Importing Reptiles

[thorney_devil]

Clearing Up A Few Thingz...

Roughies are $6000+ each not $6000 a pair if they were that cheap everyone would be opening thier pockets (herp breeders)... They are available everywhere in australia aslong as you have the money or import (state to state) licence. The wild population is very restricted and nearly in-acsessable to the kimberley region. Most baby snakes are fussy to get eating...

Also this September NPWS NSW is hopefully easining the restrictions on the sale of reptiles in pet stores within NSW currently most states are premitted to sell live animals... Stores hoping to get them instock ASAP will be reptile specialized such as Pet Goods Direct... Whom I work for.

 

[tetrapod]

... The wild population is very restricted and nearly in-acsessable to the kakadu region...

Actually they are native to the Kimberley region in western Australia. Gosford had the first individuals in captivity circa 2001. I'm not sure whether the captive population stems only from these individuals, or whether other animals have been sources from the wild (either legally or illegally). My recollection from the Gosford staff was that they are very difficult to find, being quite particular about microclimate and that the actual location that the animals were found was remote (lets say remote by Kimberley standards!).

 

[kiang]

Where did Australia zoo's Komodo dragons come from?
(nobody say Komodo!)

 

[Steve Robinson]

Where did Australia zoo's Komodo dragons come from?
(nobody say Komodo!)

The ones in Queensland came from the Wyndham Croc Farm in WA where they had been held under an amnesty type arrangement and were supposed to stay there until death do us part. Dollars proved to be stronger than death!

 

[Lovey]

Roughies are $6000+ each not $6000 a pair if they were that cheap everyone would be opening thier pockets (herp breeders)... They are available everywhere in australia aslong as you have the money or import (state to state) licence. The wild population is very restricted and nearly in-acsessable to the kakadu region. Most baby snakes are fussy to get eating...

How can you "clear things up" when you post that???

Take a look at the snake ranch price list, hatchling males $2800, females $3200.
Its a well known fact that they are not allowed to be kept in victoria and WA, leagally anyway. Their state governments wont permit them in private collections due to their vulnerability in the wild. Ofcourse hatchlings snakes are hard to get eating, but the roughies are even harder.

Most breeders are reluctant to buy roughies due to the falling prices.

 

[Lovey]

Thanks for the info Lovey. Figured they'd be fairly easy breeders, many of the other Morelia seem to be fairly straightforward as well from experience (the scrub/bush species at any rate, couldn't say the same about viridis or boeleni). Why are the young so tricky? Is it down to size or dietary preference? (are the young lizard feeders?). Good to hear that they are becoming established in captivity, a staff member I spoke to at the reptile park (Gosford) said that their wild habitat was really inaccesible hence so few of them had been captured.

The main reason the hatchlings are harder to get feeding is the lack of info on hatchling care for this species.

Not alot of study has been done on hatchlings in the wild, so all the care info has come from captive breed animals.

They will get easier with improved husbandry

 

[thorney_devil]

A friend of mine sucsessfully bred roughies...
Its not that thier hard but they are more aggressive & snappy, not appealing to most & thier high pricing is fairly out of reach!
Similar to Green Tree Pythons. Lovey, do you own/breed snakes?
That offer from Snake Ranch is a very limited offer for January 2009, Many breeders are getting very fustrated with the dropping of prices which is putting down many breeders profits in sales!
Im not saying I'd complain but I dont agree with it...
They are growing in popularity slowly following the GTP trend.