Your view of the reptile hobby

[Mikoh4792]

What is your view on the reptile hobby as of now? What are some changes that would make it "better" in your opinion? In what direction would you like to see this hobby go?

[athms]

Ball pythons,leopard geckos,corn snakes,bearded dragons,crested geckos is all people are buying and selling for money. 95% of videos i watch is of a 8 year old that has bought a leopard gecko and is going to start breeding them and i always think "wow your going to make lots of money cause not like your going up against giant breeders". Here is the reptile community.

In it for money-85%
Want to show off-5%
In it for the animals-10%

Why don't people try making morphs of other animals? Like tiger salamanders or green anoles other wise were just going to be stuck in the same cycle.

[smy_749]

Originally Posted by athms

Ball pythons,leopard geckos,corn snakes,bearded dragons,crested geckos is all people are buying and selling for money. 95% of videos i watch is of a 8 year old that has bought a leopard gecko and is going to start breeding them and i always think "wow your going to make lots of money cause not like your going up against giant breeders". Here is the reptile community.

In it for money-85%
Want to show off-5%
In it for the animals-10%

Why don't people try making morphs of other animals? Like tiger salamanders or green anoles other wise were just going to be stuck in the same cycle.

This is pretty accurate.

You can divide the 10% that are "In it for the animals" to 8% uneducated on proper husbandry, and thinking their reptiles love them and love to dress up for halloween and sleep on their laps. 2% can say the scientific name of whats in their collection, and tell you some interesting facts.

[athms]

Originally Posted by smy_749

This is pretty accurate.

You can divide the 10% that are "In it for the animals" to 8% uneducated on proper husbandry, and thinking their reptiles love them and love to dress up for halloween and sleep on their laps. 2% can say the scientific name of whats in their collection, and tell you some interesting facts.

Thanks i guess im in that 2%

[CosmicOwl]

Originally Posted by athms

Ball pythons,leopard geckos,corn snakes,bearded dragons,crested geckos is all people are buying and selling for money. 95% of videos i watch is of a 8 year old that has bought a leopard gecko and is going to start breeding them and i always think "wow your going to make lots of money cause not like your going up against giant breeders". Here is the reptile community.

In it for money-85%
Want to show off-5%
In it for the animals-10%

Why don't people try making morphs of other animals? Like tiger salamanders or green anoles other wise were just going to be stuck in the same cycle.

There just isn't a demand for morphs of other animals. There are a ton of Black/Texas rat snake morphs that you can easily buy for 40-50 dollars. My Grey rat snake was 35 dollars. Even if I bought one from a small breeder who specializes in North American rat snakes, it would have still only cost around 50-90 bucks. Ball Python morph easily start off at 200-400 dollars. People want the BP morphs because they're expensive and they're expensive because people want them. The only people buying lesser known reptiles are the people who genuinely like them.

Personallly, if there were one thing I could change, I'd like to see people stop treating snakes like pokemon. I think the reptile community is the only one that condones, if not encourages animals hoarding. How many times do we have to hear Tommy with 200 snakes say that it's okay to keep adult corn snakes in shoe boxes because "they like small spaces"? That isn't healthy for animals or the keepers.

[athms]

Originally Posted by CosmicOwl

There just isn't a demand for morphs of other animals. There are a ton of Black/Texas rat snake morphs that you can easily buy for 40-50 dollars. My Grey rat snake was 35 dollars. Even if I bought one from a small breeder who specializes in North American rat snakes, it would have still only cost around 50-90 bucks. Ball Python morph easily start off at 200-400 dollars. People want the BP morphs because they're expensive and they're expensive because people want them. The only people buying lesser known reptiles are the people who genuinely like them.

Personallly, if there were one thing I could change, I'd like to see people stop treating snakes like pokemon. I think the reptile community is the only one that condones, if not encourages animals hoarding. How many times do we have to hear Tommy with 200 snakes say that it's okay to keep adult corn snakes in shoe boxes because "they like small spaces"? That isn't healthy for animals or the keepers.

Right on

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by athms

Ball pythons,leopard geckos,corn snakes,bearded dragons,crested geckos is all people are buying and selling for money. 95% of videos i watch is of a 8 year old that has bought a leopard gecko and is going to start breeding them and i always think "wow your going to make lots of money cause not like your going up against giant breeders". Here is the reptile community.

In it for money-85%
Want to show off-5%
In it for the animals-10%

Why don't people try making morphs of other animals? Like tiger salamanders or green anoles other wise were just going to be stuck in the same cycle.

