A Snakey Story

Snakes are just like any other pet. Some are better for certain types of people. For example, if you like snakes, but you are still nervous around them, a nice relaxed ball python would be great for you. If you're a high energy person, a crazy little corn snake would be a perfect fit.  In this post we'll discuss temperaments of various snakes, big and small, to help you decide what to buy.

Ball Pythons

Ball Pythons range from three to five feet in length in adulthood. They are mellow, willing to be handled, and tend to move at a relaxed pace.  They are an ideal snake for someone that wants a snake that isn't going to get too big but still has that 'wow, that snake is pretty badass' look to it.

Corn Snakes/Rat Snakes

Corn snakes and Rat Snakes are, in my opinion, perpetually on some snake version of speed.  They are small, quick, and they like to move around.  They are great for someone that wants a small, high energy snake. They get to be anywhere from two to four feet in length but they are smaller in circumference than a ball python.  Just like ball pythons, they are usually pretty docile and willing to be handled.

Colombian Red Tail Boa

Red Tail Boas are considered a 'large' snake, growing up to six or seven feet (I've even heard of some getting close to nine feet long) and much bigger around than ball pythons.  That being said, they are still a great animal if one can handle that much snake at once.

Please Note: The snakes following this are snakes that I do not have personal experience with, so please forgive any mistakes.

Burmese/Reticulated Pythons

Burmese Pythons can grow to a massive length of 16 to 23 feet, and Reticulated Pythons grow to around 10-20 feet long.  Both are considered 'giant snakes', and are recommended for experienced keepers only.  It is also suggested that for ANY snake longer than six feet, that two people are present when handling them.  These are both docile snakes, but it is said that Reticulated Pythons get very food-oriented, so it is suggested to use a snake hook when retrieving them from their enclosure.

Blood Pythons

Just the name is intimidating, but they are named after the color of their scales, not a habit of drawing the blood of their keepers.  They can grow up to about six feet in length, and are very thick, heavy-bodied snakes.  While they can be nippy, especially as hatchlings, they grow into docile, easily handled snakes for the right owner.  

Keep in mind that each individual is different. A corn snake might be a great beginner snake for one person, while another may go against the grain and immediately (with the proper research and preparation hopefully), jump into owning a Burmese Python. 

It's time for another round of snake myths and misconceptions!

1. Multiple snakes can be kept in the same habitat

Snakes are solitary creatures and don't do well being caged with others. I believe big chain pet stores (which shall remain nameless) are partially at fault for this. When people go to the pet store and look at the reptiles, they commonly see enclosures with 5-6 or more young ball pythons in them. Frequently, one will see several of the snakes piled atop one another in one part of the cage.

Let me be very clear on something. These snakes are not cuddling! Snakes do not cuddle. As states before, they are solitary creatures. In reality, what you are seeing is each snake trying to 'dominate' the others into relinquishing the best spot in the habitat.  This stresses the snakes out, which is very unhealthy for them. Snakes should each be kept in a separate, secure and well-maintained enclosure. Proper habitats have been discussed here. 

2. Snakes like to be held and handled.

Most snakes simply tolerate being handled. Unlike dogs and cats, they are not sweet, cuddly creatures. One can never 'tame' a snake. However, you can teach your snake to be docile and calm when handled.  Ball pythons are usually much more willing to adapt to being handled than a blood python, for example, but this doesn't mean they enjoy being handled and held for hours at a time.

3. All snakes have fangs/are venomous

This is so obviously false, it almost pains me to write. Just like different mammals catch prey in different ways, so do snakes. Not all snakes are venomous, in fact, there are far more non-venomous snakes than there are venomous. 

Snakes like ball pythons and boas are constrictors. This means they bite to catch their prey, and constrict to kill it. They have teeth, but no fangs. Cobras, vipers and other venomous snakes have fangs that are attached to venom sacs. They inject venom into their prey until it is dead or incapacitated, then consume it.

4. Snakes carry bacteria that can make me sick!

This is a gray area. While reptiles do carry the salmonella bacteria, proper handling of your pet will ensure that you do not get sick. In fact, the amount of salmonella transferred by handling a snake is rarely enough to make someone sick. 

However, just because this is often the case doesn't mean that you should forsake proper procedures when handling your snakes. Always wash your hands before and after holding your snake, for your safety and theirs.

Happy Halloween!

Before I begin, please note that I am not a genetics expert. I know very little about genetics in general, even less about snake genetics. This post is meant to be more of a Halloween treat rather than an educational one.  Enjoy, and as always, feel free to ask questions if you have them.  Please note that all images are used with permission!

First, I'll introduce one of my favorite ball python morphs of all time.  The piebald (or pied) ball python!  These are extremely popular (and moderately priced) snakes.

Piebald Ball Python 

This is an example of what many call a 'low-white' pied.  The snake is mostly patterned, but has a few spots missing the pattern.

This is an example of a 'high white' pied, or a pied missing most of its pattern.  

Axanthic Ball Python

This is another of the morphs that I really enjoy, the axanthic.

Albino Ball Python

I'm personally not a huge albino fan, but they are still very pretty snakes.  I'm just not a fan of the color yellow, I suppose.

Clown Ball Python

The clown morph is another stunning example of ball python genetics at work.

