Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am new to the game and would like to start breeding ball pythons. Everything being equal (cost, ability to move animals, profitability,etc.), at what level would you focus on purchasing and creating? Under 1000, 1000-5000, 5000-10000

Unless you have over 50k to invest, and even then, you are not going to make a living from breeding ball pythons. The most rewarding thing with breeding is making something new. If you make enough to cover costs, are able to re-invest into a new morph you don't have and making a little extra change it's worth it. Ball python breeding is not a sound investment. Nor is it a money maker. The industry is pretty saturated, tons of competition and the economy sucks. Yes you can make your money back after a few years if you do it right. But again, not a wise investment. If you want to make a profit, find a different avenue, not ball pythons.

how many you want?
how much money you got?
how well can you keep snakes?
how many babies can you handle or do you want to handle?
you want to sell wholesale or retail babies?
are you ready to work...work...work...?
you raise your own food items or buy?
and what all colors do you want in the end?..
(I wanted them all, like most people)
......you a normal person just starting out?

right now buying is easy...get a good male with at least 3 genes....you can do this for like 800$ depending on your choice...even $2000....then get compatible females that can make at least 2 or 3 good 3 gene animals when bred with this male...and not all the same...in the end you want to have as many color combos as possible...

you could do this for $1000 for 4 snakes (1.3) or you could do this for $100,000,for 4 snakes)...

all your choices....

if I rebuy a colony...it is going to be around the $5000 mark or so....kinda cheap.....

...good luck...look at classifieds every day or so ....

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........JY

Hey for anybody starting out, make a copy of that one. if you were only asking one question, it's not enough. but if you can answer all of those, you will do fine. jyohe is right, it's all available now. so how you put together your group is the whole ball game. if you want to make money, you have to compete. don't skimp on effort, and may the force be with you. it can be done. Kurt d.

oney vs time and effort

you want to make money...you need good snakes that eat well and average 8 eggs each female...

you want to make good money you need better females that lay 8 each average...

it helps if you get lucky also....the more females you have the less it seems will lay.....have like 11 females....9 might lay....have 45 females.....25 might lay....less equals more time spent with each girl to learn her tricks....it helps if they all eat frozen thawed rats also....or you will have to get live every week...and waste some...or raise your own...which now tripled your time spent on animals....and work...

.....carry 600 pounds of food and bedding down the steps every other week.....carry out 300 to??? pounds of waste a week from a basement....get bitten, get bugs, smell, spiders, mites(dust mites,mill mites, wood mites and all kinds of other little flying dots you don't want....if you own 300 to 500 snakes....you have intruders....basement...moreso....

...sell wholesale or retail also..????..when you get into 150 baby balls and hundreds of colubrids each year...you don't hold out for top dollar...you sell fast...and make deals...

.....buy wisely.....1 good male and 4 females....you can make enough to have fun.....!!!.......
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........JY