Too late entering the hobby?

Hey guys, so I have this fear. But I also have this strong desire. ... the fear is that my desire to breed these amazing animals will be all for not give the head start that a lot of you and the other "big" breeders have had. For someone who has just gotten into this hobby in the past year... is it even worth trying to get into the breeding of these animals? Especially considering my snakes won't be ready for at least a year and a half or two. Where do you see the BP trade by then? Will I just be stuck with a ton of babies that nobody wants? Now granted, I have developed a DEEP Burning passion for these snakes, so I will breed regardless, but I would still like to turn a profit eventually too... anyways, sorry for the newbie post, I just have these worrisome thoughts sometimes.

EDIT: I think one good thing I have going for me is that I live in St. Louis, and to my knowledge there's no reputable breeder around here. So maybe I can view that as advantageous?

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Never to late even when I started 10 years ago there were people that were light years ahead of me, and when I started single gene animals were very expensive so were things like hets. Then during the past decade the sky was falling according to everyone.

The key is to be passionate, make smart decisions, find your own niche , invest in your collection, upgrade your animals, sure you might be in the red the first year or too but having a collection paying for itself or even making a profit is possible sadly too many people like the passion, commitment, patience and thinking to do so.

It's never too late. There's still A LOT to be done and, if you let yourself, you will always be chasing someone. Focus on your own projects and let the others take notice of you as you make your own path. Be the one that makes everyone else take notice when you wake up in the morning. It starts with passion, but it takes a lot more than that to be successful.

Good luck!

Just the two people I was hoping to hear from. Thanks guys. :) ... I'm starting out with single and double gene stuff, but the trick imo will be getting my name out there and illustrating to everyone how much I love these animals. In other words, a good website and getting to every reptile show I can! Lol.. does that sound like the right path to take?


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I've actually been thinking of this exact thing myself lately.

I think Ben Renick is in our area. I've been to a few local shows and they're always there. There's one on Sunday - may be a good time to meet him and make a good local contact.


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If YOU like them, then it is not too late for YOU.

Things will always wax and wane in terms of popularity. Dog breeds, certain fish, certain birds, different livestock breeds. Hobbies, crafts, and some ancient skill sets follow that up and down too (and sometimes sadly lost). The Internet allows fanciers of even the most obscure interests to get together and exchange know how.

I'm just starting this year too, and it's never too late to do what you love! If we're only thinking in terms of getting big money back from selling butters and mojaves, then that isn't really happening. But how it is now, it's much easier to get your hands on multi-gene animals than it was ten years ago, there are still pricier single genes like clown, so there's the new starting point. :D The way I see it.

I'm personally going to play with disco a a couple years from now, since it really hasn't been explored much by many people compared to some other genes, but I think it has a lot of potential. Probably just because a single gene disco really doesn't look like much. And I just love how super pastel disco combos look, or disco fire.

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Originally Posted by Mangiapane85

Just the two people I was hoping to hear from. Thanks guys. :)

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You're very welcome.

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Originally Posted by Mangiapane85

... I'm starting out with single and double gene stuff, but the trick imo will be getting my name out there and illustrating to everyone how much I love these animals. In other words, a good website and getting to every reptile show I can! Lol.. does that sound like the right path to take?

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I've learned that all of these things can happen both organically and with the amount of effort you put into them. Yes, I have a website and a FB page, and they help, but I've never vended at a show. I didn't have either of those things at the beginning of last year. I also don't have nearly the decades of experience that others have (far from it!). What I do hang my hat on is being able to take something away from everyone I meet, no matter how brief the interaction. I make sure to do the same for others - when people take something from me, no matter what it is, I make sure that they get the good stuff. That's what people remember.

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Originally Posted by BPGator

I think Ben Renick is in our area. I've been to a few local shows and they're always there. There's one on Sunday - may be a good time to meet him and make a good local contact.


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Thanks man! I had no idea he was so close... what about you? What part of St. Louis do you live in?

And redshepard, I don't plan on staying w just butter and Mojave. Even though you have obviously been following my posts lol.


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Originally Posted by BPGator

I think Ben Renick is in our area. I've been to a few local shows and they're always there. There's one on Sunday - may be a good time to meet him and make a good local contact.


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He is. I'm thinking about getting some womas from him. Seemed nice in email. Let me know if you ever come around kc

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You want me to let you know if I come to KC? I come there twice a year.

And Eric Alan, thanks man. I really appreciate your input, it is valued.


