Are your Balls for breeding?

I was curious how many people on here are keeping Ball Pythons strictly as pets vs. potentially breeding and selling.

I keep them all as pets with the benefit of being about to breed them.

Right now my girly is just a pet but after I get out of school I may breed her...I definately plan on getting more, but for what I'm not sure. It could be pretty neat.

I voted other. I intend to keep them as pets with the possibility of breeding without 'selling' being a factor.


After reading many opinions and discussions on the captive keeping of reptiles, I have developed the personal opinion that since we keep reptiles as captives then we should allow them to undergo as many 'life processes' as possible. I have no desire to deny an animal a basic 'life process' such as reproduction. Money or selling has nothing to do with it.

If someone keeps an reptile with no intention of breeding, what true purpose does that animal serve in the end? It is 'kept' solely for the keepers' enjoyment then eventually it dies. However an animal that is bred in captivity is provided the opportunity to pass on its genetics to offspring and partake of a major 'life event'.

I believe that since captive born offspring in the 'market' are competition to wild caught animals in the 'market'..... it will one day have a great effect on this hobby.

So even if you are keeping a normal pair of ball pythons (or a pair of ANY reptile), what reasons are there not to breed? Besides the costs associated with caring for a pair of animals, what 'extra' costs are associated with breeding? No costs are specific to the breeding process and the cost associated with the incubation and initial care of a clutch or two of eggs is not so bad it will break the bank. Even if the incubation and start-up costs for a clutch of eggs are too much for someone, they can always sell the offspring......a clutch of 6 normal ball pythons can easily be sold for $20 each to any local pet store...that would pretty much cover the cost of incubating a single clutch ($40 homemade incubator or hovabator, $20 for electricity, $10 for medium) plus you would have some leftover to feed and house the babies.....PLUS...you will have the added experience of breeding snakes, incubating eggs, and caring for young....PLUS...your snakes will have had the chance to complete a 'life process'.
.....so that is just my general take on breeding reptiles that you keep as 'pets'. Keeping single animals/non-breeding animals is fine in my book if that is what you desire (so I am not 'fussin' at people that do not intend to breed ;)). I just like to ask...If you have a pair of reptiles, what reason is there not to breed??

My ball pythons are pets 1st breeders 2nd. I do hope to breed and sell the offspring, but only for the intent of being able to purchase more/different ball python morphs.
Getting some nice high white piebalds in the future is my main goal as well as being able to breed some great looking snakes to keep for myself.

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Originally Posted by panthercz

My ball pythons are pets 1st breeders 2nd. I do hope to breed and sell the offspring, but only for the intent of being able to purchase more/different ball python morphs.
Getting some nice high white piebalds in the future is my main goal as well as being able to breed some great looking snakes to keep for myself.

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x2

I want to breed to sell so I can afford more morphs. My goal with this hobby is to be one that will pay for itself.

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Originally Posted by daniel1983

So even if you are keeping a normal pair of ball pythons (or a pair of ANY reptile), what reasons are there not to breed?

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While I don't really agree with most of your reasoning, this particular point begs a question: What about green iguanas and burmese pythons and other reptiles that are filling reptile-rescues because they are easy to get and hard to keep?

While I think there is a place for captive breeding of many reptiles...I think such things should be done by people with the passion and the temperment to properly see such a commitment through to the end with the best possible care for all the animals involved....not just anyone who happens to have a pair of something.

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Originally Posted by tmlowe5704

I want to breed to sell so I can afford more morphs. My goal with this hobby is to be one that will pay for itself.

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That is exactly how I feel. In the last several years my collection of tegus and ball pythons has grown, all purchased from 'profit' from the animals I bred and sold, but I have yet to 'make money'. I look ahead at my future plans and I see where I will keep 'profiting', but never 'make money'. It always goes right back into the reptiles. ;)

Rick

Oh...to answer the poll question a bit more directly...I DO plan to breed one day...although that's likely years down the road for me. But that does not mean my animals would be any less beloved than if they were strictly pets. :)

I said other because I'm not sure I'm going to breed or not. Depends on a lot of things. Where I'm living, if I have room for a hatchery, if I can convince my SO thats its MY hobby and its a good thing to do :)

and that goes with any additional snakes I may gather...the possibility of breeding will be there, but it depends on working out the logistics of the situation.