Spider Ball Python

The spider morph is one of my absolute favorites.  It is, in my opinion, absolutely incredible.

Pinstripe Ball Python

For our final (for now) morph, I present to you the Pinstripe Ball Python!  These are popular and very pretty, and can come in a variety of shades.

That's all for now, folks.  I hope you enjoyed this little presentation!  If there is enough interest, I will do another post like this in the near future!

Hopefully in the next 72 hours, I will be publishing a post on some of the more popular ball python morphs (color combinations), which should be pretty cool, as well as some more tips for new ball python owners.  I'm also going to do a feature on beginner snakes (not just ball pythons!) and what might be best for you!  

Snakes are becoming increasingly popular, and Ball Pythons seem to be close to the top of the list in regards to popularity for new snake owners. This is understandable, they are pretty easy to care for once you have a good idea of what you are doing.  With that in mind, here are a few things new snake owners, or prospective snake owners, might find useful.

Ball pythons are a great beginner snake. Without proper knowledge however, they can be complicated.  This post will address a few of the major issues people seem to have with ball python ownership and hopefully answer a few questions.

Proper Enclosures

Enclosures for ball pythons run from glass aquariums to plastic tubs and custom built reptile cages. I have personally tried aquariums and plastic tubs, and I find tubs to be far superior to aquariums in almost every way. Glass tanks are great if you want your snake on display, but it is generally much more difficult to maintain proper humidity levels. I found that when I have a snake in an aquarium, I have to mist with a spray bottle at least every day to maintain humidity levels. 

A plastic tub isn't great for putting your snake on display, but ball pythons don't do much but sleep all day anyway. I have Gene in a plastic Sterilite tub with the top and front covered by a cloth, because they like it dark and cramped. I've discovered that his tub stays very humid just by keeping his water bowl full.

I can't speak for custom made enclosures, or those designed specifically with snakes in mind, but I'm sure that when they are designed, it is done with these issues in mind.

Heating

Heating is pretty straightforward. The best type of heat you can provide for your ball python is either a piece of Flexwatt heat tape or an under-tank-heating pad (UTH), eitehr of which needs to be controlled by a thermostat. This provides belly heat, which aids in digestion. Some people use 'back heat' which is usually a strip of Flexwatt heating tape secured to the back of the tub. This is popular in some rack systems.  

Under no circumstances should you ever use a heat rock for a snake! Heat rocks are prone to malfunction and can get extremely hot, to the point of burning your snake's belly. Snakes aren't like other animals, they won't move if they get too hot. They tend to just sit and tolerate it.  This can seriously harm or even kill your snake.

Some people advocate the use of heat lamps as a sole source of heat for a snake. Again, snakes utilize belly heat to aid in digestion, so while heat lamps are good for secondary heat (especially for snakes that like to climb, such as boas), they aren't necessarily suitable for a sole heat source.

A thermostat or rheostat is absolutely required to maintain proper temperatures. As stated above with heat rocks, snakes will not move if they get too hot. Having proper heat control ensures that your snake's enclosure is at the proper temperature to maintain a healthy environment and ideal digestion.

I get asked frequently why I like snakes.  The answer isn't a simple one.  First of all, snakes are fascinating creatures.  I love the way they move, they way they eat.  I'm fascinated by the fact that, no matter how much I love snakes, I know deep down in the primitive parts of my brain, caveman-me is screaming "BAD! RUN!", because that fear of snakes, of reptiles, of the unknown and the mysterious, has been deeply ingrained in our minds since biblical days.

That feeling of countless scales moving seamlessly under my fingertips as my snake moves through my hands, across my arms, is incredible.  It is hard to describe to someone that has never experienced it, let alone someone that is terrified by these amazing creatures.  

As disturbing as it may seem to some, I love watching snakes eat.  The precision strike and coil of a hungry constrictor is a spectacle I never fail to enjoy.  Of course, I am always careful to ensure that the feeding is done safely when delivering live prey into the slavering jaws of my serpent.

For me, the fascination with snakes has always been there. I've always been interested in television shows, magazine articles, and the like about them. It wasn't until several years ago when a neighbor brought out a pair of (I think) boas for us to see that I really became interested.  At the time, my girlfriend answered my plea with a resounding "NO!" when I inquired about getting a snake.

Bummer. Fast forward a few years, and something has me really aching for a snake.  After some pleading, some discussion and some convincing (well done on my part, by the way!), I convinced the other half to let me get a ball python.  

Enter Gene. He wasn't more than ten inches long, if not smaller. I don't remember exactly, but he was a tiny, maybe six month old snake. I picked him up from a lady on Craigslist who had named him 'Rocky'. I didn't like that name, not for a snake. I still don't. The name "Gene" was coined by my future mother in law, as a tribute to Gene Simmons, because it looked like his tongue was almost as long as his body!

Snakes are relatively simple creatures. Their brains don't work like those of a dog or cat. They are more primitive, more 'fight or flight'. What this means is snakes don't expect, or even desire, attention. They don't want to cuddle, and they don't want to hang out with other snakes down at the snake park.  They want to be left alone to eat, sleep, and shed. Most come to tolerate being handled by humans, and Gene is an especially docile case. He has only tried to bite me once, when he mistook me for food because we had a rat sitting in the room with him prior to opening his cage.

