Very good post Tony!! As always, you always bring up some food for thought that is quite extensive in the aspects of healthy thinking.

For myself, I have seen the exact opposite when comparing either the colubrid crowd vs. the ball python crowd. I have seen WAY more negativity in the ball python scene. Big time. Check out some of the other forums. Very negative and petty whining about “ market value, price, blah, blah, blah “, some forums reporting who has lower prices and labeling them “ market crashers “, creating a divisive attitude, the fight some BP breeders got into after a past Daytona, and so forth.

Thing is, any scene will have the negative ones. Colubrids, BPs, any scene/market. The thing, IMO, to always remember, is that it is a blessing to own these animals, and to always be happy we have the freedom to do so.

You will always have adult-children on forums causing trouble, etc. You will always have some people who are struggling with greed, and only view these precious animals as a way to make money. As far as what community I would be attracted to, my answer is I put my attraction towards my favorite snakes first and foremost. Heck, even that one factor being the only reason for me. I literally could care less what anyone else does in the colubrid scene, in regards to whether or not I would buy colubrids, but that is just me. Tony, if you like graybands, get whatever you want, and do not give a flip about what any insecure, self appointed expert thinks about anything you do. Give it not one moment of thought. No need to. The positive social and community aspect of the colubrid scene is just an added bonus.

You then have those who truly LOVE everything about the animals. I have, in my experience, seen that type of positive attitude way more in the colubrid scene with people I am close with who breed, forums, etc. Every breeder in my circle of friends truly loves the animals as a whole. I know some guys who breed a very big amount of colubrids, and they are passionate for what they do, and give their customers great service with a great attitude. For myself or anyone to label the BP scene as a greedy market is a horrible and brash generalization. I know that there are BP breeders out that must and do love the animals and all aspects pertaining. To me, that is what it is truly about. However, from again, what I have personally seen over the years in the BP area, I have seen way more negativity and an unhealthy love of money, which I also equate with negativity. But...the BP breeders who are just like the colubrid breeders I mentioned, what they do is just as important as well.

IMO, all markets are hurting, both colubrid and BP, due to saturation. I have seen 13 pages in a single day on the BP classifieds before. I have seen the same colubrids, for months and months, on classifieds. Breeders I know are not doing what they used to. Pet stores are going out of business and/or not buying animals as much as they used to. Reason being, the pet industry itself is not one that brings forth a steady income, a great portion of the time. I am now seeing complete saturation like I have never seen since I started back up into the reptile scene in 1991, after a short sabbatical from it a few years before. There always has been some saturation. I would see it back in the mid-nineties. Anytime animals are just not selling for a while, that does mean that customers are not buying and/or there just isn’t enough of them out there. No blame on the ball market taking away sales from the colubrid market, IMO.
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Genesis 1:1

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