Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just recently purchased this baby Burmese X African Rock Python from the reptile show in White Plains to add to my collection. Just wanted to post the pic. He does look much like a normal burm to me. Im loving this guy (gender not yet determined due to age). He's already pounding them down and seems to have acclimated well to his new environment.

Hes really pretty but not alot like a normal burm baby, most burms have nice way different pattern like that is really showing the african rock x's in some places and also hes not so gold like a burm hes more coffee color.

Justin Morash

Yea I guess it looks like a normal burm to me because I havent fully memorized their exact patterns since I just recently started getting into burms. I own a ball and red tail so burms and their pattern differentiations are somewhat new to me other than the obvious granite, green, and albino phases or morphs. =)

That's a cool snake. I like seeing the hybrids. Very interesting. The snake in the photo looks very much like an African rock to me. The sides of the snake have that unmistakeable African rock pattern. If you showed me this photo without telling me what it was, I'd guess it was a rock over a Burm. What kind of temperament does this snake have?

RP

Man, I think you got duped...That looks like a 100% pure AfRock.
I mean, I could be wrong, lets see some more pix.
If you don't mind telling, how much did it set you back??
-----
-Derek

You think I got "duped"? Far from it. First off, it in no way looks like a PURE african rock. No way whatsoever. Looks way more burmese. Check pics on the web of african rocks, esp babies then compare them to baby burms and you will see what Im talking about. Secondly, I paid $45. Thats it. I wouldve paid that without any hesitation for just a normal burm.

Where and from who did you get a rockx burm hybrid for $45. I have seen them several times but they have been for a substantially more amount. Todd

I got it from a company called Reptile Addicts at the show in White Plains, NY. Yes I know they couldve sold them for more. Healthy and an excellent feeder. How much have you seen them selling for???

If my memory serves me correct the last ones I saw were about a year or so ago and I believe they were well over $200. I just find it really hard to believe that they were selling CB baby hybrids for less than either of the species they used to create the hybrid. I mean $45 is dirt cheap for Burms or rocks unless they are wild caught. Anyway nice find and good luck with him, Todd

Todd, this breeder has exceptional prices and the fact that it was purchased at a show made the prices even lower. It is not wild caught. I wouldve never bought it. It is a CB hatchling. They were selling normal rock CB babies for $15 if you can beleive that. So by that standard, $45 seems right. When you breed tons of snakes, you can afford to sell them for dirt cheap because you are still making a profit if you sell alot. Nice to see all of the competition in this rapidly growing trade/hobby benefits us consumers. =) Take care.

Congrats that you scored on an exceptional animal for so cheap, but it really p's me off when breeders sell them so cheap so that anyone walking by with a whim to own a python can fork out a very expendable sum of money. I think that sales tactics like these are a major contributor to the large number of abandoned pythons over the length of 6 feet, or even worse to abused snakes that don't get proper care and die as a result of some moron that bought it to impress his friends that really knows nothing about its needs. Breeders like this that practice no ethical or moral measures to ensure that the snakes end up in a proper home have no business being in this business. They're scum in my book.

>>Todd, this breeder has exceptional prices and the fact that it was purchased at a show made the prices even lower. It is not wild caught. I wouldve never bought it. It is a CB hatchling. They were selling normal rock CB babies for $15 if you can beleive that. So by that standard, $45 seems right. When you breed tons of snakes, you can afford to sell them for dirt cheap because you are still making a profit if you sell alot. Nice to see all of the competition in this rapidly growing trade/hobby benefits us consumers. =) Take care.
-----
"If I had 365 enemies it would only take a year out of my life to settle all scores." Mia Miselfani

Hey Brian...Im not sure if the comments were directed toward me about anyone with a whim can buy a large python, hopefully they werent because I have been owning snakes for quite some years now and researched their husbandry requirements extensively before I bought it as well as being aware of their true adult size potential. But in any event, I agree with you that many people should not own large constrictors unless they are aware of everything involved, as well as the long term commitment to owning a 15 foot animal. But I dont think that a breeder should be discredited because they offer competitive prices. What I DO feel, it that every breeder should give out mandatory care sheets with each animal sold, as well as try to briefly educate the consumer if they feel as though they may not realize what theyre getting into. For example, if someone asks "what kind of cage should I put it in", or "what do I feed it", the person obviously lacks some knowledge in the animals requirements and thus should be made aware of what theyre getting themselves into. Just my opinion. Take care.

