twitter so make sure you add him for expert reptile advice.

Rack ’em Up

Tags

Python, Pythons, Reptile racks, Reptiles, Snake, snake racks, Snakes

When I first got into reptiles the only way I knew to house them was with a glass aquarium. You put a heat lamp over it and threw in a heat rock as well. I thought I had to have the half log hides and everything was kind of expensive. When I started breeding python I was introduced to heat cable, heat tape, home made hides, and snake racks. I purchased my first snake rack with heat cable and tubs for over $1000. At the time I had the funds and thought it was awesome. After growing my collection I needed more racks but didn’t want to break the bank. I closely looked at the rack I had and started thinking how could I build my own rack. This blog is what I came up with and have been using for years. For the rest if this blog I will post what items I use to build my own racks, plus a few additional items for extra help. I will list the item, the price and where I get the items. Feel free to reply with any comments or suggestions to help.

Lets start with the racks. I use the wire racks that you can find at Home Depot, Walmart and Amazon. You can build them quick, easy to move, hold up weight well, and heat cable can be used on 24/7.

The smaller rack (Left) I use costs around $50 at Walmart or on Amazon and the larger rack (Right) I use is found every day at Home Depot for $100. I have only seen the larger rack at Home Depot but it has popped up on Amazon for the same price a few times.The smaller rack holds 41 quart tubs which are 34.75”L x 16.5”W x 6”H, which is great for young pythons and smaller pythons. These tubs are also bigger that a 20 gal long, glass aquarium. The larger rack is perfect for holding 74 quart tubs which is great for adult pythons who need 8 square feet of space. The 74 quart tubs measure 44″ long by 20″ wide by 7″ high. All measurements are in inches. The 41 quart costs about $10 at Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot and Target. The 74 quart tubs are only at Lowes, on Amazon and Target and usually cost around $20. Rumor has it that the 74 quart is no longer being made. I stocked up but the rest of you may need to look for other sources of 74 quart tubs. I will post on my Facebook page if I ever find a new source.

I usually buy 2 racks at a time and combine them into one. This will hold up top 10 tubs on both the large and small racks. The spacing between each tub keeps snakes from getting out but I also will use bungee cord to add extra security.

I drill two levels of holes along the sides of the tubs and then on the tops I drill based on humidity level needed and air flow. The number of holes I drill in the top is a very hard to describe science but feel free to email me what snake you have, what size tub, house temp and I will tell you how many and where. (snakeboss1609@gmail.com)

In side the each tub I use cheap water bowls form Walmart. They can me cleaned easy and it serves its purpose. Now I use either paper towel or news paper for bedding but feel free you use what you want. For a hide place for snakes I use plastic under pot water saucers.

They come in may sizes and colors and the are cheap. The biggest will house an adult blood python, and costs $5 while the smallest is great for ball pythons and smaller snakes and costs under $1. I cut an opening large enough for the snake to get through and then I use sand paper to smooth out all the sharp edges.

The next item you will need is heat cable. There are many different brands and sizes and I will only cover what I use. I use Zoo Med Reptile heat cable and it can be found at any major pet store but I order mine through Amazon. The sizes I most commonly use are the 52 ft, the 39 ft, and the 15 ft cables. Through Amazon I pay around $45 for the 52 ft, around $25 for the 39 ft, and $10 is the most I paid for the 15 ft cable. I weave the cable in and out of different wire points to make sure I have a great heat spot for my reptiles.

This is how I weave it into the wire racks as this image shows:

For the smaller racks I use 5 lines across and on the larger racks I do 8 lines across.

Now these heat cables can get really HOT!! I use a light dimmer to bring the heat down to meet the snakes’ needs. I get my light dimmers from Home Depot because they are the cheapest I have seen and the easiest to use. They cost around $12

From there I adjust to see where day time temps should be and then night time temps. Use any source of temp reader you have available and make marks on the dimmer to where your day and night time temps will be at. Once you have this set for the reptiles you keep, you can repeat this every time.

There you have it, a cheaper way to build your own racks. Price depends on source of each product and local tax. Stores also charge different prices in different areas. I can get the 74 quart tub at the target down the street from my house for $20, but at the target near my work they cost $30. You can do different things with all of this. I have found ways to make this work for bearded dragons, geckos, hedgehogs, and more. Use your imagination and email, Facebook or tweet me what you use or come up with. 

Email: snakeboss1609@yahoo.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BigBossReptiles

Twitter: @SnakeBoss1609

Snake Mites!!!!!!

