Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What are your opinions and experiences, good and bad, purchasing adult snakes...as opposed to purchasing babies and raising them to adulthood? I'm just curious, because of the variety of experiences I've had on each side of the spectrum....

Chris O
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www.chrisolsonreptiles.com
Naked I see the camp of those who desire nothing

Chris I have bought adults, babies and wild caught, no problem with any of them, but I really enjoy a lot more buying babies, I have not buught babies recently because I'm keeping some of my own, but everytime I see those beatifull babies from Jeff Clark i think in getting a few more babies for my collection, right now I run out of space, i need to invest some money in new cages and racks, so new snakes have to wait a little bit

Chris,
...I have had the best luck growing up snakes from babies. I have had many BRBs. Some that I bought as fresh imports, some I bought as CB babies, some I bought as CB adults and most that were born here. The ones I bought as CB adults only did a little better than the fresh imports longterm healthwise. CB babies I have bought from others have done just as well, which is excellent as my own CB babies here. Along with them staying healthier there is the feeling of connectedness to an animal that you have raised from a baby. Any schmuck can buy a nice looking adult snake and show it off. If you can say that you have kept it healthy at your house for years that means something.
Jeff

>>What are your opinions and experiences, good and bad, purchasing adult snakes...as opposed to purchasing babies and raising them to adulthood? I'm just curious, because of the variety of experiences I've had on each side of the spectrum....
>>
>>Chris O
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>>www.chrisolsonreptiles.com
>>Naked I see the camp of those who desire nothing

The very first pair I bought were adults. Then I bought some babies and lastly a young adult and a yearling. My first ones were terrific in every way. Since then I think I have been overall more pleased with the babies. My expectations are what gets me in trouble and with the first purchase there just weren't any. There are so many variables involved (at least the way I do it) that so far my experience has been that others just don't do it the way I do. I am not saying I know best, or others don't do it well. I expect things to be what I visualize and when it differs I have been somewhat disappointed. So, unless there is an adult that catches every bit of my attention, I will stick to babies. I reserve the right to change my mind after looking at today's ads.

Linda
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"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance- that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer