Who is the greatest Bp breeder in the world?

Wow nows theres a topic! I'd love to hear everybodies opinion.

hmmm... i would have to say..... david and tracy barker.... for overall knowledge of the python specie..

but as for variety morph-wise...kevin mccurley is the master..

..... :0

One in particular doesn't come to mind, I group all the pioneers together and say they are the best.

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Originally Posted by Emilio

One in particular doesn't come to mind, I group all the pioneers together and say they are the best.

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I have to agree. I find it very difficult to say one in particular is "the best". interesting topic tho :)

I like Ralph Davis, he seems pretty cool and has the whole either you like me or you don't thing attitude going on:D His snakes are awesome and he seems to keep everything top notch, and when you email him it doesn't take a week for him to get back to you( in my experience its been same or next day)

Well, that would be me of course.... OK, maybe not. But how do you define 'greatest'? Most clutches? Most new morphs? Best promoter? Largest client list? Been doing it the longest number of years? Given back the most to the community? Made the most amount of money? I think there are too many qualities that could define one as being 'great' and I doubt that there is any one person who embodies them all. Except for maybe Ralph. :D:D:D:D:D

I agree - it depends on how you define "best".

For me, best are those who really show how much they love what they do, strive to produce the best animals that they can, love giving a helping hand and sharing ideas with others coming up.

With that criteria, and based on my personal experiences over the past three years since I entered this hobby - Adam Wysocki, Kara Glasgow, Kevin McCurley, Tim Bailey, Justin Kobylka, Evan Jamison all come to mind as individuals who have shared ideas with me, answered my endless questions without ever asking for a sale, just because they truly love what they do.

There are others who would also likely fit that criteria for me who I haven't had the pleasure of getting to really know yet. Sean Bradley, Brian (BHB - I'm not going to attempt to mangle his last name! LOL), Larry Suttles, BT, etc

And there are many more of us who are just entering our first year of breeding that I see as being really passionate about this, that are some of my dear friends - Joanna, Ed, Shaun, Trey, Randy, Deborah, Emily, Christie, etc.

Gosh - I guess I don't have a best - all of the above are awesome in my book!

I think Ralph is the best, well...not necessarily the best ball python breeder, but out of all the big guys, I like Ralph's personality the most. Lets put it this way, if I had to pick one of the big breeders to be stuck on a desserted Island with, it'd be Ralph.:P:rolleye2:

Too many to pick the greatest. There are many that quietly do their thing and rarely visit forums. Their names are known among the "big" breeders and some have been around for a very long time.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

I agree - it depends on how you define "best".

For me, best are those who really show how much they love what they do, strive to produce the best animals that they can, love giving a helping hand and sharing ideas with others coming up.

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That about sums it up!

For me, it would be someone who doesn't have to tell everyone how great they are. :D

Ralph Davis... VPI... NERD

Thats a great question Larry...

I guess I'd say Ralph. Just because like Mark said, he really does come in near the top however you define best... Plus he's a really cool guy:D

that's right. best-in what? in breeding? if the topic was, who is the coolest ball python breeder then i would also say ralph.

but for morphs? hands down its kevin. even ralph says kevin is the master. im not saying he's the coolest or most knowledgable. but by far, he has produced the most number of morphs in existence.

Everyone who successfully pips and nurtures brand new baby BPs they breed themselves...every single BP owner who looks into his or hers incubators and sees those little heads peaking out must be on cloud 9...at that moment, they are the best. =)

I tought you were showing us the LA spider :P

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Originally Posted by cassandra

Everyone who successfully pips and nurtures brand new baby BPs they breed themselves...every single BP owner who looks into his or hers incubators and sees those little heads peaking out must be on cloud 9...at that moment, they are the best. =)

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Best answer in the whole thread...:gj:

ralph, jayne, kevin, brian, dan&colette, dave&tracy, graziani.... I cannot judge them. :)

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Originally Posted by cassandra

Everyone who successfully pips and nurtures brand new baby BPs they breed themselves...every single BP owner who looks into his or hers incubators and sees those little heads peaking out must be on cloud 9...at that moment, they are the best. =)

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I agree. I think the people who are not the best are the ones who get into it hoping to make a quick buck and see those heads pipping and rather than see an awesome baby ball python, they see $$$ signs. People who do it for the love of the hobby and nothing more are the ones who are the best. Whether that is some of the big breeders, or some kid who produced a clutch in his parents' basement, those are the best breeders.

