Transcript: Yasser Moustafa
Pythons, Morelia and Beyond
February 8, 2009
PHFaust: On behalf of Jeff Barringer and all of us at kingsnake.com, Yasser Moustafa to our 11 annual Chat Month..
PHFaust: Yasser Moustafa of Spitfire Reptiles has great experience with a variety of carpet species, GTP, various scrub python forms, as well as having worked with Morelia hybrids and maternal incubation techniques.
PHFaust: Morelia are often looked at as very aggressive snakes, but much like the blood pythons, this myth is beginning to disappear with successful captive breeding programs.
PHFaust: Get in on the ground floor and learn more about these stunning snakes. Yasser can help answer questions for all Species of the Morelia group.
PHFaust: Yasser when you have completed your answer, please type GA so we know to Go Ahead. Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls I present Yasser Moustafa!
vegasbilly: I have a pair of Bar Necks....8' female and 9' male...do you brumate them together and at what temp and for how long
vegasbilly: I know on your site they are probably a bit "small" yet to actively try to breed them?
Yasser: I don't cool them together but I often will begin introductions at the coolest times then thru their warmup...night time lows down to 70-74. and if they can lay, they will, no matter the size...just expect a small clutch. ga
vegasbilly: thanks!
Herptile_nr: What do you think about the ethnicities of keeping and b\creating hybrids?
Yasser: I fel that one should be able to pursue what they wish to do with the animal they keep as long as no harm comes to the animals themselves...but the real issue is honest represetation of hybrids. If they were more widely accepted altogether, folks would be more apt to be open about the background of their hybrids. ga
skitz_nr: do u have experience with ball pythons, and if so, what are your methods of breeding as far as introductions?
Yasser: I bred Balls only a few times...they are fairly straightforward as far as python breeding goes...cool them more at night in the cooling period and begin introductions a few weeks in if you want....these are living creatures that don't do everything by a formula like we hope they would :) ga
blackmamba1: how long have you kept species of the morelia genus
Yasser: wow...ummm...I got a stunning Queensland Carpet python probably 16 years ago. ga
Yasser: that was my first. ga
Ceasar_nr: I just adopted a 6 foot coastal. Is an arboral caging set up very needed? What do you suggest for holding the weight of the snake? I have a 4 foot vision that he is currently in and I am trying to figure out if I need to offer climbing
Yasser: Arboreal caging is definitely not neccessary though it will be used if provided. Personally, I go utilitarian quite often and my carpets love 2 x 4s! You can also go with making a form of PVC pipe frame for your carpet to perch on. ga
Herptile_nr: I read that variety is good for green tree pythons...Wouldn't you wan't to keep them on one food source their whole life?
Herptile_nr: Variety in diet
Yasser: I tedn to mix it up a bit myself with all of my reptiles but if a particular Morelia shows issues with becoming very imprinted on feeding on a particular prey item, I will try to keep them on one that is generally more healthy. I feed fowl but never as the sole food source.
JimG: Can you describe your caging setup for the scrub species?
Yasser: I keep some in 24 X 48 X 24 in high cages, others are in 24 X 48 X 15 inches. But I used to have some that were 4 feet tall...Scrubs will use any height but they seem to know no difference between a perch that's 6 inches off the floor or 6 feet off the floor.
Yasser: They are heated from the floor (2 sq ft)and/or above with ceramic heat emitters or heat panels . ga
Cleobear_nr: Just started looking at carpets. They are amazing, but is there a carpet that is considered a good starter? I will be sure to get captive bred but is there something that is considered a good beginner? And why
Yasser: Irian Jaya (aka West Papuan) carpets are great as they stay smaller and tend to be more calm from the getgo. Not to mention, they can be truly stunning! I am HIGHLY biased though :) ga
PHFaust: LOL Obviously you have not met my jaya! :)
Yasser: haha!
PHFaust: He loves to attempt to bite me...
Yasser: ya must smell like a mouse!
vegasbilly: thanks, Bar Neck brumating again..I've been to your site many times and am confused as to how long you keep them at the coolest temps before beginning the wwarm up?
Yasser: I cool them gradually down over about 2-3 weeks to their coolest nighttime temps and keep them there for about 2 weeks or so, then I gradually begin the warmup over the course of perhaps a month with occasional odd nights that go cool again....seems to stimulate breeding toward the end of the warmup. ga
Yasser: I may have to rewrite some things on my site huh?
PHFaust: LOL we like to help keep you on your toes Yasser
vegasbilly: brilliant site IMHO
tater_nr: What made you look at maternal incubation as opposed to the more common incubators...
