I own four balls. Two normal CBB females, one ghost male and a pastel male.
This time of year depresses the heck out of me. People selling "lots" of babies, especially females, gravid wild caughts, different looking imports. It makes me sick inside.
I know things like Ralph's platty and the father of ALL ball morphs-- Bob Clark's founding albino-- are necessary for the hobby. This includes things as "subtle" as pastels and cinnamons. I agree with collecting the "rarities" for this hobby (and the survival of the species' sake). Not many true rarities come out of Africa yearly, however. And those that do are worth it IMHO when you weigh the environmental impact with the trauma of taking them from their homes.
What I am concerned with are the CH babies shipped in my the thousands. So they're females for your homo males-- so what?? Why not spend the extra cash for a captive bred and born baby? I know the answer already. "New blood" (which reading some facts about albino and snow boas seems like a very good argument to me) and the fact that they are inexpensive. There is even another argument that hurts me greatly, that collecting gravid balls makes a living for many people. This sucks because A. balls are being exploited and
B. that those people have to resort to catching these snakes for a living. It would not trouble me if p. regius was totally over-plentiful, but according to the documents I've read, no one knows what toll on the natural BP population this collecting is taking. That's not good.
Of course if a human and snake were in horrible predicaments and I had to save one I would go for the human. As an American, I feel as if my views in the world are skewed just because of who I am and this rich country where I live. As someone who adores ball pythons, I want to do what is best for both them and their natural habitait. I have read the BP classifieds every day for nearly 3 years now, and am tempted by ads of captive bred and born babies, but also "new blood." Is this encouraging the over-collection of wild balls?
What can we as ball entusiasts do to keep this hobby thriving AS WELL AS the natural environment they are found in? After all, the morphs we value so much have originated in the bush. I do not want to start a CB vs CBB vs WC argument here. I know they can all do well with the touch of a good herper and I do not look down on CH or WC owners. I just want to know what people think about the collection and conservation of ball pythons now in 2004 when there are many being produced in captivity. I want to conserve them in the wild AND as pets. (If anyone tried to take my prt/breeder BPs away due to a health/safety/conservation issue-- anything-- I'd want to die! I am very attatched to them!)
Right now, I feel conflicting vibes from the ball community. I think we can all tell who is in this for the animals and who's in this for the cash. If we want this industry to last, we need to get rid of those in it for the cash!! Ball pythons live a very long time! Please post your opinions here.
And just to make sure everyone nderstands me, I want to say once more I do not think owning/buying/importing wild or CH balls is terrible, horrible and bad. In fact I think it is necessary in cases.
As a ball python owner and enthusiast I would like to know what other BP lovers think about WC and CH balls, as well as knowing peoples' opinions on the impact importing BPS has on their wild polulation. I think we can all use the conclusions in our buying, selling and keeping experiences.
