Mojo Power

Jigsaw (Mojave Pinstripe)

Most of you well know that I am a big advocate of Mojaves. Mojaves are awesome. Mojaves are a great base morph, as well as a killer combination morph to work with.

Here we have some awesome critters that are all involved with Mojave.

The Snake Keeper were the first breeders to produce and prove out the Mojave in 2000, and it was thus named for the Mojave Desert here in California. I imagine it's due to the dusky coloration, but that may just be me putting an artsy spin on it. I've never really asked Dan and Colette why they named the morph the Mojave. Maybe next time I see them... I'd like to know.

Mojave Spider

Anyway, it seems like no matter what you combine it to, it makes things awesome. Granted, you may disagree awesomeness occurs when it is involved with the Leucistic Making genes, as everything turns out White.

I don't quite get how getting a solid white snake is somehow a bad thing, but I understand from a combination standpoint, it doesn't leave much to work with.

Super Pastel Mojave

So to fix it, I just plan my breedings accordingly, to avoid making more White Snakes as many people tend to poo-poo.

And so should you, if you care not to see that type of morph combination. But think of it this way... The magic that is Ball Python Morphs allows for so many different opportunities to mix new things, it really shouldn't be that much of a hindrance to not work in Mojave into everything.

YAY MOJAVE!

Have a great day, my friends.

Power Males

A lot of people who are getting into the hobby try and figure out what is the best avenue to go..

Should I get a bunch of co-dom females and a cool male, or a cool female and wait to get a cool male for later?

Both of these things work out in the end, and the question really is, what is it that you have in your arsenal to begin with?

If you are just starting out, a few females and a cool male would be a great way to go.
If you are more patient, a great female to grow up is an excellent choice because when she is ready, you can get a great male and make super great babies out of that pairing.

For me, though? I have always been the type to keep the cool females, grow them up and get a super cool male.

So what do I mean by a super cool male?

Well, these photos on the blog are of the Sterling Mojave male that I hatched out this past season. I am very excited to have him here, as I have plenty of cool females to pair him with.

It did, however, take a long time to get there with the collection. Patience is not one of my strong suits, but I have managed to get a bevy of cool females every year to hold back and make work.

So what is best to do?

Again, its up to what you think is best for you....

I know what works for me, and what I intend to continue to do.

Can I find more amazing males to add to the collection? Absolutely!

Is that the plan? You bet your sweet ass it is.

Will you see photos of them eventually on the blog?

Yeah, you know you will... I can't keep anything from you guys... That's why I do the blog at all!

So think on it, share your experiences in the comment section, and have a great day, my friends.

Pinterest

I have been playing around with a few things to help me organize my life and my internettings.

One thing that I was turned on to was Pinterest.

It is an interesting website, for those who find things that they like and want to revisit.

The premise is that one has a Pinterest, which is a virtual photo scrapbook. You get the Pin It app, and you pin photos specific to that which you are interested in on specific webpages. You then have a link back to where you found it, as well as a place to see everything as a reference back.

It works for things you want to buy, ideas of crafts, reciepes, and even wedding planning (cough).

It is one of those "You gotta know someone to get in" kinda websites, so if you want an invite, shoot me an e-mail.

It is a fun thing to play around with, and I have been using it on and off for things that I have had to stop and look at again.

http://www.pinterest.com/

Try it out, look at it.

I'm planning on possibly starting a pin on critters soon, although that is kinda what this blog is for... We shall see. It would be worth a look into.

Have a great day, my friends!

Things are fast approaching

In the past few years, I have been changing the blog to suit what I think is appropriate for what you out there in Internet Land want to read about. Back in the day, I rambled on about anything under the sun, and while it was easier for me to come up with topics, it was less about the snakes.

THEN, I thought to myself, "these people don't want to know what I think about Movies...They are reading my blog because they want to know more about the snakes!"

So I started to try to focus more on the snake stuff. Problem is, part of the year, not much can be said for activities over here other than feeding, cleaning snake poop and watering. That gets old fast.

