Scale-less BP photo!

[TurkeyPython]

Does it have eye caps? How does it shed?

[Inarikins]

Yes and it sheds just like any other scaleless snake does. Just one smooth piece of skin, without the scales. Brian describes it in the video on the previous page - says it's like peeled off sunburn. Which makes sense.

[TurkeyPython]

Yes and it sheds just like any other scaleless snake does. Just one smooth piece of skin, without the scales. Brian describes it in the video on the previous page - says it's like peeled off sunburn. Which makes sense.

Creepy
0.o

[Robyn@SYR]

The big guys that invest this kind of $$, will always hide the problems until they recover the $$.
Money is always first with these guys.

The big breeders were well aware of the issues surrounding them, but was kept that quiet. All they care about is money, forget the snakes well being.

The scaleless Ball python is not for everyone. And that is ok. Debate and discussion is also ok.

But I want to make a point on these quotes above. I understand these types of issues are emotional, and elicit strong feelings, but these kinds of statements are ignorant.

Have you guys BEEN one of the "big guys"? It is so amazingly difficult to run a big company, even just by reptile world standards. It is a daily challenge. Folks don't get into the industry, and have success, to make money. Folks like BHB and Constrictors Unlimited have built a long track record. Their work and effort is based on passion for the animals. It helps if they are strong businessmen, but a lot of these types of guys have spent years spinning their wheels, digging dumb holes (that they then have to get back out of), and/or making slow steady progress through lots of hard work in order to be where they are today, to be classified, often derisively, as a "big breeder".

Mike Wilbanks in particular joined our TRR talk at NARBC Anaheim, discussing the evolution of the industry, and part of his story was the years of struggle to gain a foothold in the industry, selling dollars worth while the guy next to him sold tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands. He persevered, over years, and built a fine reputation and a significant company.

There are "bad guys" in the industry, but carelessly tossing folks like BHB and Mike Wilbanks into such a group, much less "all of them" is ignorant, wrong, and disrespectful.

I have heard the trials and tribulations, the frustrations of these particular "big guys" first hand. I have heard it from others as well. I am grateful that they have the drive and passion to keep their nose down and keep doing the best job they possibly can.

(I also have first hand experience with these issues, so it is easy to empathize, and it makes such negative blanket statements so hurtful to hear)

[snakeman13]

The scaleless Ball python is not for everyone. And that is ok. Debate and discussion is also ok.

But I want to make a point on these quotes above. I understand these types of issues are emotional, and elicit strong feelings, but these kinds of statements are ignorant.

Have you guys BEEN one of the "big guys"? It is so amazingly difficult to run a big company, even just by reptile world standards. It is a daily challenge. Folks don't get into the industry, and have success, to make money. Folks like BHB and Constrictors Unlimited have built a long track record. Their work and effort is based on passion for the animals. It helps if they are strong businessmen, but a lot of these types of guys have spent years spinning their wheels, digging dumb holes (that they then have to get back out of), and/or making slow steady progress through lots of hard work in order to be where they are today, to be classified, often derisively, as a "big breeder".

Mike Wilbanks in particular joined our TRR talk at NARBC Anaheim, discussing the evolution of the industry, and part of his story was the years of struggle to gain a foothold in the industry, selling dollars worth while the guy next to him sold tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands. He persevered, over years, and built a fine reputation and a significant company.

There are "bad guys" in the industry, but carelessly tossing folks like BHB and Mike Wilbanks into such a group, much less "all of them" is ignorant, wrong, and disrespectful.

I have heard the trials and tribulations, the frustrations of these particular "big guys" first hand. I have heard it from others as well. I am grateful that they have the drive and passion to keep their nose down and keep doing the best job they possibly can.

(I also have first hand experience with these issues, so it is easy to empathize, and it makes such negative blanket statements so hurtful to hear)

I would totally agree with you if you could provide evidence of just one thing.
Has one of these issues ever been let known to the public, before they were mass sold to the public???
Or have all the problems been admitted after the recovery of the investment?
Remember.....I only need one.
I am also not talking minor, even the Carmel kinking was kept quiet.

