Tips and help in the processes of starting a reptile zoo

[One eyed]

Really, I thought I just had an oddball, I thought most of the time they weren’t too bad but I just got an awful one.

And I shudder the thought of swarms of them devouring everything in our native waters. It would be much worse in areas with small endangered Galaxias

Definately not we've got three. I'd dispose of them personally all aggressive. I've heard and seen on forums that they tend well heavily stocked. But not willing to test this. Personally don't like the looks of them.

Semi related, one of our bhp hatchlings we kept back last year. So it's about 2 years now is the most aggressive snake we have by a country mile for me. My partner who is only new at it handling snakes can pick him up and he is the biggest puppy they're besties. Where one of my red belly I have on display, she's a sweetheart for me but hates anyone else doing anything near her. Waits for me even. So it's funny how typical norms are sometimes not the case. Alot of it too is people say species are amazing to get sales when in reality they're Pains in the backside, like our green tree python super aggressive difficult and from my experience very rarely tame down but people worship them as good first time snakes

 

[One eyed]

@One eyed already gave you a reasonable answer; some people like morphs and are willing to pay for them. Furthermore, people have been breeding selectively for "oddities" since the earliest beginnings of animal husbandry and agriculture, leading to our current domestic animal breeds and plant cultivars. From an ethical point of view, this can be a mixed bag indeed, especially in regard to inbreeding depression and what the Germans quite fittingly call "Qualzuchten" (i.e. "agony breeds", such as highly brachycephalic dog breeds or "featherduster" budgies). However, I can also understand why people find certain morphs aesthetically pleasing, like the aforementioned amelanistic red-bellied black snake or leucistic monocled cobras. Doesn't mean that I have tp keep them, though.
@One eyed Indeed, my female is a great joy to work with; I've added elements of behavioral enrichment to her husbandry, which she appears to appreciate. You can see a video of her using a wooden hamster maze on the Instagram and FB account of my exhibition. If you are willing to share a picture of your morph (also via PM, if you prefer), I'd be most delighted.
You can find a list of the species I keep for my exhibition at the "How to found a zoo" thread or at Zootierliste if you search for "Welt der Gifte". As for elapids, next to the Inland taipan, I currently keep a cape cobra and a cape coral snake; I've donated the female Indochinese spitting cobra to my assistent. An adult male eastern gaboon viper is also among the animals I keep and is quite a crowd pleaser; his nickname is "Bud Spencer".
Bothriechis schlegeli are quite easy to obtain in the European reptile trade; Atheris sp. and certain East & South African Bitis sp. are currently "the" thing, next to more obscure species such as Pseudocerastes urarachonides. Boomslangs can be viciously fast and quite a handful, but I understand why you like the coloration of some specimens. King cobras can be great display animals, but I have only seen very few institutions that offer them the husbandry they truly deserve.
For most poisonous plants, you don't need to put them behind glass; just make sure that visitors keep their distance.

Feeding time for alot of them today will get a picture and send via pm for you. Don't mind the racks most of ours are kept in tub systems under lock and key (space considerations and legal issues) partly why am keen to get it all done and open and they can have space.

But here is my little guy in lounge even though he hates me I still adore him such lovely colouring patterns .

 

[One eyed]

Does anyone else have a fully fledged cafe in there exhibits/zoos or just a food van kind of thing. Worth it or not ? Depending on foot traffic

 

[Riley]

Does anyone else have a fully fledged cafe in there exhibits/zoos or just a food van kind of thing. Worth it or not ? Depending on foot traffic

I’d say when just starting out a cafe won’t be worth it, you’d most likely need some snacks and possibly buy in premade sandwiches but if you don’t have a high visitation it would most likely cost you more than it’s worth, especially in non-peak times

 

[One eyed]

I’d say when just starting out a cafe won’t be worth it, you’d most likely need some snacks and possibly buy in premade sandwiches but if you don’t have a high visitation it would most likely cost you more than it’s worth, especially in non-peak times

