Large Orders Of Ball Pythons

Really? They get bad care? The snakes are watered and the CH babies are shipped out in bags before they've ever eaten, where is the "poor care"?
Snakes that are treated poorly generally do not survive to lay eggs, and hatchlings do not survive poor treatment(even when they are CBB in the US!!). Since the majority(95% or more) seem to arrive here quite fine, and start eating and shed... I don't see where your facts are coming from.

When you consider that the estimated Wild population of Ball Pythons in Ghana alone is between 6 and 18 million, and 9-14 million hatch every year, the numbers imported, whilst still large numbers, do not seem in any way ridiculous.

I think the importation of CH Ball pythons is very good for the species, providing jobs to many locals, who see the ball python as a useful animal, rather than an evil ugly creature that they would otherwise actively seek out and kill. It gives them an excuse to protect the snake population in whatever way they can. (Lets not forget poverty is common in these parts of Africa, the importation really does help some people economically).

As long as it's continued in a sustainable way, and we aren't importing a million a year, I think it's good for both us as keepers abroad, local people and the ball python population as a whole.

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Does it bother any of you that the C.H. and W.C. snakes you get were not getting good care in Africa? Just wondering...:)

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when i ordered my ch i got 20 babies with 20 sheds in the bag with them.no mites or ticks none were skinny or dehydrated
as for W.C. snakes if there was a husbandry problem they would only have themselves to blame since they were collected in thier natural habitat


last time when i was in petco their still using those zoomed humidity gauge (which never work) on a bed of aspen(which is dryer then the last time i opened a bag of shredded wheat) a little water and 1-8 snakes competing for one little half log hide. if your lucky they dont have 8k mites on them from the boa the next cage over or the 20 corns the next tank up.

also last time i was at petsmart it was the same except for the balls had a smaller tank and the next cage down had 3 turtles and a water dragon all in the same cage!

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Originally Posted by wolfy-hound

Really? They get bad care? The snakes are watered and the CH babies are shipped out in bags before they've ever eaten, where is the "poor care"?
Snakes that are treated poorly generally do not survive to lay eggs, and hatchlings do not survive poor treatment(even when they are CBB in the US!!). Since the majority(95% or more) seem to arrive here quite fine, and start eating and shed... I don't see where your facts are coming from.

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Yes, really, they get bad care. Lots of these snakes die at their "ranches" and "farms". Do you really think they'd send the sick ones to you? You wouldn't be happy with them and not buy any W.C. or C.H. again.

And a note aside, Why am I getting these aggressive replies? I'm doing as much as I can do keep my posts friendly, so why am I getting this as a result?

In some african viliges the ball python is considered sacred. They would sooner see one kept as a pet than killed. As I have been doing so much reading on this lately. Most if not all of the big names in breeding will import wc gravids, and babies each year to add to the gene pool.
Look at Dogs
Domesticated from the wolf, and then slectively bred to all the different typs we have today. But in this "selection" breeders often run out of unrelated animals so inbreeding takes place, one or two generations seems to work out ok, but when you have no new blood coming in you get many genetic deformitys.

I'm all for bringing in "new blood" just remember in the wild those nice colors and morphs will be prey, and will have no chance at suvival.

In responce to the OP's question kingsnake classifides has a list of importers. Go for it man, and some day I want to get a wc gravid.

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

I am

COMLETELY
100%
TOTALLY

AGAINST

the mass importation of ANY animal.

I am not against keeping snakes, but importing thousands of animals from the wild just so people can keep them as pets or breed them is just wrong.

Reponsible keepers want to take the best care of their snakes, and reponsible keepers should not deplete the natural population of the animals they love.

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that post looked pretty agressive to me! when the OP asked about getting some ch

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Yes, really, they get bad care. Lots of these snakes die at their "ranches" and "farms". Do you really think they'd send the sick ones to you? You wouldn't be happy with them and not buy any W.C. or C.H. again.

And a note aside, Why am I getting these aggressive replies? I'm doing as much as I can do keep my posts friendly, so why am I getting this as a result?

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when was the last time you were in africa?did you take a camera? if so i wanna see the pics i like jungle photos
these farms go out and collect gravid females they water and house them till they lay. then they either eat,export, release the females the eggs are hatched and babies collected and shipped out before their first shed. im sure lots of babies dont make it out of the egg or even hatch.

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Yes, really, they get bad care. Lots of these snakes die at their "ranches" and "farms". Do you really think they'd send the sick ones to you? You wouldn't be happy with them and not buy any W.C. or C.H. again.

And a note aside, Why am I getting these aggressive replies? I'm doing as much as I can do keep my posts friendly, so why am I getting this as a result?

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I think you may be getting these responses because you are spewing out statistics and whatnot that you have no way to back up.

How many ball pythons do you have???? 1 by your sig........

MAYBE just maybe THATS why we give you that response

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Yes, really, they get bad care. Lots of these snakes die at their "ranches" and "farms". Do you really think they'd send the sick ones to you? You wouldn't be happy with them and not buy any W.C. or C.H. again.

And a note aside, Why am I getting these aggressive replies? I'm doing as much as I can do keep my posts friendly, so why am I getting this as a result?

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OK bud I am not trying to be rude or argumentative. This belongs no where in this thread. The OP asked about getting a "sak-o-snakes" as you put it. Not weather you liked the fact that he wanted them. You want to argue this then make your own thread.

You are just making yourself look foolish IMO. That is why you are getting the responses you are. Please don't get offended, I just don't think this conversation needs to go on here any longer.

Mike

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Originally Posted by DutchHerp

Does it bother any of you that the C.H. and W.C. snakes you get were not getting good care in Africa? Just wondering...:)

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I have a question for you does it bother you more to

A# See a ball python entering the pet trade and get the chance to be bought by a loving owner?

B# See a ball python enter the food chain and end up on the dinner table?

In many areas Ball Pythons are considered a NUISANCE keep that in mind.

Ball Python export is regulated and is not hurting the wild population.

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Originally Posted by nixer

that post looked pretty agressive to me!.

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This is what I said right after:

I don't want to be rude and I don't want to start a fight or anything, sorry if it seems like it.