The state of the thamnophis hobby

[d_virginiana]

I think part of the issue with some of the 'rarer' species of thamnophis is that people who are interested in only breeding a litter or two and selling them off are going to want either something very eye-catching (like a CA red-sided) or something with a ton of pre-existing morphs that they can potentially buy and breed with their snakes (like easterns and radix). Another part of that is that they can be more or less certain that they'll be able to sell the offspring if they breed them. Someone with a large collection would probably be able to keep and care for a litter that didn't sell well than someone with just two or three snakes.
idk, I guess what I'm trying to say is that small time hobbyists that don't have a lot of connections in the herp community and don't have the means to care for large numbers of snakes long term are probably going to be wary of breeding the less common species because of the uncertainty involved with selling the offspring (since they can't look up a bunch of ads and see how much they cost and how quickly they sold like they can with some of the more common ones).

[Blueboost68]

I know on my end being the new guy that I am going to breed what I like in my eyes. it's not about the money but the beauty of what might happen with a pairing of snakes that no one else would think twice about. Now by no means is that the status quo, but if you dare to be different it's a open door and anything can happen.

[Albert Clark]

One of your biggest expenses in business and getting your products out there and sold is ADVERTISING! We, as breeders need to make appearances at these expos and these reptile shows. We have to promote the garter for what it is. The classic beginners snake and everything else has followed that lead.

[Tommytradix]

One of your biggest expenses in business and getting your products out there and sold is ADVERTISING! We, as breeders need to make appearances at these expos and these reptile shows. We have to promote the garter for what it is. The classic beginners snake and everything else has followed that lead.

i sell 100-200 garters a year. more than half of this years litters got exported to china. the probelem is not advertising. its the contradicting captive care and husbandry that is floating around the internet.

[guidofatherof5]

i sell 100-200 garters a year. more than half of this years litters got exported to china. the probelem is not advertising. its the contradicting captive care and husbandry that is floating around the internet.

It would be helpful and informative if you could list some of contradictions. Thanks.

[AntTheDestroyer]

It would be helpful and informative if you could list some of contradictions. Thanks.

I have witnessed several occasions over the past year where someone goes on a rant about the difficulties of keeping garters. It leaves me scratching my head, but apparently they have a reputation. I think the biggest example is with feeding. There doesn't seem to be any cookie cutter guide, which in part is due that it varies from species to species. I think this turns a lot of people off of garter snakes.

[joeysgreen]

People like easy. Mice only, mice all the time. Any species that deviates, or has the potential to deviate from that, is risqué.


Tommy, I sure hope they didn't eat those snakes, or rip out their gall bladders for erectile dysfunction!