Adam/Other succesful breeders: How did you start out in the biz?

I'm thoroughly impressed and amazed with many of you who make a (presumably nice) living breeding and selling awesome bps.

I'm curious, how did you get started in the bp biz? Did you start out with one and just keep acquiring more and more, gradually growing your business or did you invest a big chunk of cash up front to buy a bunch of bps at once?

Also, please feel free to post pics of your facilities if you like.

from what i've read... they started with passion.

and it took over from there!

I'm sure passion is what drives them but I'm more interested in the initial acquisition and development of their collection.

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Originally Posted by krood

I'm sure passion is what drives them but I'm more interested in the initial acquisition and development of their collection.

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Thats probably a little private, but the "big" breeders you are wondering about didn't get to where they are now without a sustancial investment of time and capital, and risk.

Its just like any other business venture out there. Most people don't make it big just dipping their foot in the pool...eventually it gets to a point where you have to decide to stay on the side and or dive in head first!

I'm not asking for full public disclosure of the financial details or anything. I'm just wondering if some of them started out with a single animal and became so intrigued with it they started collecting more and more, then decided to give breeding a shot and that led to more animals until they reached a point where they realized they could quit their day job and go full time in the bp breeding biz, or if they just bought a big block of stock all at once up front. Or somewhere in between? I'm just curious.

when i responded i thought you would read more into it.

of course it would start with one snake... they fell in love... got another. they bred those after a few years and were hooked... they started getting more snakes, different morphs and VOILA! it's a way of life. ;)

the breeders/sellers we've seen come and then go are the ones who left out the passion!

(of course this all my opinion and can not be held against me in a court of law) :rofl:

http://www.newenglandreptile.com/about.html - Kara and Kevin -NERD

http://www.8ballpythons.com/about.htm - Adam 8 Ball Pythons

I am not speaking for Adam or Kevin or anyone else by saying this but many people do different things. Some people start out with hatchling normal females and buy some visual males and just raise the females up(Matt Fischer), some people just throw a buttload of money out and buy big females and males, visuals and hets. Some people do a mix. I personally bought a few larger females in the 700-800 g range and a few in the 1000+ range and I am only working with a male pastel this year and raising a het albino. I am by no means a big breeder and I don't consider myself a breeder anyway.

A lot of this is already in the about page posted above (thanks Aleesha! :D ) ... but I'll give you the quick version.

My father brought home my first ball python when I was 8 years old (27 years ago now) ... Since then, I can't remember a time when my room/space didn't have tanks or cages with critters in them all over the place. Over the years I kept everything from bugs to lizards to milks/kings/corns to pythons ... Had some success breeding in my teens (corn snakes) and loved it ... in the mid 90's I was keeping eight ball pythons in a huge cage communally like many many keepers were doing at the time (we know much better now) and came home from work one day to a big female on a clutch of eggs. I was hooked! ... She looked amazing on those eggs ... better than corns by an order of magnitude ... and then in my research of how to take care of the eggs, I found a picture of an albino ball python in Reptiles Magazine ... holy smokes ... I had to have one!!! ... I was just out of the Marine Corps and starting my own business and didn't have a pot to spit in or a window to throw it out of ... so I begged, borrowed, and stole from family and friends $5,000 to buy an adult het albino male (boy have prices come down ... LOL) ... from there, I started breeding, selling, and re-investing ... every dime went to new morphs for my collection ... In my real life I was having great success with my career, (starting and building companies) and my brother one day asked why I didn't do the same with ball pythons ... he said "You're so good at starting companies and making them successful, why don't you do that with ball pythons ... then maybe one day, your true passion can become your career" ... So I did, and it did!

Everything I have was built on the initial 5K that I borrowed (and payed back a couple years later) by re-investing it back into my collection ... now, over a decade later I am blessed to own a business where I can breed and sell ball pythons and every year becomes more and more successful.

I hope this is sort of what you were looking for.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

... in the mid 90's I was keeping eight ball pythons in a huge cage communally like many many keepers were doing at the time (we know much better now) and came home from work one day to a big female on a clutch of eggs. I was hooked! ...

