Brian Barczyk's Open Forum on Snake Rack Systems

[tttaylorrr]

hi everyone! if you haven't seen Brian's latest video - which is actually nice and succinct for him - check here:

https://youtu.be/XabDoJxmWD8

Brian has invited the biggest influencers in the hobby to join him in the Chicago 'burbs for an open discussion about rack systems and their impact on the layman keeper and the hobby as a whole.

the event is being planned for the end of May. he is also opening this up to the public!

i absolutely plan on attending. i would also like to proudly represent BP.net and take a list of questions with me from you all regarding the topic (as well as my own).

would you guys like me to ask your questions? would y'all be okay with me going as a representative of BP.net? i would only act as a sounding board for the many voices here and would bring a camera to share the event with you all. i have my own questions but would make a distinction between your questions and my own if i get that far lol.

what do you guys think about all of this? feel free to share your feelings!!!

PS: this will not turn into a "My Personal Feelings about Brian Barczyk" thread.

i love you guys!!!

[Toad37]

I have been looking forward to this video since the first time he mentioned it and I can't wait till the end of May! I think it's a fantastic idea to have people from both sides of the "argument" on how and why were keeping our animals. I think as long as it stays civil and things don't get heated it should be great for everyone in the community. I'm so jealous that you're actually attending!!!

[Zincubus]

hi everyone! if you haven't seen Brian's latest video - which is actually nice and succinct for him - check here:

https://youtu.be/XabDoJxmWD8

Brian has invited the biggest influencers in the hobby to join him in the Chicago 'burbs for an open discussion about rack systems and their impact on the layman keeper and the hobby as a whole.

the event is being planned for the end of May. he is also opening this up to the public!

i absolutely plan on attending. i would also like to proudly represent BP.net and take a list of questions with me from you all regarding the topic (as well as my own).

would you guys like me to ask your questions? would y'all be okay with me going as a representative of BP.net? i would only act as a sounding board for the many voices here and would bring a camera to share the event with you all. i have my own questions but would make a distinction between your questions and my own if i get that far lol.

what do you guys think about all of this? feel free to share your feelings!!!

PS: this will not turn into a "My Personal Feelings about Brian Barczyk" thread.

i love you guys!!!

Sounds like a plan !




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[Lord Sorril]

i would also like to proudly represent BP.net and take a list of questions with me from you all regarding the topic (as well as my own).

I have no questions I want answered by Brian. I think the combined experience/knowledge of the keepers on BP.net vastly exceeds his own.

[pbenner]

I have no questions I want answered by Brian. I think the combined experience/knowledge of the keepers on BP.net vastly exceeds his own.

The only times I've ever interacted with him he's come across as a total tool. Maybe it was just setting, but I don't much care for him from my interactions.

I'll stay here for random advice and reading and continue to interact with breeder friends I respect for large collection advice. ^_^

[JRLongton]

How productive this discussion is will be determined by who the influencers are that attend. If they are mentioned in the video then I apologize. I refuse to watch Brian's YouTube videos as I don't want him to get credit for that one additional "view".

Needless to say, I'm not a fan.

[Alter-Echo]

I'd honestly be surprised if any influencers attended... these are the people who keep their nose to the grindstone and are busy breeding and selling snakes. For these people, racks are a necessity, these really is no debate.

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[Cheesenugget]

I would have preferred a seminar from a scientist who had observed wild ball pythons or other wild snakes species kept in captivity and can confirm whether or not rack systems are beneficial for ball pythons or snakes as a whole. Going into a discussion surrounded by breeders like him and supporting him is going to have a biased start. At the end of the day, Brian is not going to stop using racks because he is a breeder first and foremost. So yea, I have no questions for him that are not at least semi-personal (ie Uploading bite vids while advocating for a better impression of snakes? How hypocritical).

[JodanOrNoDan]

If Taylor wants to go as a rep for the board, that is great.

Here is where I stand and what I think is the reality of the situation. If Brian wants to be productive he needs to lay off the coffee. Its what you say, not how much you say.

The "rack question" is way to broad. I have only kept two species of snakes. I kept corns as "pets" not in racks. I keep balls as a small breeder in racks. It would be logical to assume enclosure size and "enrichment" items would depend on the species. I will only address ball pythons because that is the only species I feel I know enough about to have an opinion. These guys like small spaces. I have seen zero mental or behavioral problems keeping theses guys in racks. With balls, when and if you start having issues you generally go smaller, not bigger. They generally live in holes in the wild and only move if the have to unless it is breeding season. Their metabolism is naturally feast or famine. In my experience a healthy adult ball, especially females, do little to nothing unless stressed even out of their enclosure. If I ever noticed an issue keeping balls racked, I would reduce my collection and give them more room, but so far I seem to have healthy well adjusted animals. There is the occasional psycho, but like I said before the cure for this is smaller, not bigger.

My opinion on this whole meeting is that Brian is just looking for another money making angle. He is going to reduce operating costs by keeping less animals and up the cost per animal with the justification that he is keeping them in "better" conditions. It is BS and false advertising when it comes to balls. From what I have seen of his animals and things that I have heard from people that have been in his facility, mine are healthier and of the same or better quality than his. All he is trying to do is negatively impact the small breeders whom has to compete with. This whole subject when comes to ball pythons is a false narrative and Brian's motivations for even addressing the subject are suspect.

As an aside, in almost every video he shows, some snake tries to take a chunk out of him when he opens the rack. Hmmm, I wonder why. My snakes don't pull that crap even the couple "crazy" ones I have. I guarantee it has nothing to do with the rack.

[sur3fir3]

Since this is racks vs tanks I was wondering how they feel about enrichment items (in tubs), and what should be used for Bloods, Balls, Boas, and Retics. I had someone argue with me about enrichment items for snakes, and I was wondering what those items could be for these different species. I had someone who doesn't keep snakes asked me about this, and I didn't really have an answer.


But there are alot of opinions here today. Remember guys just cause someone doesn't agree with you that doesn't make them wrong.