Normal X Normal

Is it dumb for me to pair 2 normals just to get a first clutch of eggs and some experience before i have my full season of approx 10 females pairing up?

There is nothing wrong with breeding two normals, but are you prepared for what you are going to do with the babies?

I would say no as long as you have a pet store nearby that will buy them, or sell them to a wholesaler?

Normals hatch out just the same as most any other morph and just because they are "normal" doesn't mean they are a lesser animal.

I know what you mean though, but I wouldn't be able to wait another season if I already had my females of size!

Breeding normals is fine as long as you have a plan for what to do with the babies. I would make sure that you have the ability to house and care for them if you end up not being able to sell them. Selling them to a local pet store may be a good idea if you don't have friends or family that want to buy them.

From a business stand point it would be, but I think, from the hobby side of it its not. Does the world need more capitive bred normals? They sure do import alot of capitive hatched ones. If I was going to bed normal to normal I would just make sure before I start that I had a pet store or someplace that was wanting to purchase them when they hatch.

~ Karl

Hi,

That sounds like a perfectly good idea to me. :)


dr del

If I had two normals ready right now, I'd throw em together! :D

That is one way to test what every incubator setup you have and make sure you can atleast handle 1 clutch all the way through..

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Originally Posted by KLMuller

From a business stand point it would be, but I think, from the hobby side of it its not. Does the world need more capitive bred normals? They sure do import alot of capitive hatched ones. If I was going to bed normal to normal I would just make sure before I start that I had a pet store or someplace that was wanting to purchase them when they hatch.

~ Karl

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Karl the above statement you just made ( I have highlighted it in bold ) You could say to those breeding morphs does the world need more morphs/normals after all be it a normal or a morph it is still a Ball Python so either way it's adding to the population. Ask yourself if every breeders pre-sold or lined up buyers for all they hatch.

To the OP go for it we all start somewhere if you want to pair your snakes then pair away and good luck :)

Sorry I was unclear, I ment it like this,
Does the world need more normals? Yes absolutely, look at all the capitive hatched and wild caught that are imported every year.

I think having more capitive bred normals in pet stores is the best possible thing that can happen to this hobby, less problems for beginners would be just the tip of the Ice burg. As far as the from a business stand point part I just ment you won't cover your cost on selling normals because the import market has the price set so low.

Testing out your set up with normals is a great way to make sure things go smoothly.

~ Karl

Yes i have done a lot of research on what to do with the babies. All i do with my free time is research breeding, morphs, and husbandry. I know it is very important to not get too impatient when waiting to cut the eggs. I already have a 15/32qt rack and it will be easy for me to make a 6qt hatchling rack. I also know to put them on moist paper towels at first. My only problem is i don't know what to do about picky eaters. If someone could help with that, I'd be golden :)

By the way, I have a local pet store that I'm friends with the owner and because of the economy he is struggling and i might even just donate them since im only doing it for the experience so I'm not nervous about producing a lot of clutches at once.

I never thought of it that way btw. More captive breed normals for petstores would more than likely be a good thing.

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Originally Posted by Subdriven

That is one way to test what every incubator setup you have and make sure you can atleast handle 1 clutch all the way through..

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Totally agree. This is how I did it and it answered most of my questions about breeding for years to come. Also don't forget you will get a test run on going through the stage after they hatch and before their first shed, then go through their first meals. I found it very helpful to see it in real life before I got overwhelmed with multiple clutches.

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Originally Posted by xfallingpointx

Yes i have done a lot of research on what to do with the babies. All i do with my free time is research breeding, morphs, and husbandry. I know it is very important to not get too impatient when waiting to cut the eggs. I already have a 15/32qt rack and it will be easy for me to make a 6qt hatchling rack. I also know to put them on moist paper towels at first. My only problem is i don't know what to do about picky eaters. If someone could help with that, I'd be golden :)

By the way, I have a local pet store that I'm friends with the owner and because of the economy he is struggling and i might even just donate them since im only doing it for the experience so I'm not nervous about producing a lot of clutches at once.

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If you are breeding a normal to a normal, other than the eggs going way over their hatch due date, there really is no reason to cut the eggs at all, especially if this is your first clutch of eggs. I cut my first clutch of eggs, but I didn't do a very good job of it. I'd let them hatch on their own.

As far as picky eaters, I'm having that problem right now. I have 4 hatchlings that simply refuse to eat on their own. I've gotten 3 of them to eat on their own once and I used a very lively mouse hopper. I've heard for picky eaters, using ASFs work well.

I wait until one pips before I cut, and this season I will probably only cut a little slit for an emergency exit.
Picky eaters can be difficult. Sometimes just being patient is best, I had a female spider this year that took 5 feeding attempts after the first shed to eat, and it was an ASF that she took first. There is alot of help out there for picky eaters.

~ Karl

Yea thats the reason i'm doing it, just for a test run. And im afraid if i feed them an ASF then i wont be able to get them off of it then i have a snake that probably wont sell. how often do you guys have to assist hatchlings?

no you should not waste your time, so go ahead and send me your clutch of normals!:P

absolutely! just because they arent high end doesnt mean they arent vital to the hobby or buisness of someone.

as a hobby type like me, id take a normal to add to my breeding plans.
and even big time breeders have A LOT of normal females.
so like i said,
if this is your first time,
on a bid-ness end, better you learn from a less expensive clutch than a VALUABLE clutch.
sad but its true.

but when they hatch, post up your pictures because everyone on here loves all hatchling pictures,

EVEN normals.:gj::gj::gj:

She switched to mouse hoppers without any problems after she took the ASF.
I have had pretty good luck changing prey items with the babies. In fact half of my babies last year took f/t for their first meal

~ Karl

It sounds fine to me if that's what you want to do. I didn't really have a problem getting rid of mine. It only took a couples months after they were ready to go to find all of my snakes homes. The pastel males were much harder to get rid of.

Last year was my first breeding season and I produced 3 clutches of normals :)