Very friendly, Nice forum for ball python speciality chat. (captivebredreptileforums.co.uk)

Member Name: CokaCola

Product:	captivebredreptileforums.co.uk
Date:	15/07/09 (33 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very Free, you do not have to worry about posting links to competitors etc

Disadvantages: None.

CaptiveBred.co.uk is a popular website based around the keeping of exotic pets. Run by a private breeder, it has his own photos, available lists and articles but by far the most popular part of this website is the busy public forum, to which anyone can join, and as the site says "Share experiences and discuss all aspects of herpetology". The description for this product focusses on the forum, and so that is the part that I will cover in this review.

The first thing you might notice when you go onto the forum, are the graphics, which are simple, but very professional looking. The logo consists of four colours, green, orange, white and black, and I think this makes for a striking coat of arms. The actual forum is a more typical Vbulletin style with a mixture of pale and dark blues. At christmas, the graphics have been known to become slightly more lively with the addition of falling snowflakes down the page. Certainly the forum is attractive, and easy to read.

There are several different categories: General, Snakes, Lizards, Herpetology, Information and Reviews as well as an off topic area. Within each category are multiple forums. For example in Snakes, there are forums for: Snakes - general, Boas & Pythons, Ball/Royal Pythons and Corns, Kings Rat and Milk Snakes. In particular I would say that the snake forum is well divided, because we lack many ball python specific forums in the UK, and as these are such popular snakes, it is useful to have this dedicated area. Certainly the ball python forum is well posted, and there are many friendly members making up the bulk of posts, it's a really family feeling forum.

The forum has a team of moderators like any online message board. In general these are quite fair, there is little moderation, although for some reason, there is a lot less that may question some moderation, in comparison to one or two other forums in this department. The moderators really get involved in the posts, and there is no elitist aura about them which I think is great.

Currently there are just over 5000 members, making the forum busy, but not ridiculously so. I would recommend Captive Bred as one of the friendliest reptile forums out there, and I frequently view the boards, usually a couple of times each day.

Summary: Certainly one of my favourite reptile forums.