Would you ever consider purchasing a WC ball?

Just curious. Please explain your views. Personally, I would never purchase any WC animal, not only because of health and feeding problems, but because I believe it is morally wrong. But let me know what you guys think. :)

Why the heck would Somone do it with all the cb out there

If it would be an incredibly cool dinker project I could work with then I see why not. Other than that I don't really believe in people taking BPs out of their habitat to be sold in the pet trade. Just not very humane and a great amount of stress will go on the BP.

Well, I don't think I'd ever buy a normal wc because there are so many healthy cb, but if I was ever in the position to obtain a possible new morph wc, I'd go for it (Not that I ever will be ;))

with ball pythons? No.. but some of the other waaay less common species out there i would consider it (i'm considering it right now actually..)

to outcross or for future projects, sure. most of the 'morphs' would be less viable in the wild and much more desirable for captivity. I certainly would not advocate it for anyone, but ruling it out entirely is too extreme, IMO.

Well, a lot of wild balls are being sold on the food market. I believe that there will be a lot of morphs that will not be discovered. I would purchase a wild ball if it was established in another persons collection and the health was in the proper condition. Other than that I would not purchase one.

Where do you think most of our morphs came from? If the snake showed promise, it would be in my collection.

Jim Smith

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Originally Posted by CoolioTiffany

If it would be an incredibly cool dinker project I could work with then I see why not. Other than that I don't really believe in people taking BPs out of their habitat to be sold in the pet trade. Just not very humane and a great amount of stress will go on the BP.

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But it's ok if it's particularly cool and you could have it?

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Originally Posted by unspecified42

But it's ok if it's particularly cool and you could have it?

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LOL...i was gonna post the same thing

My very first purchased snake was one my mom got me when I was in 7th grade. It was a WC ball python. I think she bought it for about $250.00 :O

I did in the beggining of my getting into reptiles but never again :colbert:

Sure, if it was a new morph, or was a dinker with potential--or had some other very significantly appealing trait. I would also consider buying a WC that was a proven breeder and had been established for several years--I don't think I would consider that to be too different from a CH or CB.

I don't have a moral issue with it. Ball pythons are big money in Africa. To keep them that way, a certain amount of care has to be taken with the habitat they come from. That's good for wild ball pythons. You have to understand, this isn't a situation where the snakes would be living out their lives in the wild if they weren't being shipped here. They would be EATEN if they weren't being shipped here.

If will be well started unusual cool dinker.. already parasites free in good health and eating yes... otherwise (just missed one on Fauna :( )

yes because new genetics there are many morphs yet to be discovered and from what iv've heard there have been some really cool morphs coming from wc yet this is still a little risky due to parasites and what not should only be done if experienced enough and with the help of a good herp veterinarian to deal with the parasites issues

I can see a professional breeder getting WC snakes to expand/strengthen the bloodline, but for a personal pet I would not want one.

When I was much younger I owned a CB Desert Iguana. He was the greatest little guy, very friendly and inquisitive and calm. It was a pleasure to hold him and he’d perch on your shoulder for ages, occasionally nuzzling your neck.

When he passed via an accident* I waited a couple years before getting a new pet. In fact, I did not plan to get one, but a local pet store had a Desert Iguana for sale and I really felt it was ‘time.’ So I got him. Big mistake. He was clearly WC and freekin’ nuts. It was not possible to hold him, he was very skittish, ill, and generally anti-social. He soon died, and in hindsight I think it was parasites – he never grew or gained weight.

Call me gun-shy, but no more WCs for me!

* My sister dropped him one morning while I was at school. I had specifically told her not to handle him that morning, too. While I was at school I felt something was wrong so I left and came home, only to find my sister and mother sobbing over him. He was still partly alive, so I was able to hold him until he died.

I have a WC. Not by choice, but just due to the person i bought her from gave me a BS story, and acted like he didnt really know lineage.

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Originally Posted by FIEND_FO_LYFE

I have a WC. Not by choice, but just due to the person i bought her from gave me a BS story, and acted like he didnt really know lineage.

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same thing happened to me! lol:D

I believe every case is different. I do have 2 females that were CH. My 7 year old and a new dinker believed to be a vanilla. The oldest was a hatchling when I got her and promptly vet treated.

There is only one BP that I would ever purchase as WC and thats a giant sub saharan. I missed out on one in the fall so Im keeping my eyes open but that is the the only one Id get WC. I believe BPs are harder to acclimate and so would only purchase a WC if it was a very special BP.

I know I'm living in the past, but it wasn't that long ago that most of the Ball Pythons sold at pet stores WERE wild caught or captive hatched.

Jim Smith

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Originally Posted by j_h_smith

I know I'm living in the past, but it wasn't that long ago that most of the Ball Pythons sold at pet stores WERE wild caught or captive hatched.

Jim Smith

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My local Petco still sells WC balls. :mad:

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Originally Posted by Crazy4Herps

My local Petco still sells WC balls. :mad:

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Really, I'm surprised at that. Doesn't make sense, CB normals can be bought in bulk for $30 all day long and cheaper if you know where to look.

Jim Smith

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Originally Posted by j_h_smith

Really, I'm surprised at that. Doesn't make sense, CB normals can be bought in bulk for $30 all day long and cheaper if you know where to look.

