Why VPI
In the old days of herpetoculture, 50 years ago and before, not many people liked snakes. Yes, there were people interested in snakes and working with snakes back then. There have always been snake-people. But back then, before color-glossy reptile magazines and the internet, the small numbers of snake keepers were relatively isolated and quiet.
Back then, the general public thought "what are these "snake people" thinking and what are they doing?!
We’ve been “snake-people” since those days.
When we founded and started VPI 32 years ago, we never anticipated that the community of people that today keep snakes would grow to this level. Today a lot of people like snakes, and we have been a part of how that happened!
Our goal from day one was to learn as much as we could about the pythons of the world. We have worked to document, publish, and share with you the most complete information on this group of snakes that have been such a big part of our lives.
VPI Experience
Step 1
Browse our galleries to discover stunning Ball Pythons, Blood Pythons, and Boa Constrictors. Each snake showcases the beauty and diversity of these amazing species, making it easy to find one that captivates you.
Step 2
We want what works best for you. Once you’ve found a snake that catches your eye, fill out the form below. This lets our team know what you’re looking for.
Step 3
A member of our team will personally reach out with photos and details about the available snakes. Together, we’ll find the perfect match that fits your vision, lifestyle, and experience level.
Who We Are
Vida Preciosa International, Inc., better known as VPI!
If you're curious, vida preciosa is Spanish and translates to "precious life".
If you're curious, vida preciosa is Spanish and translates to "precious life".
David and Tracy Barker have attempted to document much of the information and experience that has been accumulated in their herpetological and herpetocultural careers. Much of the data has been generated by VPI. To that end, they have published on a wide variety of topics in professional journals, popular magazines, and on the Internet.
In 1994 they published Pythons of the World, Vol. 1, Australia, the first volume of a monograph on the pythonine snakes.
The second volume in the series was released in September 2006. Pythons of the World, Volume II Pythons of the World, Vol. II: BALL PYTHONS: The History, Natural History, Care, and Breeding is the most comprehensive and complete book ever written on one snake species. It is a landmark text in herpetoculture, setting the standard by which all future works on pythons will be measured.
Our most recent book Pythons of the World, Volume 3 The Pythons of Asia and the Malay Archipelago
By David G. Barker, Mark Auliya, and Tracy M. Barker (2018) covers the incredible diversity of the python species!
This volume in the Pythons of the World series includes an informative account for each of the 29 species and three subspecies of pythons found in Asia and the Malay Archipelago. The Malay Archipelago encompasses the nations and territories of the Indo-Pacific islands bounded on the north by Asia and on the south by Australia, including Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Philippines.
Blood pythons, Borneo pythons, and Sumatran pythons will be featured in our next book, Pythons of the World 4: The Short-tail Pythons: Their History, Natural History, Care and Breeding.
For information and a full description of this next book, click on these links to contribute photos and/or to contribute data from your own Short-tail projects, and be a part of our next book!
In 1994 they published Pythons of the World, Vol. 1, Australia, the first volume of a monograph on the pythonine snakes.
The second volume in the series was released in September 2006. Pythons of the World, Volume II Pythons of the World, Vol. II: BALL PYTHONS: The History, Natural History, Care, and Breeding is the most comprehensive and complete book ever written on one snake species. It is a landmark text in herpetoculture, setting the standard by which all future works on pythons will be measured.
Our most recent book Pythons of the World, Volume 3 The Pythons of Asia and the Malay Archipelago
By David G. Barker, Mark Auliya, and Tracy M. Barker (2018) covers the incredible diversity of the python species!
This volume in the Pythons of the World series includes an informative account for each of the 29 species and three subspecies of pythons found in Asia and the Malay Archipelago. The Malay Archipelago encompasses the nations and territories of the Indo-Pacific islands bounded on the north by Asia and on the south by Australia, including Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Philippines.
Blood pythons, Borneo pythons, and Sumatran pythons will be featured in our next book, Pythons of the World 4: The Short-tail Pythons: Their History, Natural History, Care and Breeding.
For information and a full description of this next book, click on these links to contribute photos and/or to contribute data from your own Short-tail projects, and be a part of our next book!
In no other period of time has herpetoculture seen so many innovations in maintenance and reproductive husbandry. We consider the period from the late 1960s to the present to be the Golden Age of Herpetoculture, and we feel fortunate to have been able to participate in all of it.
During these decades there have been dramatic additions to and changes in the collective body of knowledge and published information. The degree of public participation in herpetoculture has steadily grown and today is unequaled. The relatively recent awareness that the captive-propagation of reptiles and amphibians could be a viable commercial enterprise has been the greatest single factor influencing private and professional herpetoculture today.
Factors of business and of regulation, once alien to most keepers, have become primary considerations for many in herpetoculture in the 2020s.
During these decades there have been dramatic additions to and changes in the collective body of knowledge and published information. The degree of public participation in herpetoculture has steadily grown and today is unequaled. The relatively recent awareness that the captive-propagation of reptiles and amphibians could be a viable commercial enterprise has been the greatest single factor influencing private and professional herpetoculture today.
Factors of business and of regulation, once alien to most keepers, have become primary considerations for many in herpetoculture in the 2020s.
VPI has been an experiment, one that continues to change and evolve. It continues to pursue its original primary goal, to contribute information to the establishment of viable self-sustaining captive populations of pythons. Navigating a course through the rapidly changing environment of the past 32 years has been both rewarding and a constant challenge.
Today we work with two species of pythons: Ball pythons Python regius and Blood Pythons Python brongersmai, and one species of Boa, Boa constrictor.
These three species are easy to breed, easy to raise, thrive in captivity, are generally docile, and are small-to-medium sized snakes. Additionally, these three species have established bloodlines with novel and beautiful morphs and appearances. They are models to learn so much about what is required to keep species in captivity successfully for future generations.
The future goals of VPI include continuing our main emphasis on generating and publishing the most current and correct information on topics of herpetoculture, herpetology, natural history topics, and conservation.
Today we work with two species of pythons: Ball pythons Python regius and Blood Pythons Python brongersmai, and one species of Boa, Boa constrictor.
These three species are easy to breed, easy to raise, thrive in captivity, are generally docile, and are small-to-medium sized snakes. Additionally, these three species have established bloodlines with novel and beautiful morphs and appearances. They are models to learn so much about what is required to keep species in captivity successfully for future generations.
The future goals of VPI include continuing our main emphasis on generating and publishing the most current and correct information on topics of herpetoculture, herpetology, natural history topics, and conservation.
Now Available!
"An Introduction to MOTHS and MOTHING" (2023) - a book by David G. Barker - stands out as an unusual book in the body of literature devoted to moths. The book is subtitled Featuring the Moths of the Devils River, and the book is entirely illustrated with moths all photographed at one site located along the middle stretch of the Devils River in Val Verde County, Texas.
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