And with the whirlwind of this last year, a LOT of things outside of snakes has been happening to me, but I have tried very hard not to bring a lot of attention to it on the blog (as it is not snake relevant).

But it's coming to a point where the real life stuff is conflicting with my blogging, and so I think I will just run with it. There are days where I am so consumed with other things that I can't come up with any real fun ideas about snakes. I'm sure there are plenty of other people out there with the same issue... Life can get very heavy on ones shoulders sometimes.

So...

I am going to bring it back to allowing myself some musings once in a while. Nothing earth-shattering, of course. But when I get home from work, or when I encounter something randomly funny in life, it's coming back on here.

Might as well, right?

Life is not all about the snakes, although it is a huge part of it, and I don't want to overshadow that at all.

What spurned this random idea?

Well, my friends... I have four more months until my wedding day. And it's FREAKING ME OUT.

Four months is nothing, you guys. You all know that.

I have plenty done, plenty planned, lots of things dealt with... but four more months to get all the little things together, all while working full time, snake-ing as much as I can, and now going back to school again for another semester.

AAACK!

Of course, I can do this.. I just need to scale back on things a little, one of which is beating myself up trying to figure out what to write the night before on the blog. It takes planning to get something really interesting up on here, and sometimes, I just don't have the mental power anymore.

So that's the plan.

What do you think?

Of course, I value your opinions, oh wise readers of mine. I know some people don't read this every day, and of course, there are times when I don't even think what I wrote is remotely interesting. So we are going to change it up.

New Year changes for a better tomorrow.

Have a great day, my friends.

Break

Getting back into more work in life, so I need a night off.

I will be back and bigger than ever on Thursday!

Have a great day, my friends!

Tragedy

Well, seems like there are a lot of things happening already this year.

A fellow breeder in Philadelphia was meeting a potential customer for a sale of 20 animals. It is not known if he met up with his customer or not, but he was shot in the chest and his car stolen. The snakes were taken with the car, but the car crashed into a pole and the suspect fled on foot.

http://www.blogger.com/goog_848099436
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/01/23/police-hunt-gunman-after-man-shot-during-snake-sale-in-philadelphia-parking-lot/

"A 38-year-old snake breeder who was shot in Ridley Township while trying to sell 20 pythons worth about $12,000 is a computer software engineer from Douglassville who has a snake-breeding business on the side.

Mark L. Haas remains in intensive care with a collapsed lung at Crozer-Chester Medical Center after being shot Sunday in the parking lot of Woodlyn Shopping Center, said Ridley Police Lt. Scott Willoughby. His injuries are not life-threatening, he said.

Haas was supposed to sell the snakes to a buyer from New York, but police still do not know if the deal went bad or Haas was the victim of a random carjacking.

The suspect took off in Haas' car with two boxes of snakes inside and eventually hit a pole in Folsom, then ran away. Willoughby said police found the car and removed the boxes - one containing 20 baby pythons and the other a five- or six-foot python - back to the police station so they would not freeze.

Haas' girlfriend picked up the snakes and took them back to his breeding facility, he said.
A website for Haas' company, Shinja, says he breeds pythons and poison arrow dart frogs, with the snakes selling for up to $20,000."


I know Mark only thru the internet and not well, but I dread the possibility that this could happen again to anyone, especially someone I am familiar with.

He should be fine, thank goodness.

Please remember that this industry is close-knit, and that stuff like this can happen. No matter what, there are crazy and illegitimate people out there trying to manipulate and steal things.  I am very sorry to hear what happened to Mark, and let's take this as a learning experience.

1) Do not meet up with anyone alone. Even in a public place, it can be unsafe.
2) Make sure someone knows where you are going, even if they aren't going with you.
3) Meet up during the day with a friend to accompany you.
4) When in doubt, SHIP.

If you can think of any other tricks, please share and comment below. Let's all stay safe out there.

Have a great day, my friends.

Happy Year of the Dragon!

