Rabbit Shows, Horse Shows, Even Guniea Pig Shows, but What About Snake Shows?

[Bellabob]

A show meaning you take you're snake/snakes somewhere, show them off, earn ribbens, prizes, etc. But I have never seen or heard of a snake show. If there was one I would TOTALLY enter my snakes in them.

Is there any snake shows?

[SlitherinSisters]

I've never heard of them! It would be fun, but I don't think there are enough "followers" in one area to get them started. It would have to be created by the state's herp society or whatever that area of the state/country has.

Then they would have to be the weird snake people :rolf: Lots of people have cats, but only the crazy ones go to cat shows, lol.

[j_h_smith]

I don't think the snooty folks at these types of show are what you'll find in most snake owners. I once watched a show about ferret shows and it was disgusting. All the kissy-poos and crap, I would hope to never see a snake owner doing that stuff. Plus, if you can't brush your snake continuously for the 2 hours between rounds, what would you do?

I hope I never see our hobby revert to having shows.
Jim Smith

[mainbutter]

Herpetoculture is too much of an anarchistic hobby to have the organization to agree to 'breed standards' and what not that would be required for judging.

On a side note regarding dog shows, our dog just completed a 6 week basic agility skills class. We're hoping Santa brings some agility equipment to train with at home for x-mas

[MitsuMike]

Herpetoculture is too much of an anarchistic hobby to have the organization to agree to 'breed standards' and what not that would be required for judging.

Agreed, to many opinions on how a morph should look (ex. reduced pattern, light vs dark color, etc). As well as they have a physical inspection as well. I mean a snake is a worm you can't really judge the "figure" of one animal to be better or up to "morph standards" than another. All we know is over weight, under weight and in good health.

[OhhWatALoser]

also imagine having your prized animal go into shed the day of the show lol

[Emaris]

also imagine having your prized animal go into shed the day of the show lol

That would happen to me.....that WOULD happen to me...........

[angllady2]

Well, if not actual shows, maybe fun matches?

Ferret shows have fun matches, were you just show off your fuzzy doing what it does best. There aren't any breed specifications or such, more or less just a way to enjoy your pet and maybe win a ribbon.

That would be easy enough for snakes, I think. You could divide them into species, like balls, red-tail boas, dumerils, etc. And you just bring your best for people to admire.

Gale

[WingedWolfPsion]

I disagree with the folks who say that snakes couldn't be judged on conformation and shape. I think a proportional body length and shape would be something that could be judged. So could head shape and size, jaw shape and size, eye size and placement, etc.

Most of all, markings could be judged. A good normal ball python with a perfect, classic pattern would certainly be interesting to see. Aberrant patterns could be judged differently.

Morphs could of course be judged. Named lines of morphs in particular (lemon pastel, etc).

Do I want to see this happen? Actually, yes, I do. I think it would be good for breeders, and for the hobby. I think that the quality of animals produced by a breeder should be judged by more than just how shiny their latest combo morph is. Good health, good conformation, and excellent temperament are more important than 'paint job' when it comes to the long term health and future of captive ball pythons. It may also draw more people into the hobby.

I would love to see this happen, and I would enter and show my animals if it did.

I'm still waiting on that ball python registry, too--another valuable step for the community.

No, I don't buy the argument that reptile breeders are bunch of reclusive mavericks who could never agree on standards. That sounds like an argument made by someone who doesn't want to have to actually work on the quality of their stock, other than their 'paint jobs'.

[j_h_smith]

You couldn't get 10 people to agree on ideal size and shape. then if you did, they couldn't agree on enough issues to set any standards. What do you think a proportional size should be? Some like their snake a little on the fat side, while others like to keep them on the slightly thin size, so who would be right? Since no 2 snakes the same, what standard would you use for the mophs, such as lesser or even albino for that matter.

It's not like a dog or horse that have been bred for standards for more than a hundred years? I don't know what purpose this would serve either? Do you charge ten times as much for the neonates from your blue ribbon winner as you would from a snake that didn't place in the show?

Do yiou really think that snake folks would care if you're snake was a blue ribbon winner?