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Oh! Is this where "8-Ball" Pythons came from? :) :rolleye2:

I'm no pool fantatic but isn't it the 8 ball you have to sink to win? :)

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

I'm no pool fantatic but isn't it the 8 ball you have to sink to win? :)

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yup

That's to cool of a story Adam! I have to admit not at all the back story I had sometimes envisioned or imagined behind the name 8ball. Thanks for sharing!

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

I'm no pool fantatic but isn't it the 8 ball you have to sink to win? :)

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The 8 ball is the last ball standing. ;)

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

The 8 ball is the last ball standing. ;)

-adam

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Rolling around on the table with the cueball ;)

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

The 8 ball is the last ball standing. ;)

-adam

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I but once you get rid of the 8ball... there is a cueball!! Then all that is left is the Pool Stick. :carrot:



-Justin

Poolstick Ball Pythons
:P

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Originally Posted by cueball

Rolling around on the table with the cueball ;)

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Dang you and your fast fingers... :sabduel:

While I am nowhere near the success of Kevin and don't dream of ever achieving that success or growth of NERD and will never be an Adam, here is how I started and where I hope to be.

Since as early as I can remember I have been fascinated by snakes and lizards. They have always had a special place to me. I remember flipping every rock and board to see what I would find underneath. As soon as they allowed me to keep my first snake, my room has always had enclosure with snakes and lizards I had caught in the yard and treasured them as if they were priceless.

My passion for herps was put on the back burner during my military years, but was rekindled after seeing the reptile display in a pet store. Not knowing what to do after the military, I decided why not do what I love. After owning a few boas, pythons, monitors and chameleons, I decided to pursue this hobby as a full time business. As you can imagine, no one was surprised to hear that I wanted to work with reptiles.

Our focus up until this year was on Boas and Boa morphs and with the support of my wife Katherine and friends in the hobby we built quite a nice size collection of high end Boas. Unfortunately before we were able to get things really rolling, we moved and state laws banning Boas and large constrictors really put a squeeze (no pun intended) on our love for Boas!

After coming to the harsh conclusion that moving again was not an option and having to part with my Boas. I researched everything from Jungle Carpet Pythons, Green Tree Pythons, Jaguars, Bloods, etc, etc. Finally, my wife said "what about Ball Pythons?" and I decided that I would do some homework. After a few weeks of researching and seeing how they are relatively small in size, almost unlimited colors and patterns, tons of potential, and thanks to last year have started to come down to reasonable prices that most hobbyist can afford without mortgaging their homes. We decided to look further into Ball Pythons!

We chatted with keepers, spoke to and met with small and big breeders, etc, etc. Needless to say, we instantly fell in love with the species.

Once certain on what we wanted and the direction we wanted to go in, as well as a business plan that continues to evolve. I began selling off my Boas and current equipment/cages to help fund purchasing Ball Pythons, racks, tubs, the best thermostats and set up rat breeding colony to ensure I have a steady supply of healthy live feeders. I also early on decided I only wanted to own and support 100% CBB Ball Pythons Vs Imports as much as I could in my collection. I started out purchasing fifty 100% CBB females from Mike Wilbanks at Constrictors.com for starters to raise myself Vs buying large females, I'm in no rush and prefer to start out right. Later this year I hope to purchase Ball morphs such as a Pied, Caramel, Albino, Pastel, Spider, Lesser and a few others at the Daytona show or early.

The best part for me is, I do not depend on this to pay my bills or support my family. I am not in any credit card debts or in a hole because of my snakes. Any profit made can and will go straight back into the business, which is more like an overgrown hobby, at least in my case.

I know this is a full time, full blown business for some that depend on it's income to feed their families, which can be a source of stress at times. But, for me it's 100% hobby! A hobby with the potential to support and grow itself to the level I want it to be at. The day it stops being fun and actual work for me, I will sell off all my snakes, tubs, racks and take up fishing! :sunny:



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...-21/ball12.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...h-21/ball8.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...h-21/ball7.jpg

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Its just like any other business venture out there. Most people don't make it big just dipping their foot in the pool...eventually it gets to a point where you have to decide to stay on the side and or dive in head first!

