Ethics of buying Gravid Females?

[Holbeird]

In looking around I've seen some females being sold gravid. I'm curious what people think about the ethics of this. I would think it would put a lot of unnecessary stress on the snake and I also am curious how damaging it'd be to the eggs as well. I was just curious what other's thought of this practice.

[Monty]

i was seeing that too on kingsnake and was wondering the same thing

[Brock Wagner]

I personally disagree with the fact that they are being brought in and sold to everyone as a possible morph and that you could hatch out a banana from these females. Read Tracy's blog on it over at VPI I agree with everything that she says about it. It took her 6 years to get the Burgundy Albino to lay eggs and it was a wild caught adult female. Most of these females that people buy will die here and never do well. They should leave them there. Just my opinion.

Brock

[AjBalls]

I bought 4 WC females in the past 2 years. Three were gravid, one just had large follicles which were reabsorbed. The first one to lay laid 7 eggs, all fertile. And the other two laid 6 eggs each (with one slug in one clutch) just 2-3 days ago.

Some people have trouble getting them adjusted and eating. I had this trouble too at first. Then I was told how to set them up properly. The first female has been eating domestic (small) rats and African rats with no problem at all. She is pushing 900 grams at the moment after being about 600 grams after laying, if I am not mistaken.

I don't care if they are imported much. You just have to know what to expect: not eating, aggression, possible parasites, etc. But if you don't know what you're doing, I am against it. A lot of people will think a non feeding ball python will eat a gerbil with no problem, though most have never attempted and just say because that's what they hear. Well I can honestly say I have attempted to feed gerbils as well and had NO success! You have to think about what you are getting into and what you are going to do with these animals AFTER they lay, which for most people is sell. But I pick mine out because I like them and plan on entering them into my stock.