[spider_ball]

Would love to see videos of these guys crawling around and eating. And maybe purchase one in 5-10+ yrs when they are less than $1000
Most of all....I want to touch it. Looks like it would feel similar to my crested gecko.

[DNACurtusK]

The scaleless Ball python is not for everyone. And that is ok. Debate and discussion is also ok.

But I want to make a point on these quotes above. I understand these types of issues are emotional, and elicit strong feelings, but these kinds of statements are ignorant.

Have you guys BEEN one of the "big guys"? It is so amazingly difficult to run a big company, even just by reptile world standards. It is a daily challenge. Folks don't get into the industry, and have success, to make money. Folks like BHB and Constrictors Unlimited have built a long track record. Their work and effort is based on passion for the animals. It helps if they are strong businessmen, but a lot of these types of guys have spent years spinning their wheels, digging dumb holes (that they then have to get back out of), and/or making slow steady progress through lots of hard work in order to be where they are today, to be classified, often derisively, as a "big breeder".

Mike Wilbanks in particular joined our TRR talk at NARBC Anaheim, discussing the evolution of the industry, and part of his story was the years of struggle to gain a foothold in the industry, selling dollars worth while the guy next to him sold tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands. He persevered, over years, and built a fine reputation and a significant company.

There are "bad guys" in the industry, but carelessly tossing folks like BHB and Mike Wilbanks into such a group, much less "all of them" is ignorant, wrong, and disrespectful.

I have heard the trials and tribulations, the frustrations of these particular "big guys" first hand. I have heard it from others as well. I am grateful that they have the drive and passion to keep their nose down and keep doing the best job they possibly can.

(I also have first hand experience with these issues, so it is easy to empathize, and it makes such negative blanket statements so hurtful to hear)

Great post. I would have to say, Brian at BHB has got to be one of the most passionate folks out there in the reptile business. It's a pretty harsh opinion to say he's just a "big breeder in it for the money"......

If the snakes thrive, so be it! Would they survive in the wild? Not sure, but there have been scaleless specimens of snakes found in the wild before. Can't pull the "it isn't natural" card....sorry but....it isn't any less natural than us keepers that keep our snakes in captivity in plastic tubs, lol. All these beautiful bright morphs likely wouldn't make it long 'in the wild' either. Some spiders have terrible wobbles...yet folks continue to breed spiders anyway. If his scaleless babies eat well and thrive, then good for them!

[Robyn@SYR]

I would totally agree with you if you could provide evidence of just one thing.
Has one of these issues ever been let known to the public, before they were mass sold to the public???
Or have all the problems been admitted after the recovery of the investment?
Remember.....I only need one.
I am also not talking minor, even the Carmel kinking was kept quiet.

"Money is always first with these guys."

That was YOUR statement. And you want me to disprove it? Better for you to actually show proof of such a negative claim, as it is your claim.

If you said "Joe Smith Reptiles is a jerk, money is always first with him" then I would have to consider who Joe Smith is. You are lumping a large group of "big breeders" into this greedy group, and in this case, specifically implying BHB is in the group.

I'm saying that is incorrect, and unfair.

Lots of projects have turned out to be busts and not promoted. Breeders have failures all the time. You didn't hear about them because they were failures.

[Borgy76]

Very controversial subject. Would it be any different if it were a science lab doing the breeding? All I see are a lot of "ifs" and "maybes". If scaleless isn't your thing then why is there any issue at all?

[OhhWatALoser]

I would totally agree with you if you could provide evidence of just one thing.
Has one of these issues ever been let known to the public, before they were mass sold to the public???
Or have all the problems been admitted after the recovery of the investment?
Remember.....I only need one.
I am also not talking minor, even the Carmel kinking was kept quiet.

Champaign wobble was never a secret and the lethal super was posted the day it was discovered.