Dean is absolutely right. DEMAND definetly outweighs supply in this case. and the Couperi are hit and miss breeders, any one that has bred them repeatedly knows that often, after all their hard work, they may find themselves with NOTHING at the end of the breeding season.

This year has DEFINETLY been a banner year for bad production in Easterns. 6 out of the 10 breeders that I personally know have produced either nothing or just a few Couperi, and as Dean said they are allready spoken for..and the backlog sometiems continues for several years.

Many people get invloved with snakes because they can get a certain species up to breeding size QUICKLY by overfeeding, and then breed them VERY early, producing low numbers but still producing SOMETHING.

The problem with this is that it is bad for the snake, and doesnt allow the person to learn to truly appreciate them. The rush is to get to market.

I akin D.couperi with TORTOISES. Couperi take upwards of 4 years to reach maturity and breeding age, and then they often get eggbound or produce eggs that are infertile dureing their first attempt at reproduction.

So..it takes patience to grow them to size and even more patience to get them to successfully breed and the eggs to hatch.

Tortoises...are alot like that. They take a long time to reach sexual maturity, and frankly their owners arent worried about it, they honestly like the animals. They have too, its a long haul toget then to breeding size, relatively. I view Tortoise owners and Drymarchon owners as extremelt patient people, and definetly not in it for the money. It just takes to long and is to uncertain.

Take care

Fred Albury

[ Hide Replies ]

• Why is it so hard to find an Eastern? - hefte, Mon Jul 18 21:53:57 2005
• RE: Why is it so hard to find an Eastern? - Eric East, Mon Jul 18 22:59:50 2005
• Fair enough, and thanks, n/p - hefte, Tue Jul 19 00:53:23 2005
• RE: Fair enough, and thanks, n/p - DeanAlessandrini, Tue Jul 19 10:29:11 2005
• RE: Fair enough, and thanks, n/p - Fred Albury, Tue Jul 19 16:59:43 2005
• I appreciate your responses...long post - hefte, Tue Jul 19 23:11:45 2005
• RE: I appreciate your responses...long post - Living_skies, Tue Jul 19 23:19:11 2005
• RE: I appreciate your responses...long post - Eric East, Wed Jul 20 07:26:09 2005
• I have a feeling... - DeanAlessandrini, Wed Jul 20 07:37:23 2005
• He was definetly talking about Eastern's... - hefte, Wed Jul 20 14:56:29 2005
• Sounds like a target for a sting.... - Mike Meade, Wed Jul 20 16:09:10 2005
• Sounds more like it IS a sting. - Ecarinata, Fri Jul 22 12:33:10 2005
• Someone get a rope. . . . . . . . . . . . - Fred Albury, Thu Jul 21 00:40:00 2005
• hefte...,you need to turn this guy in - DeanAlessandrini, Thu Jul 21 07:31:35 2005
• I agree Dean.... - BobS, Thu Jul 21 08:32:50 2005
• 2 more possible scenarios - Mike Meade, Sat Jul 23 18:19:05 2005
• Contact officials and bust this guy if possible... n/p - jcampbell, Thu Jul 21 17:33:41 2005
• I understand your frustration and concern... - hefte, Thu Jul 21 23:29:55 2005
• Have you ever heard the term "accessory after the fact" - gila7150, Fri Jul 22 10:45:38 2005
• Has anyone thought this could be an attempt to "sting" - dryguy, Fri Jul 22 13:01:30 2005
• Well Chris you obviously didn't read my entire post... - hefte, Fri Jul 22 14:41:27 2005
• RE: Well Chris you obviously didn't read my entire post... - gila7150, Fri Jul 22 15:45:55 2005
• RE: Well Chris you obviously didn't read my entire post... - antelope, Sat Jul 23 17:12:44 2005
• Wow, you've got to be kidding - hefte, Sat Jul 23 18:54:04 2005
• Yikes - nevermore, Sun Jul 24 20:38:47 2005
• RE: Yikes - antelope, Mon Jul 25 01:43:45 2005
• He, you need to know Chris is one of our more.. - dryguy, Sat Jul 23 18:51:17 2005
• (LOL) I have good reason to be a little on the edge this week... - gila7150, Sat Jul 23 23:42:59 2005
• Congratulations! - Mike Meade, Sun Jul 24 07:12:25 2005
• RE: (LOL) I have good reason to be a little on the edge this week... - Eric East, Sun Jul 24 08:14:05 2005