CB, WC and More: How to Decode Where Your Reptile Came From

Written by Mariah Healey, ReptiFiles.com

If you’ve been browsing reptiles for sale lately, you may have noticed some interesting acronyms and terminology in the listings: WC, CB, farmed, captive hatched…what do they mean? Is it anything to pay attention to? The answer is yes, because these terms tell you where a reptile comes from, and knowing where it came from is important knowledge when deciding whether to bring it home. So here’s what you need to know:

WC

WC means “wild caught” — in other words, any reptile with this label was captured from the wild for the pet trade. It’s a very common practice. At first glance the idea of taking animals from the wild may seem repellent, but keep in mind that strategically and responsibly bringing in wild reptiles is important for establishing stable captive populations and diversifying captive bloodlines in our hobby.

That said, there’s both good and bad reptile importers, and some people import reptiles strictly for profit. These retailers don’t care much about the conditions the animals are transported in, and they don’t take the time to properly quarantine or stabilize them, instead pawning them off on a customer at the first opportunity. These reptiles often struggle to adapt to and survive in captivity. Furthermore, illegally-collected (poached) reptiles are all too common among those imported for the pet trade, placing pressure on struggling wild populations.

For best results, buy from a responsible importer with a solid reputation. These retailers only source legally-collected reptiles. They also take good care of their animals and make sure their health is good before offering them up for sale. Properly-imported reptiles are more likely to adjust to captivity well, although wild caught reptiles in general tend to be less tolerant of human interaction.

CB/CBB

“CB” stands for “Captive Bred,” although sometimes it can be confused for “Captive Born” (see “Captive Hatched” section later in this article), so sometimes breeders will specify and label their animals as CBB – “Captive Bred and Born”. Since CBB reptiles are born from captive parents, there’s no risk of injuring wild populations, and they’re more used to human interaction, which means they’re more likely to acclimate well to being your pet.

However, not all reptile breeders are equal. Just because a reptile was born in captivity doesn’t guarantee health. There are people who are selling offspring because their animals bred by accident, just because they could, or because they’re looking for an “easy” way to make money. These “breeders” usually care for their animals poorly, aren’t very knowledgeable, and pay little to no attention to ensuring quality genetics. There are also large-scale breeders who breed and sell reptiles for a living, but vary in their expertise, quality of care, and reputation. Finally, there are “small batch” breeders who are very knowledgeable and usually keep their animals primarily as pets, but breed more as a side project.

When buying a ‘CB’ reptile, make sure that it’s CBB and comes from a knowledgeable breeder with a high standard of care and hygiene. Taking care to buy only from the best breeders also helps make sure they can keep supporting our hobby with their work.

Captive Farmed

“Captive Farmed” reptiles are like a mix between wild caught and captive bred reptiles. They’re bred and raised on farms designed to breed reptiles en masse for the pet trade, so they’re raised with minimal human interaction and medical care, but they’re also kept separate from wild populations. Sometimes these farms are outdoors, and sometimes they’re indoors. The quality of these facilities varies, but generally speaking, welfare is suboptimal to outright bad. Certain reptile farms which supply chain pet stores with common reptile species have been exposed for horrific animal welfare violations — think “puppy mill.”

Reptile farming usually focuses on quantity over quality, and there’s a strong likelihood of health problems with these animals. It’s best to avoid supporting these businesses whenever possible.

Captive Hatched

“Captive Hatched” reptiles are individuals with a wild-caught mother which gave birth or laid eggs in captivity. Alternatively, they may be from eggs that were harvested from the wild and hatched in captivity.

This practice can harm wild reptile populations by robbing them of offspring which otherwise would have contributed to the health and stability of the parents’ population. However, captive hatched reptiles typically make better pets than strictly wild caught individuals because they’re more accustomed to humans and captive conditions, although they tend to be less tame than captive bred. Health varies by how well the seller cares for them.

Conclusion

A word of caution: Keep your eyes open and don’t take a reptile seller’s word at face value about where their animals come from. Some reptile sellers will say that a wild caught, captive born, or farmed reptile is captive bred in order to secure a sale, even when that’s not actually the case. Another scam to be aware of is online sellers posting listings for animals they don’t actually have.

Wild caught, captive born, and farmed reptiles are extremely common at most reptile expos and pet stores. If you’re looking to buy a captive bred reptile, don’t just ask whether the animal is captive bred, because this makes it easy for the seller to lie. Ask for the name of the breeder and, if necessary, contact them with a picture of the animal in question to verify that it’s theirs. If buying from a source online who claims to have bred the animal, ask for pictures verifying the breeding date of the parents and the hatch/birth date of the animal. Ask for multiple pictures of the animal from different angles. It’s a hassle, but a responsible seller will be eager to prove their legitimacy and should already have this information on hand, or be able to get them to you quickly.

Knowing where a reptile comes from enables you to make an informed choice so you know what to expect when you bring your new pet home.

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