Kingsnake.com
Mike Wilbanks of Constrictors Unlimited and constrictors.com
Burmese and Reticulated Pythons
February 27, 2006
PHFaust: On behalf of Jeff Barringer and all of us at kingsnake.com,
I'm very pleased to welcome Mike Wilbanks to our Eighth Annual Chat
Week.
PHFaust: Constrictors Unlimited grew out of Mike's love for
and obsession with pythons and boa constrictors. He maintains a large
collection of reticulated pythons, Burmese pythons, ball pythons and
boa constrictors.
PHFaust: Thank you so much for joining us, Mike, and welcome!
PHFaust: First question Adam
MikeWilbanks: good to be here
Adam105_nr: Can you explain why Super Tiger retics are different
from a normal Stripe morph?
MikeWilbanks: they are diff from the genetic stripe morph
in the appearance and way the genetics are inherited
MikeWilbanks: super tiger is co dominant and gen stripe is
recessive
MikeWilbanks: ga
PHFaust: Highend
Adam105_nr: Ah thanks! I look forward to hearing all the other
informationg given out tonight. Thank you!
HighEndHerpsInc: Hi Mike, David Beauchemin from High End Herps
in LA. I was wondering if you were working on dwarf bateaters with
dwarf burms to kauadi retics
Adam105_nr: ?
geofri: ?
MikeWilbanks: no i am sure they will be cool, but i have never
been into hybrids much myself. i don't have anything against them,
just not my thing.GA
PHFaust: Bluemike
bluemike: Hi, Mike. Can we expect you at the next Tinley Park,
Chicago Show in Oct? And do you foresee any other python species exploding
like the ball pythons in the future/ if so what can we hope to see
in terms of morphs etc.?
MikeWilbanks: i will be in chicago...that is an awesome show
MikeWilbanks: there are so many cool retic morphs coming and
all the combos. my retic business is exploding.
max_headroom: ?
MikeWilbanks: ga
bluemike: thanx mike, i look forward to making my oct purchases
PHFaust: BPSEever
bps4ever: What do you think about super dwarf retics and their
future in the market?
MikeWilbanks: i think they are a big part of the future of
the retic market. not so much just making more of them but to get
the morphs smaller. female super dwarfs are gold for your collection.GA
PHAlex: Thank you for coming to our special chat. PLEASE DO
NOT OPENLY TALK IN THE ROOM. If you have a question for Mike Wilbanks
on Burmese/Reticulated Pythons, type a "?" to the room &
you will be added to the waiting list. WAIT for a moderator to call
your name to ask your question. Names will be called in order of ?'s
received. Do not whisper / private msg the guest speakers or moderators
as it will disrupt the chat.
bps4ever: thank you
bluemike: ?
calverts: what do you forsee in the burmese market?
PHFaust: Coastalherper
Midian: /
Midian: ?
Lakers08_nr: ?
Lakers08_nr: ?
coastalherper: What was your most rewarding moment and how
large us your largest snake?
MikeWilbanks: i think there will always be demand for burmese
because they are a very cool big snake. we just need more morphs to
keep fueling them. the dwarf thing should be cool
MikeWilbanks: GA
PHFaust: Current Question on table... What was most rewarding
moment and what is your largest snake
Travis290: ?
MikeWilbanks: my largest snake is an albino burmese that is
about 300lbs and 19ft. she laid a clutch of 102 eggs 2 years ago and
is gravid now. I would say cutting the egg on the Black Eyed Leucistic
was a pretty rewarding moment.GA
PHFaust: Spins
coastalherper: thanks mike!
SpinsRetics: firstly mike, thanks for the generosity after
my fire last year, it meant alot. Next, SPILL THE BEANS MAN! LOL,
you've got us all curious as to what is behind the possible black
retic? Also, when will we be seeing some cbb gold-sided retics? ?
the forum has been a lot of fun by the way , there are some great
people there, take care Mike
goini04: ?