So today is the Lunar New Year, and it brings with it the year of the Dragon. It is the year of the Water Dragon, which means several things. 

"The Year of the Water Dragon (1992, 1952 and 2012) is noted for its calm, visionary intelligence, and balance of right brain creativity with left brain logic."

"This is a year when people who are extroverted and outgoing will feel in their own element. People who are timid or introverted may have a harder time keeping pace with the year.

And of course, we started the New Year with some new critters! Of course, the White Gold clutch wasn't too shabby, but I also picked up a new Calico female to add to the harem. I don't have many Calicos, and this is my attempt at beefing up the white sided critters.

Joel seems to think the Calico gene is "lame", so I kinda kept away from them for a while, but with this girl, I am pleased. Next acquisition of Calico/Sugar will be a combination male, but until that happens, I'm going to keep things simple. This is the last gal until then. (We shall see if this is true, but at this point, I am serious)

And here we have the lowest white Mojave Pied that I hatched out. I really like how he turned out! The gold really is pretty! Apparently the lower white Mojave Pieds are more valuable. Isn't that interesting how that changes depending on the morph type?

Anyway, enjoy the New Year! I shall be in new clothes and eating something sweet this morning. Bringing in the New Year right...

Have a great day, my friends!

The Dragon is the only one of the 12 animals of the Chinese Horoscope that is mythical. This indicates a connection with the transmuting power of Heaven, hence this is a year when we may be able to achieve what seemed impossible before.

A warning in the Year of the Dragon is to manage energy wisely, so you don't get exhausted. This may be hard to do in a year of abundant good energy, because it may seem unlimited. 

Contrary to some popular rumors that have been circulating in the past few years about predictions, there is nothing in Chinese Astrology that indicates that the year 2012 is the "end of times." 

Dragon years are expected to be full of benevolence and grace, especially a Water Dragon Year."

So the bottom line? This should be a good year! I know I'm excited about it, for all of the new things that are changing in my life. Bring it on, New Year! 

READ THIS!

So I am going to give the floor to my fellow herper, Mr. Micheal Crabtree.

He has written a very well thought out and thorough blog on the history and current situation that we are encountering with the New Reptile Legislation.

It's a long read, longer that I usually give a daily blog, but it sums up more than I ever could the entire situation of the large snake rulings.

So please, sit back, take a moment and read this.

I hope this answers a lot of your questions about what is really going on.


http://studentofthereptile.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/43/

This YouTube video helps as well.

Read, share, and think about it. Do what you must.

Have a great day, my friends.

Last of 2011

The last clutch of the year that actually went to term has hatched out (let us not forget the Enchi clutch that died, and the female with it).

3.0 Mojave Pieds, 0.1 Mojave het Pied, and 1.2 Het Pieds.

Here are the hets all together.

I am still saddened by the fact that the Enchi clutch went bad, but this clutch has made up for it somewhat. 

I plan on keeping the Mojave female, since I do not need a Mojave Pied male. I was hoping for a Mojave Pied female, but alas, my odds were in the penes again.

Which is okay, really... I don't need to keep them, so they will all be available, which means more funds for more snakes and wedding stuff.

I can handle that.

I really like the way they look though. I wish I could keep one just to grow up and watch change. They are awesome looking...

But I have their father, who I used to produce them.

He is in the rotation to make more this upcoming season, so I can't be too mad at that.

What to do with him, eh? So many plans... So many.

I'm off to plan, my friends.

Have a great day!

Reflection

I have to say that with the legislation doing what it is doing, I have time to reflect on why I am working with snakes in the first place.

I am allergic to many creatures, as is my Mother. I grew up with exotics as pets because I had to. I never got to own a snake, as my Mother was afraid, but I did get to have various types of fish, birds and the occasional try at a hamster.

So why then did I end up with Ball Pythons?

Cause they are gorgeous and fun to work with. End of story.

Snakes are all beautiful in their own way, and with patterns and colors that rival the rainbow, (and some that are named after the rainbow), how can anyone not value them as creatures worth keeping and enjoying? 

