Who is Canada's most accomplished reptile breeder?

[BoidKeeper]

Rather than set this up as a poll and list only some that come to mind and risk forgetting someone and offending them, I thought I would just leave it open to all of you to name who you think is the most accomplished Canadian reptile breeder.
Before we begin however, we must first agree upon the definition of accomplished in this context. I believe that for our purposes in this thread it should mean who has bred the longest, the hardest species or the rarest species. As well as the greatest variety of herps.
I think it should be open. Not just the most accomplished turtle breeder or python breeder but breeder period. If someone wants to make a spin of thread latter on asking who is the most accomplished snake breeder or Gecko breeder then please by all means do so but for now I think it should be most accomplished reptile breeder.
Thanks,
Trevor

[Scales Zoo]

Don Patterson

[Invictus]

I would think that honor would have to go to Don Patterson. You name a rare species, he probably has it. He's been around for a long time too. I've never personally done any business with him, but when I am looking for some more expensive stuff, he'll be the first on my list.

[David Kwok]

Yeap

Don "the hermit" Patterson

[Scales Zoo]

The majority of longer term snake breeders seem to turn to hermits. I am practising to be a long term snake breeder.

Actually, I think there is something to that. Sheila and I don't come out of our hides much, except to go get food. Leaving the house isn't so much of a problem, it is leaving the yard. Maybe it is what having expensive snakes does to a person, maybe that is it.

Ryan

[Corey Woods]

I'd say Roy Stockwell. He pioneered breeding a lot of hard to breed reptiles and his passion for reptiles has spanned 20 years. Roy was one of the first breeders to produce CB Ball pythons in the late 80's and early 90's as well as working with a lot of rare or hard to breed/keep species. One of his more recent accomplishments was producing Schnider Skinks a couple years back and if memory serves on a handful of people have ever bred Schnider Skinks. For years he supplied Jamie Quick (USA) with numerous colour mutations of colubrids (one of which he originated, the vanishing patterned Honduran Milksnake) as well as numerous pythons and boas.

Corey

[Scales Zoo]

I'd have mentioned Roy, but I'm trying to suck up to Don.

Ryan

[Katt]

I'm with Corey, on Roy. Roy has been an unkle to so many young herpers. I think that's more important than who breeds/has bred, the most expensive reptile or rarest for that matter. Rare doesn't necessarily mean difficult. Roy has definitely been a pioneer in herpetoculture in Canada. He breeds whatever catches his fancy, even if it's some cheap $10 skink, but the fact is, how many others have bred it as well?

Roy's greatest accomplishment I think is touching so many young herpers and giving so much advice. Roy was there when I got my first snake, and didn't want to breed, and he was there when my breeding attempts failed and it got me down.

[Vanan]

I'll have to finally agree with Corey on something. ;) That Roy is my choice for most accomplished breeder. Roy has been a great asset to Canadian herpetoculture and I'm sure many of you can attest to that. Don't mean to step on toes but breeding expensive and rare species is not all what herpetoculture is about.

My 2nd vote would go to Dr Phil.

[BoidKeeper]

Only cause Roy has been around sooo long to be everyones uncle and has done some pioneering work with and with out legs I'd have to vote Roy too. Although Don is neck and neck with him.
Be interesting to hear what they have to say. I know they'll both read it! hee hee
Cheers,
Trevor
PS
I'd also like to see their list of what they have bred.

[morph]

impossible to say

[beth wallbank]

I think in honor to a friend and passed on herpetologist, Ken Taylor needs to be mentioned here as well. Though Roy, Don, Henry, Corey, Marcus,. and countless others need to be named for breeding successes, you need to all remember Ken.

[Invictus]

I'm so sorry about forgetting about Unky Roy. Maybe a dead-heat tie?

Corey, you're not exactly an un-accomplished fella yourself, at least as far as your area of specialization goes. Your line of red axanthics is utterly stunning... but I'm still not gonna buy one. I'm poor. :D

[Matt.B]

What about Dan Uremovic? He may breed leos but he also breeds pythons and boas. He has bred the first giants and if not the first definetly one of the first to breed Bling Blizzards. Without him I can tell you that I would still be keeping one or two leos and nothing else.
Just my 2 cents
Matt

[BoAddict]

my vote go's to Roy Stockwell for all the reasons mentioned above.

i also have to put 1 out for grant crossman for running an amzing store pcpc where i got all my animals in my early days of keeping, and for all he has done for the comunity.

Mike

[ChristinaM]

I'm going to have to put my vote out for Roy as well. Not only has he done amazing work with reptiles, he is an amazing person. Never hesitant to give you a page long answer to a question, so that you understand the "why". Never made a beginner feel inadequate.

Yep I would definately enjoy sitting at his feet listening to him talk about his time with reptiles.

