Which morph to get next?

[Snagrio]

Upon rereading my post I realized how rude I came off, that wasn't my intention and I apologize.
It does make me sad though when I see people who only have morphs and only seem interested in getting them. Saying "What morph should I get next!?" When they already have 6-7+ different morphs just feels...I dunno, weird? They're a pet, not a collector's item. I wish more people appreciated normals and that breeding morphs hadn't become such a huge fad.

I admit it always makes me wince a bit inside when people refer to their reptiles as "my collection." It sounds so impersonal, like "yeah here are my living trophies" or something. I know in (hopefully) most cases the owners don't really think of their animals that way and truly love them dearly, but it's just been something I've noticed that doesn't sit well with me on a personal level is all.

To me my pets aren't a "collection," they are family.

[Namea]

I admit it always makes me wince a bit inside when people refer to their reptiles as "my collection." It sounds so impersonal, like "yeah here are my living trophies" or something. I know in (hopefully) most cases the owners don't really think of their animals that way and truly love them dearly, but it's just been something I've noticed that doesn't sit well with me on a personal level is all.

To me my pets aren't a "collection," they are family.

Exactly. Even snakes are family to me. When I'm doing private owner rehabs I never give a snake to someone who already has 10+ or refers to them that way. I also don't believe in breeders who haven't seriously researched what they're doing. Too often you get people who don't know what they're about or don't care enough about the snakes to do it right. They'll breed morphs who have known defects and high mortality rates just because they know that surviving snakes can be sold at higher prices because they're considered rare.

Snakes aren't a collection. You shouldn't just get one because you like the looks of it. That's why I'm against buying snakes online and putting them through the stress of shipping. Like any other pet the ownership of a snake should be based on a connection with the animal.

[sp0420]

I admit it always makes me wince a bit inside when people refer to their reptiles as "my collection." It sounds so impersonal, like "yeah here are my living trophies" or something. I know in (hopefully) most cases the owners don't really think of their animals that way and truly love them dearly, but it's just been something I've noticed that doesn't sit well with me on a personal level is all.

To me my pets aren't a "collection," they are family.

Interesting point of view. I truly love every snake I own and take the best possible care for each one. Just called them my "collection" because theres quite a few of them. And by definition they are a group hence calling them my collection. Never really thought of it being impersonal, but I think you make an interesting point.

Sean

[Snagrio]

Exactly. Even snakes are family to me. When I'm doing private owner rehabs I never give a snake to someone who already has 10+ or refers to them that way. I also don't believe in breeders who haven't seriously researched what they're doing. Too often you get people who don't know what they're about or don't care enough about the snakes to do it right. They'll breed morphs who have known defects and high mortality rates just because they know that surviving snakes can be sold at higher prices because they're considered rare.

Snakes aren't a collection. You shouldn't just get one because you like the looks of it. That's why I'm against buying snakes online and putting them through the stress of shipping. Like any other pet the ownership of a snake should be based on a connection with the animal.

I am admittedly semi-guilty of that as I have chosen a snake to be shipped to me (banana morph). But it's my first snake I've had since I was a preteen since the initial one (a corn) regrettably was rehomed at the time (long story short, friends kept giving me animals they couldn't care for anymore, some multiplied, and it became way too much for my age to the point where I had to downsize) so I did want something a little more unusual. And even then, I'm taking extra precautions and have requested that mine sheds first before he makes the journey as he was in deep blue when the breeder showed me a current picture this week, plus this time of year has the perfect weather conditions to ensure as little stress as possible.

Also did my research on which morphs to avoid like the notorious spiders. I don't care what anyone says, if a snake can't even move its head around normally, it probably shouldn't be bred. The scaleless morphs give me pause too, it's like hairless variations of mammals. A change of color is one thing, but why selectively remove a part of their biology that they specifically have to survive better as an organism? I watch Snake Discovery and while it's a wonderful channel for the most part, they breed a lot of scaleless snakes and even right out of the egg it's apparent they have a harder life (always seem to hatch slower than their scaled siblings, when they get out they get twice as much substrate stuck to themselves, and I'm sure they're more susceptible to cuts and bruises).

