Opinion Piece: The unethical trend of reptile rack systems

Disclaimer: I'm well aware that a vast majority of breeders or keepers with large collections will complain about this post/my opinion. And it's not the first time I have had potentially contentious views - read my article on a summary of my issues with the python breeding industry in this post.  But, I'm curious... for those of you who share my thoughts - please post below (or on my Facebook page) and let me know what you think. We need to challenge the age old processes, and I'd love to find more like-minded people.

What is most important to people?

Ethics, and the humane treatment of animals?

In these adult tub systems, the snakes:

1. rarely have adequate space to stretch out,
2. rarely have a hide to feel secure and curl up under.
3. rarely have anything to climb on (arboreal, remember!!)
4. rarely have exposure to natural lighting
5. rarely have any substrate or form of enrichment,
6. are lucky if they even have a piece of butchers paper that may cover part of their tub, and,
7. they frequently have poor ventilation.

A trend I have also noticed is that sometimes people will post their proud 'achievements' with these rack systems on social media.

Others will comment on the poor quality of life of the animals in those environments, and... *poof* - instead of addressing the concerns, the post or the comments are deleted.

I could easily share photos that these breeders seem to confidently flaunt, but how is that going to bring about change? Besides. I'm sure we've all seen them, and that you know what I'm talking about, if you follow them online.

And - I will be honest.

Yes, I keep hatchlings and juveniles in tub systems. So am I a hypocrite? Perhaps.

But - I'm totally upfront about it, am hiding nothing, and happy to share the reasoning why.

Why use tub systems for hatchlings?

Unlike most adult snakes, hatchlings and juveniles view themselves as prey.

They often will refuse to eat, and will hide away if they feel overly exposed. In addition, it is easier to monitor toileting, eating and shedding of the much more fragile hatchlings, when they are housed in a rack system.

My aim will be to get hatchies ready and feeding reliably so they can go to their new homes, where they can then experience further enrichment.

For my 'keepers,' as soon as they are big enough (aka can't escape or be injured), they move to a bigger tub, so they can still fully stretch out.

At all times they have:

• a multi-layered hide,
• clean water bowl,
• juvies get a cocopeat based substrate that they can actually explore and burrow in, and
  
• I use things like bird ladders for arboreal pythons to climb on, in contrast to convenient, cheap, thin but uncomfortable pieces of garden mesh.

Having these ethics means a few things:

1. I can't keep or produce the sheer numbers of reptiles that many bigger breeders can, and
2. I can't produce offpsring and sell them as cheaply as the bigger breeders.

But what CAN I offer?

1. Peace of mind that my offspring will come from an ethical environment, 
2. the animals quality of life and health is important, and,
3. they aren't simply locked away in a drawer until their presence is convenient again, to pump out further offspring. 

So...what's more important to you?