Snakes are great pets for me. I like not having to worry about taking Gene for a walk, brushing him, or any other bonding activity I do with my dog or cat. The most he requires is a meal every week (or a bigger meal every two weeks), occasional handling to ensure he remains docile and doesn't eat me, and regular cage maintenance.  

I love snakes. I have been curious about them for a long time, and I'm still learning things I didn't know before. Just today, I learned a trick for taking an aggressive snake out of its cage.  Hopefully it is something I don't have to deal with anytime soon, but when I do, the knowledge is there.

The third installment of the Breeder Q&A series is here, this time with Brian from BHB Reptiles!  You may also know him from Snakebytes TV on Youtube, great series for anyone to watch, by the way.

1. What sparked your interest in snakes and caused you to start collecting?

Ever since I could remember I have been passionate about animals, and reptiles always peaked my interest the most. I didn't go into working with reptiles thinking it was going to be a life long thing, but it just worked out that way. 

2. What is your favorite snake species?  Why?

 I always tell people there is just no way for me to pick one species or one type of snake. I love them all and I get so much pleasure out of working with a wide variety of animals. If I had to choose one, I'd be in big trouble.

3. What species do you breed?  Which one do you focus on if you have more than one species?

 We work with about 30,000 snakes, so there are a ton of species in that group. I really don't focus on any of them anymore then the other, but cornsnakes and Ball Pythons are probably the two animals I'm known for the most. 

4. Why did you start breeding snakes?

 I never intending on making this my career, I was young and thought I could make a few bucks to help pay my way through college. By time I was in my second year of school, I was making more money then I could at the career I was hoping to get into. I thought, this is what I really want to do and if I can make a career out of it, why not go for it. 24 years later and we're still going.

5. How many snakes of breeding age do you own?

 Like I said in a previous answer, we work with over 30,000 snakes. That number goes up and down depending on what time of the year it is. We probably peak at about 45,000 snakes when babies are full force, but we have a LOT of adults!

6. What is your favorite part of the breeding process? What part do you like the least?

 I enjoy the whole process, copulation to hatching. Each part bring a different level of excitement and I love it all. My least favorite part is selling snakes. I like dealing with people, but I wish I didn't have to make money of the animals I love so much. It's a means to an end and I very important psrt of my business, but the business side is by far my least favorite. 

7. What is the most difficult part of the breeding process?

 Every part is difficult when doing it on the level we do. It's about staying focused and dealing with the problem that always come with working with live animals. People think it's easy, and it's far from it. We're not rocket scientist, but animals are always demanding and will always throw you for a loop. You have to love it more then anything else to be successful long term.

8. What species of snake do you breed? Have you bred others? If so, which is the most difficult?

Again, we breed a ton of species and each one has their own set of challenges. As long as you're dedicated and have a little luck you can almost breed anything. Of course that doesn't mean it's easy, because that's not always the case.

9. What is your biggest regret in regards to your breeding venture?

 Whether you are running a snake breeding facility like us or selling magazines you will always make mistakes. I have made too many to wrote about, but I don't believe you ever should regret anything in business. You learn from your mistakes and do your best to not make them again and again. I think any good business person has failed many times. The ones that survive are the ones that learn from them and use that to make their busines stronger!

10. What is your greatest accomplishment in breeding?

 I think it's just being around for 24 years. It's not easy to do anything for that long, but dealing with the ups and downs of the reptile market, live animals and all the other things you have to deal with on a daily basis is tough and to still be here after so many years is what I'm the most proud of. 

11. What are your primary goals for your breeding project? Short-term and long-term?

My goals for any project are always the same. Enjoy working with the animals and do my best to produce some of the best quality offspring that I can. If I produce great animals they will sell well and my clients will be very happy and I can keep doing what I love, which is to work with animals for a living.

12. Are there any misconceptions regarding snake breeding you’d like to dispel?

 Not to anyone that love snakes, but certainly we are contantly dispelling the fears of non-reptile people. It's another passion of mine, to change peoples minds about these often hated animals. I see so much beauty in snakes and I want everyone to experience what I understand about these amazing creatures. 

13. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the reptile breeding industry today?

 With out a doubt it's legislation. We can slowly change peoples perception of snakes, but if the laws get harder and harder for us to work with these animals it could destroy the hobby. I'm optmistic that we'll be okay, but it's a completely scary thing to think that people that know nothing about reptiles are making laws that could outlaw what I do. 

14. What is a typical day like for you during breeding season?

 Breeding season is 12 months a year for a collection like ours. I work from the time I get up until late at night. The routine changes depending on where we're at in the breeding cycle, but it's a on the go life style with no time for rest. I love doing what I do and I never look at it as "work", but this life is not for everyone. I can say that with confidence. 

15. Do you feed your snakes live or pre-killed prey?

 We prefer frozen and 90% of my collection feeds on frozen, but I am not against live feeding for animals that refuse fresh dead or thawed. I want my snakes to feed, so I will feed live responsibly to get them to feed. 

16. Do you breed mice or rats as well as snakes?  If not, where do you get your food supply?

 We buy all our food. We have a handful of different sources to suplly the demand that we require. 

17. What is a typical day like for you?  What does your job consist of? Do you do the dirty work of cleaning cages, feeding, etc or do you prefer to keep your hands clean?

