Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone!

I'm hoping to take the plunge sometime this year, and attempt to breed, and hatch my first clutch of neonates. Eventually, I would like to get into breeding chondros, but that's a very long ways off (although I currently own one, whom I adore).

So in the meantime, I would like to try my hand at breeding a few types of less expensive species. Ones that mature relatively quickly or are easy to find are great, but I'd be willing to try almost anything. Since pythons are a main interest of mine in general, I figured I'd ask here to get folks' opinions. Although available space isn't a huge concern, I'd like to stick with small/medium sized species (up to 6 feet or so), as I'm more comfortable with these.

Can anyone give any recommendations for a first-time breeder to tackle? Marketability is not as much of a concern as my probability for success as a first-timer. I'm a very attentive keeper and a careful record-keeper, so I'd be interested in suggestions ranging from "rank beginner/foolproof" to "advanced beginner" categories.

Thanks a bunch!!!!

I'm not a breeder myself but I'm planning on breeding my ball python collection within 3 years to get some pretty morphs to build my personal collection. Ball pythons are midsize and extremely docile, so I would suggest them. The downside to it is that even though it's where the money is at, trying to break into the business (seems like from reading the ball python forums) is harder than it seems. Another downside, is that they can get pretty expensive, but starting out with the basic spider and pastel morphs is like buying a good quality GTP.

Hey. I don't recommend breeding a snake species just to get the hang of breeding. Each species is different. You may become a pro at ball breeding, but still know nothing about chondro breeding, which seems to be your main interest.

Also, breeding is a labor of love, you need to invest a lot of time into your projects, so don't work with something you don't enjoy. Each year I have left over babies that just won't sell quick, and I am thousands of dollars worse off then I was to start. Yet, I am the happiest I've ever been, because I enjoy the hobby.

If you love chondros, work with chondros. They may be a bit of an investment, but it will be worth it in the end.
-----
Thanks,
Amy
My Boids

Oh listen to her. She has a very good point.