About Rob Clark Pythons
RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Read below to find out Rob Clark's background in pythons, how things are currently, and where things are going!
Background- Rob Clark has had a fascination with snakes his entire life, ever since he was old enough to attend school and visit the library, Rob was always interested in books about snakes. The more he read, the more interested he became. At an early age, his grandmother caught an Eastern Garter Snake in a jar and allowed him to keep it for a day. The following year, Rob found a clutch of eggs and placed them in a mason jar with holes in the lid. These eggs were kept outside in the shade and hatched green snakes that were released into the area where the eggs were found. This further fostered his interests in snakes, but many questions remained about how to keep them, which ones were venomous, what do they eat, and much more. As a child, Rob was only getting started. Throughout his school years, Rob went herping in the woods, fields, and creeks often catching a variety of non-venomous snakes, and admiring the more dangerous copperheads of Western North Carolina without touching them.
In high school, at the age of 17, in 1994, after visiting many pet stores and realizing people actually kept snakes as pets, Rob purchased his first python from someone running an ad in the local papers, a baby female Burmese Python. This python went on to grow to be very large and lived for many years. Along with the pythons, Rob also purchased and kept a common redtail boa, a common normal ball python, and occasionally a few other similar snakes. Upon graduating high school, Rob took a break from keeping his reptiles to join the Army for 4 years and entrusted his grandmother with his pythons and boa until he was able to return home in late 2000.
In 2001, Rob began a career in emergency management, but kept his interests in pythons and began breeding Burmese pythons in 2002. Rob's first clutch was a clutch of albino Burmese Pythons, followed by another clutch of normal hets and albino Burmese Pythons. Rob continued to breed Burmese Pythons and also Ball pythons for the next few years, but wanted to expand into Retics.
In 2004, Rob purchased his first Retic sold as a female, which later turned out to be a large male. The raw power and intelligence of a his first Retic was enough to convince him to acquire more Retics and to begin a Retic breeding program. In 2006, Rob hatched his first 2 clutches of Retics, which included lavender albino tigers, tigers, albinos, and normals. This taste of success prompted Rob to build one of the largest Retic collections in North Carolina at that time. In fact, Rob converted his entire collection to just retics, some of which were very rare animals. In 2007, Rob built his website, the original version of this website, and moved his collection into a new facility in 2008. Part of Rob's interest in the hobby was education. Rob made many educational appearances with his pythons in public schools and helped to educate hundreds of children.
However, in 2009, winter was harsh, and power outages and winter storms demonstrated the inadequacies and flaws of the new facility. A lot of work needed to be done, but at this time, Rob was also a college student with 3 kids and 2 jobs, so money was tight and time was scarce. It was in 2010 that Rob stepped away from Pythons because he was unable to give them the time and attention and proper care they deserved. Rob refinanced his investment into breeding AKC registered purebred dogs, mostly Bulldogs. Rob focused on breeding dogs for 10 years, and during this time, completed his 2 college degrees, but also found himself in the midst of an ugly divorce. Rob decided to relocate from the mountains and foothills of Western North Carolina to the warmest and most humid part of the state, near Wilmington, North Carolina. This area of the state was perfect for rebuilding his Python collection and business because of the warmer temperatures. Winter storms and freezing temps are more rare in this area of North Carolina where alligators live in the warmer waters of the state.
In 2020, Rob Clark decided to purchase a pet Retic as a hobby and soon began considering the possibility of rebuilding his business. Almost overnight, Rob sold his entire collection of bulldogs and began researching the python market, exploring logistical support, and studying new genetics and changes in the hobby. Rob secured a dependable supply of PVC so he could begin designing and building enclosures for himself and for customers. Rob soon realized a lot had changed during his 10 year absence from the hobby. Many advancements had been made in keeping reptiles. When Rob had last owned a python, Facebook didn't exist, and very few people had computers or internet connections, but with the widespread use of social media, the hobby had exploded. People were connecting and networking like never before, and the published information was abundant, but so was the misinformation. Rob quickly realized there was a need for him to openly rejoin the hobby, not only to breed for profit, but to help educate others, and to improve the hobby.
One step at a time, Rob began building the infrastructure and logistics necessary to create and sustain a lasting python and enclosure business and in 2021, Rob was again hatching Reticulated pythons, to include holdbacks and significantly rare genetics. Additionally, Rob had established an extensive rat colony of more than 1,000 rats, and a sizeable flock of feeder ducks and chickens. Rob had also secured a dependable and sustainable never ending supply of feeder pigs. Also, and most significantly, in 2021, Rob purchased a new residence with commercial property type features with enough room for the business to sustain and grow. Also, in 2021, this website was created, launched, and it continues to be further developed, not just for sales, but for education.
2022 saw setbacks and achievements with difficulties in social media when my RCP Facebook page was deleted and thousands of followers were lost, the loss of several animals due to an extremely hot summer or inadequately cooled shop, and also 2022 was the first full year that I worked out of town. The daily commute greatly depleted the time I had available to keep things going and maintain the business. Enclosures were also built for my program, but due to the lack of time, I was forced to postpone building enclosures and racks for buyers, but new hatchling racks were built and put into service here as well as a new incubator. New genetics were purchased, and a colony of feeder rabbits was established.
2023 is just getting started, but some female pythons are gravid while others are breeding. Only time will tell.