I do all things here. I clean cages, I switch animals around for breeding, I pull and care for eggs, I feed snakes, I wash tubs, I answer the phone, I care for rodents and so on... There is not a job in the shop that I am not involved in on some level. 

18. Do you have any advice for would-be breeders? 

 Just to do it for the love of the animal and never chase the money. And enjoy every moment you can when working with animals..

Thank you for a great Q&A, Brian!  You can check Brian out on Twitter as well as follow him on Facebook at:

 www.twitter.com/snakebytestv  www.facebook.com/BrianBarczyk  www.facebook.com/SnakeBytesTV

Many snake owners know that sometimes, getting a snake to eat frozen/thawed (hereafter known as f/t) can be a time-consuming effort, and is sometimes just plain impossible.  Many people outside the hobby don't realize this.  Maybe they just don't care.  I don't know their motives for acting the way they do, but I am fed up with it.

There are three types of people that complain about feeding snakes live prey.  They are:

People that have genuine concern for the welfare of the prey item and are simply expressing their displeasure at potential suffering of a living creature

People that dislike snakes and other 'creepy crawly' creatures and seek to make the lives of their owners miserable

People that don't understand the above mentioned fact, that sometimes it is difficult to get a snake to eat f/t.

1 and 3 I can handle, provided that these types of people eventually understand the situation many snake owners find themselves in.  Sometimes it makes more sense to feed and breed live prey than it does to spend an outrageous (for some) amount of money on a limited supply of frozen prey items.

People of type 2 just piss me off, and if they refuse to see reason, the most I can do is mentally scream at them in frustration and walk away from the discussion, because it will only serve to anger me more.

I understand why people get upset when the subject is brought up, but I also feel that I deserve some understanding as well.  John Doe down the street has this annoying little football-type dog that yaps and yaps, and I enjoy imagining drop-kicking it into the next county. However, Mr. Doe loves his dog dearly.  Yappy is a member of his family, and he would be devastated were anything to happen to him, or if he were unable to provide proper care.

Everyone, that is how I feel about my scaly friends.  You may not like or understand them, and you may be confused at how I can be so attached to them.  Rest assured, though, that I love them as much as I love my dog or my cat.  They do have to eat, you know.  If I could feed them all f/t I would.  It isn't very expensive (right now it is, for me), and it's a lot safer than feeding live (a pre-killed freshly thawed mouse isn't going to bite my snake, unless it's a zombie), but sometimes it isn't an option.

If that is the case, like it is now, I will do my very best to make sure that the mice are comfortable and happy for as long as they live, however long or short that may be.  Do not judge me for keeping snakes, because I don't judge the fact that you think having a dozen yipping and nipping pocket dogs is adorable.  

It's simple, folks.  Snakes need to eat too.  If you don't like that, okay.  You are welcome to your opinion.  However, next time you come to my door with pitchforks, think about the last time you went out to eat.  Think about the last juicy T-bone you grilled.  Do you honestly think the animals slaughtered so we can eat are treated better than the mice I feed my snake?  I doubt it.

The reptile world was shaken last week with a massive blow to the industry. Congress added four species of snakes to the Lacey Act - Northern and Southern African Rock Pythons, Yellow Anacondas, and the infamous (and often misunderstood) Burmese Python.  This happened because the Humane Society of the United States and other special interest groups that don't want us to have snakes as pets.  This was a devastating blow to the industry and more snakes, boa constrictors, are in danger of being listed.

To that end, reptile lovers all over are putting their heads together for Snake Awareness Day, a day that will focus on demonstrations, lectures, and basically introducing people to the wonder of snakes.  We are doing this in an attempt to get the public to help us prevent the passing of unfair legislation concerning these wondrous creatures.

Since being introduced to snakes, I have discovered that they are wonderful pets.  They are easy to care for if the proper research is done beforehand, they make great conversation pieces, and they have a habit of helping me let the stress slip through my fingers just like their scales do as they slither across my hands or shoulders.  I am terrified that fear and misunderstanding will prevent me from breeding them or even owning them.  Would I pay for a permit to keep them or breed them?  Absolutely, as long as the rules and regulations associated with that permit were fair, I would not hesitate.

Today's Q&A is brought to you by our friends Tailor Made Reptiles!  Enjoy!

1. I always liked reptiles and amphibians growing up. Of course, my parents, did not share the same enthusiasm. It wasn't until 18-19, that I started keeping reptiles. First it was Bearded Dragon named Jack. Than Crested Geckos, Leopard Geckos, and the list goes on.

Ball Python's didn't come along till I was 23. Ever since than, they've been my favorite animal to keep.

2. The first time, was....an accident really. I bought a female and didn't know she was gravid at the time. About a month and a half later, I was cleaning her tank, and bam. Snake eggs! Well, I thought they were eggs, but she slugged out on all 3.

3. Seeing the babies pip from the egg's for the first time. Seeing the babies not make it. Like this year, we lost 15 snakes.

4. The wait! It kill's me every time waiting for the females to lay eggs. Than waiting for the incubation to finish.

5. We keep Ball Python's mainly, we currently have 30+. We also have a corn snake and a western hog-nose snake.

6. The biggest regret I have is....I don't really have any regrets so far.

7. Anytime I see a healthy snake poke its head from the egg.

8. Like the above, health is the biggest goal I have. As long as I breed healthy, living snakes, I'm good. Short-term goal, is for this year, hoping to produce a pastel red axanthic ghost. Long-term, well...I gotta keep some secrets.