Yes, they eat live animals, and yes, they are somewhat intimidating.

It is mainly in ignorance that much of the fear is spread.

This is true of many things, and especially true of the new Legislation.

 

I will be the first to admit that yes, the Burms are in Florida. That is an obvious fact.

But why is it that Yellow Anacondas and "African Pythons" are included in this?

And why is it that we are banning these animals instead of controlling the current wild population?

How will this help things?

I have no idea. 

And of course, as I can, I try to be as fair minded as possible. I understand and see where the government is going with this. They need to find some way of controlling the invasive populations that are in Florida and other states. 

But how is this new legislation on current domestic animals going to help?

I don't see how it does. I see it as more people, afraid of getting in trouble, letting more animals go into the wild. 

And THAT will be even worse. 

Then what?

More legislation....

A never ending cycle. 

Let us hope that things turn around.

And do what you can to help people see the error of this, professionally and courteously.

No sense in swearing and yelling. That doesn't do much good but make us all look like fools.

Let's do this thing, folks.

Have a great day, my friends.

US Snake Ban getting closer to reality

Taken from: http://www.kingsnake.com/blog/archives/782-U.S.-to-approve-ban-on-Burmese-and-African-Rock-Pythons.html

U.S. to approve ban on Burmese and African Rock Pythons

By Jeff Barringer
Mon, January 16 2012 at 21:05

After a five year plus battle and despite the best efforts of the reptile community, it is being reported by the Miami Herald that the U.S. is set to approve a federal ban on Burmese Pythons and most likely African Rock Pythons as well, next week during the presidents stop in Florida.

Under a rule that has been the subject of five years of lobbying and debate in Washington, the United States intends to declare the Burmese python an “injurious’’ species, which would make it illegal to import or sell the snakes across state lines. At least one other species that has been found in the Glades, the African rock python, also is expected to be included on the “injurious’’ list that originally included nine large constrictors.

As yet there is no word on the other 7 species on the proposed list, including Reticulated Pythons and Boa Constrictors, but watch this space for further news updates as they come in.

For more information on the expected announcement see
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/01/16/2592593/us-set-to-approve-python-ban.html

UPDATE:

The Ban will include only: Burmese Python, African Rock Python, and Anaconda..

"Sixty days after publication of the final rule in the Federal Register, interstate transport and importation of live individuals, gametes, viable eggs, or hybrids of the Burmese python, northern and southern African pythons and yellow anaconda into the United States will be prohibited. None of these species is native to the United States."

http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/Salazar-Announces-Ban-on-Importation-and-Interstate-Transportation-of-Four-Giant-Snakes-that-Threaten-Everglades.cfm

Do your part. Click these links and do what you feel you need to do:

http://united-states-association-of-reptile-keepers.rallycongress.com/5799/no-on-fws-python-rule-bad-american-small-business-families-alread/  

http://united-states-association-of-reptile-keepers.rallycongress.com/

Pastel Crystal Amazingosity

Well, I was taking photos, and needed to take out the Pastel Crystal for a photo op. So, with some camera issues, I put her in a rogue water dish at the cleaning station. I fixed the camera, but looked up, and she was comfortably perched in there, looking out at me.

The biggest thing I noticed was that the blue of the Chlorhexidine spray bottle brought out the blue in her eyes!

And then, of course, I took the photo. I took a few photos...

I was of course, very impressed with what she was turning out to be, as I do with many of the snakes I don't look at often.

Why don't I look at her often?

Well, although the option is there, I try really hard not to look at animals that I am considering keeping while they are on sale, so that I can convince myself that I don't need them.

This is especially true of this girl... I would love to sell her, but the bigger she gets, the more beautiful she gets, and the more interesting she is for me to keep.

So I try and ignore her.

I know....lame, right?

Hey, it works for me.. Most of the time.

But if you did care to know, yes, their eyes are blue/grey, and yes, they do grow into more colors as they age. Maybe I will compare her with her older sister again soon.