Tags

Mites, Python, Pythons, Reptiles, Snake, Snake Mites

It has been several months since my last post. Since my last post I have started my MBA, which I have a 4.0, started a new job, and have had many other life events keep me away from this blog, but hopefully that will all change.

I figured the best way back into this blog is to write about things all reptile breeders deal with eventually and have been plaguing me. This blog is focused on the snake mite. I HATE MITES!!!! I had an issues with mites that got out of control. I had mites over every water bowl, on every snake, and they were even pouring out of the tubs like ants. All of this in a span of 2 weeks. That is how long it takes for an infestation to get to that level. I am happy to say all mites are gone but it was a battle that I fear I have yet to truly win and I feel will always rage on.

Here is what one of these nasty mites look like:

That is a mite filled with the blood of some poor helpless snake.

WHERE DO THEY COME FROM:

Mites can get on your snake from many different sources. If your house isn’t vacuumed regularly then you can get mites. Mites can come from the rodents you feed you snakes. make sure if you feed live you check them out for mites. if you buy pre-killed than you can relax. The two most common sources for mites in you collection comes from the purchase of a new snake and bedding.

You should always check on the new reptiles you purchase. Many pet stores have mites and fail to treat them and the new owners get to deal with them. Buying from other breeders or collectors can also bring in mites. The best thing you can do is check every reptile you purchase. Be sure to ask the people who you are buying from if they have ever had mites. This sometimes doesn’t work because people do lie. I almost purchased a snake that had several mites on it, but when I asked the breeder if he ever had any he said no. I pointed out each mite and the guy flipped out on me. Needless to say I am happy I didn’t do business with this gentleman.

The largest source of mites for me comes from aspen bedding. Every time I see someone use it, they always get mites later. This can not be helped and it is of no fault of the places you purchase your bedding. Many reptile breeders use news paper or paper towel because they know bedding has mites and they’d rather avoid that mess. For those who want to add a more eye catching appeal to their cages instead of boring paper towels I will list what to do with bedding in the pre-kill section of this post.

PRE-KILLING MITES:

The best way to kill mites is to prevent them all together. Here are a few helpful tips to prevent the issue from ever occurring:

• If you use aspen bedding, freeze the bedding first, then bake it for a shot while to kill any mites
• Use newspaper or paper towel bedding
• Shake all bedding in 7 Dust
• Spray down all bedding with mite spray
• Avoid reptiles that currently have mites
• Bathe your reptiles
• Go over the reptile with mite treatments before adding it to your collection

Here are some of the most known tools for mite prevention:

 

In my personal experience only the 7 Dust helped.

MITES ARE THE DEVIL AND THE DEVIL IS BAD:

If mites have invaded your reptile’s personal space you need to act quickly. Mites can cause you reptiles to have illnesses, they can cause respiratory issues, and if not treated THEY WILL KILL YOUR REPTILE. Mites will spread this illness all over your collection and this is never good.

THE MITE BATTLE BEGINS:

If you are starting to see mites then you need to prepare for battle. I will go over how I dealt with my mite infestation and what I used. Here is a step by step of my battle with mites:

1. Place snake in a tub I made just for soaking them in. The tub is small but has large enough holes for air but not so large the snake could get out. The holes also act as a way to get water in the tub since many snakes just don’t let you lay them in water.
2. Fill soaking tub with warm water
3. Clean out each snake tub with vinegar, water and 7dust mixture. I let the tub stay wet in my mixture for a few minutes before I wipe it down and dry it out.
4. Take pipe cleaner through every air hole in the tub (those holes are a great place for mites and mite eggs to hide)
5. Replace bedding with paper towels
6. Microwave my water bowls. I have purchased bowls that you could boil water in for my snakes to drink from because they are easy to clean, dish washer friendly and can be microwaved for 4 minutes. You can also freeze the bowls
7. Check the snake for mites as I dry the snake off
8. Before putting snake back in its tub I go over the tub with 7dust. (please wear gloves and a mask for this)
9. I then go over the snake a bit with the dust
10. Wipe down the spot on the snake rack
11. Put snake back

I do this to entire group on day one. This can be stressful for a snake so I give them a day off before I do this again and this lasts for a week. During this week I get aspen bedding and I pretreating it for mites. After a week I start round two.