[sp0420]

Also did my research on which morphs to avoid like the notorious spiders. I don't care what anyone says, if a snake can't even move its head around normally, it probably shouldn't be bred.
.

Just because spiders have head wobble doesn't mean they have any less quality of life then any othe snake. I currently own four spider combos and they are the best feeders out of my entire collection. Even one that has severe corkscrewing eats regularly and lives as quality a life as all my other snakes.
It makes me sad when people have absolutely no experience with the morph and get all their information from the internet youtube or cherry pick the examples that are the most severe yet have absolutely no first hand experience with.
The spider imo is one of the most important morphs ever discovered. Not just because of what it is, but because of what it has brought to the hobby. The discovery of the spider gave way to some of the most beautiful combinations that looked nothing like a normal at a time when most morphs were recessive. Look at the Bumblebee for example.

Sean

[Zincubus]

Just because spiders have head wobble doesn't mean they have any less quality of life then any othe snake. I currently own four spider combos and they are the best feeders out of my entire collection. Even one that has severe corkscrewing eats regularly and lives as quality a life as all my other snakes.
It makes me sad when people have absolutely no experience with the morph and get all their information from the internet youtube or cherry pick the examples that are the most severe yet have absolutely no first hand experience with.
The spider imo is one of the most important morphs ever discovered. Not just because of what it is, but because of what it has brought to the hobby. The discovery of the spider gave way to some of the most beautiful combinations that looked nothing like a normal at a time when most morphs were recessive. Look at the Bumblebee for example.

Sean

I had a beaut Caramel Albini Spider a few years ago which had ZERO wobble fir what it’s worth .... fabulous eater as well !!


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[Snagrio]

Perhaps I am speaking from an angle of ignorance, but I will nonetheless stick to my guns about certain aspects in selective breeding regardless of species, namely those that cause repeating genetic issues or those that remove important aspects of an animal that may make life potentially harder for it compared to other breeds/forms.

Mind you I'm not the type to go around wagging fingers at people saying what they should and shouldn't do, and I'm certainly not among those who want to push to regulate more and more about aspects of life in general, it is merely an opinion of mine. At any rate, I'm glad I got a banana ball, but I'm equally happy that (as far as I'm aware) his morph doesn't cause him any unnecessary issues just for the sake of making him look different.

[sp0420]

I had a beaut Caramel Albini Spider a few years ago which had ZERO wobble fir what it’s worth .... fabulous eater as well !!


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Awesome! Would love to have one one day, two of my favorite morphs.

Sean

[Mr. Misha]

Just because spiders have head wobble doesn't mean they have any less quality of life then any othe snake.

I completely disagree.

At the very best, "wobble syndrome" brings uncomfort to any animal with the Spider gene. Regardless of what your opinion on it is, the fact stands that it's a neurological disorder and it's little disingenuous to say that you don't see anything wrong with a little shaking just because your BPs eat well.

With that said, I'm guilty of owning a Spider gene myself and bought one before doing enough research into it. As a hatchling, my BP had a very noticeable wobble but has dramatically improved as an adult. Does he eat? Yes, he does. However, feeding habits should not be a benchmark for genetically healthy animals. Additionally, it's also pretty selfish to breed snakes for a pretty pattern that have ANY degree of a genetic disorder. That's not ok. Unfortunately, this behavior is not only in the BP community but also is prevalent in the dog world as well. People breed animals without considering their welfare.

The was a research paper that was written in 2014 on this subject that I'm linking. It states that the wobble syndrome may be indicative of nervous system disorder, but acknowledges that further research is necessary.
https://www.researchgate.net/publica...ns_for_welfare

[sp0420]

I completely disagree.

At the very best, "wobble syndrome" brings uncomfort to any animal with the Spider gene. Regardless of what your opinion on it is

You're right I guess I was stating my opinion and I don't actually know what or how the animal actually feels. However it's also your opinion that wobble brings "discomfort".
Also eating well is not my only benchmark. They shed, grow, and breed with no notable differences that I have witnessed vs and other morphs. So I do have several other benchmarks that I consider quality of life.

Sean