Ball python morph standards? Shows?

[rabernet]

As someone who breeds and sell animals getting a ribbon would mean ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, and it definitely would not justify putting any of my animal in jeopardy

I buy, holdback and breed selectively to provide my customers with high quality animals and I let THEM be the judge of my animal's quality not some random judge in some random show.

I believe that if you were to do a poll you would likely find out that the majority of breeders would not be interested in the idea.

This.

[The Mad Baller]

I think the only way it would work is to have it as a sideshow at the expos. I don't feel having it as a show by itself would work. Now I truly believe if its offered at the expos to the venders say for example each vender can enter 3 animals for free into whatever category they want I seriously doubt they would roll their eyes and decline. Its free advertising for your snake sort of and if it wins or places people would be more inclined to buy that particular snake from you which is why everyone is there to sell snakes not to mention just the competitive nature of us humans. A snake with a first place ribbon next to its display case on Sunday or even next week online for sale would likely sell faster.

[Rhasputin]

The mad baller, you definitely have some great input, thanks!


A lot of people seem to think that 'most breeders are not interested'. Well, it wouldn't matter, because some would be. It would also, obviously, not be open to just breeders, but owners also.

Thank you all for commenting, opposed, or for!

[h00blah]

Ok im confused. Can we get a clarification on this idea. Is the idea to have a reptile show like a dog show format or are we talking some sideshow thing attached to a regular vendor show?

Sorry, I kinda took the idea of creating a standard, and proposed a mini-event at reptile expos. People will vote according to THEIR standard, not a list of traits labeled as something that is most desirable. I believe that SOME morphs require SOME traits... I personally think a great pastel's first desirable trait needs to be yellow coloration... I dont care what anyone says lol, when you describe a pastel, the first thing you're gona say is a YELLOW SNAKE with bla bla bla.... Lolll

Rhasputin, you can create a thread asking to see pictures of BP morphs that display a certain trait that you prefer, then everyone will benefit . Ask to see blushed out pastels! Ask for busy or reduced patterns! Ask to see the brightest yellow pastels ever!

I think a show that is designated for this kind of competition would just not work out. I would probably find that i disagree with a lot of the judge's decisions :p lol. Lots of people love those reduced patterned clowns and they will pay extra to get those! Thats just boring to me XD. I don't blame them though since it's unique. Thats all the breeders are trying to do anyways . Create unique and cool looking mutations! I agree with all the reasoning against a show reserved for this.. But again, an event within the expo would be fun . Glad to see other people on board with it

Wish i knew the people who organized these expos

[h00blah]

Ok im confused. Can we get a clarification on this idea. Is the idea to have a reptile show like a dog show format or are we talking some sideshow thing attached to a regular vendor show?

I suggested the sideshow attached to a vendor show :p, rather than a dog show with reptiles.

Sorry for the thread hijacking, and the confusion

[Rhasputin]

It's okay, everyone is throwing out ideas and opinions.
All are welcome.

[WingedWolfPsion]

My thought is just this:
There are dog, cat, mouse, rabbit, canary, budgergar, cockatiel, horse, cow,.... well, the list goes on, there are shows for all of these animals. They're judged according to created standards, and breeders compete to get their animals to conform most closely to the standard for the breed.

Someone is going to do this for reptiles eventually, no matter how many breeders turn their noses up at it. Once they start it, it's going to grow, just like the shows for all of the other animals out there.
Who will start it? Probably not the ball python folks. My guess would be that the bearded dragon or crested gecko folks will start it. Once they do, however, others will follow.

I'm not necessarily saying I support the idea, by the way--I'm only saying, I think it's only a matter of time.

I also think that those who dislike the idea shouldn't necessarily pee on the party of those who do. Show animals are usually lavished with great care, so husbandry techniques developed by those trying to get an animal into 'perfect health' might prove to be useful in general. They may even learn some things we could all benefit from, in the process.

I also think they will spur more interest in reptile keeping in general, and that's a good thing for hobbyists and breeders. Anything that encourages education and great care is positive.

There are some problems--the issue of disease transmission is probably the biggest one of all. As has been pointed out, however, folks seem willing to risk this in order to sell animals, so risking it for showing them isn't truly significantly different...and, in fact, is probably less hazardous, when you stop to consider it. (Show animals being pampered, the chance of sick animals being brought in is probably lower than it would be for an expo, and I have seen some overly thin animals that did not appear to be doing well, at expos in the past).

Some folks are uncomfortable with things that would upset the status quo, or which might add complication. Some folks are also just stubborn.

I've no personal interest in setting up anything like a 'reptile show', but I would be curious to see what folks who did, came up with. Would I buy a 'blue ribbon snake'? Maybe. Lineage is important, and show breeders generally track that very well. I've thought for a long time now that there is a need for a centralized ball python lineage database.

[Rhasputin]

Great thoughts WingedWolfPsion. You're right, even if this thread died out, and nobody spoke about shows for years, someone somewhere will start it up. It's kind of where breeding ends up, no matter what the species!

People breed what they like, and evnetually people start to like certain traits and since humans are naturally competitive, it's inevitable that someone will eventually say 'my snake is better than your snake', and the shows are born.

[The Mad Baller]

Another question would be who would judge. If it were just for fun you could have the people attending the expos to vote on Saturday as you could give them a sheet with a pencil when they enter the show or you can ask a breeder attending the show if he can judge. Or if you charge a small fee per snake entered one can fly in a top BP Breeder put him in a hotel for the weekend and he can judge the show on Saturday. The small fee for each snake entered would pay for the judges air fair, hotel and dinners. Also a big name judge predetermined before the expo should help get a larger draw of people wanting to enter their snakes.

[Rhasputin]

We could also have a vote, and judging by individual judges. There could be a 'people's choice' winner, and also a Best in show winner.


In mice, we also have a 'best opposite' which is used by, if a male wins, a female is picked for best oppostie, and vice versa. But in Snakes, it could be said that best opposite may be, if a busy patterned normal wins, a reduced pattern snake would be chosen for best opposite.