Cairns Tropical Zoo (Closed) Reticulated Python Eggs Laid

I hope they've got places for those hatchlings, otherwise they're going to be a handful in a year or two.

There's a reason why this only the third [legal] breeding......

:p

Hix
 
Hix said:
I hope they've got places for those hatchlings, otherwise they're going to be a handful in a year or two.

There's a reason why this only the third [legal] breeding......

:p

Hix
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Is it possible that they might control how many hatchlings they want to hatch in the incubator, or must they all hatch?
 
No, they can control that - just put in the number you want and throw the rest away.

:p

Hix
 
This article was brought up on a reptile forum (APS) where Alex posted clearing up some issues raised by the article, hopefully I'm allowed to copy some of his post into this forum?

"...A number of Zoo and Aquarium Association member institutions across Australia have expressed interest in aquiring a cumulative total of approximately 25 juvenile Reticulated Pythons. Eggs will only be incubated to meet regional demand and requirements, rather than too produce surplus animals. Eggs that are not required to be incubated will be destroyed long before hatching.

There are suprisingly few Reticulated Pythons and even fewer pairs held in zoo's and fauna parks across Australia and a number snakes that form the current captive population in Australia are relatively aged individuals, which is why there was/is a regional demand to breed this species..."

Cheers,
Dan
 
Can anyone name every collection in Australia that displays reticulated pythons? I know Taronga does for sure but I would like to know the scale of how many are displayed.
 
Jabiru96 said:
Can anyone name every collection in Australia that displays reticulated pythons? I know Taronga does for sure but I would like to know the scale of how many are displayed.
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There are slightly more than 20 animals held in 8 collections. Of these, only three zoos have breeding capabilities - ie: a pair or more. Another half a dozen or so zoos would like to hold the species. The eggs that are currently incubating in Cairns have been eagerly anticipated in the industry. As crocodile_dan has pointed out, the current population is ageing and has not been bred from for a long while.

However, this is another species where illegally held specimens far outnumber the legally held animals. On the black market in Australia you can even get colour morphs!!
 
Steve, if you don't mind me asking can you share the zoos that would like to hold retics that do not presently have the species? Has DDZ expressed an interest in any of the clutch? Sorry if that is prying too much.
 
crocodile_dan said:
Steve, if you don't mind me asking can you share the zoos that would like to hold retics that do not presently have the species? Has DDZ expressed an interest in any of the clutch? Sorry if that is prying too much.
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G'day Dan,

The DDZ will be receiving some of these snakes to replace our old Retics.

I can't divulge the collection plans of other zoos but I can tell you that these hatchlings are eagerly awaited at a number of institutions. The number of zoos holding Retics will pretty well double.
 
Dan, thanks for reposting that paragraph from APS, it clears things up a bit. I was a little concerned somone had just decided to breed the snakes and weren't thinking about the consequences later down the track. Good to know everything has been thoroughly planned.

:p

Hix
 
Hix said:
I was a little concerned somone had just decided to breed the snakes and weren't thinking about the consequences later down the track.
:p

Hix
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Those days are pretty well gone, in the mainstream zoo world.

This breeding was evaluated, and potential recipient zoos consulted, long before the animals were bred.
 
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