And of course, I have to say I'm pretty proud of myself that I have updated the available page with everything I have available as of right now, with updated photos and everything.

YAY ME!!!

So we start the week updated and fresh.

Bring it on, work week!

YAY Weekend!

Chipo the Onyx

It's that time of the week again, and I have to say I can't wait to have another weekend. Seems like they are always so far apart, and when Sunday night comes around, I get sad that Monday is coming.

Nothing against Mondays of course... It's just that Mondays mean it's back to the grind more so than before, and I know I like my relaxing time, don't you?

If Monday was a person, she would be that annoying Aunt or Cousin or something that you can't get rid of, that always just irks you just tad when she comes around. It's nothing she did, of course, but the things that she COULD do... And I personify Monday as a She because don't we all know that Mondays can be a bitch...

Anyway, I digress.

I am looking forward to this weekend, and I have that one final last clutch to hatch out for the 2011 season. I hope that it comes out early, as it was laid 11/24... Usually my stuff hatches about a week early, so we may be on track to get a few pips in the next week. Fingers crossed for them, cause I can't wait to see what is going to pop out!

Until then, I will just have to satisfy my snake-ling cravings by playing with the ones I have out of the egg. I hope to get a lot of cool photos for you all this week, because I need to get back on track with introducing some animals, and talking about things, and eventually actually getting around to another YouTube Video.

I promised I would do one before the end of the year, and look.. I didn't.

I'm a Fail.

Sorry.

But, if you have suggestions, I am always open to them. And I know there have been requests for the YouTube things, so I will get on that. I just have to charge up the doohicky that takes them videos for me...  And actually use it.

Bumblefly (Bumblebee Fire)

With the wedding creeping closer and closer, I am getting a bit overwhelmed by the magnitude of work that still needs to be done too.

Weddings are no joke, people.

Elope.

LOL!

Anyway, have a great weekend, my friends. I will come back refreshed and better than ever for you all next week!

Black Magic.... or More?

I admit it. 

I am horrible at remembering some of these names of the combo morphs. 

Some of them are pretty simple (Bumblebee, Pastave, etc..), but some of them I can't remember for the life of me which morph it involves. 

Perfect example is the Black Magic.

The Black Magic is apparently a Black Pastel Mojave, which I produced for the first time here this year, 2011. 

The Savannah is a Cinnamon Mojave, which I also produced for the first time here this year.

Hey look! A Savannah and a Black Magic

So yes, I produced both this year, and I have to say, they are interesting! In the photo above, the Savannah is on top, and the Black Magic is below. How can you tell? Well, I know I did a blog on this a few months back.

The Savannah has a lighter overall coloration, with a less dramatic color from spine to stomach. It also has a lighter head. In the more dramatic Savannahs, the blushing is very intense and the pattern is pushed almost halfway up the body.

The Black Magics are all very dark (of course), with a dark head and deep gold tones, deeper than the Savannahs. The pattern is not dissipated as it does with some Savannahs.

The photos hopefully show the overall tonal differences between the two.

Now, here is the question I have...

What do you call a Black Pastel Lesser?

Apparently there is no fancy name for it...

I produced this girl last year, 2010, on accident in a Mystery Clutch. At first I thought she was a Pewter. YAY for learning....

Anyway, she looked like this as a baby. Completely different shade of color, head was VERY Black Pastel like (but brighter), and an overall silvery body coloration, similar to that of a Pewter. 

And now, not so much. You can tell she is not a Pewter. 

She is my favorite mistake from 2010, and I am trying to figure out what I can do to make something amazing out of her. I'm sure it'll be pretty easy, considering how cool she looks.

Here I go, off to daydream and plan.

Have a great day, my friends.

The Reptile Super Show and Breedings

Well, we finally got it done, my friends. The photos exist! 

It was not, however, very outstandingly amazing. There were only a few photos, and honestly, they are all Ball Pythons for the most part.

