Best time of year to buy a young BP

Well, I'm thinking of getting a couple modest BP morphs so I can start along a breeding path. It seems like people follow a pretty typical breeding schedule and I was wondering if any time of the year provided better/more consistent deals on healthy BPs. I'm a big salt-water hobbyist and I know that during the summer unbelievable deals can be had for that hobby... Anyway, any advice would be appreciated!

In general you'll find better deals in the summer when everybody's babies have hatched, fed, and are available (although BP breeding seems to be a year-round thing now). If you want to get started with a breeding program, buy your females now. It takes longer for females to get up to breeding size, and next summer you can get a deal on a double co-dom male (i.e. bumblebee, pewter, blast, etc.).

I used to be big time into saltwater aquaria and reefs... Welcome to the dark side! :cool:

I've been reef keeping for 5+ years now, that's a hobby I'm never going to kick, I'm pretty sure. The good news is that this hobby can't be as intensive/expensive/addicting as that one... right? lol

Yep...if you're trying to get the best possible deal, May through September are good. Babies have been hatching for a couple months and breeders need to keep the workload from getting out of hand as they hatch more.

I don't know if I'd be looking to save a few dollars by buying a fresh baby. You can usually find just as good a deal (or close enough) on a well started 100+ gram snake. Breeders hatch most of their year's production between late spring and early fall, so it's not like they're going to sell out for the year before September or October. Just take your time and find a good deal on a nice looking, well started baby.

not looking for the BEST deal, just looking for what trends might help out a bit. I'm usually pretty good at cost/benifit, and patience is now pretty well ingrained... the ultimate saltwater motto is "nothing good happens fast"

would you then say the reptile show this weekend would probably have pretty lousy odds at a good deal on a healthy snake?

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Originally Posted by WesleyTF

would you then say the reptile show this weekend would probably have pretty lousy odds at a good deal on a healthy snake?

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I got my male het axanthic and female spider at pretty cheap deals compared to what I have seen. Seems like breeders are looking to empty the hatchings out to make room for the new guys. Looking for female het axanthic and mojaves this summer.
PS my little guys were late clutches as well.

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Originally Posted by WesleyTF

would you then say the reptile show this weekend would probably have pretty lousy odds at a good deal on a healthy snake?

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Which one, the Pomona show? You should be able to get a quality animal at a fair price. A lot of our BP.netters will be there, although unfortunately I won't be able to make the drive north.

yes, sorry, I meant the one in pomona. I'm used to 'local' message boards, sorry for the confusion. Hell, I've never even SEEN most of these morphs in person, so I should probably just go to see what gets me going when my eyes are actually on it...

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Originally Posted by WesleyTF

would you then say the reptile show this weekend would probably have pretty lousy odds at a good deal on a healthy snake?

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I almost always find the best deals at local shows. You dont pay shipping and you can hole the snakes and see subtle differences in each individual. I would rather do most of my deals at a local show than anywhere else. You should be fine.

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Originally Posted by WesleyTF

yes, sorry, I meant the one in pomona. I'm used to 'local' message boards, sorry for the confusion. Hell, I've never even SEEN most of these morphs in person, so I should probably just go to see what gets me going when my eyes are actually on it...

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Since you're not in a big hurry right now, I think that this is a great idea. Go to the show, see some of these morphs in person, then start to watch for the best example of that particular morph that you can find (that's how "I" shop when I want to add a new morph). For example, I have been wanting to add a lesser to my collection for over a year now. I checked classifieds, I checked shows, and one day, a member here posted a picture of a clutch that had hatched either that day or the day before and I KNEW I'd found my lesser. I immediately PM'd that member to find out the sex and whether they planned to sell it and made a purchase agreement on the spot.

I did this with my lesser and my yellow belly female - both were acquired once I saw the hatch pictures and immediately contacted the breeder before they were even up for sale. I had to wait for both animals to get some meals in them before they were shipped.

For ME, when I add a new morph or mutation, it has to be the best example that I can find. My cinnamon pastel male was one that I saw at a show from another BP.net member. At the time, I didn't have the funds to buy him outright, in fact, wasn't planning to add any new animals at the time. So a month later, I had the money, and I contacted him and found the animal was still available and purchased him immediately.

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the ultimate saltwater motto is "nothing good happens fast"

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I'd say that the same holds true for ball pythons!

Welcome to the addiction!

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Originally Posted by WesleyTF

I've been reef keeping for 5+ years now, that's a hobby I'm never going to kick, I'm pretty sure. The good news is that this hobby can't be as intensive/expensive/addicting as that one... right? lol

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YEAH RIGHT!!! I kept a 125 Gallon Reef tank for 7 years. I would say that this hobby is just as expensive and can be just as addictive. I would say right now that I have sold all my reef set-up equipment except for a few items. Where my tank once sat is a multi-rack snake set up.

I still dive though. :) Good Luck choosing your poison...

Scuba

I had a 200 gallon reef tank, and for me this hobby is just as expensive and for me way easier and more profitable. Now the tank was better excepten in the main part of my house (the snakes are not). I had only hatched clowns out 2 time but when the anemone moved and and a $3000 clam got pinshed in the rocks I was crushed.