MikeWilbanks: Ok. the black retics. i am not sure exactly
what is going on yet. i bred a sunfire to a jampea. I got dwarf sunfires,
normal sibs and black ones in the ratio of a simple recessive trait.
burmese99_nr:Mike i was wondering your opinion on the recent
proposales for banning of large constictors in many cities and state?
And being one of the largest breeders of large pythons which are recieving
most of the laws against being able to be kept in captivity. Do you
think there is anything that can be done to help bring a stop to these
bannings?Thanks Vince
SpinsRetics: those dwarf sibs look pretty different as well
in their own
MikeWilbanks: it may be something that the sunfire is carrying
or something that the combo makes or a recessive trait of the two.
more breeding to be done.
MikeWilbanks: GA
PHFaust: SocKit2ya your turn
SocKit2ya_nr: OMG thnks SO much!!!!!! for bing here Like what
are the bigest snakes i can get i want a super huge one YOU ROK DUDE!!!!!!!OMG
i cant believe your here!!!!!!!!ROK
SteveJH_nr: ?
MikeWilbanks: retics and burmese are the big snakes.GA
PHFaust: SteveJH
denial9340: ?
cockatielboy: ?
denial9340: Hi Mike,
SteveJH_nr: Whats going on with this "pied" retic?
Do you think its an inherent trait ot just a "freak"? Have
you tried breeding it yet?
PHFaust: Gang, after putting your ? in the room pre-type your
question
calverts: ?
SteveJH_nr: Sorry, I planned on asking about the black retic.
cockatielboy: ? can we talka bout ball pythons also since
mike owns them as well?\
denial9340: ?
HighEndHerpsInc: ?
MikeWilbanks: i absolutely believe that it will be genetic
in the same way as the ball. it is the most insane retic i have ever
seen. if it makes more pied retics like the balls, look out the retic
market will go through the roof. i am more excited about this project
than any i have worked on. GA
PHFaust: punkie
punkherper: a
PHAlex: Thank you for coming to our special chat. PLEASE DO
NOT OPENLY TALK IN THE ROOM. If you have a question for Mike Wilbanks
on Burmese/Reticulated Pythons, type a "?" to the room &
you will be added to the waiting list. WAIT for a moderator to call
your name to ask your question. Names will be called in order of ?'s
received. Do not whisper / private msg the guest speakers or moderators
as it will disrupt the chat.
punkherper: Mike, Ok this is about burms or tics but I need
to ask you about my boa...she is about 8-9 months old and she will
not eat....and she is starting to worry me with her strange actions
and movements...im going to take her to a vet this weekend but what
can I do in the mean time I have tried every different kind of food
for her but she wont take it...have you ever had this problem?
MikeWilbanks: someone asked about balls. you guys can ask
me about anything i keep
bps4ever: ?
MikeWilbanks: no, but i would get her to a vet. also flagyl
works good for feeding/digestive problems
MikeWilbanks: GA
PHFaust: Travis
KLG: ?
punkherper: thank you Mike
BiGMonEy_nr: ?
Travis290: Well since you said we can ask you about anything
you keep, heres a question about Ball Pythons. What do you think the
market on the fire ball is going to do?
cockatielboy: ?
EmberBall: ?
MikeWilbanks: i think the fire is one of the best investments
out there. that is why i have kept the price high while some of the
other white snake genes have dropped. it will be interesting to see
what happens with the white snakes. i think there will be great long
term demand. none of the projects are a get rich quick scheme. you
have to be committed to the long term.ga
PHFaust: King_Rob
Travis290: Thanks alot Mike for the tips, I really enjoyed
talking with you this weekend and I will be talking to you about a
fire in the next few weeks.
MikeWilbanks: cool
king_rob_nr: hello mike thanx for joining all of us tonight
: ). im going to get a jungle carpet python in a few dayz. do u know
anything about them? do u know how fast they grow from hatchlings
to full length? thx again for joining us. take care
punkherper: I played it allll night
MikeWilbanks: i have had only limited experience with them
and have never bred them. i am probably not the best person to ask.ga
PHFaust: We will be having a carpet python and crested gecko
chat saturday
PHFaust: Midian
king_rob_nr: o, sry mike/faust
Kansas_nr: ?
