Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was chatting to a friend of mine recently about Lessers and Mojaves, their similarities etc. In different combos they can produce our old friend, the lucy. And, combined with other morphs, they can make some cracking snakes.

They both seem to have been knocking a round a couple of years now, and I was surprised how many Mojaves were available this year. What we couldn't fathom though, was why the Lesser is SO much more expensive than the Mojave? Have Mojaves just proven that much more fecund / productive, and are simply more common? Or have we missed something???

Look forward to hearing the 'answer!'
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1 - The lesser (IMHO) is just a much cooler looking snake. The first adult mojave I saw could almost have passed as a normal...especially to an untrained eye. The Lesser is just cooler.

2 - Marketing plays a big part in it as well. Even the whole idea behind it being a "lesser" platty...wondering if you can get the platty daddy...There seems to be a mystique behind the platty. I remember a thread a few months ago where someone mentioned the platty, and someone replied..."yeah, I really want one of those two, but it'll take like 10 years!" No way it has to take 10 years...Another comment on another thread asked one breeder "How'd you get one of those!?!" There's just that mystique about it.

So says my $.02! Who am I anyway?

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Jeremy Conrad
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Isn't it cooler that serpent's don't walk anymore?
(Genesis 3:14)

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The mojave is not yet breeding, however the Lesser is just simply a breeding machine....

Neil Golli Reptiles
info@gollireptiles.com
(813) 856 3408

I personally think the Hypo Mojave is an outstanding snake, I love the coloring on them. The Mojave has also produced the Crystal Ball, and the Paradox Super Hypo Mojave, which are both stunning. I have not seen enough pictures of the Lesser crosses to make a valid unbiased judgement, but for the money, and what they make, I think the Mojave is a DEAL. Look at the price of Russo's Het Lucies. The Mojave is probably the cheapest way to get a white snake, and they have some very nice crosses too. I think we will see the Lesser down this year like the Mojave came down last year. I do not have a Lesser, and will probaby work my Mojaves and eventually get a Butter, skipping the Lesser altogather....but things change, so do not hold me to it. I do not want a lot of cr@p if I post a pic of "my new Lesser" in a few months The pics are of my Ember, hoping they make a black eyed white snake, or something cooler!

Dave

simple answer is the platty daddy, marketing and very smart distribution on Ralph's part. He made sure those that bought early weren't going to super produce them. In another year or 2 if there isn't direct lineage to the platty daddy then lessers should be in the sub 10k range. If there is platty daddy blood in them, the price will stay high mainly coz that's one heck of a good looking snake. My personal preference is the mojave as it's lucy has more character with that purple head than lesser lucy's that are "just" plain white, if you can say that "just" plain white is not a great thing. It all boils down to what you like.

Josh Hutto
JKReptiles
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2.3 het pied (RDR, alan bosch x 2, BHB x 2)
0.1 High Contrast Albino (Gulf Coast)
1.1 het albino (ben siegel, Gulf Coast)
1.2 het citrus ghost(Gulf Coast line)
1.0 citrus ghost (Gulf Coast line)
0.1 graz pastel female
1.6 05 normal bp's
0.6 04 normal bp's
2.5 adult normal bp's (some need breeding to see if norm)
4 various corns
0.1 brazilian rainbow boa (alan bosch)
1.0 american pit bull terrior
1.1 taco dogs (ankle biters)
1.0 grey cat
1.1 bearded dragons

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrior as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

When Mojaves were first introduced to the market place Dan and Collete were selling them for around $5,000 way back 1999, and 2000. Ralph had just started working with the Platinum who is the father and grandfather of almost all the lesser's today. Ralph Sold the orignal lesser platties to a few people for $25,000 each. Then in 2001 or 2002 I can't quite remember which year it was but Ralph produced a white snake. Now here is another huge factor in the the white snake outcome for either of these two breedings. Lesser X Lessser = A pure white Lucy with no dinge or other markings. Mojave X Mojave equals a white snake with a purple head. This may seem minor to some but the difference has stirred volumes of controversial threads. Let's not forget that Lesser also hold the Platty in there some were. The Platinum not the lesser but the actual plattinums carry a hidden gene that so far has shown to be very useful with phantoms and lessers this same gene hidden in the Platinum sibs will in time transform other morphs. It's possible that Mojaves may be bred to sibs in time and who knows were that will lead us. If you want a more clear picture go to RDR's site and scroll through the past 4 years of breeding records. Ralph's work is not done yet by far...
Hope this clears some things up....