9. I can't really think of any misconceptions when it comes to breeding. When it comes to snakes themselves, there are too many I can think of.

10. People. Specifically the anti-snake types. The one's trying to push all these bills in the US and Canada, to ban the keeping of certain types, if not all. I understand the fears that some people can have in regards to the larger breeds, (Retics, burm's, etc), but a lot of those fears are unfounded. I've seen 15+ foot reticulated pythons with better temperament than a 6lb toy poodle.

11. If you're getting into it thinking you;ll be making tons of money, just...take your savings now, put it on the ground, and light it on fire. Breeding animals, are not for the get-rich-quick types. Most of that's due to the demand for the animals. Reptile's and such, are still in the dark when it comes to keeping as pets.

If you're going to breed your snakes, do it because of the love for the animals.

I decided a few days ago to try and do a Question and Answer session with as many breeders as I could get to agree, from big breeders to small time guys and girls breeding in their spare bedrooms.  My goal was to get several different perspectives on the breeding industry to give others like me, who are interested in breeding reptiles someday, a big of a heads up as to what to expect and what the life is like.  

The response has been overwhelming, and I have several interviews to post.  I would like to start off with a bang and post an interview with Garrick DeMeyer of Captive Reptile Specialties Inc.  I've admired Garrick's work since I discovered snakes, and getting a chance to pick his brain was amazing.  The questions are below, as well as links to his websites.

Breeder Q&A with Garrick DeMeyer

1. What sparked your interest in snakes and caused you to start collecting?

I've been interested in reptiles and amphibians since I was only a few years old.  I was always the kid digging in ponds and swamps, flipping over logs, etc.  Back in the 70s, that was just about the only place to find herps.  I do remember seeing a nice selection of reptiles in a chain of stores in the Chicago-area called Noah's Ark.  I used to love going to those stores and seeing all of the exotic chameleons, frogs, geckos, and snakes.  I also used to buy every reptile book I could find, or check them out at the library.  There just wasn't much good info about reptiles back then- especially about their captive care and breeding.  I still have all of those books (other than the ones I checked out from the library!).  I always kept a few lizards in display tanks in my bedroom.  I wasn't allowed to keep snakes in the house and I almost always obeyed that rule.  When I was in college in the early '90s, I started breeding Giant Day Geckos- mostly just to see if I could do it.  I could.  One thing led to another and soon I had Leopard Geckos, Leaf-tail Geckos, Chameleons, Bearded Dragons, and finally snakes!

2. Why did you start breeding snakes?

Breeding snakes was a natural progression from breeding lizards for me.  I still love to breed lizards, mostly geckos, but I became fascinated with ball python morphs- back in the mid-90s when there were only a few available- albinos, piebalds, clowns, caramels, and axanthics.  Many of those weren't even proven to be inheritable at that time.  I planned to focus my business on my lizards and just keep a little collection of ball pythons and other snakes.  The ball python addiction hit me hard and within a few years, I started amassing a pretty impressive collection of them. 

3. What is your favorite part of the breeding process? What part do you like the least?

I think my favorite part of breeding ball pythons is producing new morphs.  Very few snakes that I produce are new morphs to the industry, but if I haven't produced them yet, they are still new for me.  I love looking in the incubator every day during the hatching season to see all of the new babies poking their heads out of their eggs.  There are so many different morphs out there.  I consider myself a bit of a ball python hoarder.  I would like to have a pair of every combo if I could.  I think there are too many morphs out there for any one person to have them all, so I try to focus mostly on the morphs I like the most.

The least favorite part of breeding ball pythons is when I lose one.  My survival rate is extremely high- probably around 99%, but losses do happen from time to time.  Out of 2000 babies, you can't expect every single one to come out perfect and healthy.  Still, these are living things and I never like to see anything suffer or die.

4. What is the most difficult part of the breeding process?

The most difficult part for me has nothing to do with breeding.  They are incredibly easy to breed if you have quality snakes and a proper environment.  Having clutches of slugs (infertile eggs) is probably the most frustrating- especially when it is a "big" clutch you are really looking forward to.  Overall, I think the most difficult part of doing this is getting a consistent supply of rodents.  With 700 adults and around 800-1000  babies here at any given time, that is a lot of mice and rats to come up with.  Many of my ball pythons eat frozen/thawed, but there are quite a few that will only consistently feed on live.  It is very difficult to come up with enough live rodents every week- even though we produce several thousand mice and rats per month here.  We still never have enough.

5. What species of snake do you breed? Have you bred others? If so, which is the most difficult?

The main species I work with now is the Ball Python.  I've breed many other species including boas, retics, rainbows, womas, green trees, carpets, corns, kings, hognose, milks and probably a few more that I'm not remembering right now.  I've had some success with other species, but I think my talent definitely is with ball pythons.  I've actually cut back my collection of "non-ball python" snakes so I can focus more attention on the balls.  That is the only way I can devote as much time and effort as possible to produce the largest variety of morphs possible.

I think boas have been the most difficult for me.  I've never been able to have a high success rate with my litters.  Lots of litters of slugs.  I'm not sure why that is, but it may be something about the environment in my facility that they don't like.  My employee, Kyle, can breed boas at his house all day long with excellent results and yet I can't do it here.  Very strange.