No,.. I was hoping as I posted that that you wouldn't take that that way. It seemed clear in your posts that you have genuine reptile experience and I was not referring to you at all. Hense the "Congrats on a great score" etc. But you must be aware that when breeders and importers churn these animals out at easily affordable prices that these snakes often fall into incompetant hands and it just adds to the rescue problem. Care sheets notwithstanding. I don't think some ego oriented teen with a general disregard for living things would fork over 150 bucks for something to impress his friends or to feel more manly, but I doubt he would hesitate to spend 15 to do so. It's just principle. My prices are very low compared to mainstream market value, but never so low that it renders the product expendable. And even then I carefully screen each buyer to ensure that the snake is going to a competant, caring home. Just last night I turned down a sale because the woman wanted to buy a boa to replace her husbands baby python that kept "getting out of it's shoe box" and now they can't find it. I won't put a snake in a home like that. I took a little time and tried to explain to her how best to house these tropical snakes, but she wouldn't listen and actually told me, "Oh, no,.. Bruno really liked his shoe box and would go right in and coil up." I was getting nowhere fast. This type of snake keeper is the "nightmare" type to me. I think that more people like this are proe to buy when the snakes are cheaper and thus easier to obtain. That guy selling rocks for 15 bucks and hybrids for 45 doesn't sound like he's attempting to be competetive to help the consumer. It sounds more like a guy dumping cheap stock on the last hour of the last day of a snake show so that he has less to pack up and less to have to feed later.

Again,. no offense meant toward you. Any herper in their right mind would jump on the oportunity to get a snake at those prices. I just hope that the vast majority don't end up in rescues.

>>Hey Brian...Im not sure if the comments were directed toward me about anyone with a whim can buy a large python, hopefully they werent because I have been owning snakes for quite some years now and researched their husbandry requirements extensively before I bought it as well as being aware of their true adult size potential. But in any event, I agree with you that many people should not own large constrictors unless they are aware of everything involved, as well as the long term commitment to owning a 15 foot animal. But I dont think that a breeder should be discredited because they offer competitive prices. What I DO feel, it that every breeder should give out mandatory care sheets with each animal sold, as well as try to briefly educate the consumer if they feel as though they may not realize what theyre getting into. For example, if someone asks "what kind of cage should I put it in", or "what do I feed it", the person obviously lacks some knowledge in the animals requirements and thus should be made aware of what theyre getting themselves into. Just my opinion. Take care.
-----
"If I had 365 enemies it would only take a year out of my life to settle all scores." Mia Miselfani

Ok thanks for clarifying, I wasnt sure how to take the previous post.
As far as the subject at hand, I respect your views on it and am glad to see that you take an active role in doing what you can to ensure these animals go to responsible owners. The herp industry does need more breeders like that.

At least it was at a reptile show, right? Generally speaking, casual people don't visit reptile shows. I think reptiles should be cheap at the shows (to benefit us) but more expensive in a pet store or whatever.

I'm in Virginia and regularly go to shows around here, including some of the Maryland shows. I haven't seen the rock-burm crosses offered, but I've seen African rocks offered for $50-$65 and normal burms for $40-$50 while albino burms usually go for $100 - give or take a bit. All of these are definitely healthy, captive bred babies and not imports. Perhaps it's a regional thing. While I don't think an animal should be expendable due to cost, the market here (at least at shows) just doesn't seem to bear up to much over these prices for these animals. Even the Bci typically run in the $65-$75 range unless it's an exceptional animal.

Raven

Thanks for the comments Robert. The temperment is excellent. The breeder told me since they are part african rock plus being a baby, they are known to be a bit nippy, but mine is quite the contrary.