I met a guy last weekend that imports ball pythons and savannah monitors and he was talking about how a friend of his found a scaleless ball python and imported it back to the states. Does anyone else find that odd? Sounds awesome, but how could they survive in the wild without even scales for protection? I just couldn't tell if he was just trying to make it sound like he could really get crazy stuff or if he was telling the truth. I would imagine that something like that would be a really big deal. It's certainly something I haven't heard of or seen yet. Wouldn't there be pictures and information going around about it? Anyways, let me know what you think and especially if you've heard about this or seen it...
RE: scaleless ball python (***DUW***) i was gonna say it sounds made up, but i just did a web search and it does exist. they call it a Derma Ball. here are some pics:
RE: scaleless ball python (***DUW***) I think it's a slug Seriously, I dont know what to make of it..
RE: scaleless ball python (***DUW***) lolz I think its SSOOOOO cute....i want one....., but captive bred.....does that exist?
RE: scaleless ball python (***DUW***) i found the pics on the web. i've been doing a little reading and i don't think these are being bred. nobody knows if it's genetic or just a flaw, but there have been a few found in the wild. i saw some pics of some naked rattelsnakes that guy bred (they were ugly as heck), so it may be genetic. i personally think breeding them would be wrong. seems to me that having no scales isn't healthy and i don't think a freakish unhealthy trait like that should be profitted on.
RE: scaleless ball python (***DUW***) That is the question right there..... does the lack of scales make the snake more susceptible to injury or disease? Is there more to the (defect?) than just the lack of scales? Does it effect its quality of life? All of those questions and a few more need answered before anyone should consider breeding this animal.
RE: scaleless ball python (***DUW***) Dead skin? I don't know... That is really weird. I wonder how it feels... But as shrap said, there has to be some other defect besides being scaleless. Or atleast prone to a disease.
RE: scaleless ball python (***DUW***) It also has no heat pits on it, so i dont know how it would hunt in the wild...
The Derma ball is breeding this yr! Very very wrong if you ask me. There was another thread about the derma on a different forum and many good points were brought up. such things like Sammy said. To me, the lack of scales does make it more susceptible to injury, and the slightest sharp edge can harm it. Like I said, not a proven fact but thats what many other people said. IF the genes wind up being genetic I think we will find many problems with the snake. This should be a snake that belongs to someone who is trustworthy and WONT breed it imo. Heres an additional pic of its stomach. http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/data/89090derma_belly_1.jpg
EXACTLY. And forgot to mention, the person is selling the offspring as HETS. There was an ad on kingsnake and the guy was taking down payments for the hets. This snake may not even be genetic (hopefully its not) and I dont see how this person has the right to sell these animals as hets. Dont see why people would buy the hets without the gene even being proven. The snake is definetly in the wrong hands if you ask me.
Wait...is this an entire new breed or is this a defect with the normals.....? is that what you guys are saying?? on second thought...i dont want a naked one...ill stick with my scale covered friends.....
yeah, i saw that fraud trying to sell them as hets. what a joke. it's not proven, they've never been bred, no telling if it's genetic or just a freak flaw and this jerkoff is trying to rip people off by calling them hets and telling fake stories about huge offers he's turned down from major breeders. as far as studying them before breeding, the sad thing is that we all know it won't happen that way. some idiot will start breeding them and worry about nothing but making money. it's disgusting and irresponsible, but it'll happen.
Not neccesairly a new breed, but maybe a new morph? Or just a defect? If it is a new morph, like I said before, I think that MANY MANY problems will occur being they are scaleless. After all, a reptile is a reptile because it has scales. The scales protect them.
i know we talked about them not having "feelings" but its still all about respect....and that is definatly NOT respecting them.....