PHFaust: midain going twice
groundgeckofreak: Is there any tricks to get Super Dwarf eggs
to hatch
Midian: alright with the retic market growing do you think
that more iresponible owners will get hurt or killed or a more awareness
and acidents wont happen
denial9340: ?
PHSlick: ?
groundgeckofreak: ?
Midian: pretty much will big snake accidents happen more often
MikeWilbanks: i think that markets are always good for the
problem of irresponsibility. when a snake is expensive, people are
more likely to get educated. it is the $100 wc normal that the pet
stores that usually end in a problem.GA
PHFaust: Pacman
PHFaust: Pac going twice
pac-man: hold on
PHFaust: k will move you down retype... Steve your question
pac-man: how much experience with snakes should ihave befor
getting a burm? i have 2 ball pythons and a corn snake right now...and
in your opinion what is the prettyest burm out there ?i personally
like the albino patternless...and how much would a baby male dwarf
retic cost me?
pac-man: sorry bout that
Slacker6848: ?
MikeWilbanks: i got my first burmese when i was 14 and did
fine, loed it and kept going from there. i hear people talk about
being 18 first, but i think i did fine. i guess it depends on the
person. i love the albino labs or the granites. i have dwarf retics
for $500. GA
pac-man: ok thanx
PHFaust: Geofri
geofri: mike, I have an male albino burm 66% het for granite,
that is 3', that i have 2 questions about, 1. he has not deficated
on his own, the whole time i have had him( close to 2 months) I if
give him a warm soak and a gengle massage, he will deficate. i talked
with the man thats hatched him, and he said he has never head of such
a thing as a burm getting "impacted"if thats what is is.
have you ever experienced that before? and 2 , i have heard you can
somtimes see the signs of a gene showing thruogh, even is its just
a het, would you take a guess as to him really being het for granite?
denial9340: ?
MikeWilbanks: i would just leave your snake alone give him
plenty of water and he should go on his own. sometimes it can build
up. email me the pic and i will tell you if it is het granite
Frank K: ?
MikeWilbanks: GA
PHFaust: Maxheadroom
max_headroom: hi mike have you ever bred super dwarf X super
dwarf before? ... if not, why?
Snakefreek: Mike, I have aquired a pair of albino burms that
produce lavender offspring, Have you seen alot of this?
geofri: thank you mike
MikeWilbanks: no because that is not my goal. i am into the
morphs and want smaller albinos, tigers, etc. we can import female
super dwarfs, so there is no need to make more. i want super dwarf
het albino, etc. GA
PHFaust: goini
goini04: Mike, large constrictors have become quite popular
in recent years. They are so abundant and easy to obtain these days,
yet far too few of keepers that are truly prepared to deal with them
as an adult specimen. Due to this, do you receive a lot of animals
back from the people that are incapable of caring for them? If so,
what is typically done with these animals, and what precautions do
you take to help ensure that the homes that these animals go to will
be good homes? Thank you for your time.
MikeWilbanks: just like i never make normal retics on purpose.ga
PHAlex: Thank you for coming to our special chat. PLEASE DO
NOT OPENLY TALK IN THE ROOM. If you have a question for Mike Wilbanks
on Burmese/Reticulated Pythons, type a "?" to the room &
you will be added to the waiting list. WAIT for a moderator to call
your name to ask your question. Names will be called in order of ?'s
received. Do not whisper / private msg the guest speakers or moderators
as it will disrupt the chat.
PHFaust: QUEUE IS CLOSED
AggieMan: ?
geofri: ?
MikeWilbanks: i have never seen any problem at all. i will
be happy to take any adult snakes, but nine are ever offered to me.
i think the problem is blown way out of proportion. GA
MikeWilbanks: none
PHFaust: denial
denial9340: I was wondering in south carolina they are trying
to ban pretty much every exotic pet you can imagine and we are fighting
our best at it to stop but what would you be doing if they banned
them where you are at I know you deal largly with retics and burms
and how would you go about stopping it also I know you work with boas
also have you ever worked with anacondas or any of there morphs before?