My idea was to have the cafe as a fully fledged stand alone. Particularly weekend trade with clubs etc they're always cruising past our house (bikes and car clubs) so have it as a stand alone. And then they can also serve inside aswell. Do a spend x at cafe get discount entry or get x meal at cafe with entry

 

[Terry Thomas]

@One eyed already gave you a reasonable answer; some people like morphs and are willing to pay for them. Furthermore, people have been breeding selectively for "oddities" since the earliest beginnings of animal husbandry and agriculture, leading to our current domestic animal breeds and plant cultivars. From an ethical point of view, this can be a mixed bag indeed, especially in regard to inbreeding depression and what the Germans quite fittingly call "Qualzuchten" (i.e. "agony breeds", such as highly brachycephalic dog breeds or "featherduster" budgies). However, I can also understand why people find certain morphs aesthetically pleasing, like the aforementioned amelanistic red-bellied black snake or leucistic monocled cobras. Doesn't mean that I have tp keep them, though.
@One eyed Indeed, my female is a great joy to work with; I've added elements of behavioral enrichment to her husbandry, which she appears to appreciate. You can see a video of her using a wooden hamster maze on the Instagram and FB account of my exhibition. If you are willing to share a picture of your morph (also via PM, if you prefer), I'd be most delighted.
You can find a list of the species I keep for my exhibition at the "How to found a zoo" thread or at Zootierliste if you search for "Welt der Gifte". As for elapids, next to the Inland taipan, I currently keep a cape cobra and a cape coral snake; I've donated the female Indochinese spitting cobra to my assistent. An adult male eastern gaboon viper is also among the animals I keep and is quite a crowd pleaser; his nickname is "Bud Spencer".
Bothriechis schlegeli are quite easy to obtain in the European reptile trade; Atheris sp. and certain East & South African Bitis sp. are currently "the" thing, next to more obscure species such as Pseudocerastes urarachonides. Boomslangs can be viciously fast and quite a handful, but I understand why you like the coloration of some specimens. King cobras can be great display animals, but I have only seen very few institutions that offer them the husbandry they truly deserve.
For most poisonous plants, you don't need to put them behind glass; just make sure that visitors keep their distance.

Just because someone likes to create different morphs, and then make money from selling them does not, (in my opinion), make this a good practise. As for what you are trying to achieve-- I wish you every success in your venture.

 

[Yoshistar888]

Just because someone likes to create different morphs, and then make money from selling them does not, (in my opinion), make this a good practise. As for what you are trying to achieve-- I wish you every success in your venture.

My opinion on morphs are if it’s possible to occur in the wild and doesn't harm the animals ability to survive in a captive environment it’s fine to breed. I always prefer natural colours though.

 

[Batto]

Just because someone likes to create different morphs, and then make money from selling them does not, (in my opinion), make this a good practise.

I don't say it's always a good practise - I explicitly stated

From an ethical point of view, this can be a mixed bag indeed (...)

However - you asked for a reason, and you were given reasons why people breed reptile morphs (i.e. money and an individual sense of beauty) Whether you personally like or dislike this, is another matter.

 

[Terry Thomas]

I don't say it's always a good practise - I explicitly stated
However - you asked for a reason, and you were given reasons why people breed reptile morphs (i.e. money and an individual sense of beauty) Whether you personally like or dislike this, is another matter.

Good enough!

 

[One eyed]

$10,000,000 public liability is standard minimum in tourism industry. If you think you need more go for it.

Re councils talk to Economic Development, talk up the economic benefits and the number of people employed. They are your allies in Council. With planning talk down numbers of visitors.

Re marketing you will need a totally different approach to your current businesses. They rely on passing traffic and regular, frequent repeat traffic. Your reptile zoo is a destination in itself. Your butchers shop is a neighborhood business, you will get very little business for your reptile park from your neighborhood. Repeat traffic more frequently than once a year will be rare. You need to work on earned media, most bought media is useless. Social media is also very important.