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Originally Posted by Mangiapane85

You want me to let you know if I come to KC? I come there twice a year.

And Eric Alan, thanks man. I really appreciate your input, it is valued.


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Meant for reptile expos or something. I forgot you weren't breeding for another two years

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Originally Posted by Mangiapane85

Thanks man! I had no idea he was so close... what about you? What part of St. Louis do you live in?

And redshepard, I don't plan on staying w just butter and Mojave. Even though you have obviously been following my posts lol.


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I'm in St. Peters


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I'll say not even close. Look what's happening recently with Champagne, Leopard clown Cg blackhead etc. Pieds and many other long standing morphs also are retaining value. Plan for what you want to achieve- ie; pick a project and plan it out.
My $0.02

I don't think it's ever too late. I think goal oriented planning is really important. Know what you want and be sure it's what YOU want and not what everyone else thinks is cool. This stuff is too long term to mess around with the flavor of the month for the wrong reasons. Especially if you are starting from scratch. I've been thinking about it a lot lately and the more I think about it the more I don't want to be stuck with offspring I can't sell and possibly can't take care of. I'd love to breed and want to breed but I don't know that I have the resources to do it the right way. I'll see. I have a long time to go before I'll even have snakes mature enough to breed. I just want to do it right.

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Originally Posted by cletus

I don't think it's ever too late. I think goal oriented planning is really important. Know what you want and be sure it's what YOU want and not what everyone else thinks is cool. This stuff is too long term to mess around with the flavor of the month for the wrong reasons. Especially if you are starting from scratch. I've been thinking about it a lot lately and the more I think about it the more I don't want to be stuck with offspring I can't sell and possibly can't take care of. I'd love to breed and want to breed but I don't know that I have the resources to do it the right way. I'll see. I have a long time to go before I'll even have snakes mature enough to breed. I just want to do it right.

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Me and you are one and the same. I share your exact thoughts. However, money is there for me. But I would take more pride in my OWN work if I kind of start from the ground up.


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Originally Posted by Mangiapane85

... is it even worth trying to get into the breeding of these animals? Especially considering my snakes won't be ready for at least a year and a half or two. Where do you see the BP trade by then? Will I just be stuck with a ton of babies that nobody wants? Now granted, I have developed a DEEP Burning passion for these snakes, so I will breed regardless, but I would still like to turn a profit eventually too... anyways, sorry for the newbie post, I just have these worrisome thoughts sometimes. EDIT: I think one good thing I have going for me is that I live in St. Louis, and to my knowledge there's no reputable breeder around here. So maybe I can view that as advantageous?

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By "worth trying" do you mean as in the financial sense or as in a worthwhile pursuit, i.e. a satisfying hobby? The latter is subjective and can only be answered by you. If it's the former the old adage "don't quit your day job" comes to mind. How many professional reptile breeders do you know? How many of the 55k members on this forum have paid or are paying off a mortgage breeding reptiles? Three? Four?

At what level is your goal? Breaking even? Clear a grand? or ten? or a hundred? Your question needs further defining. "Could I obtain x by investing y within z number of years?"

Evaluate yourself in a mock interview. How's your business acumen? Expertise in husbandry, breeding, morphs & genetics are parts of the equation. A bigger is one is convincing someone to pay $10,000 for a snake today which in all likelihood will sell for substantially less at some point in the future. Compare this to the cost of houses, vehicles, college tuition, and to the salaries garnered thru professional careers, which generally just seem to increase with each successive year.

Watch the video done by a professional reptile breeder/retailer entitled MY WORST IDEA EVER!!! Brian Barczyk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nT81LmYHPE

Note at the 4:45 mark he begins his story re the selling of Beanie Babies. Yes, Beanie Babies, stuffed toys. At the 5:43 mark: "We made a crap load of money over a short (laughs) period of time... We were selling some Beanie Babies for over $2,000; and we were then buying for only $7."

The buying and selling of Beanie Babies in a snake video. Why? Well, it has to do with business acumen. Some might say "a sucker is born everyday." :colbert: But that isn't fair as it could be said in regards to nearly any commodity, good, or item. Furthermore, some members of this forum who have purchased morphs for thousands of dollars, or are attempting to sell morphs for thousands of dollars, might be hurt by statements of that nature. And we should not offend them.

At the end of the day I look at it like this: I have friends and acquaintances who drop hundreds or even thousands of dollars annually on ski trips, trips to Vegas, recreational drugs and alcohol, etc, and have nothing to show for it other than some face book photos. Purchased snakes on the other hand can last for several years, during which time you may be afforded the opportunity to eventually break even or make a few dollars. But so what if you don't? You purchased something that you wanted. Don't look at it as an investment, do so only with disposable income, and avoid impulse buying. Good luck to you.

