I have $20k to spend and I need help!!!

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Originally Posted by WesleyTF

IMO the best way to go would be to establish yourself with solid morphs that are on the lowish end of the price spectrum. This way, you can build a solid reputation by putting plenty of good snakes into the buying demographic. Pick up some nice cheap female morphs--spiders and pastels are about as low as they CAN go in price--practically competing with norms on price--and use those as your base breeding females. Pick up a few neat males that will co-mingle nicely with the female morphs you've chosen and build up from there. I'd develop a solid 5-10 year plan, with the production of lots of mid-low level morphs for your first few years to build your rep, then slowly ease yourself into higher-end morphs as these start producing.

I would imagine that with 20k, the easiest way to get a killer deal would be to find someone who wants to quit breeding who is selling their entire set-up at a major loss. Just make sure you don't get a bunch of neglected snakes/gear...

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Well as far as reputation goes I don't think I'll have a problem. I work with a highly reputable breeder.

We've already been working on ball python plan, we just need the right morphs. Our current breeders, Phantom, Spider, Pastel, Mojave, Normals, and a few undisclosed morphs.

Now with $20k we want to get a nice project going. Would be nice to maybe produce a new designer morph.

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Originally Posted by ralphdp21

Thank you all for your feedback. Just to give you all a better idea of where I stand. I am currently in business with a very well known breeder from Miami. His name is out there, he has a site, he has lots of expensive reptiles (leopard geckos, bearded dragons, turtles, african fat tail geckos) and he knows what he is doing. I don't want to give you his name yet. I am simply head of his IT/Research division.

I found an investor who is interested in putting in $20k towards our business and the only thing that we are looking for are ball pythons. We have all the husbandry and feeding taken care of, we even already have some very nice ball pythons that are currently breeding.

I'm just not sure of what morphs I should get. I was told by some to try and make a new morph, and others said just to get a powerhouse male and some real nice females. I like the sound of having a few females and one powerhouse male. This is where my question comes into play.

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Why don't you ask him what he recommends you invest in then? :confused:

Do yourself a favor and put that 20K into gold or silver. Ball python prices are falling faster than you might imagine.
Any thought of ball pythons as an investment is not a wise idea, although I'm sure many breeders would have you believe otherwise.

Look at what the prices were, say 3 years ago to where they are today...it's sick, and I see no sign that prices have stabilized.

As hyper inflation kicks in and the dollar continues to shrink you wont be able to give them away.

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Originally Posted by Dave763

As hyper inflation kicks in and the dollar continues to shrink you wont be able to give them away.

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I'll take every single one you want to give away if it gets to that point.. ;)

I think if you could not afford to feed them you would not feel that way....Ed don't be dumb.:colbert:

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Originally Posted by Emilio

If I had 20k right now I'd open an account and start investing in the stock market. Put some of that into ball's if you don't mind the risk of not getting your money back. My sig say's it all, its all about the animals for me, its my belief that the days of someone making a living off of this hobby are over. Now is there money to be made yeah but not enough to justify a 20k investment unless you are getting the next hot morph that everybody wants. This economy sucks.

My post might be unpopular but I've invested about 7k and have recouped half my money in 2 breeding season's but I also count my holdbacks to drop my number. If I do not make another dollar I will still be happy ask yourself that same question. I love ball pythons

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Stock market is just as big of a game if not more-so than ball python investment! :O

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Originally Posted by Dave763

Do yourself a favor and put that 20K into gold or silver. Ball python prices are falling faster than you might imagine.
Any thought of ball pythons as an investment is not a wise idea, although I'm sure many breeders would have you believe otherwise.

Look at what the prices were, say 3 years ago to where they are today...it's sick, and I see no sign that prices have stabilized.

As hyper inflation kicks in and the dollar continues to shrink you wont be able to give them away.

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Well, see.. that 20K isn't his to spend. He's getting it from an investor for an established business, so there isn't really any reason he should not get these animals if he has the husbandry, feeding, facility, and reputation taken care of.


Personally, I would look at some of the combinations you could make with the current ball pythons you have, and get a couple good animals with Recessive and Co-dominant traits mixed into single individuals. You'll have good clutches and lots of traits to work with and potentially even create something new! I would not buy a recessive morph that costs 18,000 that has no other genes. Any revenue and profit would be limited to breeders and it would be too localized.

Just my opinion. ;)

YOu had some great advice here however I am confused you are in business with a well known Miami breeder yet you are asking what you should invest 20K in?

Any well known breeder who is a savvy business man would not need help to know what to invest in next :confuzd:

If I was to invest 20K (definitely not planning on it) I would rely on my own common sense and would not need help to spend that money ;)

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Originally Posted by Deborah

YOu had some great advice here however I am confused you are in business with a well known Miami breeder yet you are asking what you should invest 20K in?

Any well known breeder who is a savvy business man would not need help to know what to invest in next :confuzd:

If I was to invest 20K (definitely not planning on it) I would rely on my own common sense and would not need help to spend that money ;)

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From what he said, I'm taking a gander that the breeder is trusting him to make the decision and to do the research on the best morphs to purchase because he hasn't worked with very many ball python morphs in the past.

This guy seems more of a lizard and turtle breeder who is looking into ball pythons.

Just how I interpreted it.

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Originally Posted by Dave763

Do yourself a favor and put that 20K into gold or silver.

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There are many investment opportunities out there... gold and silver in my opinion is currently "hyper inflated"

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Any thought of ball pythons as an investment is not a wise idea, although I'm sure many breeders would have you believe otherwise.

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Are you saying breeders like myself that are realistic and believe that there IS money to be made are purposely misleading?

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Look at what the prices were, say 3 years ago to where they are today...it's sick, and I see no sign that prices have stabilized.

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Prices are very stable. They are measurably falling. Unstable prices would be up one year, down the next, seriously down the next then back up, etc. Any savvy person can predict next season pretty accurately.

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As hyper inflation kicks in and the dollar continues to shrink you wont be able to give them away.

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Living in fear man. Makes me wish I had never "invested" !! Best business decision I have ever made.

I want people to be smart with what they do with their money, ball pythons or not... If you're talking from your personal experience, please share your experience.

Justin K.

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Stock market is just as big of a game if not more-so than ball python investment! :O



Well, see.. that 20K isn't his to spend. He's getting it from an investor for an established business, so there isn't really any reason he should not get these animals if he has the husbandry, feeding, facility, and reputation taken care of.


Personally, I would look at some of the combinations you could make with the current ball pythons you have, and get a couple good animals with Recessive and Co-dominant traits mixed into single individuals. You'll have good clutches and lots of traits to work with and potentially even create something new! I would not buy a recessive morph that costs 18,000 that has no other genes. Any revenue and profit would be limited to breeders and it would be too localized.

Just my opinion. ;)



From what he said, I'm taking a gander that the breeder is trusting him to make the decision and to do the research on the best morphs to purchase because he hasn't worked with very many ball python morphs in the past.

This guy seems more of a lizard and turtle breeder who is looking into ball pythons.

Just how I interpreted it.

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Thank you BLACKCRYSTAL finally some one that fully understands. Exactly how you described it, is my situation. I am simply looking for information on what morphs to work on. What is hot in the market. What are people talking about what are they not talking about.

I am doing my own research but I would like to hear what other people have to say.

Based on my current understanding Clowns, Paintballs, triple / quad co-doms / and supers are whats hot. We have a few nice ball bythons already but I need to do research on the elite morphs.