How much $ to get started?

You really cant stress quarantine enough and a great point was made about buying your animals from one breeder if you can. It will get you a better price in a combo deal which could save you a couple hundred bucks easily.

As far as starting off you can spend as much as you want. Try some cheaper things first to see if it's for you. Most people, such as yourself from what I can tell, who want to start this as a "business" fail miserably and lose their investments. Generally people start off as a hobby and it continues to grow from there.