Want to start breeding?

I've had a ball python for over a year, and have been very interested in breeding for awhile. I wasn't making much a year ago, and know that I have a better position in my job (which means more money), I think I'm ready to start breeding. I'm in the process of building a snake rack and have two empty tanks with all the materials (lights, heat pads, food) for one maybe two snakes. I have two different question...... 1.) What morphs should I start with? 2.) Should I buy from a very reputable breeder, or a hobbiest/smaller business? I'm not looking to make loads of money doing this. Really I just want to be able to support my hobby so I'm not wasting all work money on just one hobby. I know to start with whatever I get that I will put aside money for vet visits, and food for a year or so. Let me know what you think!:snake:

you need to buy snakes that first fit you desires and second your pocket book just remember females are more expensive and take 2 yrs to get even close to breeding size and try to buy babies sometimes adult are harder to get adjusted and unfortunately some times you get other peoples problem adults hope it helps

Lets say to start up to 400 pocket book, and I don't even need anything by this season to breed. Maybe a 09-10 even a 11. I just want to get started and have fun with it.

what color/pattern morphs do you like pastel enchi spider the list goes on and on all that matters is that you like what you buy

As stated above, it all comes down to what YOU want to keep and breed. You are going to be cleaning up its poop for many years, so you might as well like looking at it. :D A lot of people recommend starting off with co-dominant mutations as when bred to normals, each egg produced has a 50% chance of being that morph whereas recessive mutations only have a 25% chance if you are breeding hets together, but 100% chance if you are breeding two visuals together. Co-dom and recessive females can be expensive though, especially if you don't want a baby. If you have a $400 limit I'd start out with a really nice '10 or '11 co-dom female and raise her up for 2 years. During that time, you will probably have saved enough to buy yourself a nice co-dom male (which are not very expensive) and he can be ready to breed in less than a year if fed right. So by the time you are ready to breed, you have two very nice co-dom animals to breed.

You can breed a female in 2 years but most take 3 years in my experience! I would buy a '10 or '09 female to get a head start on the growth. A Co-Dom or Dom is the way to go! A spider, pinstripe, pastel, mojave, Cinnamon or butter are some great morphs! Buy what you are attracted to because if you are attracted to it then chances are the babies will be something people will want to buy! While you are waiting for your female to get to size, build or buy an incubator and a rack to house the babies. Also do lots of research over the next couple years! You can never have too much knowledge! Here is a great site: http://www.ballpython.ca/gallery/breeding.html. Also this video is great too! http://www.ballbreeding.com/index.html. It's worth the money in my opinion!

Females take at least 3 years, sometimes 4 years. IMO

400 is enough to get into and enjoy this hobby. Check out kingsnake.com classifieds to find out what snakes and supplies are in your price range.

So for a female would wild type work, and then I could buy a few other morphs in males? I Keep seeming 09-10 females in basic morphs and the prices are pretty high (for good reason).