[crazyboy]

STOCKWELL....although not in canada i think roy is definelty #1 no just because he is a great breeder but because he pionered the herps and discovered what to do by experimenting. now all we have to do is go to google or go to the library and there is information.


and.. lets not forget simon fung. he did afterall produce the albino rosy boas:-)

[BoidKeeper]

Honerable menthion goes to Neil Meister. Who amoung us is writting articles for Reptiles Magazine.
To those of you who mentioned how Roy goes the extra mile to help up and comers and newbies, you're absolutely right. Roy is not about keeping secrets.
Cheers,
Trevor

[JD@reptiles]

i think Roy Stockwell is it. he has done a great job with so many different species of herps, its almost hard to imagine how many things he has bred and worked with. Don Patterson I have never talked to personally, but i have heard good things.

Jordan

[WRX]

and lets not forget Tom Huff <?sp>. I recieved a sexed pair of Anacondas and E.C.Crassus in the late 80's fom the Reptile Breeding Foundation, and they were "Cherry" examples of herps that were not very common at the time in the herp market.

BT

[Jeff_Favelle]

Roy and Don for sure. No question.

[Classic]

Roy has been there for me from the start with advice and pointers when i needed a helping hand. I've seen him pass his words of wisdom to many here at this site. I can't say i know Don very well unfortunately so i have to sway in Roy's direction for this.
Although. When you think about it. Everyone on this site are the greatest. Without the firendly conversation(most of the time lol) and passage of information given by all. We would all be in the dark.
Congratulations to everyone.
ChristinaM: i know what you mean.
My honorable mention goes to Simon. You are a brave man to have so many corns as well as other snakes and personally spend so much time and energy keeping all your customers happy. Hats off to you.

Brian
HighWaterHerps

[Removed_2815]

I'd have to say Roy too, and give an honourable mention to Kenny. Ken, though not as prolific as Roy or Don, was certainly an old-time herper and I definitely appreciate his contribution to the hobby. What can I say about Roy? Well, everyone knows his tagline: "celebrating 25 years of herp breeding" so he's certainly been around for a while. Roy is definitely a pioneer in this hobby and is a hell of a good guy (on the boards and in person).
I don't know enough about Don to say anything meaningful.
Cheers,
Ryan

[Cerastes]

The late Tom Huff had 26 WORLD'S FIRST captive breedings under his belt. He pioneered Boid breeding and coined the word Herpetoculture. He produced hundreds of rare insular Boas, not the least of which were over 600 Jamaican boas, where all existing bloodlines started. Overall he bred dozens and dozens of species, and taught a lot of us herpers, and the general public about herps, their care, and conservation.

No one even comes close. Period.

Rest in peace Tom - your memory lives on and on

[Don Patterson]

I agree with cerastes, its not even close. Tom really did achieve alot with reptiles in his lifetime. Especially since he did it mostly for conservation reasons. When I was getting started in the early 90's alot of the decent herp books I read always had references to his pioneering work in there somewhere. But thanks for the kind words and I wish everyone a successful herp producing year.

[DragnDrop]

I would think that being an 'accomplished' breeder isn't an automatic title bestowed on someone who breeds high-end or rare animals. To me, it signifies someone who is not only successful with hard to breed animals, but also works with the 'underdog' species - the ones which most people don't bother with. There are two people I can think of who fit the description, Unkie Roy and Neil Meister. They've both shown dedication to breeding by working with 'impossible' species. They both contributed immensely to the knowledge database of reptile breeding. What they went through to get those first hatchling Schneider Skinks, or U Phantasticus shows dedication that many (or even most) of us 'breeders' don't have. They stuck with it even though the odds were against them. They'll probably never recoup the time and money spent of their various breeding projects, and years of failure didn't stop them. Yet they both happily helped the rest of us with our questions, willingly revealing their 'trade secrets' of success.

[leoncurrie]

Don Patterson all the way. He has the best quality stock I have ever seen. I have dealt alot with Don and i can say this from experience...... "quality reptiles...... quality service..... hands down" !

[Vanan]

Oops. Sorry too much of a snake person! Neil Meister definitely is worthy of mention too. One of them people who have really put the effort into establishing and breeding neat species. Another asset to Canadian herpetoculture.

I wish I had been around during Huff's days. Seems like quite a person.

[WRX]

The late Tom Huff had 26 WORLD'S FIRST captive breedings under his belt. He pioneered Boid breeding and coined the word Herpetoculture. He produced hundreds of rare insular Boas, not the least of which were over 600 Jamaican boas, where all existing bloodlines started. Overall he bred dozens and dozens of species, and taught a lot of us herpers, and the general public about herps, their care, and conservation.

Yup, he may not have been the most profitable, but was a great guy, and his animals were amazing. Quality, not quantity. I think back then it was more about the challenge and conservation than the all mighty buck.

He is missed.

BT