6. What is your biggest regret in regards to your breeding venture?

Oh, if I only knew 20 years ago what I knew now.  I could write a book on what I would do differently.  I used to keep all kinds of rare, stranger species in the hopes to become successful breeding stuff that nobody else was.  I had a lot of different geckos like Helmeted, Knob-tail, Leaf-tail, Velvet, rare Day Geckos etc,  and different lizards like Water Dragons, Frilled Lizards, Basilisks, Dwarf Monitors, and dozens of other species.  I spent thousands of dollars on some of this stuff, only to never have any real success with many of them.  It wasn't until I decided to focus on the species I knew I could breed, and also knew there was a good market for, that I started having success.  Bearded Dragons, Veiled Chameleons, Leopard Geckos, and Crested Geckos were all key to me digging myself out of my debt.  Sure, most of those didn't command a huge price tag, but I made up for it in volume, because of consistent, reliable production. 

Another regret was not getting into ball pythons much sooner.  Back in '96, I bought an albino boa and several hets for around $10k.  Had I just put that money into an albino ball python and a het or two back then, I'd be much more advanced in that industry at this point.  I also used to amass a group of normal female hatchlings every year, maybe 20-30 of them.  I'd keep them for  a few months, thinking I'd start breeding ball pythons at some point, then I'd end up selling them.  If I had kept those back in the mid-90s, I can't imagine how far along I'd be now.

My other big regret is being too trusting of too many people.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of dishonest people in this industry, as well as in any other industry.  I've shipped animals out to people I thought I could trust to pay me for them.  I've received counterfeit cashier's checks and didn't find out until after the animals shipped out.  I've also been burned by buying "hets" that prove out to be normals.  You live and learn, but unfortunately, some people will still find new ways to take advantage of you.  That's why it is so important to buy from reputable breeders with a good track record.  Great deals aren't that great if you don't get what you think you are buying.

7. What is your greatest accomplishment in breeding?

I don't know if I have a single greatest accomplishment.  I've produced the first of several leopard gecko and ball python morphs.  Those were pretty proud moments.  I really think the greatest accomplishment for me is to turn a little hobby into a successful career.  To be able to do this for a living for over 11 years now is still amazing for me.  I wish it was more about "playing with lizards and snakes" all day, but the cumulative result of what I'm doing is extremely rewarding on a personal level.

8. What are your primary goals for your breeding project? Short-term and long-term?

My goal has always been to produce as many beautiful, healthy, top-quality reptiles as possible.  I want to continue to add new genes and combos into my gecko and python projects.  Every year, I make up a "wish list" of a few things that I want (need!) to add to my collection.  I don't end up acquiring all of them, but I put a big dent in my list each year.

9. Are there any misconceptions regarding snake breeding you'd like to dispel?

I think the biggest misconception about snake breeding is how easy it is to make a lot of money.  This business is very hard work.  Not like working for a construction company physically hard, but still very challenging.  Reptiles are not a "get rich quick" scheme.  Once I started breeding reptiles, it took me about 7 years before I wasn't losing money every year, and still a couple years after that before I could do it full time.  I went to college and worked part-time jobs while I was growing my business.  After I graduated, I worked a full-time job and worked on my business in my spare time.  It was a long, hard, struggle figuring this all out.  Most people that I knew thought I was crazy for trying to do this.  They couldn't understand how much I loved it and what kind of sacrifices I was willing to make to see it through.  I did it because I love reptiles and couldn't see myself doing anything else.  I've never been one to settle for a job that I don't find rewarding, just for the paycheck.  I want to spend my life doing what makes me happy.  For me, that was REPTILES!  I see a lot of people getting into breeding reptiles just to make money.  Unless you really enjoy them, it is hard to spend all of the money and time required to become successful.  If I won the lottery and never needed to make another dime, I would still breed reptiles. 

10. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the reptile breeding industry today?

Definitely anti-reptile legislation.  Reptiles are becoming more popular every year, but if the wrong laws get passed, it could all be for nothing.  A ban from interstate transport and sales would cripple the industry to the point it would probably never recover.  It would affect breeders, wholesalers, retail pet stores, pet supplier manufacturers, shipping companies, insect and rodent breeders, and dozens of other industries.  The worst part about it is most of what the proponents of these bills are using to plead their case just isn't true.  In the case of pythons, some of these people claim that they will eventually spread through the bottom 1/3 of the US, possibly as far North as Ohio.  Really?  These snakes can get an upper respiratory infection in a breeder's facility that is temperature controlled similar to a rainforest.  Now they are supposed to survive sub-freezing temperatures and snowfall?  Most of their arguments just aren't accurate.  I encourage everyone to become members of USARK so they can become better-informed on what is going on.  You can't rely on someone else to take care of these pesky laws for you, even if it doesn't affect a species you work with.  The organizations that want these animals banned believe in dividing and conquering.  Take out the big pythons first, then the little ones, then colubrids, then geckos, etc., etc.  The reptile industry has shown they can rise up and defend their hobby when needed.  We all need to keep doing it and increase in numbers if we are going to keep our hobby alive and well.

11. Do you have any advice for would-be breeders?

I think I answered this question pretty well in #9 as far as being properly-motivated.  I would also like to add that most new breeders should work with species that are proven to be fairly easy to keep and breed- even if they aren't very valuable.  Producing "cheap" reptiles is better than not producing any at all, and it goes a long way to give you the experience needed to one day tackle the more challenging species.  Make sure to buy quality animals from reputable breeders.  Buy the best equipment you can afford.  A quality cage/rack, thermostat, and a temp-gun are probably the most important things you can add to your collection.  Always go for quality!

Garrick's websites:

http://www.crestedgecko.com/

http://www.royalconstrictordesigns.com/

Thank you for a great Q&A, Garrick!

What is a Snake Mite?

My interpretation of a snake mite.

    What are snake mites?  If you ask anybody that has ever dealt with them, chances are they'll tell you "Mites? I hate those blood-sucking little bastards!"  Mites are parasites that feed off blood.  They are arachnids, but because of their love of blood, I compare them more with mosquitos than I do spiders.

How Do I Tell If I have a mite problem?

Imagine that you're holding a snake, smiling proudly as his tongue flickers and he moves smoothly through your hands.  Then, out of the corner of your eye, you notice a little black speck scurrying across his head.  Upon closer inspection, you hear a high pitched, menacing chuckle and a sound similar to liquid being sucked through a straw.

Okay, maybe I made that last part up.  But all joking aside, count yourself lucky if you notice only one little hitchhiker on your snake.  They usually travel in groups.  If you see one or more crawling bugs on your snake, you most likely have mites.

Why are they so serious?

Mites can carry serious illnesses from one snake to another, quickly spreading sickness throughout a private collection.  Many people have lost entire collections of reptiles worth thousands of dollars because of diseases spread by mites.  They can be very deadly, and affect snakes in a number of ways.

They can cause loss of appetite

They can cause poor shedding

They also lay their eggs around the eyes and anal vents of the snakes, and I'm sure each and every person reading this can imagine how uncomfortable that would be.

How Do I Treat Mites?

There are several treatments available for mites, some more effective than others.  There are a number of steps that should be taken in preparing to eliminate a mite infestation.  Most of them, I'm sad to say, are "snake oil" treatments.  By this, I mean they claim to treat mites but they are ineffective at best, and absolutely useless at times.  One of the most used and most effective treatments is the Provent-A-Mite spray by Pro Products.  It is specially formulated for snakes (and perhaps other reptiles, but I'm not sure on that), and from everything I've heard it works wonders.  Others use Equate Bedding Spray, which is typically for lice.  Many people have used this with no problems, but I've read pros and cons of using it.

There are other sprays out there and some very unorthodox treatments as well.  The bottom line is, mites are bad.  Very bad.  They can kill your snake if left untreated.  I sincerely hope that this post is informative and helps every reader learn something.  I will provide links to some websites discussing mites as well as the Pro Products website so you can see for yourselves what the hype is about.

Links:

Dealing With Snake Mites

http://lllreptile.com/info/library/care-and-husbandry-articles/-/dealing-with-snake-mites/

The Life History of Snake Mites

http://www.vpi.com/publications/the_life_history_of_snake_mites

Pro Products

http://www.pro-products.com/

Enjoy!

One of the most common questions I'm asked is, "Why snakes?"  Many people don't understand why I, and others, would choose to own a scaly reptile instead of a cute furry puppy or kitten.  The reasons are many.  I will list some of them here.

Snakes don't require as much attention.  True, temperature and humidity levels must be monitored and maintained, but this can be done easily with thermometers/hygrometers, allowing for easy reading of the temps/humidity levels, even in a hurry.  Snakes do not require the attention and affection your dog or cat requires.  In fact, they are quite content if you leave them in their safe, secure habitats for weeks at a time.  They don't need love, they don't need to go for walks, and they don't expect you to play with them. (I'm telling you right now, if my snake dropped a rawhide bone in my lap, I would throw it for him!)

Snakes eat, on average, once a week.  Compare owning one snake to owning one dog.  My snakes eat once a week or so, while my dog and cat eat every day.  I spend about as much feeding three snakes as I do feeding one dog and one cat every month.  If your snakes are eating frozen/thawed prey, the food bill is even cheaper.

Most apartment complexes will let you keep multiple snakes.  The apartment complex I live in restricts us to one dog and one cat.  However, they have no restrictions on animals that are kept in cages.

They are easy to care for.  This ties in with the attention point above.  On average, I clean my snake enclosures once a week.  I 'spot check' for waste, wet shavings, and other issues every time I take them out, which is usually 1-2 times a day for a few minutes at a time.

Snakes are cheap once you get past the initial investment.  For a person on a budget, snakes are a great pet.  We've already discussed feeding, which can run anywhere from $3-$4 a week for a full grown ball python.  Many snakes are fine being kept on newspaper or something similar.  I prefer aspen shavings or cypress mulch, both of which are fairly inexpensive.

Space.  Depending on the type of snake you own, you can keep one in a small apartment with no problem.  One ball python can happily live its life in a 20 or 30 gallon aquarium.  Many people with multiple snakes use rack systems that allow them to stack their snakes on shelves, similar to the three or four drawer Sterilite shelves you can purchase at Wal-Mart.

