Captive bread vs captive hatched... big deal?

[dotc0m]

I was just curious as to whether a Captive hatched is that much different then a captive bred. I mean minus the fact that knowing what their specific breed is, captive hatched have all the tamed abilities as a captive bred would have, correct? Anyway, if someone knows more enough to prove me wrong, please let me know.

I am in the process of buying a normal at LLLreptiles, and they told me it was captive hatched, but not captive bred. Also, if anyone has any experiences with Ball pythons from LLLReptile, please let me know as well, thanks!

[jglass38]

Here is a copy and paste from VPI:


Captive-Bred or Wild-Caught?

"Captive-bred" indicates that both parents of a captive-bred ball python are in captivity, and that the fertile egg from which the ball python hatched was the result of a successful mating between those parents while in captivity. In general, ball pythons that are hatched in captivity make superior pets and captives. Captive-bred pythons can be expected to be free from internal parasites, while all imported wild-caught pythons can be expected to carry a variety of parasites. Captive-bred pythons typically grow faster and breed at an earlier age than their wild-caught counterparts. Captive-bred pythons are usually more calm and trusting of their keepers than their wild-caught brothers. Best of all, no animals are removed from the wild when captive-bred pythons are purchased.

This question is of particular importance when one is considering breeding ball pythons. Wild-caught ball pythons, collected and imported as adults, are often very difficult to breed in captivity. This fact is true even when the snakes have nicely adjusted to captivity and are feeding well and behaving as if comfortable. MOST female wild-caught adult ball pythons NEVER breed in captivity.

Most baby pythons sold each year are "wild-bred, captive-hatched." What this means is that ball python eggs are either collected from the wild or obtained from wild-collected gravid [pregnant] pythons, and these eggs are hatched in captivity. Ten years ago "wild-bred captive-hatched" babies were usually hatched in the U.S., the result of gravid wild females being imported. Today many wild-caught adult females are identified as gravid when collected and are retained in their country of origin; the eggs are laid and hatched at a foreign dealer's premises, and the resulting babies are shipped to the U.S. labeled either correctly as "captive-hatched", or all-too-often as "captive-bred," an unfortunate misrepresentation.

"Wild-bred, captive-hatched" ball pythons can do extremely well when raised in captivity. However, many such hatchlings have parasite and disease problems not seen in captive-bred animals. Often, if the hatchlings have been kept for several weeks in their country of origin before being shipped, the quality of the care they have received and the quality of the water that they have been provided is so poor that these babies are quite ill by the time they reach the U.S. Such babies may originally look good when they arrive in the U.S., but they will break down quickly with skin and regurgitation problems. When purchasing "captive-hatched" babies from foreign origins, it is always a "buyers beware" situation.

It is our recommendation to always buy captive-bred hatchling ball pythons when possible.

[West Coast Jungle]

CH are generally from Africa, Wild gravid females are brought to farms to lay their clutches then hatchlings are shipped. Sometimes they aren't fed or are shipped in huge quantities. CB means they were bred and hatched by someone usually domestic animals and get a more care/attention and not shipped with 1000's of others. CH are usually cheaper and can be more of a gamble if not established. Hope this helps

[kavmon]

if you were going to get ch babies, i would have purchased them earlier, like april, may. alot of ones for sale now have been around a bit. i prefer to get them early and start them myself. i mainly get ch babies to find oddballs or something different. if you are looking for normals, you might be better off getting cbb babies from a good breeder.


LLL reptile to my knowledge is a wholesaler, nothing in the stacks of deli cups at shows has impressed me.


vaughn