Let us begin.

Here we have one of my wants in life. The Killer Clown Male.

He doesn't look like the one in my dreams, but if someone gave him to me for free, I wouldn't say No. 

RAWR!

 Here we have a new creation, so new, in fact, that it isn't even outlined as to what it is! 

This isn't to say someone out there doesn't know what it is... It is just that they won't tell anyone that isn't paying for it. 

All I can say is, it looks viciously awesome.

RAWR indeed. 

I want one.

And although I am not quite sure where I stand with the Desert stuff, I have to say that this Pastel Lesser Tiger female right here is amazing. 

AMAZING.

This photo was done without flash, and she still looks awesome. The colors in person are to die for, and I have to say that I wouldn't mind one of these in the collection as well.

 And of course, my new found respect for the Champagnes has garnered a photo of a Pastel Champagne male. I am still trying to decide what Champagne male I should incorporate into the arsenal, but until then, I can stare at this photo at least.

The Buttery Nipple, created by my friend Josh Marki, is the Butter Hypo Champagne. It looks pretty sweet if you ask me...

And of course, what would the show be like without some kind of weirdness?

Apparently, someone brought an Opossum.

It was super cute, and a rescue from a local vet hospital drop off.

Lewie immediately wanted one. I have to say I kinda did too. 

If you have met me before, know that I do not like to leave my table for much of anything. I just like to work when needed. So of course, I was behind the table, hanging with my friend Bob the Albino.

Bob the Albino is my "go-to" educational snake that I bring out for the children to touch and handle.

He is the tamest ball, most kicked back snake ever.

I am honored to work with him as a Snakey Ambassador for our hobby.

The problem, however, was as I was having him around my shoulders, he decided that my braid would be a great place to delve into. 

Yes. 

I had an Albino Ball in my hair.

Can many other people say that? 

I kinda doubt it. 

But that's alright. 

I still love you, Bob.

So that was all of the interesting show photos of the weekend. It was a good time, good friends, and I had a great time seeing people and meeting new ones.

YAY

Anyway, I took these shots last night of the breedings that are happening.

Things are heating up here, finally... It's cooling down again in Southern California, so breedings are actually happening.

 Here we have the Pastel Super Mojave with a Cinnamon female.

And here we have a Vanilla het Hypo male with a Mojave het Hypo female. Fingers crossed for some Hypo Vanilla Mojaves. That would be SWEEEEEEET!

So on we trudge thru the first month of the year. Here's to more breedings and more photos to share.

Have a great day, my friends.

Dang... but YAY!

Well, apparently the camera that we used to take photos of the show is acting up and we cannot download the photos as of yet.

We will keep trying!

But right now, I can update you on some pairings..

This here is my Silver Bullet, Lucky, with a Pastel Lesser female. She had no interest in anyone so far, but Lucky got lucky and made it happen.

This here is a pairing that I was debating on doing this year, but since the opportunity arose and they seemed interested, I paired them up.

These are siblings from back in 2010, my Double Het Albino Pieds...







And just for confirmation, look! There is a lock.

There is one more female that I may pair up with him. I'm not sure exactly what I plan to do as of yet, as this pairing was not planned anyway...

Hmmmmmm

This pairing is another sibling pairing, a pair of Spotnose het VPI Axanthics... If I hit on the VPI Axanthic Powerball, that will be SWEET!

Fingers crossed on that one.

And last but not least, a non-related pairing this time. Mojave Spider male with a Cinnamon female. I am not a huge fan of the Cinnamon Spiders, but a Mojave Cinnamon Spider should be pretty sweet. We shall see, eh?

Anyway, that is what is happening so far... Nothing super outstandingly amazing, but nothing too shabby.

Last clutch of the season should be popping up in another two weeks, and then I can turn the incubator off for a few months.

It will be a relief for a bit not to worry about eggs and to worry about breeding.

Have a great day, my friends.

Recovery Day

Hey everyone!

As you may know if you saw me at the show, I was sick.

