Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey there. How is everyone? This is Jed Hassfeld, with Varanus Creations. I have never checked out this forrum for some unaperant reason. I hope to "drop a line" more often. I breed monitors, and some high end pythons, mainly Australian. Are any of you familiar with Dunns pythons (Liasis mackloti dunni)? Do any of you keep or breed them? Do they make for a good project? To those who dont keep them, would you be willing to purchase cbb hatchlings in the future? I am NOT andertising them in any way, just trying to see what kind of market there is for them, so please dont take it the wrong way. I have kept macklots before and did enjoy them. I recently found out about Wetar's (a sub-species to macklots), and decided that I would like to breed them. From all the info I could find they make great captives. I also understand that they were thought to be extinct. Aperantly they came back to captivity in 1996. And they are still VERY hard to find in captivity. Well, I if I like them then I will try to produce atleast 10 neonates every year, and slowly bring them to the "higher-end-rare-python" status. What do you think of that? If you have ANY questions or comments feel free to email me at: monitors4you@hotmail.com
Thanks for your time, and have a good one!
-Jed Hassfeld
Varanus Creations

This species is worth breeding strictly because of the need to have more of them in captivity. If you like them, then breed them for that reason...if you are hoping to make a few bucks at it and that is your motivation, then there are truly better animals (morphs) for you to be attempting to breed.
There is not much interest in this species and therefore, no matter how hard you try, you may be able to generate a bit more interest in them but you probably will never be able to bring them to the "high end/rare" status you are hoping for. But it is that kind of statement that should also give you the motiviation to try. I know I've tried my hardest with our work with the various scrub pythons.

But in the end, there is a very specific group of folks who will appreciate these snakes and others who will flat out never even look twice at them.

With WC animals sold for $200-350 ea. and CB animals having gone for the US equivalent of $500-700/pr., I don't think too much will change by producing more of them. If anything, as more are produced, the price will come down from what they have been previously marketed at. But I say go for it if you like 'em. I'd possibly be interested in a handful to play around with if you can hatch some. We've worked with many a Macklots and a large group of Sawus in the past and all were very hardy and a joy to have.
-Yasser
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I concur with Yasser so heed his advice. The Dunn's pythons are a very nice species to work with, and definitely much trickier to breed in captivity than their cousins over in Roti, Timor and Semau. Not quite sure why yet but that is the fun challenge behind the Dunn's (although it has been done several times before). I have a colony of 8.6 adults and hopefully will have a few hatchlings ready this year. These guys are highly polymorphic, but seem to fall into two broad camps.....a nice "blonde" phase that has no dorsal pattern or flecking, and a nice dark (almost reddish-hue) dorsal color that is heavily freckled, with nice patterns on the ventor. Just a quick word of advice about the Dunn's....they rarely if ever bite, however, they will excrete copiously during routine handling but this tends to subside over time (but not completely). You end up cleaning the cage and then the floor! Still a great species to work with. Good luck and always pick species that you personally enjoy irregardless of public demand (I love the mackloti complex.....but they certainly don't fetch a big buck!). Chris