1. Repeat what I did last week but instead of paper towels I use aspen bedding
2. cover aspen bedding with 7 dust and mix it in
3. after snake has been dried off with a towel I put them back in their tub

Snakes like to dig around in their bedding. With 7 Dust on the bedding they can get that all over them and kill the mites. 7 Dust is being used by some of the biggest names in reptile breeding and it many have even feed their snakes on bedding that was treated with 7 Dust with no signs of issues. I started using it after visiting a large reptile breeder in south Florida. He was feeding snakes on it and all the snakes were healthy, and breeding just as fine. Now when he was breeding them he would remove all bedding for paper towels  and kept it that way until eggs were laid and removed.

Treating a reptile with mites takes several weeks as the eggs have to be killed off. I have been told and read many different things on the life cycle of mites but the safest thing to do is always treat you collection like mites are already there. care for your snakes, check on them daily, check for the signs of mites, which are:

• Soaking in water bowl
• loss of appetite
• Rubbing
• or tiny dots moving all over the snake
• shedding problems
• lack of strength

Some of the places mites love to hang out are in the heat pits, under snake’s mouth, in a reptile’s eyes, in their nose, near their tails, and they really love a reptile’s head.

Every reptile keeper battles mites at some point in their reptile collecting years. They always find a way to show up no matter what you do. If you treat you bedding and watch for these things you may see dead mites in places but as long as they are always dead and never alive than relax a bit.

Now I know some may find my treatment methods out outrageous and harmful to the snakes but I have seen this used for 10 years and I have seen nothing ever bad come from it. The only person I have met who has been against this treatment style  lost a snake that was beyond help by the time it was being treated. It was very sad but mites can and will kill a reptile.

I am happy to say I am looking mite free again, snakes all eating like bottomless pits, and starting to get weights ready for a wonderful breeding season.

 

Crested Gecko Care

Tags

Crested Gecko, Gecko, Reptiles

Crested Geckos are one of the easiest reptiles to own and the best for beginners. They require very little, great colors, and easy to handle.

Before you purchase your crested gecko, you need to make sure you have everything it could need.

Housing: Crested Geckos require very little when it comes to housing. You could get a critter keepers, 10 gal. tank, or even a 20 gal tank. The more crested you have, the more space they will require (*note: Keeping multiple males in once cage is not a good idea). Crested geckos like to climb so have some branches, a hide place(I use cardboard egg carton), water and a food bowl. Make sure housing has a secure entrance as to prevent the gecko from escaping. A good bedding could be paper towels, reptile carpet, and moss. Crested geckos need more climbing space then anything but for 1 adult to 2 adults can be happy in a 20 gal. tank.

Feeding: I have heard many different things when it comes to crested gecko diet but one thing stands true above all the rest, the powdered crested gecko food is the best. That alone will keep them healthy and happy for a long time. This is what I recommend to all who purchase geckos from me.

Temperature: Keep your crested geckos within 72 to 80 degrees. If you keep your house at a good temp then room temp is perfect. If you go above or below that range your crested gecko will become sick and could even die.

What to not to get: Crested geckos DO NOT need a U/V A or B light. Having one could throw off your temps and cause harm to the geckos. They DO NOT need daily misting. Too much humidity will cause health issues. They DO NOT need huge cages as babies. too large and they can get stressed out. They DO NOT need any fancy bedding. All of mine are on paper towels and they are happy. Using some bedding can be harmful to your gecko so be careful.

Handling: I have yet to see an aggressive crested gecko. Do keep in mind though that they are jumpers. If they fall from to high, it can hurt them real bad.From your head to the ground will lead to gecko death. They aren’t to fast of an animal but be sure when you are handling your gecko you have both hands available. WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE AND AFTER HANDLING. They do not sit still and will move around.

When you first get your gecko wait a week before you start handling your gecko. Start off with a short handling of 2 to 3 minutes the first time and 2 days later go for 5 minutes. Give them another 2 days and keep to the 5 minute handling and walk around your house some. This will get them use to the surroundings, smells, noises, and such. Give them breaks in between holding as I had in last sentences. This gives them time to calm down from the stress handling can cause at first. After a week or two of walking around the house start increasing the amount of time you handle the gecko. Crested geckos make great pets and handling will become a blast and you will get to show off your gecko pals.

Tail Loss: Since Crested Geckos can drop their tails I want to give full warning about their tail loss.DO NOT PANIC OR RUSH TO VET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They will be fine. It is part of their natural defenses. They will not die if they loose their tale and know it wont grow back either. They just won’t drop their tail for anything. You will actually have to grab it or squeeze it to have the gecko drop its tail. If you mishandle your gecko and it drops their tail DO NOT FREAK OUT. Put the gecko back in its cage and leave it alone for a week or two so the gecko can recover from the stress. After that return back to normal handling but try and be more careful. If your handling causes a gecko to drop its tail then you need to be less rough with your gecko.