I am still sick, and am trying to recover, so no blog today, but I will have some show photos tomorrow and some updates as well.

Cough cough cough.

Have a great day!

Reptile Super Show

This weekend is the Reptile Super Show at the Fairplex in Pomona.

I can honestly say that although Setup is today, I am not ready. At all.

You have to be in the right mindset to vend at a show.

You have to be ready to meet and greet, hang out with people that you know, stand and talk for hours, and it can be very tiring.

And I'm already tired.

But I wouldn't miss it. It would be nice to sleep in, of course, but I wouldn't miss it.

Of course, as often as I vend now a days, it is 100% harder to get any reasonable sort of photography going.

I will try my hardest to make it happen, and maybe even send Joel out on a quest for photos. The problem with that is that he will take pictures of what HE likes, which tends not to be the Ball Pythons so much. Is it that big of a deal? Nah...

We will see what we can do.

So off I go to get things prepped... See you there if I do, and wish you could be there if you can't!

Have a great weekend, my friends!

The Most FRUSTRATING Thing

Introducing the most frustrating male I have ever worked with.

Homey D. Clown, part of the YPBMC club (Yet to be Proven Breeder Male), has still to this day not given me a solid lock with a female. He has at least 6-7 females lined up for him, but he has no interest in any of them. 

I invested a reasonable amount for him a few years back after being shafted on a trade deal for a Clown het something male. I waited several years for that trade to come to fruition, to find that the Breeder in question decided to go out of business without completing our deal. All this time, I waited to get a Clown so that I could have the Clown we had agreed upon and I had already traded him animals for, but... it was not meant to be.

So with a heavy heart, I finally gave in and got a Clown male. And of course, over the past two and a half seasons, I anticipated him being able to and being willing to breed. 

He is able, there is no doubt. He produces reasonable sized sperm plugs often. 

The issue is that he won't use them for anything. 

So after all this time, waiting and waiting, and he is not doing what he is supposed to be doing... 

This just makes me that much more sad. 

And of course, to top it all off, there is more to be said about legislation to prevent people from even owning pythons. 

Quoted from the link below: 

"US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) has a proposed rule being considered by the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB). This is the final stage of the rule making process. This rule, if enacted, would ban the import and interstate transport of nine constricting snakes; Burmese python, Northern & Southern African pythons, Reticulated python, all four Anacondas, and Boa constrictor. 

This rule has been called the "Constrictor Rule". All of these constrictors would be added to the Injurious Wildlife list of the Lacey Act. If this were to happen more than 1 million American citizens could be subject to felony prosecution under the Lacey Act. It is the job of OMB to weigh the purported benefits of the rule against the economic impacts. It is also their duty to assure the rule has been given due process under the Administrative Procedures Act, Information Quality Act and all pertinent Executive Orders. USARK has created a clear public record that FWS has failed at every level to make their case for this rule. According to emails obtained by USARK it appears that staff at FWS colluded with staff at the US Geological Survey (USGS) to manufacture "science" to support this rule making after the decision had already been made to pursue a Lacey Act listing. 

Further, FWS grossly underestimated the economic impact. USGS has justified their flawed "science" by saying they were not required to adhere to information quality standards for science used to support the rule because the rule did not meet the standard for a major rule making ($100 million). An economic assessment of the Modern Reptile Industry commissioned by USARK, and done by Georgetown Economic Services, has since debunked USGS claims by asserting that the rule could have impact in excess of $103 million. USARK believes the actions of FWS and USGS in regards to the Constrictor Rule are arbitrary, capricious and potentially unlawful."

Please take a look at this link to USARK and sign.

Do your part to keep these beautiful (yet frustrating) creatures within our grasp. 

Have a great day, my friends.

What Next?

Sterling Mojave

Things are actually going a bit slow right now here in California, as we have been getting some amazingly HOT weather. This past week we have been averaging 75 degrees Fahrenheit, including Christmas Day.

So what does this mean for Heather's Herps?