Also do you have any lab burms for sell just regular labs
mavericksdad: ?
Snakefreek: ?
MikeWilbanks: when the banners came here, bob clark and i
put on coats and ties and went to the legislature and talked to everyone.
we explained our side in a thoughtful and intelligent way and convinced
them to not ban retics and burms. they listened. this is how government
is supposed to work. you need to get involved and help to stop it.GA
MikeWilbanks: i have never kept anacondas.
PHFaust: Mike we have about 10 questions left, do you mind
staying a bit longer to finish them?
MikeWilbanks: sure
PHFaust: Great! Thanks A Lot! Cockatiel your turn
cockatielboy: I dont know if you have heard of the yellow
blush albino but do you think the price on those are going to go up
what do you think the future is going to be for those as in would
they be a good investment? Do you think you will be getting into that
new morph? I am invested into a pair of hets but i just want to know
if I bad the right choice. I know alot of people say breed or get
hwta you like. As I get older I plan to have my income based soly
on ball pythons or most of my income and I was just wonder if I made
the right choice? Also how big do dwarf retics and super dwarf retics
get? Also how much do they cost?
cockatielboy: sorry that it so long
king_rob_nr: ?
MikeWilbanks: i don't plan to invest anything in the Albino
blush. I have the original female super dwarfs imported in 1999 that
have laid eggs for 2 seasons and are around 6ft. Jampeas average 10-12ft
with a few individuals getting larger. GA
cockatielboy: Okay
PHFaust: calverts
cockatielboy: but do you think trhat i made a good investment
king_rob_nr: plz dont kick me out, but wut happend to mike?
cockatielboy: anyways thank you for your time Mike
PHFaust: Calverts going twice
PHFaust: Sold! High End Herps your turn
MikeWilbanks: if it is something you like to work with, it
is good for you. i just don't care for it. i like the high contrast.
GA
HighEndHerpsInc: Mike, Do you only sell offspring that you
produce, or do you also broker out the offspring of other breeders?
If so, what do you sell that is not produced by you personally. Also,
do you sell imported snakes too or just captive produced? Thank you.
calverts: Im in Tennesse and we can have burms / retics and
others but no corns / kings / milks / turtles ot tortise. What can
we do as they are trying to ban large snakes as well. what can we
do and who can we get to help us.
bluemike: huh?
MikeWilbanks: i import some things but not much. the super
dwarfs for instance. i produce almost everything i sell except if
i got it in a trade. also, i buy from some of my customers that don't
want to deal with the retail stuff.
MikeWilbanks: GA
Lakers08_nr: ?
calverts: I have talked to TN wildlife resorces and they are
no help.
MikeWilbanks: go talk to your representatives. find out the
sponsor of the law and ask for a meeting with them. GA
HighEndHerpsInc: Even your amels?
PHFaust: Also Check with pijac
MikeWilbanks: call me and i will try to point you in the right
direction
calverts: thanks
PHFaust: KLG
MikeWilbanks: i have called pijac and have never had them
do anything
PHFaust: They made the difference in chicago with the ban
attempt
KLG: Mike.... Extra crispy or original recipe? J/K! What are
YOUR thoughts on anti-giant-constrictor laws & the ripple effect
it may have on legislation nation wide, and in turn, how it may affect
retic/burm enthusiasts?
MikeWilbanks: i think it is bad, but we just have to keep
fighting. this is still america. i don't know why people are so quick
to give up their rights. GA
Lakers08_nr: ?
PHFaust: Big money
cockatielboy: ?
PHFaust: Bigmoney going twice
PHFaust: Bigmoney SOLD! Emberball your turn
EmberBall: Can I email you a picture of my two Ember Balls?