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exactly brad. the best way to do it is just how you said save money and jump in head first. nothing ventured nothing gained. :salute:

Matt, when you decided to post that little gem two posts up, did you miss this part in the title? successful

i was mentioned in an earlier post. if the mods feal my post is out of line in any way inform them and ask them to remove it. this thred is titled how did you get your start. and seeing as how i just got my bp start i felt i would share.

BTW because you are so fast to speak out. how many snakes do you own and have produced??? A

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Originally Posted by MATT FISHER REPTILES

While I am nowhere near the success of Kevin and don't dream of ever achieving that success or growth of NERD and will never be an Adam, here is how I started and where I hope to be.

Since as early as I can remember I have been fascinated by snakes and lizards. They have always had a special place to me. I remember flipping every rock and board to see what I would find underneath. As soon as they allowed me to keep my first snake, my room has always had enclosure with snakes and lizards I had caught in the yard and treasured them as if they were priceless.

My passion for herps was put on the back burner during my military years, but was rekindled after seeing the reptile display in a pet store. Not knowing what to do after the military, I decided why not do what I love. After owning a few boas, pythons, monitors and chameleons, I decided to pursue this hobby as a full time business. As you can imagine, no one was surprised to hear that I wanted to work with reptiles.

Our focus up until this year was on Boas and Boa morphs and with the support of my wife Katherine and friends in the hobby we built quite a nice size collection of high end Boas. Unfortunately before we were able to get things really rolling, we moved and state laws banning Boas and large constrictors really put a squeeze (no pun intended) on our love for Boas!

After coming to the harsh conclusion that moving again was not an option and having to part with my Boas. I researched everything from Jungle Carpet Pythons, Green Tree Pythons, Jaguars, Bloods, etc, etc. Finally, my wife said "what about Ball Pythons?" and I decided that I would do some homework. After a few weeks of researching and seeing how they are relatively small in size, almost unlimited colors and patterns, tons of potential, and thanks to last year have started to come down to reasonable prices that most hobbyist can afford without mortgaging their homes. We decided to look further into Ball Pythons!

We chatted with keepers, spoke to and met with small and big breeders, etc, etc. Needless to say, we instantly fell in love with the species.

Once certain on what we wanted and the direction we wanted to go in, as well as a business plan that continues to evolve. I began selling off my Boas and current equipment/cages to help fund purchasing Ball Pythons, racks, tubs, the best thermostats and set up rat breeding colony to ensure I have a steady supply of healthy live feeders. I also early on decided I only wanted to own and support 100% CBB Ball Pythons Vs Imports as much as I could in my collection. I started out purchasing fifty 100% CBB females from Mike Wilbanks at Constrictors.com for starters to raise myself Vs buying large females, I'm in no rush and prefer to start out right. Later this year I hope to purchase Ball morphs such as a Pied, Caramel, Albino, Pastel, Spider, Lesser and a few others at the Daytona show or early.

The best part for me is, I do not depend on this to pay my bills or support my family. I am not in any credit card debts or in a hole because of my snakes. Any profit made can and will go straight back into the business, which is more like an overgrown hobby, at least in my case.

I know this is a full time, full blown business for some that depend on it's income to feed their families, which can be a source of stress at times. But, for me it's 100% hobby! A hobby with the potential to support and grow itself to the level I want it to be at. The day it stops being fun and actual work for me, I will sell off all my snakes, tubs, racks and take up fishing! :sunny:



http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...-21/ball12.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...h-21/ball8.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...h-21/ball7.jpg

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:rockon:

Matt, I honestly loved this post. I also appreciate the fact that you have alot of passion and appreciation for such a great hobby. To me you have already hit success. You've already been "successfully" breeding some high quality boa morphs, You've got a great team of female bp's that should treat you right in the next couple years! I Can't wait to see what you produce!

Matt, I havent produced any Ball Pythons to date. Which is exactly why you didnt see a post from me detailing how I started out. The OP was looking for input from those who are and have been successful breeding Ball Pythons, you are neither...and guess what? neither am I!

I am very proud of my small collection of morphs, hets an normals. Every one of my snakes was hand picked by me for a specific reason and has a specific place in my projects, especially the normals. ....not just mass produced snakes purchased in grab bag fashion ;) :) I'm all about selective breeding ;)

I guess success is defined in many ways! Some may see success in the hobby as how much snakes you sell or how much $$$ you make. I grade success as how happy I am to be a part of this wonderful hobby and enjoy it immensely!

