Burmese morphs... - Page 2

TrowaIkari · #21 (**permalink**) 02-05-2004, 10:35 PM

That's a great analogy!

MattParnell · #22 (**permalink**) 02-05-2004, 10:53 PM

"I think that you only want an alb lab burm so you can say you have one and have people 'oh and ahh' over it. "

Really? I guess you've got me. I have been raised in a family that keeps exotics, from coatamundis, to boids, to emus, to parrots. I just recently sold a yellowhead retic to squeezer(not julias). My family owns Sulawesis as well. I have a lot "cooler" snakes than an albino labrynth. I love the way albino labrynths look. I would like to have one for the same reasons you guys want the snakes you have. I asked your guys opinions as well as for the opinions on Bob Clark's forum. I already have my own on the situation. I've just NEVER heard any evidence that directly links BD with morphs in GENERAL. Sure, there are lines out there that are of a bad quality. That can go for almost any species. That's why you are supposed to do your research and buy from a respected dealer. I'm not bashing anyone's opinions. However, there just seems to be a double standard when it comes to this topic. I just wanted to hear everybody's views. I can't find ANYWHERE in my posts where I got defensive OR upset...Perhaps you can show me.

JuliusSqueezer · #23 (**permalink**) 02-05-2004, 10:54 PM

I'm not going to get into the Blob Clark thing too deeply...He isn't here to defend hisself and I don't have enough respect for him to be bothered with him right now. But he has done his fair share in perpetuating this disease even if not knowingly. Every time I have comfronted him, he skirts the issues at hand by calling me jealous. Jealous? lol whatever Bob.

A virus is a funny thing. Just like any other living being it wants to survive. So...viruses mutate constantly and new strands develop. I'm not saying that BD is the exact same strand of paramyxovirus that wiped out many rattlesnake and other collections several years ago...but the symptoms sure do match other than the slow start...It looks TO ME as though maybe a strand evolved a way to hang on till after sexual maturity of the host so it could spread genetically. (this is my theory..I don't have the resources to look into this myself but I have asked for some that can to please look into this theory) As it stands...noone KNOWS exactly what BD is other than it is a virus. It is uncurable and it is both contageous and genetic. And is a death sentence to anything infected. Also, it has been found in bloods and retics too...not just burms... I suppose a cure will come about sometime after a cure for aids does.

About the comparing rescue burms and boas thing....apples and oranges. I have been doing reptile rescue well over 20 years. I can place any boa in less than a day. Burms are a nightmare to find homes for...especially if you rule out breeders. I won't adopt a burm to anyone I think would even consider breeding them. Why? Because I don't want to keep getting more and more back in rescue. I agree there are also too many boa breeders now. Too bad too because I love breeding them. But I have stopped any BCI breeding projects to concentrate totally on corallus for awhile...maybe later...BRB and Hogg Island boas...but that's about it for me.

MattParnell · #24 (**permalink**) 02-05-2004, 11:05 PM

I understand that too many burms in rescue centers. There are too many dogs and cats too. I want to make it clear that I do understand where you are coming from, but that can be applied across the board to homeless children too. Apples and oranges, yes. I agree that too many people are breeding burms, but I would rather reputable people like Bob Clark breed them, then the average Joe. The average Joe is the one, IMO, who is FAR more likely to produce snakes with sketchy health. However, once again, I am not interested in the adoption of burms debate. My only question was about health defects. You guys have given my your opinions and I appreciate and respect them. Just clearing some things up.

JuliusSqueezer · #25 (**permalink**) 02-05-2004, 11:05 PM

Oh...and you are right....it is not morph specific...as I said in my first post on this topic...breeders breed morphs to normals to make hets...they breed other morphs to combine to make new morphs...and the greens were no exception. They were bred into many lines and there are plenty of normal and morphed burms alike dying right now of BD because of both exposure and genetics. The reason it's more prevelant in morphs is because people are more likely to subject these lines to continuous inbreeding and spreading it that way. I don't think that any particular morph is the cause of the virus...but breeder's poor ethics are the cause of it's spreading the way it has.

LdyDrgn · #26 (**permalink**) 02-05-2004, 11:16 PM

I have also noticed over time that most over at his forums will tell you there is no such thing as BD (some don't even believe in IBD!) Over there they are going to tell you it doesn't exist while here we have people that do rescues/rehabs on a regular basis and will tell you it certainly DOES exist. Go to VPI, click on Mail Bag, then type BD in the search box. Please read the article called "the Burmese Disease". Maybe that will help *shrug*[/url]

TrowaIkari · #27 (**permalink**) 02-05-2004, 11:16 PM

[ I have a lot "cooler" snakes than an albino labrynth. I love the way albino labrynths look. I would like to have one for the same reasons you guys want the snakes you have]

That's exactly what I was saying. I have the snakes I have because I like the way look. There isn't anything wrong with that. I wasn't trying to belittle your reason for getting one. Sorry if it appeared that way.

I absolutely love purple phased albino retics. I think they are hands-down the most attractive morph on the market. Would I buy one? Not in a million years. There are too many large constrictors that need good homes.

Anyway, You seem to have your heart set on the lab burm... but I wish you would put your large constrictor experience into providing a home for a snake that needs it.

Advertisement