Expect your first year to be your best year, maybe for half a decade. I know you don't believe me on that but that is a fact in the attractions industry.

At the end of the day what you exhibit is unimportant. What is important is the story you tell and the experience you offer.

Unless of course you are marketing only to Zoochatters, then just lay on the species.

So after you mentioned this I contacted the economic development they helped immensely but more importantly passed me onto another individual who I would love to name and bring attention to how awesome he was but wants to remain a little more anon. But key updates council is now happy about it all (although some aspects they said we were a little to over the top) but now the are in process of showing our development proposal ( we will be erecting a sign on our farm soon too ) to see if anyone disagrees. I know one neighbor will but hey everyone will get some negatives. So the ball has drastically started to roll. They dislike my family for our animal training, and we breed a few animals they're animal activists always been a issue since they bought it haha.


Now on the note of animals. Some frogs and tortoise I am in the process of importing. I know this takes a long time but importantly was able to import on a wildlife exhibitors licence go figure is asked previously and been told no now I am. So in about 5 months should have quite a expanded collection. Thank you everyone for help and support

 

[One eyed]

Hi everyone, a little update to how it's all going and progressing. Prior and during the initial stages of covid (yaay for also been stuck overseas before I could return) I spent quite some time at a few facilities getting "up to date" experience with a few exotic reptiles, tortoises and mammals and big cats. Was definitely a eye opener coming purely from a large reptile collection to seeing behind scenes on breeding and state of the art care.

My plans at home to start up a facility have more then been quashed to many objections. But I am on the search for a suitable location. Covid has put a massive hit onto my families business and alot of the money I've saved and built up for zoo went into that to save it. I have however built my partners nursery business up and we have some animals on display there to dabble my toes into water learning how government makes silly decisions in regards to animals.

Moving forward I am to still open a facility once find a location, my ideal animal list has however changed and I have begun process for importation for snakes only. Have decided to not rush into a facility just to have exotics come into it later. Ideally and for biosecurity and well security exotics will have prime spots among those reasons and others. So now it's just down to that long winded processes and finding a new location without to much hostility towards facility. If anyone has tips with how to smooth it over with those difficult haters I very much appreciate the help. I am extremely lucky that one facility I was at is willing to help the export import process and supply the animals and anti venom needed.

More updates to come, likely be more often now. Dedicating quite some time to this now

 

[Batto]

Hi everyone, a little update to how it's all going and progressing. Prior and during the initial stages of covid (yaay for also been stuck overseas before I could return) I spent quite some time at a few facilities getting "up to date" experience with a few exotic reptiles, tortoises and mammals and big cats. Was definitely a eye opener coming purely from a large reptile collection to seeing behind scenes on breeding and state of the art care.

My plans at home to start up a facility have more then been quashed to many objections. But I am on the search for a suitable location. Covid has put a massive hit onto my families business and alot of the money I've saved and built up for zoo went into that to save it. I have however built my partners nursery business up and we have some animals on display there to dabble my toes into water learning how government makes silly decisions in regards to animals.

Moving forward I am to still open a facility once find a location, my ideal animal list has however changed and I have begun process for importation for snakes only. Have decided to not rush into a facility just to have exotics come into it later. Ideally and for biosecurity and well security exotics will have prime spots among those reasons and others. So now it's just down to that long winded processes and finding a new location without to much hostility towards facility. If anyone has tips with how to smooth it over with those difficult haters I very much appreciate the help. I am extremely lucky that one facility I was at is willing to help the export import process and supply the animals and anti venom needed.

More updates to come, likely be more often now. Dedicating quite some time to this now

Good luck. Still looking forward to that inland taipan morph pic.

 

[One eyed]

Good luck. Still looking forward to that inland taipan morph pic.

Ah yes I completely forgot about posting that picture, shameless plug will be posting a YouTube video on a few of my rare colour morphs. Will put picture up by end of today for ya when I go feed snakes I'll grab a picture