Imports.

[gozetec02]

Not cars Ball Pythons.

So both of my snakes are imports. These snakes are so cheap averaging around 15 bux.

I want to get 2 maybe 3 females to raise for breeding. The ones that i am looking at now are merely hatchlings some are eating some are not.

I know imports are not recomended for beginners but i think i am far from a beginner. I have rehabilitated about 5 ball pythons and have adopted them out to good homes.

I guess i am looking for some reassurance that i will succeed in raisng these ball pthons.

And my main question here is who ownes imports and who owns captive bred or who just dont know.

[daftperception]

i don't want to seem rude but buying imports is the worst thing to do yes there cheap but you get what you pay for parasites bugs and bad eaters and bad atitudes and you support there import which is so cruel like 75% of imports and more die and as far as being able to care for one yes you can and you can also drive with your feet but wy try.

[JLC]

Well, unfortunately, I can't speak from personal experience, but just from living vicariously through so many others...but even so, I'll offer you my opinion on imports.

Imported babies have their challenges, but nowhere near the difficulties of an imported adult. The babies were most likely hatched on "farms" and have never experienced life in the wild...so the usual challenges of getting it to eat "American" food and live happily in a small enclosure aren't really issues with the babies.

What IS an issue is the greatly increased likelihood that the babies will have parasites, external and/or internal. This will mean extra work and possibly extra $$ for the buyer. But so long as you know that going in and are willing to deal with it, I don't think it's that big of a deal. The other things to worry about are health issues due to the long and most likely VERY uncomfortable journey across the ocean to get to your dealer. But a few months of good husbandry and TLC can handle most of that.

I don't think you should have any troubles with the little ladies, Damien...just be sure you can trust your dealer. If they haven't eaten before you get them, then be prepared for the remote, sad possibility that one or more of them may never eat. Some just never do...but a good dealer will usually wait until they have fed at least once or twice before selling them. Again...so long as you go in with eyes wide open, I say go for it.

And QUARANTINE QUARANTINE QUARANTINE !!! :wink:

[gozetec02]

Quarantine is a must for me. And while i have them quarantined in thier own homes i might as well keep them there LOL. I agree that adult imports have tons of problems because they have lived most of thier life in the wild. I do trust the dealer. I dont support the import trade at all I think its inhumane and immoral. And I know I can't save all of them but I can save two from almost certain death. They can either be bought by an experienced keeper like myself or a kid that buys one on a whim for it to die of mistreatment.

We can all be assured that the ball python import trade will never be irradicated. This is my goal in getting the two females. When they grow up I will have a male that is ready to mate and make some captive bred snakes.

I do trust my dealer he used to be a veterinarian for the Dallas Zoo specilizing in reptiles and now he owns a pet store he sees and treats reptiles that people bring to his store for free. I have bought both of my ball pythons from him. Even my Jojo is an import and have had no problems with him. But I agree that the secret to getting imports is to get them as hatchlings.