Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK, I know pit tagging has it's appropriate negative view. But all this ultra talk got me thinking about how on earth can we identify a snake if it is not from a reputable breeder or it has changed hands a few times, and becomes a mystery snake.

We see corns all the time at the shop we have no idea of hets and at times even pheno genetics. The only thing I could think of was a "SAFE" type pit tag with full genetics, and maybe the original breeder. Of course not for everyone, but the readers of the tags could be at most shops. This could not only help genetics, but also hybrids. Also sex and age, or DOB. the draw back I see is someone mistagging a snake on purpose to make money.

Like I said I was just thinking how to identify a snake and that seem to work, except for the fraud part.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com

I was just thinking out loud on how to keep track of a snakes lineage. I'm open to ideas.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com

>>I was just thinking out loud on how to keep track of a snakes lineage. I'm open to ideas.
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>>Thanks for reading.
>>Big Tom
>>
>>www.HerpZillA.com

who would pay for it?
Pit tagging would probably cost more then most corn snakes are worth.
You buy a $25.00 snake why would you want to spend $50.00 to have it tagged.
I have no idea on the actual cost but I doubt seriously it would be cheap.
What if you have 20, 30 40, 100 or more snakes in your collection. How would you afford to tag all of them?
Would you only tag ones you are selling?
Or would it be up to the buyer to tag them when they received them?
Could you trust anyone to spend and additional amount of money on a new pet snake?
I just don't see it.
my opinion for what it's worth

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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"Resistance is futile"
Jimmy Johnson
(Draybar)
Draybars Snakes

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This was just an idea that popped in my head.

>>who would pay for it?
The breeder or buyer as an option so if they want to prove its source and data for resale later. I just realized teh complicated part will be a sold snake being bred by a lay person wanting their babies identifed.

>>Pit tagging would probably cost more then most corn snakes are worth.
>>You buy a $25.00 snake why would you want to spend $50.00 to have it tagged.
>>I have no idea on the actual cost but I doubt seriously it would be cheap.

I have no idea of cost. I we say the more popular somethig is the cheaper it becomes. I cant see a tiny chip being all to expensive. also maybe there is a chip already in use for another animal for a different use, that could be used? MAYBE?

>>What if you have 20, 30 40, 100 or more snakes in your collection. How would you afford to tag all of them?
Again it all depends on cost. bot lets say a chip is $5. I know the equipt would be very expensive, but everythign is at teh beginning. but a breeder would not have a snake that has a premium value. People quote lines of their snakes all the time. I would say the reasons are quality and value of that snake.

>>Would you only tag ones you are selling?
I guess? (it is just an idea) As I help at a shop I see a lot of snakes, especially corns people want to know exactly what they are. I cant give any info on het, and even phenotype can be tough at times. Part of the reason I think this popped up was teh 2 snows we bred and got amel babies and no one in here could tell which one was not a snow.

>>Or would it be up to the buyer to tag them when they received them?
Answered above

>>Could you trust anyone to spend and additional amount of money on a new pet snake?
I'm not saying anyone can tag. Well i guess that would happen. But lets say Mr Corn tags his snakes and it includes his name as the breeder. And NO ONE could get his tags. Ok , i said with anythign there is fraud.

>>I just don't see it.
I don't see it yet. But teh desire will probably bring some attempt to identify a snake.

>>my opinion for what it's worth
>>
>>
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>>Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
>>"Resistance is futile"
>>Jimmy Johnson
>>(Draybar)
>> Draybars Snakes
>>
>>_____
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com

Hey, as soon a I looked at the picture of those snows, I asked if one was a blizzard, remember! I was just late in the conversation because I was away from the PC for a couple days. lol
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****Misty****

www.sneakyserpents.com

"The more things change, the more they remain Insane"

But which was the blizzard? the pink male, or more normal looking snow with yellow hue?

I know people hear pit tag and gasp. It was just a thought. maybe micro laser scribe a scale lol.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com

ACR is a better option IMHO.
Full photo of animal, traceable lineage, etc.
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Arrrggg!
It's like Shalom, but for pirates.
- iCarly

It's a great idea. But snakes change with time. How many anery are out there? Or okeetees. And again, i sadly woek in an area where I see stuff that people bought with great intentions but then just give up.

I;m not saying pit tagging is perfect or would work. just trying to bring up a topic that is being mentally addressed one way or another. I'm almost 50. I remember when the first UHF channel was a HUGE event lol. Zip forward to todays technology, it is yesteryears sci fi. So, I can see at some point in the future there may be a DNA test similar to sexing parrots for snakes.

But in the mean time, the question is how? Also most people in here I dont think are the avg snake people. You are far above.

The ACR is great for teh snakes that stay in the circle of more serious breeders, or even snake keepers. IN fact I need to look into how to register snakes. All my bloodreds have unknown back ground. I believe my man is not het for anythign, but my 07's I'm sure are het for amel and motley I think? I have to check my notes. But I need more females. Next year my money situation should be much better. So I'll get a few. but then the long 3 year wait.

and teh way things are going, my bird collection is exploding. Room is a serious issue.

Well thats for teh responce

>>ACR is a better option IMHO.
>>Full photo of animal, traceable lineage, etc.
>>-----
>>Arrrggg!
>>It's like Shalom, but for pirates.
>>- iCarly
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com

Snakes do change, but the pattern of a corn snake should still be recognizable.

If a pit tag were to contain anything, it should be an identification number that can used to look up the genetics in a database (such as ACR) - lot of unknown or possible hets out there.
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Arrrggg!
It's like Shalom, but for pirates.
- iCarly

Note that I would never tag any of my snakes, except my burmese python - I might have him chipped, I'm not in Florida but if I ever moved there he would need it.
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Arrrggg!
It's like Shalom, but for pirates.
- iCarly

I never thought of that reason. But I presume you mena somethign like a GPS location chip? That may be a way to justify keeping things as so many laws are being written in some area due to lose critters. not just herps.

For the record I'm not for sticking any thing in a critter, especially informational tags.
1984 , big brother etc etc. that was my era of growing up thinking of someday that would be happening. Well it is. Kids are being tagged, and pets (dog and cats).

Sad to say, in todays world I see it being justified.

When I grew up in the summer you left the house as early as you could, as you grew older you have knew limits of distance from the house. The first telephone pole as a tike. Then the big move to around the block (with a time limit, parents are not stupid). Then you got so annoying they said GO. I found 2 small lakes between the rail road tracks behide the zoo. Chasing frogs and salamanders all day. Sneek in the zoo, thru the delivery enterence. Sit on the aldabra torts, climb a 20' fence to get a picture of a bald eagle from 10' away, pet teh wolfs, and what other animals you had the stones to. Security was rather low back then and very unsafe really. But DAMN it was a blast.

Just be home at dark. Which we did.

Sorry, back meds caused a major flash back lol.

peace
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com

I don't think Florida requires GPS chip.
Just an ID tag - like what I have in my cats.

That way when a burm is found in the glades with a tag, they know who to send the ticket to.
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Arrrggg!
It's like Shalom, but for pirates.
- iCarly

See we are up to Ver. 2.0 lol
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com