What does the future hold? For starters, Rob plans to resume building enclosures for the public very soon. In the coming years, Rob will be retiring from his day job and RCP will become the full-time venture. Rob is always exploring new ways and strategies to build the business to be bigger and better, not just for profits, but for everyone's benefit. Rob is devoted to building the hobby for everyone's enjoyment. Rob continues to be passionate about educating the public about these impressive animals. More information will be added to this website to help spread educational materials concerning husbandry, veterinary care, responsible keeping, and other positive and supportive materials.
In terms of the actual business, plans to expand are evolving with every passing minute. Rob's goal is to produce animals he's never produced before each and every year. Rob is also planning to expand back into breeding Ball Pythons, Burmese Pythons, Blood Pythons, and African Rock Pythons. He may even breed Carpet Pythons and a few other species. Upon retirement from his day job, Rob plans to purchase or build a commercial property devoted solely to the breeding of pythons, the building of enclosures, and the production of feeder rodents. The expected square footage will be 8,000 to 10,000 sq ft. Mostly likely Rob will be hiring at least 1 full-time employee, and possibly a staff of up to 4 employees as things develop.
Rob continues to explore new business strategies and is always looking for new partnerships. He remains open minded to new husbandry techniques and it always looking for better ways to be more efficient and more cost effective, ways to have healthier animals, and for ways to improve not just his business, but also for ways to improve the entire hobby.
Rob is committed to supporting USARK, spreading information, supporting other breeders and keepers, and wants to encourage everyone to be as responsible and respectful as possible with their animals. Rob is a strong advocate for the eradication of mites, and supports and encourages PCR testing for viruses to help stop the spread of disease. When Rob says Expect BIG Things, he is not always referring to just the snakes or enclosures, but is also referring to his many other contributions to the hobby.
Rob Clark PythonsExpect BIG Things Wilmington, NC
In 2020, Rob Clark decided to purchase a pet Retic as a hobby and soon began considering the possibility of rebuilding his business. Almost overnight, Rob sold his entire collection of bulldogs and began researching the python market, exploring logistical support, and studying new genetics and changes in the hobby. Rob secured a dependable supply of PVC so he could begin designing and building enclosures for himself and for customers. Rob soon realized a lot had changed during his 10 year absence from the hobby. Many advancements had been made in keeping reptiles. When Rob had last owned a python, Facebook didn't exist, and very few people had computers or internet connections, but with the widespread use of social media, the hobby had exploded. People were connecting and networking like never before, and the published information was abundant, but so was the misinformation. Rob quickly realized there was a need for him to openly rejoin the hobby, not only to breed for profit, but to help educate others, and to improve the hobby.
One step at a time, Rob began building the infrastructure and logistics necessary to create and sustain a lasting python and enclosure business and in 2021, Rob was again hatching Reticulated pythons, to include holdbacks and significantly rare genetics. Additionally, Rob had established an extensive rat colony of more than 1,000 rats, and a sizeable flock of feeder ducks and chickens. Rob had also secured a dependable and sustainable never ending supply of feeder pigs. Also, and most significantly, in 2021, Rob purchased a new residence with commercial property type features with enough room for the business to sustain and grow. Also, in 2021, this website was created, launched, and it continues to be further developed, not just for sales, but for education.
2022 saw setbacks and achievements with difficulties in social media when my RCP Facebook page was deleted and thousands of followers were lost, the loss of several animals due to an extremely hot summer or inadequately cooled shop, and also 2022 was the first full year that I worked out of town. The daily commute greatly depleted the time I had available to keep things going and maintain the business. Enclosures were also built for my program, but due to the lack of time, I was forced to postpone building enclosures and racks for buyers, but new hatchling racks were built and put into service here as well as a new incubator. New genetics were purchased, and a colony of feeder rabbits was established.
2023 is just getting started, but some female pythons are gravid while others are breeding. Only time will tell.
What does the future hold? For starters, Rob plans to resume building enclosures for the public very soon. In the coming years, Rob will be retiring from his day job and RCP will become the full-time venture. Rob is always exploring new ways and strategies to build the business to be bigger and better, not just for profits, but for everyone's benefit. Rob is devoted to building the hobby for everyone's enjoyment. Rob continues to be passionate about educating the public about these impressive animals. More information will be added to this website to help spread educational materials concerning husbandry, veterinary care, responsible keeping, and other positive and supportive materials.
In terms of the actual business, plans to expand are evolving with every passing minute. Rob's goal is to produce animals he's never produced before each and every year. Rob is also planning to expand back into breeding Ball Pythons, Burmese Pythons, Blood Pythons, and African Rock Pythons. He may even breed Carpet Pythons and a few other species. Upon retirement from his day job, Rob plans to purchase or build a commercial property devoted solely to the breeding of pythons, the building of enclosures, and the production of feeder rodents. The expected square footage will be 8,000 to 10,000 sq ft. Mostly likely Rob will be hiring at least 1 full-time employee, and possibly a staff of up to 4 employees as things develop.
Rob continues to explore new business strategies and is always looking for new partnerships. He remains open minded to new husbandry techniques and it always looking for better ways to be more efficient and more cost effective, ways to have healthier animals, and for ways to improve not just his business, but also for ways to improve the entire hobby.
Rob is committed to supporting USARK, spreading information, supporting other breeders and keepers, and wants to encourage everyone to be as responsible and respectful as possible with their animals. Rob is a strong advocate for the eradication of mites, and supports and encourages PCR testing for viruses to help stop the spread of disease. When Rob says Expect BIG Things, he is not always referring to just the snakes or enclosures, but is also referring to his many other contributions to the hobby.
Rob Clark PythonsExpect BIG Things Wilmington, NC
