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Posted by M.Eguro on November 10, 1999 at 20:02:52:

In Reply to: To MARIE EGURO, on Sapphire, the blue Cayman posted by * Iguana Joe * on November 10, 1999 at 13:05:27:

: Hi, i saw your web-site, and it's great!
: I've just been to the cyclura forum, and a guy said that igs like Sapphire cost b/w $1500-$4000!!!!!
: is that true?
: how much did you pay for Sapphire?
: Is she starting to turn blue yet?

Thanks for the comments on SApphire's site. Not all blue cayman igs will be very blue. Depends on the blood line.
You should always look at the parents and if you can, the grandparents too, to know what you are getting.
Certain bloodlines also are larger than others. Sapphire comes from David Blair's LP
bloodline, she is a third generation captive bred gal. her parents and grandparents are small for nubila lewisi, but they have
really beautiful color, some of the best I have seen on any lewisi. For some people, getting
a large impressive looking male is important to them, I was looking for a small sized female. Sapphire
will probably be about 6 lbs when fully grown, a little larger than her mother.

If you have seen Sapphire's webpage, yes she was already showing lots of blues at a very
young age and gets more and more everyday. I have a ton of pics and video of pure blue caymans as well. There are some unethical
breeders of cyclura out there, you have to be careful. They will say anything to make a buck.
Some really silly rumors that are not true are:

1) the hybrid blue caymans are more territorial than the pures.

This is not true. All cyclura will try to kill each other eventually if they get the chance. Maybe a compatible male/female pair will get along
the best but even then you have to be really, really careful.
Cyclura nubila (not the rhinos!)
may be really tame to humans but if you are a lizard, WATCH OUT! I have seen dozens of pure blue caymans break
through unbelievably thick and heavy wire to kill another cyclura.
Even a small male can and will kill a large female, but
don't underestimate the females either.

2) All pure blues have better color than hybrids.

This is not true either. At the breeding facility on Grand Cayman Island
(the only place in the world you will see a bunch of purebreds all together),
there were many hybrids that completely fooled the breeders... they were bred as pure
blues because they have such great color but through DNA test they were proved to be
hybrids not purebloods. Hybrids nowadays can be mixed with cuban blood, or caymanesis blood.
Some hobbiests are not taking the trouble to breed a nice looking blue cayman to blue cayman, and they
are looking less and less the way they originally did in the wild. Only deal with a good
breeder with a good reputation.

As far as the pure are concerned, it would be unethical to have
one as a pet, these guys are on the brink of extinction with less than 100
left in the wild. They belong on their native islands in the breeding program.
A pure on the black market will cost you upwards of $4000.

A really great looking hybrid adult with nice personality will run you over $1000, maybe even $2000 it will
all depend on how the color and personality and if any toes or tail is missing. Hybrids can only be
pets and not used in a breeding program for release to the wild. A not so great looking adult hybrid you can get for
$800.

Baby hybrids usually sell for $350 not including tax but there is no guarantee as far as personality
or color are concerned. Even littermates from a good bloodline can be different as night and day. Remember I waited
three years to find the right one for me. Also remember cyclura are a very long time commitment, cannot be mixed
with other lizards (they will fight, even two females will try to kill each other), also they need a lOT of
space, much more space than green iguanas.

On the good side, these guys are much more hardy than green igs,
you do not need to worry about temps as much (they can easily take temps
as low as 50 at night), they are not nearly as suceptible to the many illnesses
green igs get, **with reasonable care**. Also cyclura nubila in my opinion
tames way faster and more reliably than green iguanas.

If you want to talk more about Cyclura nubila lewisi email me, m_eguro@ix.netcom.com
I hope this helped a bit!

Take care

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Comments:
: : Hi, i saw your web-site, and it's great! : : I've just been to the cyclura forum, and a guy said that igs like Sapphire cost b/w $1500-$4000!!!!! : : is that true? : : how much did you pay for Sapphire? : : Is she starting to turn blue yet? : : Thanks for the comments on SApphire's site. Not all blue cayman igs will be very blue. Depends on the blood line. : You should always look at the parents and if you can, the grandparents too, to know what you are getting. : Certain bloodlines also are larger than others. Sapphire comes from David Blair's LP : bloodline, she is a third generation captive bred gal. her parents and grandparents are small for nubila lewisi, but they have : really beautiful color, some of the best I have seen on any lewisi. For some people, getting : a large impressive looking male is important to them, I was looking for a small sized female. Sapphire : will probably be about 6 lbs when fully grown, a little larger than her mother. : If you have seen Sapphire's webpage, yes she was already showing lots of blues at a very : young age and gets more and more everyday. I have a ton of pics and video of pure blue caymans as well. There are some unethical : breeders of cyclura out there, you have to be careful. They will say anything to make a buck. : Some really silly rumors that are not true are: : 1) the hybrid blue caymans are more territorial than the pures. : This is not true. All cyclura will try to kill each other eventually if they get the chance. Maybe a compatible male/female pair will get along : the best but even then you have to be really, really careful. : Cyclura nubila (not the rhinos!) : may be really tame to humans but if you are a lizard, WATCH OUT! I have seen dozens of pure blue caymans break : through unbelievably thick and heavy wire to kill another cyclura. : Even a small male can and will kill a large female, but : don't underestimate the females either. : 2) All pure blues have better color than hybrids. : This is not true either. At the breeding facility on Grand Cayman Island : (the only place in the world you will see a bunch of purebreds all together), : there were many hybrids that completely fooled the breeders... they were bred as pure : blues because they have such great color but through DNA test they were proved to be : hybrids not purebloods. Hybrids nowadays can be mixed with cuban blood, or caymanesis blood. : Some hobbiests are not taking the trouble to breed a nice looking blue cayman to blue cayman, and they : are looking less and less the way they originally did in the wild. Only deal with a good : breeder with a good reputation. : As far as the pure are concerned, it would be unethical to have : one as a pet, these guys are on the brink of extinction with less than 100 : left in the wild. They belong on their native islands in the breeding program. : A pure on the black market will cost you upwards of $4000. : A really great looking hybrid adult with nice personality will run you over $1000, maybe even $2000 it will : all depend on how the color and personality and if any toes or tail is missing. Hybrids can only be : pets and not used in a breeding program for release to the wild. A not so great looking adult hybrid you can get for : $800. : Baby hybrids usually sell for $350 not including tax but there is no guarantee as far as personality : or color are concerned. Even littermates from a good bloodline can be different as night and day. Remember I waited : three years to find the right one for me. Also remember cyclura are a very long time commitment, cannot be mixed : with other lizards (they will fight, even two females will try to kill each other), also they need a lOT of : space, much more space than green iguanas. : On the good side, these guys are much more hardy than green igs, : you do not need to worry about temps as much (they can easily take temps : as low as 50 at night), they are not nearly as suceptible to the many illnesses : green igs get, **with reasonable care**. Also cyclura nubila in my opinion : tames way faster and more reliably than green iguanas. : If you want to talk more about Cyclura nubila lewisi email me, m_eguro@ix.netcom.com : I hope this helped a bit! : Take care

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