Why are scaleless bp's so rare?

[DatBoiAJ_]

I dont understand how theres only 20 scaleless ball pythons on mm, but it only takes two scaleless head bp's to make one. You can buy two scaleless heads for 250(100 for male 150 for female) but the super goes for 750+. I just dont get it.

[Armiyana]

Speculation here based on some other circles I've been in with other animals and such....I haven't looked into scaleless myself as it just feels like more work than I want for myself.

They may be keeping the supers/scaleless for their own projects. Remember they are still fairly new as far as morphs go so breeders may be selling most scaleless snakes to other breeders they're close to so they can promote outcrossing and new blood into the lines. I haven't tried breeding them myself, but the genes may also not work as easily as we make it seem. It took a VERY long time for the first Albino blizzard leopard geckos to hatch. That's with multiple breeders working towards it. I even tried breeding albino het blizzard to blizzard het albino and it just didn't work out once in 3 years.

The other thing to consider also is that they aren't the most resilient snakes either. They can dehydrate easily or have shedding problems. There may not be as many breeders wanting to promote breeding the super form like how the silkback beardies are discouraged by some breeders.

[nikkubus]

Yep, Armiyana pretty much summed up the reasons. While experienced breeders have sometimes said their care is exactly the same, I feel like that is because they are being kept properly, where a newbie would have more trouble since there is less room for error.

Super forms of newish stuff is already a lot less easy to get when there isn't any kind of care complications.

Lots of people avoid them because they are afraid they are too delicate or just don't like the way they look too.

[Snagrio]

Scaleless BPs, from what I've heard, have more issues than even other scaleless snakes because they are truly scaleless. Corn/rat snakes for example still have their belly scutes so there's still some natural protection. Think of it like walking around with bare feet compared to wearing shoes.

[Bogertophis]

Personally, I hope "scaleless" snakes remain rare. I'm just not a fan- snakes have scales for good reasons, & not having them impacts their ability to function & survive at their best.

[Homebody]

Personally, I hope "scaleless" snakes remain rare. I'm just not a fan- snakes have scales for good reasons, & not having them impacts their ability to function & survive at their best.

That and they're ugly.

[Bogertophis]

That and they're ugly.

Yes, to me they are. Natural selection works out all (or most of) the problems, & then humans come along to put them back in, & for no good reason? I'll pass.

[Snagrio]

Only thing I find amusing about scaleless snakes is that their sheds look similar to a, shall we say, certain kind of wrapping.

Beyond that they and other scaleless reptiles just look gross, like they were skinned alive.

[Homebody]

That and they're ugly.

When I said they're ugly, I immediately felt bad. No animal is ugly. Pitiful is a better word. They look pitiful, like a hairless cat.

[Kryptic]

Wow, they definitely look wrong. Surprising to hear that scaleless BPs don't even have belly scales. I imagine that they might hurt themselves more without scales to protect them from rubbing on rough texture.