I hatched them out, they are genetic, I would like to see if you think
they are a new line of Fire? Original female was purchased from a
local reptile store, where I purchased two hypo looking females. One
produced the Emberballs, one produced the Mojave crosses, that I think
are Fire Mojaves. Secondly, how many proven lines of Fires are out
there?
MikeWilbanks: i only know of one proven line, by proven i
mean makes a black eyed leucistic. i have seen your posts. they look
very similar, but i can't say they are another line of fire until
they produce a white snake. tom carlton had some that looked very
similar, but they didn't prove. do more breeding and see what you
get. good luck.GA
Lakers08_nr: ????????????
PHFaust: Kansas
EmberBall: Thanks
Kansas_nr: How long in terms of breeding seasons will it take
to produce semi-affordable dwarf retics? I currently have 4 female
dwarfs (one from you) and I would like to get an albino male, but
do not want the large size (12 foot max). Are there any breeders of
regular albinos that are not dwarf but not giants?
Kansas_nr: I meant to add "albino" before affordable.
MikeWilbanks: i produced from a 25% dwarf albino female last
year and i sold them for regular albino prices. i believe those babies
will be smaller. i post stuff like that sometimes on my available
section of my site. GA
Travis290: ?
PHFaust: PHSlick our newest hostie your turn
PHSlick: I have a 10 ft burm who refuses to eat bunnies but
she will still eat large rats, what can I do to get her to start taking
the rabbits? I also have a 12 ft burm whose scales on her chin have
turned brown and started to fall of from a septic infection, I got
her this way, how long do you think it will take her to get her scales
back to normal, she is on anitbiotics.
MikeWilbanks: what kind of antibiotics
PHSlick: amikacin injections
MikeWilbanks: i like fortaz better if you want to call me
i will help you with the dose.
bps4ever: ?
PHSlick: ok thank you
MikeWilbanks: converting to rabbits can be challenging, scenting
works well, but not always. GA
PHFaust: Groundgecko
PHSlick: ok, thank you again
geofri: ?
Slacker6848: ?
<
groundgeckofreak: Mike this is Jodi. Is there any differnt
task to get super dwarf eggs to hatch
jmcghee: ?
MikeWilbanks: no i just incubate them in vermiculite at 90F
just like other retic eggs...did you get eggs?
groundgeckofreak: Yes they all were good but went bad
MikeWilbanks: oh no..why didn't you call me? or email?
groundgeckofreak: Super dwarfXSuperdwarf
MikeWilbanks: wow, sorry about that. GA
PHFaust: Frank K you have the final question
groundgeckofreak: they all looked good then went bad in a
day or tw3o
MikeWilbanks: did you cut them to see if they were really
fertile?
PHFaust: Mike thanks for running a bit over... We appreciate
it. On behalf of Kingsnake.com, Jeff B, and myself, I want to take
a moment to thank Mike for being part of our chat week. Mike, thanks
for taking the time out to chat with us on the large pythons. Tomorrow
Nights Chats are
Travis290: Hey Mike what would you do for a Burmese Python
with a respiratory infection? Would you raise temps. and/or humidity,
lower the humidity, or give it antibiotics?
huff747: Thanks Mike.
PHFaust: LOL WHOOPS See even hosts get fat fingers...
Frank K: I have 3 female albino retics and was wondering what
size you think they should be before breeding them? Also, I have read
that they can breed just about any time of year. What do you think
is the best time to try breeding them?
PHFaust: Frank K still has final question gang
Frank K: Also my het for albino tiger that I got from you
is doing great
MikeWilbanks: my retics are very seasonal. i have bred at
off times, but most occurs during the winter months. i think age is
more important than size for the females. they should be about 2 1/2
to 3 yrs old. wait for her to refuse and meal and get a male with
her. GA
Frank K: Thanks
UAWPrez: clap, clap, clap, clap...thanks Mike, very good job!
PHFaust: I apologize to those who didnt get a chance but the
queue did get closed... Mike I hope we can have you back again soon
MikeWilbanks: thanks i enjoyed it.
