Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've got a question and concern for everyone who owns, buys,and sells wild caught boas. I'm not trying to spark an argument or make anyone angry, I'm just curious. I know all of you are snake enthusiasts, because otherwise you wouldn't be on this website. My question is, for all of you who deal with wild caught boas on a regular occasion, why do you buy them? As boa lovers, aren't you concerned about their well being in the wild? Are you guys worried about them becoming endangered or even extinct? I know a lot of people buy these things in large bulks. I watch snake shows alot, and everytime, i hear the host talk about how these snakes are disappearing in the wild. I know wild caughts are usually cheaper, but aren't there enough captive born snakes in the pet trade to satisfy everyones hunger for them? I'm just concerned and curious. Thanks for reading.
Tony

First of all, I don't deal in WC's, I have been breeding BRB's and am starting morphs in a couple of years (if all goes well)

IMO and mosty speculation:

It boils down to the almighty dollar. If you factor in labor, producing baby boas while not real expensive is not that cheap. Most of us at least from what I gather do this as a hobby that either pays for itself or brings in a modest income. To raise boas as a business, you would have to pay a crew (or replace your salary) all year to tend to them, feeding cleaning, breeding etc. Also would need a facility with electricity water phone etc. and of course need feeders, either you raise them yourself (another crew to tend to feeders) or purchase them from a supplier. Bottom line from a business standpoint, there are a lot of ongoing costs associated with raising babies.

WC on the other hand, they come mostly from poorer thirld world countries where a few dollars is a relatively larger sum of money, in some places $10-$20 dollars a DAY is a typical salary. Now if you could catch snakes and sell them for a few bucks apiece to a wholesale importer, could be a "well paying" job. Costs to the persons catching...minimal, cost to the importer could be as little as a few dollars. Even with a few middlemen each making some profit, the net cost when sold here could be significantly lower without having to pay to keep breeders all year.

I don't condone WC, I believe they should be left in the wild to do what nuture needs them doing. Just pointing out as long as there is a buck to be made, people will make it, especially in areas where there are all to few bucks to be made.
-----
Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I partially agree,

but what about all the beutifull locality boas and new morphs, if no-one had ever baught a wild born snake then there would be no snakes in captivity!

Just my opinion - Im not saying anything anyone does is right or wrong, just that some wild animals baught into captivity is nescasary to increase the diversity of the hobby.

sam

np
-----
Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I don't know if Captive bred animals could keep up with demand. On the bright side most imports are going home as cheap pets and most captive breed are going home as breeders or a little more expensive pets. I mean, WCs are giving those countries another source of income and providing great pets for people a little less fortunate. What I do have to say is i hate these Swap-meets selling reptiles. I mean Boas for 40 bucks, niles for $15, savannahs for $10, imported balls for $20, burmese for $20; all wrapped up in a "we have no idea what were doing" atmospere. No care instructions, no explanation on anything. I mean, I have seen kids buying burmese and thinking they only get 3' or thinkin those niles dont grow. You ask me there should be more strict laws on that stuff. And we wonder why reptiles are illegal some places. That's all we need is 10,000 baby niles getting sold to kids who either kill them or let them go in a year!
-----
1.0 Super Ghosts
0.1 DH Ghost
2.3 Salmon Boas
2.8 BCI
13.27 Various Corns
1.3 Albino Sinaloans

You may have your head on straight, but I have a better view!

With how easy it is to breed boas, I believe there is, or easily could be a surplus of captive bred baby's. I still have yearlings that I am in no rush to sell, but I there is definately a surplus in my area.

Third world countries are slooowly catching on that they can make more money through eco-tourism than by destroying and harvesting their natural resources. Who wouldn't want to go and photograph these awesome critters in the wild. If Joe-Poorguy can sell boas to an importer for 2bucks each, I'd giv'm five to photograph them. Now I'm stuck here in Canada where there aint no boas, but their are millions of fortunate people that don't let air fare get in their way.

For the elite breeders that have a lot of capital investment into their collections/businesses, a few wild-caught animals to add to the genetic diversity, and god-forbid another morph, is entirely understandable.

There are plenty of species where wild-caught animals are necessarily outnumbering the captive bred's (surinam toads), but boa constrictors (and ball pythons for that matter) are not one of them.
Ian

There are more than enough boas of all flavors being produced every year, to supply the demand of the responsible Hobbyist. Alot of good points have been touched on already as far as the income potential that is represented all the way down to the hunter that originally caught the animal. Now, I definately wish that they would leave the wild animals alone " especially anything that is threatened " as far as the rest, it would also be best. With that being said, I will admitt that 90% of my bloodlines are in fact wild caught. A " good " wild caught Boa, will do wonderfull and usually out live most captives in your collection, " especially if the captives have been raised to quickly. " The way I looked at it was simple; " They are not going to stop bringing them in any time soon, so I might as well give a few a good home. I am starting to get rid of that philosophy and realize now that it is individual responsibility, in not buying imports and if we all adopt that, then there will be no more bought and therefore no more caught to be sold.I have started alot of " pissing contest " on this subject before and we all agree on one thing when all the debate is over " no more imports would make alot better and stronger market for the breeder. " We have been through all the pros and cons of this before and the pros, out weigh the cons by a large margine. So, now what are we going to do about it?...........Johnson Herp

I'll be honest, I find it incredibly irritating when I see
the enormous mark-up in price some people try to pull on good-
looking imported BCC.

It's usually the same people that like to use that "LTC" term as
loosely as possible...

Ahhh, the Almighty Dollar...

np
-----
Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats