In my opinion as a reptile keeper and breeder, a ban on imports will do one great thing for the Burm community. It will make your animals more valuable when selling offspring. How cheap do you see import normals selling for at shows? They literally go for peanuts because they are readily available. If a ban is implemented, and I am sure it will be, the number of Burmese pythons coming into the country will be essentially zero. As a result, assuming demand is the same, production by priviate keepers is the only way to fill this. Given that Burms are not breed in massive numbers, the value of each individual, whether it be a normal or a morph, is likely to increase. Also, selling your captive bred stock will be easier, provided interstate sales are not banned, and I honestly cannot see that happening.



regarding new morphs coming in, ways are always found. Way that I do not agree with, but the rare morphs will continue to appear. Look at the carpet python morphs. Do you honestly beleive the albinos, for example, just happened to pop up in a captive collection. Personally I highly doubt that, and would be willing to genetically fingerprint albinos in the US and Europe and the original albino Darwin to prove relatedness. I do not agree with the means by which they enter the country, but there is no doubt that a rare new morph, despite a ban, will find its way in somehow.



Warren
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Dr Warren Booth / Director USARK

North Carolina State University

Department of Entomology

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