Scrub python

Just wondered if any of you guys keep scrubs?
I've been offered a stunning boy and very tempted!

FYI, I put in "scrub python" in the search box (upper right) & quickly came up with these threads- there's probably more- I know scrubs get discussed now & then.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...is-(pic-heavy)

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...htened-Nervous

I’d say scrubs definitely aren’t for everyone. I’d recommend having intermediate to advanced experience with large snakes before keeping them. I have a 2017 male scrub that I got as a yearling in 2018. I love him even though he’s my most challenging snake. There are some really mellow scrubs out there and others are a bit more temperamental. Make sure you’re prepared for both possibilities. The feisty ones can take a while to settle down. I got one of the more unpredictable specimens. He’s gotten a lot better in the 3 years that I’ve had him but he’s still not a big fan of being handled and he will take a swipe at me occasionally. I accept and respect that he’s more of a hands off /display only animal. They’re pretty easy to care for, they’re strong, and they grow and strike fast. They’re beautiful, majestic snakes that certainly command their respect. As much as I love mine, I can’t see me keeping more than one though. :)

Ive been keeping AfRocks and Anaconda's for years and awere of Scrubs personality.
But yeah i know of a few calm ones but few and far between lol.

Then you’re good!! Definitely go for it!! Which sub-species are you considering? I have carpets, boas, bulls, and an olive, but the scrub is the most challenging of all. I still use gloves with him and that tail has a mind of it’s own. We need more scrubbies around here.

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

... We need more scrubbies around here.

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A Scrub Club! :D

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

Then you’re good!! Definitely go for it!! Which sub-species are you considering? I have carpets, boas, bulls, and an olive, but the scrub is the most challenging of all. I still use gloves with him and that tail has a mind of it’s own. We need more scrubbies around here.

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Unsure atm.
I've been offered a male of around 5years old. Need to chexk his locality.

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Originally Posted by burmman

Unsure atm.
I've been offered a male of around 5years old. Need to chexk his locality.

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Cool. So you’re getting an adult. I hope he’s a mellow fellow. I may have used an incorrect term. What’s the difference between sub species and localities?

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

Cool. So you’re getting an adult. I hope he’s a mellow fellow. I may have used an incorrect term. What’s the difference between sub species and localities?

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Example:
mainland retic species is Malayopython Reticulatus. Dwarf and superdwarf retics are a subspecies of the former and named Malayopython Reticulatus jampeanus.
Locality examples would be Kalatoa island superdwarf, Karompa island superdwarf, etc.

Locality describes a specific smaller population of a species/subspecies that has particular identifiable traits or distinguishable characteristics unique to specimens from that area. Another example is true redtail boas. All are Boa constrictor (formerly Boa constrictor constrictor). Localities would be Suriname, Guyana, North Brazil, Peruvian, Venezuelan, etc.

To the best of my knowledge there are no subspecies of scrubs. All are full species. Simalia kinghorni, Simalia amethistina, Simalia clastolepis, Simalia nauta, and Simalia tracyae.

Examples of locality scrubs within amethistina (that are debatable by some unless you collected the animal personally) are southern/Merauke, Sorong, Biak, etc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

'Subspecies' is a scientific taxonomic distinction -- and as such must be published in order to be valid -- and generally is applied to more-or-less genetically isolated populations that have some relevant and stable phenotypic difference from other populations. My general impression is that the move to cladistic taxonomy (categorizing species based on their shared ancestry, as determined by genetic analysis) is leading to the reduction of named subspecies, as in the Lampropeltis triangulum complex and Lichanura somewhat recently.

'Locale'/'locality' distinguishes animals whose parentage was collected from a certain known location (general area, near a certain city, a specific island, or even something as specific as a certain road cut as in Lampropeltis alterna locales). Not all locale/localities have characteristics distinguishable from other locales (most mainland locales of Lichanura trivirgata are visually indistinguishable from each other), and not all locale populations are morphologically homogeneous (to take another rosy boa example, 'Anza Borrego' rosies range from blue and pretty bright orange to cream and washed out orange, and there is a locale specific albino line, and there is a selectively bred but nonetheless locale-specific hypo line).

This locality naming is misused somewhat (uh, a lot, actually), as when some locales' phenotypic differences are distinct and genetically stable the locale name can become a morph name, and future generations get called "locale X" even though they've been crossed with many non-locale animals over generations (okeetee corn snakes are a good example of this, with some specimens (scaleless) even being interspecific hybrids, so not really even a corn snake).

It is also misused when keepers assume and come to assert that their animal is 'locale X' since the internet has told them it looks a lot like animals from locale X even though no one knows where the parent stock of the unidentified animal was collected (note what I said above about locality and appearance being two different elements that need not hang together). This last misuse is pretty disturbing since when taxonomy gets reworked, knowing an animal's locale provenance can be crucial to knowing what species it is (as in extreme southern US populations of animals now genetically determined to be Lampropeltis knoblochi that look exactly like L. pyromelana, and likely have been crossed into hobby line pyros at some point).

scrubs are easily my all time favorite snake and i plan to eventually breed them - they’re just super energetic, insanely intelligent and curious - that is the primary difference is they’re high speed, not slow moving like BCC’s, burms, etc - v easy species imo if you have prior big snake experience, are dedicated and can match their energy

what i have found is a lot of people approach them wrong, they do well with a good old fashion “confident grab” - anytime i’ve tried to be cautious or attempted tap training with a hook they immediately square up whereas if i just go in and grab them, they’re fine - they primarily will coil up around your hands and arm and their head will shoot forward as they try to explore their immediate surroundings but give it a bit and they’ll settle down and just use you as a perch primarily

other than that, their husbandry/care is super simple, they’re exceptionally hardy, and enthusiastic eaters - i only wish we could get the Centralian localities in the states

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Originally Posted by YungRasputin

scrubs are easily my all time favorite snake and i plan to eventually breed them - they’re just super energetic, insanely intelligent and curious - that is the primary difference is they’re high speed, not slow moving like BCC’s, burms, etc - v easy species imo if you have prior big snake experience, are dedicated and can match their energy

what i have found is a lot of people approach them wrong, they do well with a good old fashion “confident grab” - anytime i’ve tried to be cautious or attempted tap training with a hook they immediately square up whereas if i just go in and grab them, they’re fine - they primarily will coil up around your hands and arm and their head will shoot forward as they try to explore their immediate surroundings but give it a bit and they’ll settle down and just use you as a perch primarily

other than that, their husbandry/care is super simple, they’re exceptionally hardy, and enthusiastic eaters - i only wish we could get the Centralian localities in the states

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Great insight into the species YR. I can certainly see why you love them. They’re a very special breed. My male is unlike any of my other snakes in terms of speed, movement, and strike range. I definitely don’t have the same confidence controlling him. It’s more of me just trying to keep his head pointing away from my face. He’s still a bit high strung after 4 years and doesn’t really settle down during handling. He’s always on the move and there’s usually a nip and/or musk involved when removing him from his enclosure. He’s so beautiful though that I’m sometimes willing to pay that price. I agree with you about the ease of husbandry , enthusiastic feeding response, and confidently grabbing them vs. using a hook or approaching them slowly. An overly cautious approach only gives him more time and space to set up his formidable defensive position and to launch strikes.

my boy ‘Irwin’

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...c66_thumb.jpeg