I haven't read all the posts but this is pretty judgmental.

You apparently know EVERYONE in the reptile and hobby and why they breed. Right it's ALL about money. Get off your high horse and actually talk to those people instead of thinking you know why they do what they do.

People ALWAYS claim the hobby is so negative but what you see online is a FRACTION of the true hobby so climb out of the hole you're in and go live the hobby. Be apart of it instead of talking down to those that you know nothing about.

By the way, you can't breed morphs for just any species until they are brought in to captivity. Go hunt for some anoles and when you find an albino or axanthic or a purple one go and breed it. Don't just tell others how to live THEIR hobby by YOUR standards.

Asshat.

[athms]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I haven't read all the posts but this is pretty judgmental.

You apparently know EVERYONE in the reptile and hobby and why they breed. Right it's ALL about money. Get off your high horse and actually talk to those people instead of thinking you know why they do what they do.

People ALWAYS claim the hobby is so negative but what you see online is a FRACTION of the true hobby so climb out of the hole you're in and go live the hobby. Be apart of it instead of talking down to those that you know nothing about.

By the way, you can't breed morphs for just any species until they are brought in to captivity. Go hunt for some anoles and when you find an albino or axanthic or a purple one go and breed it. Don't just tell others how to live THEIR hobby by YOUR standards.

Asshat.

Well yes i have met every single person who has ever owned a reptile and i take pride in that. And if i fell off my high horse i would never hit the ground. And their are a certain few people who have successfully breed tiger salamanders on caudata fourm.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by athms

Well yes i have met every single person who has ever owned a reptile and i take pride in that. And if i fell off my high horse i would never hit the ground. And their are a certain few people who have successfully breed tiger salamanders on caudata fourm.

I never said tiger salamanders can't be bred. Go and read what I wrote. I said you can't just pick any species to breed for morphs because they are uncommon.

You need to have morphs appear before it happens.

My point is simple. It's fine to dislike a part of the hobby. I don't care because it doesn't affect my enjoyment.
It's just really disrespectful and rude to say it's a bad part of the hobby just because you don't like it.

[athms]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I never said tiger salamanders can't be bred. Go and read what I wrote. I said you can't just pick any species to breed for morphs because they are uncommon.

You need to have morphs appear before it happens.

My point is simple. It's fine to dislike a part of the hobby. I don't care because it doesn't affect my enjoyment.
It's just really disrespectful and rude to say it's a bad part of the hobby just because you don't like it.

Yeah but you need to start somewhere

[athms]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I haven't read all the posts but this is pretty judgmental.

You apparently know EVERYONE in the reptile and hobby and why they breed. Right it's ALL about money. Get off your high horse and actually talk to those people instead of thinking you know why they do what they do.

People ALWAYS claim the hobby is so negative but what you see online is a FRACTION of the true hobby so climb out of the hole you're in and go live the hobby. Be apart of it instead of talking down to those that you know nothing about.

By the way, you can't breed morphs for just any species until they are brought in to captivity. Go hunt for some anoles and when you find an albino or axanthic or a purple one go and breed it. Don't just tell others how to live THEIR hobby by YOUR standards.

Asshat.

OOO yeah and anoles dont live were i am so i guess i will be looking for a long time but you probably knew that since your a expert

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by athms

OOO yeah and anoles dont live were i am so i guess i will be looking for a long time but you probably knew that since your a expert

Go find them where they are. Go travel and experience the hobby.

I am an expert. Thanks for noticing.

One day. When you eat all your wheaties and grow big and strong you can carry my snake hook. Maybe.

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Go find them where they are. Go travel and experience the hobby.

This I would like to do someday in the future. Australia would be my first choice(not really for the hobby but more for field herping and such...etc)

[athms]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Go find them where they are. Go travel and experience the hobby.

I am an expert. Thanks for noticing.

One day. When you eat all your wheaties and grow big and strong you can carry my snake hook. Maybe.

First of all i eat cherrios not wheaties and are you going to ship that hook to me? Or how am i going to get it?

[psychocircus]

It's hard to make any realistic changes because like you said, it's about the money.

The best companies are the ones that ask you questions such as your husbandry plans, but I understand why large scale companies may struggle to do this. Regardless young keepers and uneducated keepers will continue to buy from big time reptile "warehouses" and pet stores.

I think there are benefits to the select few species that are common to have morphs.
The morphs are usually expensive and sought after. This will typically lead to their better care.

I will most likely never breed any animals. I just try to buy from responsible companies, and give advice when it's asked for.