Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey there....first a brief intro.

My name is Mike Compton
I have been involved in herps for years and years and years...mostly I have breed Beardeds, ball pythons, and turtles. I also breed and raise horses. Anyways, about 4 years ago I got out of reptiles when the Marine Corps decided to send me to Okinawa japan. Since I returned, I have been thinking about going back into breeding and raising some animals...but have not done anything...now I am ready. I have been doing some reading and some looking, and I think that I want to breed and raise some Cresteds. I do not plan to be the next Sandfire Ranch or anything crazy....but I would like to produce enough to help make even some of the more striking morphs afordable for pets for most people.

So here is my question. Where to start? There are quite a few color variations out there....and a few paterns...is there a definate trend out there at all? Is there a segment that is underserved? I am not interested in just making a few fast $$$'s. I love challenge, genetics, and I am really interested in the idea that I can help make the cresteds more readily available for people. It seems to me they are such great pet prospects, that I would love to be apart of making them as available as a leopard. So what are your thoughts on the supply side....teh demand....and is there room for another breeder?

Also any links to other breeders? Who are the real movers in this hobby...I would like to get in contact with them as well. I really think that Cresteds should be in every pet store as I think they are the perfect pet to help get people interested in Herps...

"Where to start?"

This would be solely based on available capital on your end. I personally started with tans and fires, being that they are polymorphic I new regardless of how flashy the adults were, that I could mix and match for good and unexpected results.

"There are quite a few color variations out there....and a few paterns...is there a definate trend out there at all?"

Just like all captive breedings, the colors and patterns are getting more intense and I feel there is still alot to look forward to. Currently the "trend" in my opinion, seems to be toward red and yellow varieties with distinctive patterns (ie. fire, tiger, red, orange, yellow). I would not consider it a definite, but it seems to be the more desired types.

"Is there a segment that is underserved?"

Wholesale is currently underserved due to the small amount of larger scale production.

"I am really interested in the idea that I can help make the cresteds more readily available for people. It seems to me they are such great pet prospects, that I would love to be apart of making them as available as a leopard."

It still is a great ground floor type of opportunity.

"So what are your thoughts on the supply side....teh demand....and is there room for another breeder?"

Supply/Demand I feel are maintaining a strong relationship and are relative. The recent price drops in normal colored animals and males I feel was a bit premature, however I have always stood firm when it comes to pricing and I don't feel that there is anyone currently "leading" the market. The demand is not as strong as it is going to be. I feel we are still 3-4 years away from Cresteds acheiving a Leopard Gecko type status regarding numbers produced, popularity, and pricing. In addition, I think there is always room for another. Nothing helps both breeders and consumers like knowledge, which takes several individuals to combine all the parameters before we finally can have reliable and solid information into whatever species we are working with.

Also any links to other breeders?

These links are the two I know that are dealing on a large scale of 100 adults in production. Sandfire has 25 lots available for $50.00 each, as this could be a way for you to start a few groups.

http://www.sandfiredragonranch.com
http://www.crestedgecko.com

Good Luck!

- Galen Clark
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Galen Clark
www.captivescience.com

>>Hey there....first a brief intro.
>>
>>My name is Mike Compton
>>I have been involved in herps for years and years and years...mostly I have breed Beardeds, ball pythons, and turtles. I also breed and raise horses. Anyways, about 4 years ago I got out of reptiles when the Marine Corps decided to send me to Okinawa japan. Since I returned, I have been thinking about going back into breeding and raising some animals...but have not done anything...now I am ready. I have been doing some reading and some looking, and I think that I want to breed and raise some Cresteds. I do not plan to be the next Sandfire Ranch or anything crazy....but I would like to produce enough to help make even some of the more striking morphs afordable for pets for most people.
>>
>>So here is my question. Where to start? There are quite a few color variations out there....and a few paterns...is there a definate trend out there at all? Is there a segment that is underserved? I am not interested in just making a few fast $$$'s. I love challenge, genetics, and I am really interested in the idea that I can help make the cresteds more readily available for people. It seems to me they are such great pet prospects, that I would love to be apart of making them as available as a leopard. So what are your thoughts on the supply side....teh demand....and is there room for another breeder?
>>
>>Also any links to other breeders? Who are the real movers in this hobby...I would like to get in contact with them as well. I really think that Cresteds should be in every pet store as I think they are the perfect pet to help get people interested in Herps...

Crested Gecko's are getting very popular. The problem is that they are very easy to breed and are prolific beeders. A few years ago, the co. that I worked for would by highly colored Cresteds for $500 each. Now the price would be 1/2 as much or less for the highest colored cresteds. I enjoy breeding cresteds as a hobby. There are other species out there to breed for profit. Cresteds are great to work with becuase of the color variations. If I were you, I would not worry about starting out with the most beautiful cresteds out there. Even a very plain crested can produce beautiful babies which do not resemble the parents at all.
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Take Care
David
My Email
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