Jim Smith

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True, but apparently it's more profitable to purchase them for 10.00 a pop and mark them up to 70+ than to buy them for 30 and mark them up 70.00.:snake: (I haven't seen any cheaper than 10.00 perhaps some have).

The Petco's around here also only sell WC. I bought my 2nd animal from a breeder who said she was a hatchling from a WC gravid female. She has a wonderful temperament but I don’t know what role her birth status has on that.:confused:

I would consider purchasing a WC or CH if the snake was eating well and healthy. I would QT for a longer period as well.

I bought a few CH females, back when I was desperate for females lol. When they shipped the CH they threw in a WC for me to experiment with. All the CH and the WC eats regular rats every week and are breeding now. Have not had any problems out of them. Now that I am producing BPs I would not do it again.

It's usually stupid to buy wc. Cb is better adjusted to captivity and cheaper. The only reason I see for buying wc if it had some new gene and was going to be bred in an attempt to come up with new morphs.

the thing i find funny about this thread.. is the comments i read are like no it is very wrong to take these snakes out of their home and stuff like that.. :taz:

but i just find if funny when people say it is wrong when the fact is .... the snakes you all have now came from a wc.. so if it was "wrong".. then you should not have your ball pythons or other exotic animals you have now.. cuzz somewhere along the way it would have been "wrong" ... lol

just my thoughts.. i think i make a good point on this one...

I would look at it as "These snakes have been taken out of their home. If we don't buy them, someone else will, and possibly won't take proper care of them. If no one buys them, demand will decrease, their value will go down, and then they'll be eaten in Africa instead of shipped here".

There are no simple choices in this day and age.

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Originally Posted by cinderbird

with ball pythons? No.. but some of the other waaay less common species out there i would consider it (i'm considering it right now actually..)

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Same here. I would NEVER purchase a wc or ch ball. They are way to common, and cbs are extremly cheap. There are very few species that I would consider purchasing that are wc. The only ones would have to be extremly rare in the wild. Some extremly rare insular boas come to mind.

I guess with all the great breeders out there, all the available animals, I wouldnt risk the natural disease issues that could possibly come with WC. Plus I struggle with the process of taking from the wild and shipping in groups etc etc. So probably not:)

If I wanted to expand my gene pool then yes I would buy a wild caught. But for someone wanting a pet only then I wouldn't recommend it. Unless said person is willing to do the right thing, and take care of it properly and let the animal adjust slowly. I also think that a person who uses a rack system is going to have a greater success with a wc then the avg. person. As many people have stated if not shipped here for the pet trade then the adults would be EATEN for dinner. So if the right one presented itself then yes I would purchase a wc. But keep in mind I have a great relationship with my vet and I house my guys in racks, and I have the patience to leave them alone as much as possible so that they can settle.
Mike Kelly

For balls no.


I almost bought a WC anaconda, but I decided to wait for a more expensive CB specimen.

If I was against wild BP's I wouldn't have one :P

Granted, mine was probably somebody's escaped pet, but I found him in the wild :D

No. There are too many much nicer CB out there. WC can sometimes be difficult to feed, so I'd rather not deal with that.

I wouldn't unless it had some gene or had potential.

All pet stores around me sell CB anyways, whcih is good

I have in the past with great success and would again in the future because I take the time to take proper care of the animal. As a matter of fact this year I am getting a few mixed lots of wc and they will all be taken care of. The biggest reason I do this is to get new blood as well as a couple of dinker projects. I also have a QT room that is on the other side of my house with seperate ventilation to that room than the rest of the house. I feel that they are going to be imported no matter what and a lot are going to end up dead because someone is going to see the cute little bp at a pet store that is all alone and they think it is lonely so they will buy it with a heat rock, glass tank, tiny water bowl, and a bunch of climbing sticks with no hides at all and then the snake will be dead. All a long the pet shop that is was sold in had 50 more in the back and only put a few out so the public thinks they only have a limited supply so they will sell at a higher price and at a faster pace. Yes that is actually what happens at most pet stores anymore. None really care about the animals they care about the $$$. Sad but true... So instead of some one not knowing what they are doing I am getting the babies getting them healthy and if none fit my breeding plans then yes I do sell a few off at cost to friends, family, or to one and only one local pet shop that actually takes care of the animals in the store. I guess I may have annoyed a few people off with this and some others will argue with me but this is the way it is.

I'd buy wc if it was something new/different that would make for a good project. However, I am no where near the stature as a hobbyist to get in there before the big guys and I do not have the connections or money for it, anyway.

Otherwise there's no point for me. There are tons of fantastic cb snakes available at any given time that I can pick from instead, especially since I'd likely be buying a normal anyway if I went wc. The vet bills and pissy snake would not be worth it.

yes i would but only to try and find another line of ball pythons. If i did the first place it would go is the vet to get the proper meds to rid it of any parasites it may come with. Other than that i prefer to only buy captive bred reptiles

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Originally Posted by Crazy4Herps

Just curious. Please explain your views. Personally, I would never purchase any WC animal, not only because of health and feeding problems, but because I believe it is morally wrong. But let me know what you guys think. :)

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Is it "morally wrong" to buy a morph that was produced from a WC animal....because most of them are.

BG does understand what you're saying though. He doesn't like all the WC animals that come in, but he can't be a hypocrite about it.

Also, if BG would venture a guess he would estimate that 95% of the normal Ball Pythons in captivity are captive hatched babies. The number gets lower each year, but most are.