problem with w.c. gravids from africa!!!!!!!

[nevohraalnavnoj]

JonV,

For Tracy Barker to take a stand against the importation of ball pythons skews toward hypocritical. Her company has some of the most unusual ball pythons out there and they produced many of them FIRST. Think she was first because she got real lucky on a CB normal X CB normal? Nope, she participated in the plucking just like everyone else. And now that she has her edge, her advantage, in the ball morph BUSINESS she decides to oppose the same practice that helped catapult her to where she is? That's just too convenient.

She points out that the reason they did this was so we could get to the point where it would no longer need to be done, and she feels we are currently at that point with a large, strong population of ball pythons in the US.

JonV

[Patrick Long]

SEARCH Feature is amazing

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ghlight=gravid

[iCandiBallPythons]

I really have to agree with you guys that are opposing the importation of w/c's. I am very opinionated on this subject. Do I think it should continue? NO nor would I purchase a cb from someone who also readily deals in w/c. My thoughts have always remained the same with any species in the commercial market, I think there is a fine line when it comes to "greed" and "exploitation". There has to be a line drawn somewhere. I personally feel there are more than enough ball pythons (including other more popular pythons) here with endless possibilities. When you see statistics like "144,000 burms imported here in the last 5 years" That is roughly 28,000 per year over a 5 year period, thats not even counting the stats for the other species being imported.
I dont know about others but that is astounding to me. It's like everything else that makes this world turn , if something is abused for a long enough time, you will eventually see a decline and detrimental effects.

[nixer]

She points out that the reason they did this was so we could get to the point where it would no longer need to be done, and she feels we are currently at that point with a large, strong population of ball pythons in the US.

JonV

bull! the barkers inport stuff all the time and not just balls!
as for the extinction thats a joke look at the iguana! they are reinterducing them how? by CBB.
if we want to make that agruement how about the cheeta and yet they still import them and even breed them here.

[wilomn]

Based on the premise that ball pythons will be harvested in the wild whether gravid or not would you rather have them sent here where a goodly percentage will not only lay eggs that will be cared for and go on to live long healthy lives, not all but more than most think, or would you have them all killed, gravid or not, to be used for skins and meat?

No matter what happens to the bodies in the end harvesting will not stop.

Unless of course some way of providing alternate income is created and maintained for those who hunt and sell these snakes, any snakes, in their native lands.

[Freakie_frog]

Based on the premise that ball pythons will be harvested in the wild whether gravid or not would you rather have them sent here where a goodly percentage will not only lay eggs that will be cared for and go on to live long healthy lives, not all but more than most think, or would you have them all killed, gravid or not, to be used for skins and meat?

No matter what happens to the bodies in the end harvesting will not stop.

Unless of course some way of providing alternate income is created and maintained for those who hunt and sell these snakes, any snakes, in their native lands.

There are five ways in which people interact with animals
1: Pets / entertainment
2: Food
3: Work ( Beast of Burden )
4: Total hands off protection.
5: Sport

[iCandiBallPythons]

Based on the premise that ball pythons will be harvested in the wild whether gravid or not would you rather have them sent here where a goodly percentage will not only lay eggs that will be cared for and go on to live long healthy lives, not all but more than most think, or would you have them all killed, gravid or not, to be used for skins and meat?

No matter what happens to the bodies in the end harvesting will not stop.

Unless of course some way of providing alternate income is created and maintained for those who hunt and sell these snakes, any snakes, in their native lands.

Speaking of ... I stumbled on a video of bloods being slaughtered for skin to make purses yesterday...Not a pretty site. I thought about posting but its to horrific to say the least.

[wilomn]

Speaking of ... I stumbled on a video of bloods being slaughtered for skin to make purses yesterday...Not a pretty site. I thought about posting but its to horrific to say the least.

I've seen that. Sad to us but there it's food on the table whether it's selling the skins or eating the meat or both.

It's hard for us, who love our slithering housemates to imagine smashing one on the head with a 4x4 to kill it but then over there they find it hard to believe we don't eat our cats and dogs.

Cultural upbringing is powerful stuff.

It's not about right or wrong when your families welfare is at stake. We here in America don't realize how hand-to-mouth many other cultures have it. There are no drive throughs, there are no paychecks. You grow it you eat. You kill it you eat. You catch and sell it you eat.

Do none of the above, you starve.

[Freakie_frog]

I saw that too.. Not pretty ...if the demand for snake skin was lower then those big snakes would be food, or sold as pets, or to zoos.

[azpythons]

no problems with it here.
do your thing if you dont want to buy c.h. or w.c. dont.
noones making you...