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Bear Market in Boas: Proposed Laws Strangle Sales of Mutant Snakes
wsj ^ | FEBRUARY 13, 2010, | JUSTIN SCHECK

Posted on 02/14/2010 6:34:24 AM PST by JoeProBono

CHICO, Calif.—The stock market is back on track, and bond markets are open for business. But now, another inflated financial market is facing collapse: mutant pythons and boa constrictors. Early in 2009, "investment grade" big snakes—critters with genetic mutations that create rare colorings—still held their premium values. But since last spring, the mutant-snake bubble has burst. Premium pythons that could fetch $40,000 in 2007 now go for half that sum, breeders report.

The price for a hypomelanistic boa constrictor, one with a mutation that lightens its skin tone, was $99 on Feb. 1, down from $5,000 in 2007, on Kingsnake.com, a classified-ad site that acts as a market-maker for snakes.

Ron Greenberg, a retired fiberglass-plant manager who keeps 1,000 snakes here in Chico, says demand has disappeared altogether for some boas he breeds. He can't find buyers anymore for "sunglow" boa constrictors, which sport an unnatural reddish-orange-and-off-white coloration, and fetched $3,000 two years ago. The turning point: Senate Bill 373, which Florida Democrat Bill Nelson proposed in February 2009 to prevent situations like one in the Everglades, where escaped Burmese pythons have devoured native animals. The bill would ban importation and interstate transport of boa constrictors, anacondas and large pythons. A similar antisnake bill followed in the House.....


(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Humor; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: jpb; snake

1 posted on 02/14/2010 6:34:24 AM PST by JoeProBono
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To: JoeProBono

I see a future nominee for the 2011 ‘Darwin Awards’...


2 posted on 02/14/2010 6:36:09 AM PST by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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To: who knows what evil?

3 posted on 02/14/2010 6:40:13 AM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: All

4 posted on 02/14/2010 6:45:36 AM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

A little late to ban the importation of these snakes. Bad news for snake raisers and rat raisers alike. I’d like to shed a tear for both but I can’t seem to to do it.


5 posted on 02/14/2010 6:51:29 AM PST by Ditter
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To: JoeProBono

These damn snakes should not even be on the market.If they get loose in the environment there are no predators that van deal with them.

Just look at Florida to see the trouble these imported,non-native reptiles are causing their.


6 posted on 02/14/2010 6:51:32 AM PST by puppypusher
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To: puppypusher

I am a former ball python owner(ex kept the snake after divorce). These are great pets for the right people. Never to be released into the wild though.


7 posted on 02/14/2010 6:59:53 AM PST by goseminoles
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To: puppypusher

8 posted on 02/14/2010 7:00:20 AM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

Nothing a good sharp shovel couldn’t take care of.


9 posted on 02/14/2010 7:01:13 AM PST by bigbob
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To: JoeProBono

Have you ever seen the car in front of you on the highway try to run over a snake? The snake will be stretched out across the pavement and unless the car is going really fast, at the instant the tire is about to run over it, the snake is able to pull back. I wish I had reflexes like that.


10 posted on 02/14/2010 7:06:39 AM PST by Ditter
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To: goseminoles

I am a former ball python owner(ex kept the snake after divorce). These are great pets for the right people. Never to be released into the wild though.

Well that’s the problem as it is with everything there are irresponsible people who should never had these snakes as pets in the first place.

The snakes grow to big to accomodate and instead of taking them to a reptile preserve,they release them into the wild.


11 posted on 02/14/2010 7:09:57 AM PST by puppypusher
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To: JoeProBono; shibumi
Obligatory:


12 posted on 02/14/2010 7:21:22 AM PST by Salamander (....and I'm sure I need some rest but sleepin' don't come very easy in a straight white vest.......)
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To: JoeProBono
Mowgli relaxes with Kaa whose US Visa has been revoked.

13 posted on 02/14/2010 7:43:29 AM PST by ricks_place
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To: JoeProBono

And how exactly do the ship these beasts ?

You guessed it. .

SNAKES ON A PLANE!

SNAKES ON A MOTHER-F***ING PLANE !!!

(sorry, couldn’t resist. . .)


14 posted on 02/14/2010 8:08:27 AM PST by Salgak (Acme Lasers presents: The Energizer Border: I dare you to try and cross it. . .)
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To: JoeProBono

What exactly the Hell is that ?


15 posted on 02/14/2010 8:13:59 AM PST by PLMerite (Ride to the sound of the Guns - I'll probably need help.)
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To: Reptilefreak

Snake ping.


16 posted on 02/14/2010 8:29:13 AM PST by Tax-chick (Sarah Palin is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.)
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To: PLMerite

A seriously bad case of indigestion caused by a meal who fought back?


17 posted on 02/14/2010 8:30:19 AM PST by Salamander (....and I'm sure I need some rest but sleepin' don't come very easy in a straight white vest.......)
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To: Salamander

Looks like the limb of a distantly related reptile whose genetic expression, through a mutation, got switched on.


18 posted on 02/14/2010 9:48:50 AM PST by Erasmus (Buffalo: "I never met an Indian I didn't like, with the possible exception of Deepak Chopra.")
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