It means that the males that are supposed to be breeding are getting a bit confused.

It's too hot for them to really get it on, and I have not been seeing as much action as I would normally around this time of year.

I am kinda disappointed, but what am I going to do? I can't control the weather (although that would be awesome if I could...)

So what next?

I am pairing up as much as I can, but giving more time for males with females than normal.  Will this effect the output of this upcoming season? I hope not, but there is a possibility.

The other possibility is a later season than usual, which means hatchings and eggs coming later in the year than usual. When is usual? This past year, we got eggs in the end of April. This year, I anticipate eggs in late May.

We shall see.

California usually does get later clutches than the other eastern states, as I have noticed.

And as for the upcoming pairings?

Yeah, I've changed my mind a few times already (again), but things are going somewhat smoothly.

I hope to get a few new things in the collection, but with everything going on, we will see! Fingers crossed for some awesome new things, and not so late of a season.

Here's to a good season, and the last Reptile Show of the season before the new babies hatch.

Pomona Reptile Show, here we come!

Have a great day, my friends!

Mystic versus Mojave

There are a lot of questions about Mystics versus Mojaves out there.
And I am going to say that I am not the formost expert on them at all. I only have a few, and some of them are much more odd to me than others.

But I am going to try to get this outlined for you all out there as a helpful tool.

Above, we have a Mystic. Note the golden tone, the average looking normalish look to it? Yeah, this one is going to be tough to describe.

I have noticed and heard many people mention that they look like Mojaves.

I can see where they are coming from, so lets make an attempt to discuss it.

Mystics have the floating alien heads and blushed out sides like Mojaves. They have the head pattern similar to Mojaves. Other than that? I don't see it.

The first thing to note between the two is the color.

Mystics look NORMAL.

Mojaves stand out like a sore thumb next to them, case in point the photo below. Mystic on the left, Mojave on the right.

The first thing about the difference in tone is that the Mojave is purple and grey. The yellows are muted, and the blushing is bright. The Mystic on the other hand, is standard in color, with typical golds and blacks. The patterns are similar, as well as the blushing location, but that is the end of it in terms of what they look like comparatively (other than being Ball Pythons, of course).

It is fascinating to think that these two morphs, bred together, produce a purplely white snake with grey eyes.

Who would have thunk it, right?

So I hope this helps in identifying your Mystics. I have a hard time with it sometimes, but as I always say... When in doubt, breed it out!

Have a great day, my friends.

New Years Resolutions

My friends, 2011 was a tough one.

I can say that towards the end there it was getting more than a bit rough.

I have done my fair share of complaining and moping, but now, it is 2012. This is the first blog of 2012, and I'm going to make it a good one by saying a few things that I plan to do.

I plan to do all I can to make this year better than all the rest.

I plan to get things more organized, more timely and more interesting.

I feel like I lost my mojo for a bit there, and although with everything going on, it's not completely back on track, but I am getting there, and I will be back and better than ever!

The snakes are my passion, something I love to do, something I love to share with the world. I can't forget that, and neither should you, my blog readers.

Yes, I work full time. Yes, I do attend classes. Yes, I am planning a wedding. Yes, I am juggling a lot.

But, that is what I chose to do, as well as do all the amazing snake stuff I love to share with you all out there in internet land.

The problem I have is that sometimes, I lose my way. I lose focus, as any human being does.

This means that I don't always have the most interesting things to share, especially during times of slump. BUT I DO want to help you out there as much as I can, and answer all the questions you all have out there.

So, I ask you, blog readers, in this 2012 year, can you help me help you? Let me know what you'd like to see! Let me know what you want to learn more about!
If I can help you, I will..  If I can't, I will find somewhere were I can get the information you want to see.

I am doing this for you, my friends.

Tell me what you want to see in 2012.

I wanna know what you want.

Because there is no point in this blog without someone out there to read it.
This is for you.

And of course, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Have a fantastic first weekday of 2012, my friends.

Bring it on, 2012. I'm ready for you.