Evolution of the captive reproduction of reticulated pythons in the US

The evolution of retic breeding in the US has been a long journey.  From that first tiger x philippine breeding back in the 80s.  To the import of dwarfs and super dwarfs in the 90's.  Then the morph craze of the 2000's.  Back to super dwarfs and dwarfs once interstate commerce was restored.
Finally to the retic industry's current stage of progression towards selective breeding of both aesthetics and size.  

Its been a long journey.  Ive only been a part of the last 20 to 25 years.  But in that time i have seen a lot of people and retics come and go. 
The people not sticking around isn't a big deal.  The retics we've lost have been major and very unfortunate.

As it stands now there isn't many wild caught retics left in the US.  A lot of the wild caught localities we still have, passed through me, one way or another.  So i know there isnt many left.  
Pure localities are seen as much more important than they ever were. People are starting to understand we dont have enough.

The retic industry seems to be reaching maturity.  Theres much less random breeding's being done.  Very few breeders look at making worlds first, regardless of how bad they look, as a viable or responsible path forward. 

The Prehistoric mindset has finally went the way of the dinosaurs.   

It use to just be me online, making fun of how bad morph combos look.  Now its commonplace.  So much so that i don't even need to run my mouth anymore.

Retics are a microcosm of the ball python industry.  We have seen the ball python market go from cheap normals, to more morphs then you can count. 

All while selling one important idea.  That theres millions to be made.  I suppose there is if youre selling mice, rats, and racks to supply the breeders with their overhead there is.

The ball python industry really transformed the entire reptile industry into something different.  It promised the reptile hobby a sense of legitimacy by becoming a real industry. 
Unfortunately it created more of a factor farming mindset in reptiles, and a morph stacking business model, then it legitimized anything.

That business model had a fatal flaw.  Which was, its stability was dependent on a constant flow of new morphs being introduced.
This was a scarcity overvaluation metric for pricing.  That, while creating very high prices for anything new, by its nature was a crushing blow to prices of anything being produced in even moderate numbers.

Thus was born the accidental ball python pyramid scheme.  

It seemed like all markets within the reptile industry soon suffered the wrath of the ball python business model. 
At least species with any significant number of morphs.

The retic industry suffered more than most.  With the species itself being missed through the dense forest of morph combos and worlds first. 
The rise of the big yellow banana became the ultimate goal in retics for a long time. 

There was no need for breeders to believe their own eyes.  Hype and facebook likes would fill the void left by no color, pattern, or contrast. 

Until the prices crashed. 

Then the reality of aesthetic value could no longer be ignored.

Facebook likes are cheap. So is a fucking sick bro, comment left on a post.

But $2500 for a retic that looks like trash is just too much of an investment.

That was the hard lesson the retic industry had to learn and is still learning. 

Im the most canceled person in retics and possible all of reptiles.  I dont know of anyone else that has had as many big names in the industry actively try to get people to not do business with and deplatform them, as they have me. 
Not even samson. 

Ironically a lot of the people that have tried to cancel me were all doing business and breeder loans with samson.  They didn't even have the decency to say anything when the evidence of abuse came out.   Outside of maybe lying about what they knew or their involvement in business relations.  
Some were actively working with samson to try and go after me at the time.  Just REACH OUT to anyone in retics and they can confirm that story.

This is the behind the scenes nonsense that's being going on in retics for a long time.  Me shinning a light on it has never went over well. 

Nor has me warning for years, that the mainland market was heading towards a cliff.   The scarcity overvaluation model suddenly switched from morph combos, to the only 7 localities that are scientifically proven by science to only get the size of a bull snake.  Dont believe me just ask science.  Just dont ask me to spell their names right.

This created the bubble that created the price drop.  All while devaluing the already declining mainland market. 

While all of this was happening, ideas of selective breeding and the intrinsic value of pure localities were starting to make their way into the retic market.

I both arrogantly and correctly take a lot of credit for both of those ideas becoming mainstream in the retic industry. 
At least among the new breeders and keepers. 

I put selective breeding for polygenic inheritance on the retic map, for color and pattern. 
That statement albeit egotistical and braggadocios, is factually accurate. 
Basically what im trying to say is.
I am 
Retic Jesus

The other thing im trying to say is.  The ideology behind retic breeding is changing.  People want to make the best looking retics possible at a reasonable size.
The last 10 years of Eric lee's work has demonstrated that its possible to make small retic morphs if you're willing to put in the time.
The last 10 years of my work has proven its possible to manipulate the phenotype expression of normals to the point they look better than most morphs.

Its these two paths that are being seen the way forward.  With the goal of combining them.  

Thats why i say the retic industry is maturing into what it needs to be, to stabilize.  Unfortunately with stabilization there comes some losses.  Those losses will be the mainland market. 

When a new product becomes available, if its a better product, the old products will get replaced. 
Thats just how business works. 

Its going to be hard to make a compelling argument for a mainland morph when you can get a better looking smaller version.

This isnt an attack on mainlands.  Its the progression of retics.  Think of it like this.  Try to make an argument for a white phase super tiger titanium over an indo sunfire anthrax. 

You cant do it.  The one looks so much better than the other.  Even if you offer someone the titanium for $100 and the anthrax is $10,000, they're not going to take the titanium because thats not what they want. 

Now try to make an argument for an indo sunfire anthrax over a 50% super dwarf 37.5% ternate indo sunfire anthrax.
Theres no argument to make besides prices.

Aesthetic value and smaller size will win most of the time. 

Aesthetic value and smaller size turns all retic projects into long term projects with really no end. 
This will create stability.  You can always add more super dwarf blood and you can always add some different patterns and colors with traits. 

This new way forward in retics offers something the scarcity overvaluation system cant. Which is progression.
Scarcity overvaluation starts high.  It sets the ultimate value on there being a very limited number available.  Which causes a system of value that can only be reduced by every new one made.  Production can never add value.

Whereas a system built around aesthetics and size can add value via production.   Every time a locality makes a morph look better, value is added.  Every time super dwarf blood makes a morph smaller, value is added. 
How can mainlands add value.  Unless its a pure mainland locality it cant. 

The current successful ball python breeders are focused on aesthetic value.  They are no longer basing their breeding's around creating more and more of something that only loses value the more its produce. 

Retics are now going that way.  Nobody cares about a worlds first if it doesnt look good. 

The direction the retic industry is going with aesthetics and size being the priority will also limit production. 
Breeders are more focused on making the best looking version of whatever project they are working on.  
They are no longer trying to produce and sell as many as they can ,before prices come down.  

Breeding retics was a race to the bottom.  Now its a competition of quality.