First Time Breeder Maybe something a little inexpensive like Albinos?

Hi, I want to try breeding next year (which is when my girl will be matured sexually) with 2 Albinos.... Is this a good idea? I am trying to make it my new hobby and I have the money... Do people ever make money on Albinos?

**winces**

If all you're concerned about is money, you won't be here long.

Don't start breeding with any expectations of making money. You will invest a lot more than you will make. That's why it's called a hobby, not a business.

Everything I purchase for my snakes I think of as spending on the hobby. I've never thought "I wonder how much I can make if I breed", only "That would be awesome if I could break even--I'd have a self-sustaining hobby".

What I'm trying to get at:

Don't breed for money. Breed something you're interested in! Don't breed if you aren't really interested in breeding, and just want to try to make a profit.

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Originally Posted by TheSnakeGuy

Don't start breeding with any expectations of making money. You will invest a lot more than you will make. That's why it's called a hobby, not a business.

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Well as you can read I am in it to start a hobby lol "I am trying to make it my new hobby and I have the money"

My suggestion to newbies just starting out is to get some hatchling animals and raise them up to breed. This takes at least 2-3 years.

During that time, learn as much as you can about breeding. Connect with local breeders and make sure you are 100% prepared before you even think of pairing your animals.

Learn patience. This process is very slow and there is zero instant gratification. You will find yourself waiting long periods of time for babies, and then all at once you have an extra 10+ mouths to feed.

Before you even think about pairing, make sure you have
*housing for the babies from hatchling all the way to adult.
*Food for the babies (may require you to breed your own rodents or have a very dependable source for live)
*An Incubator with a herpstat

This is just a basic list. I won't sit here and outline everything that goes into breeding because there is way to much and I believe it is the duty of the aspiring breeder to learn these things on their own. It will make you more confident in the long run.

As for your question of whether or not people make money off albinos, I think this question is worded badly. What you mean to say is "Is there a good market for Albinos? Do people still purchase them?" In which case I believe the answer to be yes!

Don't breed a certain morph because you think it might make you more money than others. Breed the morphs that you like the most and it will be a much more rewarding experience!

This is a hobby that takes time to build. Don't rush it! Take things slow and you will be rewarded in the future. Don't overwhelm yourself or you might find you resent your hobby. Breeding any animal takes a ton of dedication. Are you ready for that?

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Originally Posted by The Real Krafty

Well as you can read I am in it to start a hobby lol "I am trying to make it my new hobby and I have the money"

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Well the way your coming of doesn't sound like your really looking for a hobby, It sounds like your looking for something that would turn you a profit. You revert back to the 'hobby' stance when someone checks you on your intentions. As already said you will be way in the red from basic care, housing & feeding, before your snakes even produce anything.

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Originally Posted by The Real Krafty

so what kind of Male should I mate with my Female Albino? I want to get the coolest/and more expensive mixes of babies :banana:

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Real Krafty

Hi, I want to try breeding next year (which is when my girl will be matured sexually) with 2 Albinos.... Is this a good idea? I am trying to make it my new hobby and I have the money... Do people ever make money on Albinos?

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A person looking to have a 'hobby' doesn't show up and start asking how much money they can make left and right.
Also if the female your talking about is the one thats currently 160g,she will NOT be ready to breed next year, especially being fed mice. Females usually take at least 2 years to sexually mature before they are ready unless they are fed really well and reach a decent size in a sooner time.
You've got the next couple years to really learn and soak up information on ball python genetics and care for the ones you have now.Also please use the resources/links people are giving you as well.

I'm kind of going to same direction you are (only without the 'plenty of money' part!). I love Albinos and really want to have a nice collection of them for myself. Since some of the various Albino morphs can get pretty pricey I'm building my collection starting with Sub-Adult females with plans to breed them down the road. As you can see from my sig I've got three so far, one full Albino, one Fire het Albino, and one normal het Albino that's got some really interesting light grayish/greenish brown coloring that I'm kinda hoping might prove out. Once I raise them up to around breeding size in a couple of years I'll be looking to acquire a full Albino male or two...

What I've learned so far is, go into it with a plan. I just did a trade of four Balls that I had for the one Fire het Albino because the four didn't fit into the direction I wanted to go. Don't just buy animals because they are cool, or a good deal. Lay out a breeding plan. For example, when I eventually breed my Fire het Albino I'm going to turn around, take one of the 1.0 Fire het Albino babies (assuming I have any) and Line-Breed it back to the mother. Maybe I'll produce a Black-Eyed Lucy! Maybe an Albino Black-Eyed Lucy (Is that even possible? I assume if it is the only difference would be red eyes...) Regardless, it'll be interesting, and I'm looking forward to finding out!

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Originally Posted by kyote19

Well the way your coming of doesn't sound like your really looking for a hobby, It sounds like your looking for something that would turn you a profit. You revert back to the 'hobby' stance when someone checks you on your intentions. As already said you will be way in the red from basic care, housing & feeding, before your snakes even produce anything.



A person looking to have a 'hobby' doesn't show up and start asking how much money they can make left and right.
Also if the female your talking about is the one thats currently 160g,she will NOT be ready to breed next year, especially being fed mice. Females usually take at least 2 years to sexually mature before they are ready unless they are fed really well and reach a decent size in a sooner time.
You've got the next couple years to really learn and soak up information on ball python genetics and care for the ones you have now.Also please use the resources/links people are giving you as well.

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I think the OP worded their question poorly. What they mean was "If I breed albinos, will I be able to sell the babies? Is there still a viable market for albinos?"

Give the newbie some slack. Everyone has asked silly questions or had the wrong ideas at some point. It is up to us to lead newbies in the right direction, not bash them for having the wrong ideas coming into this hobby.

What you are doing is creating a hostile learning environment.