ME!!!!

Of course I haven't bred any ball pythons yet, and have no experience yet... I am just going by what my snakes tell me....


Mike

I believe that each and everyone of us add something to the BALL GAME..

Kevin Stoltz

Mother nature wins hands down!!!

To me the best are genuine, down to earth people with a real passion for those animals (whether they are big breeders or small hobbyists)

To those people thank you for being an inspiration.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

To me the best are genuine, down to earth people with a real passion for those animals (whether they are big breeders or small hobbyists)

To those people thank you for being an inspiration.

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Yup, yup. Down to earth, homey, people that are willing to sit back and relax with you, and just talk. There are several people in this catagory, but Adam Wysocki has the most snakes... and has alot of clutches and is all around bigger scale than the others in this group. They're all GREAT in there own way!! And i would buy snakes from any of them in a heart beat.

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Originally Posted by cassandra

Everyone who successfully pips and nurtures brand new baby BPs they breed themselves...every single BP owner who looks into his or hers incubators and sees those little heads peaking out must be on cloud 9...at that moment, they are the best. =)

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What a wonderful answer, Cass!

For me "best" is really subjective and based on the situation at hand....

- if I want to talk about the passion for these snakes, to define a direction in the breeding plan, to remember why I spend hours cleaning up snake crap - I phone Adam

- if I want to hear hands on experience, some of the best just plain good common sense methods and especially talk about the future of Axanthics - I phone Tim

- if I'm kicking my butt because I think I've done something wrong in my care of the snakes (or their eggs) and I'm nearly in a panic - I phone Kara

- when something happens, good or bad, when I need a friend who understands - I phone Robin

Having the "best" on the other end of that phone line is the BEST gift of snakekeeping. :)

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Originally Posted by Emilio

One in particular doesn't come to mind, I group all the pioneers together and say they are the best.

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I agree :) It is too hard to pick out one best. Since some breeders are better at certain morphs, or have created such and such a morph.. And others are great for their helpfulness.. there are too many variables.

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Originally Posted by cassandra

Everyone who successfully pips and nurtures brand new baby BPs they breed themselves...every single BP owner who looks into his or hers incubators and sees those little heads peaking out must be on cloud 9...at that moment, they are the best. =)

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I also vote best response:gj:

Then there is Africa a close second;)

Brain at BHB gotta be the nicest guy in the world

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

Then there is Africa a close second;)

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I thought she got out of the business considering the competition. :)

But I admit I have been a fan of her work for years.

Nice comments on all the breeders (big and small 1 - 1000 clutches a year).

As a new breeder (I can only see them at this point)... I am inspired everytime someone shows up in a forum with a pic of a snake. And says "I made this... what do you think?"...

Bruce

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Originally Posted by cassandra

Everyone who successfully pips and nurtures brand new baby BPs they breed themselves...every single BP owner who looks into his or hers incubators and sees those little heads peaking out must be on cloud 9...at that moment, they are the best. =)

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Wow, very well said. I completely agree!:)

-Chris-

PS. I think Brian's pretty great.

Best breeder is a Bush League Breeder :neener:

Not sure there is one person who deserves that title. That being said Mark and Kim Bell are good people who know a thing or two about breeding pythons.

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Originally Posted by karbogast

Mother nature wins hands down!!!

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Now THAT is the best response by far.

Well, when it comes to technical knowledge and experience, Dave and Tracy Barker have GOT to win hands down. No. 2? It's a tie between a few people-Ralph Davis and Kevin McCurley in the lead, IMO.

But we should remember, this is an exhibition, NOT a competition :gj: