Re: Let's see, where do I start? . . >

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Posted by Terry Cox on April 21, 2003 at 04:54:25:

In Reply to: Let's see, where do I start? . . > posted by terryp on April 20, 2003 at 22:41:53:

I've been into Asian ratsnakes for many years, mostly researching. Plus I've had a few others, mostly kingsnakes. I'm pretty burnt out on the large numbers and am trimming my collection down to mostly pets also. Here's what I'm keeping...
1. Russian Rats
2. South Korean dione
3. Chinese Twin-spots
4. Mandarin Rats
5. Japanese Forest Rats
6. Arizona Mtn. Kings
7. Coast Mtn. Kings
8. Western Plains Rats
9. Southern Plains Rats

I still have a few species I haven't sold, traded, or given away, which will be gone by the end of the summer. Even just trimming to pets, which was hard to do, still gives me plenty to do along with fulltime job. I might have to trim even more by retirement. It's a lot of work and time and money maitaining a large collection. You have to really love what you're doing :)

:The snake that started me in this hobby and was the snake I just had to get was a hypomelanistic bullsnake my coworker at the time and my partner now brought into work one day. Del Alspaw would bring in a snake to work every once in a while, but when he brought in that 5 foot hypo bullsnake, I said get me one Del. I got 4 snakes before the 5th one was a hypo bullsnake. LOL. Most of them were Pituophis. I acquired kingsnakes, bullsnakes, hognoses, rat snakes, corns, but no pythons or boas(except a white water rosy boa). After about 2 years, the focus of my collection was leaning towards rat snakes. My coworker, Del Alspaw and myself were spending an afternoon having a couple (several) martini's and we started a partnership and established Kern Reptile Research Center. We made a decision that Del Alspaw would focus and work with Pituophis and I would do the same with Elaphe, with rat snakes being the main species. I did keep a pair of Cape Gophers at the time and I've been able to sneak a male white sided bullsnake and a female hypomelanistic bullsnake from 2 different clutches from Del's breeders (Del keeps saying things like I owe him money or something like that). The capes went to Del's about a month ago and I think he put them together over a week ago. I have a pair of Spilotes that are at the top of my list to want to work with more. The first male I got in a trade never ate and went down hill from the start and didn't make it. If I get my pair to breed and I produce a baby, then I'll look into establishing a project. If you'd like to know and see some of our collection, we have a web site at kernreptile.com. BTW - Del was quite the hot keeper before our partnership days. Just a note, I've seen Del work with venomous, feed, move them to clean a cage, etc. He's done it hundreds of times over the years. Several years ago he got envenomated by one of his rattlers He spent 6 days in the hospital. Three days I think for the venom and 3 more for the allergic reaction to the 30 vials of antivenom.

::I realize that this is a ratsnake forum, but who else here has passions for other species? Lately Asian elaphe and cornsnakes have completely taken my interest, more-so then in the past, but I also keep some other animals that I love. My scrub python for instance. Scrub pythons are GREAT animals to work with. And all other morelia really. They were what got me into seriously maintaining a large collection. My first snake other then garters and corns was a tiny hatchling Irian Jaya carpet(who is till have). I've been slowly selling off my extras to get my collection back down to a maintainable size, but still have my most loved pets and some of the things i'm most interested.. Given I personally am in the hobby for my true love of reptiles as pets, not so much as to breed for money. All my herps are really pets and nothing more... I also personally plan on getting into a few hot species in the future. Its too bad they're illegal in the county i currently reside in... So what all does everyone here keep other then ratsnakes?

::Currently I have..
::1.0 Cave beauty
::1.2 Taiwan beauties
::0.0.1 Chinese beauty
::1.0 Blue beauty
::2.3 Cornsnakes
::1.0 Reticulated Python
::1.0 Albino Burmese Python
::1.0 Southern Scrub Python
::1.0 Irian Jaya Carpet Python
::0.1 Jungle carpet Python
::1.0 Macklots Python
::1.0 Redtail Boa
::0.0.1 Nile Monitor
::3.5 Leopard Geckos

::AND.. On the way Are..
::0.1 T+ albino and 2.1 het albino Chinese Beauty yearlings ;)

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