Pied and Pied Combos. Need some honest feedback.

[angllady2]

Ok, when I originally got in to ball pythons it was strictly to get a pied. I saw my first one on the cover of Reptiles magazine in the early '90's and decided no matter what I had to have one. Many years later, my husband bought me a pair of het pieds to help make my dream come true. Then my eyes were opened to the first of the pied combo's, and man did the wheels in my mind start turning. Why should I stop at a plain pied when there were limitless possibilities for pied combinations?

After waiting four very long years, I have now successfully produced my first pieds. One was even my perfect 50/50 pattern and white snake that I always dreamed of. I am in the position now to start breeding towards my pied combos.

However, lately I've been thinking if I really want to go down that road. There are so many other combos out there, two gene and three gene that are within my grasp if I don't limit myself to just producing pieds. But then again, pieds are the entire reason why I started this in the first place. And as thrilling as it was to make my very first pied, how much more so my first pastel pied ? My first pinstripe pied? My first mojave peid? And then what about the new possibilities? Pastave pieds? Firefly pieds? Lemon Blast Pieds? Then, dream of dreams, how about things like Enchi Pinstripe Pastel pieds? Fire Enchi Pastel pieds, Mojave Pastel Pinstripe pieds? Vanilla Cream Enchi Pieds? The possibilities boggle the mind.

Then I start thinking, do I really want to devote the time and effort it will take to make two gene pieds? Three gene pieds? Four gene pieds? My head starts to hurt and my stomach gets knotted up just thinking about the work it will take.

So here is what I am asking.

Given the popularity of certain morphs over others, it is realistic for me to focus on my pied projects the way I always swore I would? It is more realistic to settle for making the occasional pied and pied combo but focus on just making whatever combos are popular that I fancy? Is it just the depression talking when I think the pied route is just not worth it? Is achieving my long held dreams what really matters? Or am I just being stubborn to limit myself to just pieds and a few assorted combos that happen along the way?

Gale

[Quantum Constrictors]

Do what makes you happy!

Pied combos make me very very happy!

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Years ago I started with a pair of het pieds (they cost pretty penny at the time) a the time I never thought about pied combos, I was happy just shooting for a pieds....now years later I am excited about all the possibilities from the combos I already started working on (Pin Pied, Albino Pied, Hypo Pied) to the one I plan to pursue in the near future, sky is the limit.

Bottom line depends on what YOU want to do.

[GoFride]

Dreams change when they don't fit any more. Do you want to spend the next few years trying to force yourself to achieve an outdated goal you had back in the '90s?

[swansonbb]

Gale,

I'll echo what everyone else has said... to a degree. I'd say there are a few factors...

1) Economics.
It will take time to produce pied combos. A lot of it. If these are solely personal collection animals, it's a different story, but
if you're selling your pied combos - do you think the market will be strong enough for the pied morphs? I'd think they would
carry a higher price tag, but will you be able to sell them? Or would it be "easier" to sell more 2-3 gene non-pied animals?

2) Following your heart's desire
If you still have the love for pied combos and get all aflutter thinking about the combinations, you'll never be disappointed.

3) The satisfaction...
This is the one that does it for me.... I could have bought a pied, but I really wanted the thrill of making one myself. So I
bought a pair of hets. Of course, the same could be said for other multi-gene animals.

4) The answer any good bp-netter would give.
GO INTO BOTH PROJECTS


In any case, we'll all look forward to the pics of your projects.

[youbeyouibei]

There are some spectacular morphs out there and some incredible combos coming out every year, if not every few months. That said, if you're constantly chasing the tail end of the snake that is the latest and greatest morph, how likely are you to ever catch it when it's in its infancy and you'd stand to make a nice profit off the venture, let alone attain the distinction of being one of, if not the first to produce a: __________! I understand where you're coming from, as it was an albino that got me into snakes and ball pythons in particular. I still have him and he's one of my favorite animals, in spite of owning multi-gene morphs and with plans to produce triple if not quad gene pairings in the future, I still like looking at him. Do what makes you happy. My plans are simple with the animals I currently have in my collection and while it is hugely appealing to consider buying the newest and greatest morph and peruse WOBP to think of what this paired with that could produce, it's every bit as exciting to consider producing a multi-gene recessive combo with the animals I have and to produce the highest quality one possible at that. That's me; do what works for you, whatever that might be. I like the patience and time it takes to produce these animals, especially recessives. I'd rather have it that way than something easy, as the end result is that much cooler and I know what went into attaining it, however long it might take. Each to their own and there is no right or wrong answer, just what you can live with at the end of the day.

[joebad976]

4) The answer any good bp-netter would give.
GO INTO BOTH PROJECTS

Too late for me to write a long response but I agree with this statement above get into both projects and diversify. Will make the wait to produce pied combos less dreadful. Good Luck

[angllady2]

Thank you all for your feedback.

And I laughed out loud when I read that comment, " Do Both" I might have known someone would tell me that. It's what I love about this place and the people here.

Believe it or not, I think you provided me my answer. As much as a drool over some of the two and three and four gene combos out there, none of them make my heart go pitter pat like the pied combos do. I long to make a mojave pied. Pinstripe pieds are so elegant. Fire pieds are so intense. Enchi pieds, black pastel pieds, yellowbelly pieds, pastel pieds, vanilla pieds, I could go on and on. And then when you start looking at things like firefly pieds and pastave pieds and lemon blast pieds I get dizzy and weak. Sure I know I'll never produce the first of anything, but if I never get tired of looking into my breeder tubs, if I grin like an idiot when I see those many pattern and white heads peeking from eggs. If I gloat over my hatchling rack like a miser over gold, then who cares!

And who knows, maybe one day I'll work up the nerve to take the plunge and shoot for the Lightning Pied. That has been my new obsession ever since I saw it on Markus Jayne's page. Or maybe I'll get in way over my head and make something like an Axanthic Enchi pied, or an Axanthic Pinstripe pied, or.......


Gale

[mainbutter]

Your problem has a surprisingly easy solution:

Ignore what everyone else wants out of a ball python.

Breed for what you think is coolest. If you think there is a quad gene piebald that you really like the look of, go for it.

You might be stubborn limiting yourself to piebald combos, but if that's what you like go for it. I have little to no interest in piebald projects myself, and I find myself being stubborn by limiting myself to NOT pursue piebald projects, but that's because as abnormal as they look, I think a ridiculously colored and patterned snake is what I want.. not one where half of it has been erased with white paint.

[Badgemash]

And who knows, maybe one day I'll work up the nerve to take the plunge and shoot for the Lightning Pied. That has been my new obsession ever since I saw it on Markus Jayne's page. Or maybe I'll get in way over my head and make something like an Axanthic Enchi pied, or an Axanthic Pinstripe pied, or.......


Gale

YES!!! Axanthics make everything twelvety million times awesomer!