HM: How did you get into the hobby?
OM: Before college, I was actually afraid of snakes. My freshman year, I decided it was time to get over that. (Plus, they’re way cooler to keep than just cats and dogs.) I got my first Cali king in 2004 and I was hooked. I got my first carpet a few months later and Rogue Reptiles was born.
HM: You are well known for being the co-host of Morelia Python Radio. How did you and Eric connect to start MPR?
OM: Eric had put out a thread looking for a co-host and I saw the post. I had only known Eric by reputation and the fact that he had like 18 snakes I was interested in. I messaged him about it, we spoke online for a bit, and then over the phone for an hour. After that, we recorded the second ever MPR episode and now we’re on our tenth season.
HM: You used to work in the zoo sector. What are some valuable things you learned there? And what do you still implement in your collection today?
OM: The most valuable thing I learned was good quarantine practices. I firmly believe that it is one of the most important things a keeper can implement. Too many people seem to think it’s something they can skip, but skipping it can seriously endanger your whole collection. I’ve heard of entire collections getting sick and many of the animals dying. That could’ve been avoided if the new animal had been quarantined properly. Next, I would say that enrichment for reptiles is something else that has stuck with me. Just because a snake doesn’t play with a ball doesn’t mean you can’t provide them some form of entertainment in their enclosure. It could be another snake’s shed or something different to eat or something new to hide in. Anything to make the day different for them.
HM: We all know you are a Morelia guy at heart, but you do have a quite diverse collection. What is your favorite non-Morelia species to work with?
OM: It varies from day to day to be completely honest. Just today, I was handling my Cribo female and was totally obsessed with how she was moving through my hand. Yesterday I caught my gold phase white lip basking in the sun and got to see all his colors on full display. I’m sitting here now being watched by my three adult rhino rats. I think having some variety in a collection is a great thing.
HM: We all have people we look up to in the hobby. Who was someone that you looked up to or taught you a lot about keeping?
OM: There are too many to name in such a small space. I am only here because of all the great help and advice I’ve received over the years. Awesome keepers like Eric Burke, Jason Baylin, Eric Koller, Mike Curtin, Nick Mutton, Will Leary, Rob Stone, Keith Mcpeek, Justin Julander, and Buddy Buscemi are only a few. All guys who didn’t have to give me the time of day but who willingly shared information and talked me through keeping and breeding.
HM: Besides Morelia, what else do you work with?
OM: Lots! My python collection includes Olives, Macklotts, Waters, Dunni, gold and black White lips, Ringeds, Timors, and Womas. My colubrid collection includes Vietnamese Blue Beautys, Cribo, Madagascar hognose, Rhino rats, Chinese king rats, Cali kings, and Pines. I’ve also got Rainbow boas and Dominican red mountain boas…. And I know I’m missing other species.
HM: Since you have made the trip to Australia, did you experience anything that changed your way or outlook on keeping any of your species?
OM: I would say it definitely has. Before that trip, my assumption was that reptiles would love constant temps in the high 80s to low 90s. But to be honest, when the air temperature got above 82 degrees, the snakes disappeared. We had the best success finding them at night when the air temp was in the 70s. Since then, I have been letting my cage temps spike during the day and drop at night year round. During the summer, the drop is not as dramatic. The whole snake room and the cages themselves might only get as low as 80 degrees at night. I feel this gets the animals moving and exploring their habitat more. It also allows them to feel a significant difference in the winter night drops to get ready for breeding season.
HM: With MPR being on as long as it has, what is the most valuable thing you have learned from the show?
OM: That there are a thousand ways to keep and breed snakes successfully. You just have to figure out what works best for you and the animals you want to work with. And you should always be open to new ideas and how you can make new and/or different techniques work for you.
HM: Out of all the species you keep or have kept, which one has been the biggest challenge and why was it a challenge?
OM: I would say my white lips are my biggest love-hate relationship. I have loved them for years, but I always have issues getting them to breed and I have had some truly heartbreaking moments. They have taught me that you just have to keep moving forward and keep improving how you work with them. One day, when I finally start to get clutches, it will make those eggs all the more special.
HM: Last question, what advice do you have for anyone that is just getting started in the hobby/breeding scene?
OM: READ!!! There are tons of books out there, so find the species you are interested in and read every book and article you can find. Then listen to every podcast episode involving breeders of that species. Then buy the animal from the top breeder in the country if you can manage it. Don’t do it backwards! You should always be as well informed as possible BEFORE bringing any animal into your house.