Yasser: I had used various artificial Incubation techniques for many years but a few years ago, I tried MI and it has been so much easier for me! Mama knows best! The babies are born larger and feed better as well from my experience thus far. ga
JimG: You mentioned using fowl as feeders, what percentage of the total diet do you use them? Do you use them with all of your Morelia species?
Yasser: Some of my Morelia get as much as perhaps 40% of their diet in fowl, some far more sparingly. I feed fowl to even the Womas and Angolans...not just Morelia.Variance is good in every aspect of life in my opinion. I'd like to think we humans have learned something :) ga
pdollard: I was going to ask: What became of your attempt to MI a clutch of scrub eggs last year? Answered already...
Yasser: The female incubated the eggs for about 50 days or so and then began to abandon them over the course of a week or so. Mainly due to to much pressure I think...her cage was in a high traffic area, though she was covered up too. Oh well. I moved the eggs to incuabte them artificially but I have found the Maternally incubated clutches don't like the sudden change to the wetness of an AI environment. ga
tater_nr: at what age do you start offering fowl as part of the diet? And do you have an item preference?
Yasser: Tater, I sometimeswill offer stubborn hatchling carpets, quail chicks if neccessary.
Yasser: But I prefer to get them to 6-9 months of age with solid feeding response before letting them get too many fowl offerings. ga
Kerry_nr: Are there any books out there on Morelia that are good? I find that its hard to find much info really on carpets over all, and well when I keep something I like to learn as much as possible
Yasser: There are a few GTP books out there as well as a couple produced in AUS. Take a look at some of the book vendors here at kingsnake and I bet you can find what you are looking for. ga
Monkee_nr: I notice carpets seem to be the most acceptable and least controversial hybrids... Out of curiosity, do you notice any genetic issues related to this? I have had a few hybrid lizards and have noticed issues with female iguanids and reproduction... I would assume with the level of hybridization in carpets, there really arent major issues?
Yasser: To be quite honest, hybrid reptiles generally have no more issues than those that are "pure".
Monkee_nr: Thats good to hear, because I would like to get a few carpet hybrids... :)
Yasser: In many cases with colubrids, there has been documented reports of actual hybrid vigor. ga
srreptiles: hey Yasser, hope thing are doing better for u. Any ideas how to get jungle to switch for mice to rats? all she will eat is live ad mice.
Yasser: All is well here these days. I recommend letting the Jungle go a while without food and only offer rats for several weeks, on a weekly basis. If that does't work, then offer one thawed with a mouse or two and see if that works...then wean him gardually on the mousey smell :) ga
JimG: What about scrub temperment? How does it affect your husbandry practices?
Yasser: I grew to just be able to read them and know what their next step may be. It's best to start with a small one and your expereince will grow as it grows. But hooks are a god tool to have, no doubt. I use hooks to engage them upon entering their cage and they usually will go from defensive (bitey) to scared.
tater_nr: With more captive breeding are you seeing an increased popularity in the carpets? I notice it is a small group, much like the blood keepers.... Do you see more people branching into carpets or other morelia?
Yasser: The carpets are bringing in more and more interest, especially as the morphs become more and more readily available...not to mention some species just now making it into the US collections
Yasser: I think folks go where their eyes take them in the end...the Ball Pythons are just so varied with all the morph combos...they'll always have alot of the attention. But so do the Boas and others too. It's all good!
Yasser: I worry less about morphs and things these days and play with what really excites me. "Soulherping" if you will!
PHFaust: lol thats a good way to put it
Kerry_nr: Can you tell me how the Jagpondro program is going?
Yasser: The Jagpondro clutch we hatched last year is phenomenal. I am very excited to have them to raise up. I am trying a couple of 50% Jagpondro crossing this season. But I'd might as well mention that our new website at www.jagpondro.com is nearing completion as I type this. Take a look! ga
PHFaust: I must say I got lost looking at the pics yesterday...
blackmamba1: i just wanted to say thank you for the time you have gave all of us tonight, you know your stuf
PHFaust: On that note!
PHFaust: On behalf of Jeff Barringer and all of us here at kingsnake.com, Thank You for taking your time to chat with us. Transcripts will be posted with in a few days. Once again, Thank you Yasser!
JimG: Thank you Yasser.
Yasser: Why thank you! You are all very welcome! I had a great time!
PHFaust: Please visit Yasser's websites at http://www.jagpondro.com/ and http://spitfirereptiles.com/indexsrc.html
