Added several new combos to the JKR Snake Room, including the Pastel Mojave, Leopard Piebald, Butterfly and Desert Pinstripe. Also put up updated pictures of the Bumblebelly, and Spider Clown! View high resolution

Added several new combos to the JKR Snake Room, including the Pastel Mojave, Leopard Piebald, Butterfly and Desert Pinstripe. Also put up updated pictures of the Bumblebelly, and Spider Clown!

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Please Support USARK’s efforts to protect the rights of Virginian’s to keep reptiles.

Newsletter from the United States Association of Reptile Keepers


 IMPORTANT: “Plan B” STOP VA Reptile BAN!

Unfortunately the Virginia General Assembly email firewall is filtering out USARK’s letter writing campaign to Stop VA Reptile BAN. Most of you have seen numerous emails kicked back as spam. In order to get around the firewall it will require everyone to do just a little more work. Please Do This… It is Extremely Important to demonstrate how many people oppose this ban. Below is two letters. One to the sponsor and committee members of SB477, and one to the sponsor and committee members of HB1242. With each letter is a list of email addresses to send the letter to. It will take a little effort to copy and paste the letter and email addresses to your own email account and send the letters, but please do it! There will very likely be a hearing on SB477 next Thursday!

1) Letter for SB477: (Copy and paste letter and addresses to send an email from your own account)

district24@senate.virginia.gov, district10@senate.virginia.gov, district38@senate.virginia.gov, district15@senate.virginia.gov, district14@senate.virginia.gov, district26@senate.virginia.gov, district09@senate.virginia.gov, district34@senate.virginia.gov, district06@senate.virginia.gov,  district28@senate.virginia.gov, district37@senate.virginia.gov, district20@senate.virginia.gov, district13@senate.virginia.gov, district01@senate.virginia.gov, district30@senate.virginia.gov, district18@senate.virginia.gov

Senator Lucas and Committee Members,

As a resident/stakeholder in the Virginia reptile community I appreciate your concern for public safety. However, your proposed bill is far too over reaching in regards to reptiles. Who ever assisted in the construction of the bill obviously doesn’t understand the natural history or economics of reptiles in VA; nor their relatively simple captive husbandry requirements. Further, there seems to be no understanding of the difference between occupational hazard and public safety risk.

The reptile industry represents $25 million annually in commerce in Virginia. Thousands make their living in this State because of this business. To cavalierly destroy this non-traditional agricultural interest because of a fundamental lack of understanding is unacceptable. As written, this bill will hurt me and my family. It is bad idea to kill jobs in this kind of economy.

Working with certain reptiles entails a moderate occupational risk, but historically and statistically, reptiles represent virtually zero public safety risk. Dogs account for 35 deaths a year in this country. Captive reptiles less than one per year. Traditional livestock and pets have proven much more of a public safety risk than reptiles. According to US Fish & Wildlife and US Geological Services studies, the rare event of a death as the result of a captive reptile falls into the category of occupational hazard. There is no record whatsoever of a captive reptile creating any measurable risk to the public… NEVER!

Please remove ALL reptiles from SB 477. Thank you.

Sincerely,

2) Letter for HB1242: (Copy and paste letter and addresses to send an email from your own account)

DelCPeace@house.virginia.gov, DelRTyler@house.virginia.gov, DelDMarshall@house.virginia.gov, DelBOrrock@house.virginia.gov, DelCPoindexter@house.virginia.gov, DelBKnight@house.virginia.gov, DelJMorefield@house.virginia.gov, DelMJames@house.virginia.gov, DelMSickles@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Peace and Committee Members,

As a resident/stakeholder in the Virginia reptile community I appreciate your concern for public safety. However, your proposed bill is far too over reaching in regards to reptiles. Who ever assisted in the construction of the bill obviously doesn’t understand the natural history or economics of reptiles in VA; nor their relatively simple captive husbandry requirements. Further, there seems to be no understanding of the difference between occupational hazard and public safety risk.

The reptile industry represents $25 million annually in commerce in Virginia. Thousands make their living in this State because of this business. To cavalierly destroy this non-traditional agricultural interest because of a fundamental lack of understanding is unacceptable. As written, this bill will hurt me and my family. It is bad idea to kill jobs in this kind of economy.

Working with certain reptiles entails a moderate occupational risk, but historically and statistically, reptiles represent virtually zero public safety risk. Dogs account for 35 deaths a year in this country. Captive reptiles less than one per year. Traditional livestock and pets have proven much more of a public safety risk than reptiles. According to US Fish & Wildlife and US Geological Services studies, the rare event of a death as the result of a captive reptile falls into the category of occupational hazard. There is no record whatsoever of a captive reptile creating any measurable risk to the public… NEVER!

Please remove ALL reptiles from HB1242. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Please Do This Today!


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Last week I promised details on how you can get involved in JKR Gear’s shed donation program… Here they are! jkrgear.com View high resolution

Last week I promised details on how you can get involved in JKR Gear’s shed donation program… Here they are!
jkrgear.com

For my 99th YouTube video, I’m sharing my views on the “Python Ban” and what we all can do about it.

Newest Morphs 101 focuses on one of the hottest BP mutations out there… the Coral Glow!

Coral Glow.

Click HERE to “LIKE” the new JKR Facebook page! View high resolution

Click HERE to “LIKE” the new JKR Facebook page!

This Morphs 101 covers the Hidden Gene Woma and Hidden Gene Woma Granite YB. Thanks again to Dave @ Bloodballreptiles.com!

From the JKR Mailbox:

Hello Justin! I’ve watched a lot of your videos on youtube, and I love them. Very informative! I’m trying to go into ball python breeding soon. I’m considering starting with blue eyed leucistics, as I think they are the most gorgeous. I’m also a sucker for black eyed leucistics, lavender albinos, and bumble bees. Do you have any advice for me in starting out with breeding? Maybe size recommendations for my first purchases, or how to get me name out there when I do start breeding? Thanks!!

Dear xxxxx,

Thanks for your message and kind words. Glad you’re enjoying the videos!

If you only want to breed Ball Pythons for your own interest and fun, then there is really no guidelines, just go out there and buy the ingredients or combos to make what your goals are. Be sure to spend enough on equipment / housing so that you don’t fail because of small problems along the way.

If you’re looking to make money or have a reptile business, then it will take a significant investment, well thought-out plan, and lots of patience. Its really like buying or starting any other business - You will need to invest in modifying or building a facility (it can be in your basement an extra room etc). Then you will need equipment (racks and husbandry supplies) and excellent employees (the snakes). In this scenario the “employees” are where the biggest investment should be. They should compliment each other and be well thought out, also the investment will need to be big enough that you can rise above the standard stuff that every other hobbyist is doing. You want to get noticed and have animals that you won’t have to compete on price in order to sell.

As far as marketing goes, the best thing is to just put yourself out there and interact with the reptile community. Ideally your animals should speak for and sell themselves with good pictures. Sales will likely start slow, but giving world-class service to your customers will keep them coming back and telling their friends about you. You need to be ready to reinvest in your business for at least several years before trying to pull money out of it. If you are patient, the earnings will be far greater when you’re ready to take a return on your investment.

Justin K.

Check out this very special installment of Morphs 101! The next few episodes were filmed on-location at Bloodball Reptiles in the United Kingdom. A special thanks to Dave for sharing his amazing collection with us.