Snakes are quiet!  Your snake won't bark when somebody knocks on the door, and he won't paw at your face, meowing in your ear to wake you up in the morning to give him breakfast.  They will hiss if startled or frightened, but with many snakes that isn't a regular occurrence.  There is always the exception, though!  Some people have very "hissy" snakes.

Snakes are odorless.  Snakes generally don't stink.  The only time I smell anything other than the smell of the aspen shavings or the cypress mulch (I enjoy the damp, earthy smell of the cypress), is when my snakes leave waste for me to clean up.  Once that is disposed of and the enclosure cleaned, the smell is gone.

That's everything I can think of for now.  I will be doing a 'cons of owning a snake' feature as well.  The only way to properly educate people is to give them all the information available!  Please chime in via the comments if you can think of more pros!

Hello again, everyone!  This entry will be about fear of snakes, both the rational and irrational sides of the coin.  First, I would like to thank Brian Barczyk from BHB reptiles for this topic.  Thanks Brian!

Now, let's get down to business.  People are afraid of snakes for any number of reasons.  Some of these are:

1.  Religion:  The Bible tells the story of the serpent tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden to eat the apple.  Because of this, mankind is cast out of Eden.  Due to this, many people believe that snakes are evil and cruel.  This is far from the truth.  Snakes are not evil, but stories like this give them a bad rap.

2. The Media:  Hollywood loves snakes.  How many of you have seen the Anaconda movies?  I am not condemning movies like this, because they make for great entertainment.  However, this is all they are.  Entertainment.  Snakes are going to grow to be fifty feet long and as big around as a school bus with the desire to consume human flesh on a daily basis.  While there are some big snakes (Reticulated and Burmese pythons are a popular big snake), they do not have the desire to kill and eat humans, or anything other than the prey they are normally fed (rats or, in many cases, rabbits).

3. Ignorance:  Many people that are afraid of snakes have seen few, if any, in the wild.  Many of them have also never handled a pet snake like a ball python.  Some people have an irrational fear of snakes.  This is called Ophidiophobia.  It is a very real affliction and those afflicted by it have a very real fear of snakes.

4.  Snakes are strange:  Snakes are weird looking creatures.  From the way they move, to the way they eat (think constrictors) to their little forked tongues and their lidless eyes.  Everything about them is alien to most people.  Some snakes are even recognized by their 'alien heads'.  Again, there is nothing wrong with this.  Humans are afraid of the strange and the unknown.  That is the reason horror stories are so wildly popular.

This is an informational post meant to educate the uninformed.  I do not claim to know everything, but I do enjoy sharing what I know in hopes of teaching even one person something they didn't know before.  This post will focus on common myths and misconceptions of snakes, including things such as snakes being slimy, evil, baby murderers.  I hope you enjoy it!

1. Snakes will only get as large as the enclosure you keep them in.  If you keep them in a large (150 gallon) aquarium, they will grow to fit the tank.  FALSE

Snakes are like humans.  They grow to an average length and generally stop.  If you wear a size six shoe and you buy a size twelve pair of shoes, will your feet grow to fit the shoes?  No.  The same goes for snakes.  Each species is different, but each has average lengths and weights, and they generally fit into these categories.  There are exceptions, but you're not going to see a ball python grow to be ten feet long just because you keep it in a fifteen foot long enclosure.

2.  Snakes are slimy.  FALSE

Snakes are not slimy.  They have scales, and this leads some people to compare them to fish which, obviously, can be rather gooey and slimy.  They are also compared to worms.  The truth is, snakes are fairly soft to the touch, and very dry.  Their scales actually feel quite pleasant, if you want my opinion.

3. Snakes will constrict just for the pleasure of doing so.  FALSE

Constrictors such as pythons and boas will not constrict just because they feel like it.  They constrict their prey to kill it so they can eat.  When holding a snake, they will also sometimes grip very tightly in order to feel more secure being held and/or carried.  This leads some people to believe that the snake has some malicious intent. They do not.  They are simply frightened and they use their natural abilities (powerful muscles) to grip and hang on.  They will not intentionally constrict you.  Of course, this being said, if you put a Burmese Python around your neck and it grips you tightly, causing you to have trouble breathing, A) You're not very bright if you're putting an eight foot or longer snake around your neck, and B) The snake is just using what it has available to keep itself secure and safe.  If your neck happens to be in the way, don't blame the snake.  Blame yourself.

4.  Snakes will only eat live prey.  FALSE

Snakes are scavengers.  They will eat what is available.  In the wild, this means live or dead prey.  They will eat carrion, like many other animals in the wild.  In captivity, they will eat live or a number of dead prey options.  These include prey that has recently been killed or stunned, either via blunt force or euthanized prey. This also includes prey that has been killed, frozen, and then thawed and warmed up before feeding.

5.  Snakes will kill your dog, your cat, or your child.  FALSE

I call this false because your snake is not going to eat your German Shepherd, your Husky, or your teenager.  Of course, if you tempt your giant hungry snake (and by giant I mean Burmese or Reticulated Python, and similar snakes), with a yapping, rabbit size terrier, don't hold it against the snake if it makes a meal of it.  Chances are, though, the snake will be frightened by the incessant yapping of the dog and will attempt to escape.

- That's all for now, folks.  If you have questions or want a myth challenged, comment and I'll do my best to answer.