Selecting a Gecko: Now you know what you need I suggest finding a reputable breeder online(NOT CRAIGSLIST), a good pet store(which be sure to check for mites) or go to a reptile fair near you to hand pick a gecko and meet the breeders. Trade shows also provides you a great opportunity to pick the breeder’s brain if you have questions. Make sure the gecko has a healthy weight to them, no sunken eyes, and look for tiny moving black specks to make sure the gecko doesn’t have mites.

Other then this the crested gecko is a very easy pet. Make sure it has food, water and keep a clean cage. They come in many different colors and patterns so find the one you want.

Morelia Hybrids Part 2: Carpondros

Tags

Carpet Python, Morelia, Python, Pythons, Reptiles, Snake, Snakes

A very popular hybrid mix on the pet trade is the Carpondro. This is the result of mixing a carpet python to a green tree python. This mix has yeilded some absolutely stunning animals. The more common carpets being used are the Jungle, Coastal, Irian Jaya, and recently seen my first diamond to green tree hybrid. I wont cover the Diamond to green tree mix since I have not collected any information on them at this time.

When you cross carpets to green trees the first notable difference is the color variations. When combining these two species it throws in patterns and colors from both parents. What makes this so cool is that Green tree pythons change colors through out their lives so throwing in patterns and colors not normally registered in the green tree genetic makeup. The patterns and colors are never the same with each hatchling, well from the groups I have seen, each baby is unique and as they have matured the it continues along this path. In the final color phase the snakes are ultimately green but now they will some black, brown, yellow and when jaguar genes are thrown in it gets more extreme. Words alone can’t truely describe how awesome, random, and unique each carpondro is.

The main purpose of these hybrid blots is to focus on pet ownership more then anything else, so lets focus on that. Many carpet pythons are hardy snakes and are great pets, while green tree pythons are not a begginer snake and have many more demands to their habitat then a carpet python would require. Green tree pythons require a place to hang so an overhead lamp is a must. Green Tree pythons have different humidity and temperate requirements then a carpet python requires so mixing the two species has shown some crazy changes to everything you need to make both species individually happy in captivity.

The first thing this species needs is caging fit for a green tree python. They will want to hang around more then carpet pythons but need a hiding spot on ground level as well. Carpondros will require more floor space then a green tree would but the main thing is a place to hang. The Jagcondro that is in my care stays in a 75 gal with a lot of climbing surfaces to regulate temp and 2 floor hides.

This hybrid has given some issues when it comes to humidity. Some of them don’t require much while others follow their green tree parent. With hybrids I guess there are no guarantees on what traits do what. I have found do to caging, humidity and handling issues that green trees were not for beginners, so carpondros are even more so because you never know what the snake will require.

The next observation was temperament of these hybrids. I want to start off by saying any reptile can bit and many young reptiles can start off as aggressive but the normally tame out. That being said I have had the privilege of working observing, handling, and caring for a few different carpondros and jagpondros. I was bitten on a daily bases and two of those times on the nose only as a result of moving in time to not get bitten near my eyes. This was while checking for mites which I kept thinking I saw but never found. When it comes to temperament this hybrid has shown to be very nippy while young but tamed down with handling. On the other hand the Jagpondros(coastal carpet python to green tree python where the jaguar gene is visable) has been the hardest snake I have had the pleasure to attempt to tame. The jagpondro I have is named jaws and is now 2 years old and any sign of movement he snaps at. He isn’t hungry because he lets ho fast. This hybrid does have an amazing feeding response and some make better display pets but nothing a more experienced herper should shy away from.

The next observance was size. Depending on which carpet python you mix the green tree with. If the carpet used was an IJ then expect something around 6ft long. If its is mixed with a jungle carpet expect 6 to 7 ft long. Now if use a coastal carpet as the base carpet I have been seeing a large variation in sizes. I have seen from 6ft to 10ft and waiting for info and pic on a 15ft mix. This coastal gene keeps them large even if you continue to increase the percentage of green tree blood. With Morelia mixes don’t expect a size because they never follow what you are going to expect.

Carpondros are, to me, the most beautiful hybrid currently on the market. With bright colors, unique patterns, and awesome build, you get everything you could want in a display animal. If you handle them often they become the coolest pet you have. Something only you will have, one of a kind colors and patterns. Like owning a snow flake that bites and eats rodents.

Enjoy and more coming soon