HAS THE KINGPIN LOST ITS THRONE ???

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Posted by zelda on April 25, 2003 at 12:44:55:

In Reply to: HAS THE KINGPIN LOST ITS THRONE ??? posted by IGUANA JOE on April 25, 2003 at 09:36:52:

I see it as not losing the throne, tho did they even have it to begin with...They were very popular to buy, but if it lived more than a year, then it was too big and was either released or given away...still a big problem today. People are finally realizing that these creatures are not the stick the thing in a tank, feed it lettuce and it wont grow bigger than its environment pet only to choose a less stressful, less care taking individual like a blue tongue or leopard gecko....they were popular to buy, but without the proper care that they should have been receiving I dont believe they owned the throne...Just my opinion....Lyn

:Remember how about 10 years ago (and more) almost everyone who was into the reptile hobby owned at least one iguana? Or has owned one?

:Remember how in movies like "James Bond: Liscence to Kill" or Series like "Miami Vice" the villains or the "in-crowd" had a gorgeous iguana wearing diamonds?
:(by the way, for the guys here, check out Talisa Soto from that Bond movie, hehehe... ;)

:And in almost every pet-store, there would be at least one young little greenster waiting to be taken home.

:Today, it seems that the Kingpin of the reptile pet-trade has lost its popularity...its throne.

:If you visit petstores today, there are new heirs to the velvety golden seat: the bearded dragons, leopard geckoes, and the obese blue-tongued skinks, just to name a few.

:Even the savannah monitors have lost a bit of their charm. Ackies are the coolest kids in town now. And Asian Waters, once fairly popular, are almost completely absent in the pet-stores.

:I remember when Asian Water Dragons were replacing for a period of time the iguana's place. But they too got booted off and replaced by the more loveable and cuddly bearded dragon.

:Tokays, once sold by the pounds, are replaced by tame leaopards and colorful phelsuma's. After all, they did have that b*tchy attitude!

:So it seems that the latest trend in the lizard market is "going with small" rather than "getting Godzilla in a box". Kids and even experienced hobbyists prefer smallish/medium sized lizards with tameable and "cute" personalities. Ackies, beardeds, blue tongue's, leopard's, veiled's and so on are the hottest trend in the market.

:Large dinosaurs went into extinction.
:Will large lizards become a "minority" in the market? Have they already?

:There is a positive side to this story: people are becoming more informed and educated about size potentials, aggressiveness and care requirements. So no longer is the spoiled kid getting a "T-Rex" just because it looks cool.

:An interesting observation is that the opposite seems to exist in the snake-market. Constrictors are beconming increasingly popular, and people seem to be more at ease in housing an 8 foot constrictor than a 5 foot iguana! Weird uh?

:Anyways, this is just my observation and opinion.
:Maybe it is better to see more small/medium lizards out there, than large ones. It might help polish the herp-hobbyists' reputation, since often we are viewed as reckelss freaks.
:
:But isn't it funny how the Desert Iguana has never caught on in popularity?

:C-ya all tonite @ the chat-room!

:-IJ
:

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