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Originally Posted by Macropodus

By "worth trying" do you mean as in the financial sense or as in a worthwhile pursuit, i.e. a satisfying hobby? The latter is subjective and can only be answered by you. If it's the former the old adage "don't quit your day job" comes to mind. How many professional reptile breeders do you know? How many of the 55k members on this forum have paid or are paying off a mortgage breeding reptiles? Three? Four?

At what level is your goal? Breaking even? Clear a grand? or ten? or a hundred? Your question needs further defining. "Could I obtain x by investing y within z number of years?"

Evaluate yourself in a mock interview. How's your business acumen? Expertise in husbandry, breeding, morphs & genetics are parts of the equation. A bigger is one is convincing someone to pay $10,000 for a snake today which in all likelihood will sell for substantially less at some point in the future. Compare this to the cost of houses, vehicles, college tuition, and to the salaries garnered thru professional careers, which generally just seem to increase with each successive year.

Watch the video done by a professional reptile breeder/retailer entitled MY WORST IDEA EVER!!! Brian Barczyk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nT81LmYHPE

Note at the 4:45 mark he begins his story re the selling of Beanie Babies. Yes, Beanie Babies, stuffed toys. At the 5:43 mark: "We made a crap load of money over a short (laughs) period of time... We were selling some Beanie Babies for over $2,000; and we were then buying for only $7."

The buying and selling of Beanie Babies in a snake video. Why? Well, it has to do with business acumen. Some might say "a sucker is born everyday." :colbert: But that isn't fair as it could be said in regards to nearly any commodity, good, or item. Furthermore, some members of this forum who have purchased morphs for thousands of dollars, or are attempting to sell morphs for thousands of dollars, might be hurt by statements of that nature. And we should not offend them.

At the end of the day I look at it like this: I have friends and acquaintances who drop hundreds or even thousands of dollars annually on ski trips, trips to Vegas, recreational drugs and alcohol, etc, and have nothing to show for it other than some face book photos. Purchased snakes on the other hand can last for several years, during which time you may be afforded the opportunity to eventually break even or make a few dollars. But so what if you don't? You purchased something that you wanted. Don't look at it as an investment, do so only with disposable income, and avoid impulse buying. Good luck to you.

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Great post. Thank you so much for the insightful thoughts... primarily I am doing this because I LOVE this species of snake. I'm mesmerized by them. I will keep my current collection until they die, add more to it and will have holdbacks too lol, but obviously I would consider it a bonus to turn some sort of profit. At least break even yes.


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Originally Posted by Macropodus

At the end of the day I look at it like this: I have friends and acquaintances who drop hundreds or even thousands of dollars annually on ski trips, trips to Vegas, recreational drugs and alcohol, etc, and have nothing to show for it other than some face book photos. Purchased snakes on the other hand can last for several years, during which time you may be afforded the opportunity to eventually break even or make a few dollars. But so what if you don't? You purchased something that you wanted. Don't look at it as an investment, do so only with disposable income, and avoid impulse buying. Good luck to you.

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This. I keep snakes strictly as a hobby. I have almost 100 in my collection (not all ball pythons) and I can count the number of total females I plan to pair this season on one hand. That keeps my hobby manageable and fun.

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Originally Posted by Mangiapane85

I think one good thing I have going for me is that I live in St. Louis, and to my knowledge there's no reputable breeder around here. So maybe I can view that as advantageous

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You have Gateway City Reptiles there in St. Louis. I bought a super Enchi Patel from him this month. He has some nice snakes.

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Originally Posted by Mangiapane85

... I think one good thing I have going for me is that I live in St. Louis, and to my knowledge there's no reputable breeder around here. So maybe I can view that as advantageous?

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See #5 on this List: https://jkrballstreetjournal.com/201...to-avoid-them/

The author feels that "Not connecting with a mentor breeder" is one of the "Top 10 Ball Python Rookie mistakes"

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Originally Posted by Macropodus

See #5 on this List: https://jkrballstreetjournal.com/201...to-avoid-them/

The author feels that "Not connecting with a mentor breeder" is one of the "Top 10 Ball Python Rookie mistakes"

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Well I speak to Garrick Demeyer a lot. And I really think I'm going to learn tons from Eric (EB REPTILES) on this forum. :)


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