looking for opinions...

So, I am in search of a new ball python. I currently have 2 normal females, a pastel male, and a spider male. I want to take a stab at breeding something really cool for myself, no need for a money maker or anything, just something that will look good in my collection, which is all of them :) So say you have up to $500 to spend on this next snake, what would you get if you were in this scenario?

Either invest in a Trio or pair of Het Pieds for around $300-$450, a Bumblebee to mate to the pastel male for a chance at really cool stuff like Super Pastels and Bee's.

You could also go with pretty much an Co-dom out there and you could make some great animals. Lessers, Butters, and Pinstripes come to mind.

Though Im not sure of the current pricing of these snakes, I say go for either bee, pewter, or lesser/butter :)

If you're looking to spend 500.00 then there is allot for you out there.. Me I like Spiders and Pinstripes but Lesser's and enchi's are also a really nice addition to any collection..

I think I may get a super pastel female, if I cross that with my spider male, what could I hatch from that, I haven't done a lot of research on the genetics and crossing this snake with that snake kind of stuff yet and of course this whole project is a few years out even if I get a snake now.

Super pastel x spider = 50% chance of each

Pastel
Bumblebee

Bumblebees are pretty sweet...

You can make them now with the pastel and spider you have.

pastel x spider

Normal
pastel
spider
bumblebee

25% chance of each I think

So you see how having a super pastel instead of a normal pastel makes a differance

My spider and my pastel are both males, so I would need a female of either one of those, but, I'm more likely to hatch a bumble bee with a super pastel than just pastel right?

I just re-read your post and answered my question, 50% chance with a super pastel and 25% chance with a pastel. Got it ;)

i would go with a bummble bee to breed to your pastel you would get killerbees and i think there, is a chance to get super pastels to.

If you get a super pastel female to breed to your spider male you will get:

pastels
spiders
bumble bees
killer bees
and possibly normals.

Don't breed her to your pastel cause you'll just get pastels and super pastels. I say get a butter female and breed her to your spider. Butter spiders go for about $1200 and they are gorgeous! Hope this helped.

Any dom or co-dom female will go nice with your collection! I would definately get a female morph! Get one that you love to look at everyday! Personally I would get a pin, cinny or fire! A fire with your pastel can produce fire flys which are very nice looking: http://www.ballpython.ca/available_i...ust=1290228463 . A cinny with your spider could make cinny spider: http://www.ballpython.ca/available_i...ust=1290228518 or with your pastel could make pewters: http://www.ballpython.ca/available_i...ust=1290228560 . A pin with your spider could make a spinner: http://www.ballpython.ca/available_i...ust=1290228612 or with your pastel to make a lemon blast: http://www.ballpython.ca/available_i...ust=1290228678 .

It all depends on what you like but if you get a lesser then with your pastel and spider you could make lesser bees and pastel lessers and eventually have the potential between the three of super pastels, blue eyed lucys, bumble bees, queen bees, killer bees, and killer queen bees. That's what I am personally going to work towards.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions, there is just way to many combos out there, doesn't make this decision easy, I wish I could have them all!