Again, I apologize if this post was about how much money one has made or was meant for a select group....sorry for posting and if a Mod can delete my posts before it offends anyone please do so.

Thanks

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Originally Posted by djslurp1200

:rockon:

Matt, I honestly loved this post. I also appreciate the fact that you have alot of passion and appreciation for such a great hobby. To me you have already hit success. You've already been "successfully" breeding some high quality boa morphs, You've got a great team of female bp's that should treat you right in the next couple years! I Can't wait to see what you produce!

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thaks dude. :D

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Originally Posted by MATT FISHER REPTILES

I grade success as how happy I am to be a part of this wonderful hobby and enjoy it immensely!

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No problem, I agree with you alot there though... For me I feel the true success is enjoying the hobby passionately and getting the most out of it not so much financially but by being able to connect and enjoy it with others as well and helping people to understand and respect these amazing animals .

I feel the love...Between you two. Its just silly at this point.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

I feel the love...Between you two. Its just silly at this point.

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LMAO....Like 2 peas in a pod, or 3......Hi Gerry:colbert2:

I got started with one ball as a pet then got a hetpied male. And it blew up from there. My father saw a passion in me with my animals and the knowledge to grow from. So he offered to front the cash to get me started (side note dad hates HATES snakes) and is still a part of my snake lifestyle.
I will be adding lessers, cinnis, pinstripes, and a couple of female pieds in my projects this year. Thanks Dad!

My wife is also a big factor in this venture had she said no she doesn't want 50-400 snakes in the house then I'd be growing hot house veggies. Instead I'll be growing bees, super pastels, mojaves, cinnis, black balls, pewters, and so on. Thanks baby I love you.
So you see you must love the animal first and formost. Then you must be willing to get bit, peed on, hissed at and have people go "OH its a snake" :(, vet trips, temp checks, bad sheds, not eating and so one. If you can deal with all that and go to bed with a smile on your face and be excited to do it again tomarrow then. Welcome to Ball Python breeding.

Because for me the pay off is when someone stands there holding a spider or pied going this is the most outstanding looking animal I have ever seen, the money is just gray on the bread.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

I feel the love...Between you two. Its just silly at this point.

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seriously

and you're post was a pleasure to read, matt :rockon:

Matt! great post...i thoroughly enjoyed it enough for Uncle Festae AND myself!

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Originally Posted by MATT FISHER REPTILES

and will never be an Adam

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Matt,

I am truely flattered and humbled by your compliment ... Thank you ... but don't sell yourself short kiddo, with a little hard work and a lot of determination, you can be anything you want to be ... If I can make my dreams come true, anyone can! :sweeet:

Good luck with your venture into learning how to breed ball pythons ... I am sure it will be everything you hope it to be ... the offer I made during our phone call last week will always stand ... any help that I can be, don't hesitate to pick up the phone ... my knowledge of and experience with these animals is at your disposal! :rockon:

-adam

Hmm how very, very interesting.....

Matt how is it in one post you are so wordy, so wonderfully well spoken and such lovely, lovely punctuation and the next post (and your usual manner of posting) is a distinctly different style. No punctuation except the occasional period, no capital letters in sentences and usually quite a short, succinct posting style.

Now I'm not a Mod or Admin and they may well censor me for making assumptions but I am a bit of a student of people Matt and I've been around forums and especially this one for a very long time. People do not change their styles, you can usually get to know a person quite easily online specifically by the way they write, the words they choose, etc. I can often read between the lines of a friends post and sense if they are stressed or what their mood is. Someone could easily for instance tell my style of posting from my husband's if we accidentally logged in under the others name.

So Matt how is it you go from one style to another that is so vastly different that it stands out like a beacon to me? I have such an enquiring mind....

Maybe he had a ghost typist. Nothing wrong w/ that.
If I had to write all he did for that post I would have someone else type it also. I just don't sit around all day and type so I really stink at it.
Maybe that is his bag. :)

my wife Katherine ( the one with the degree) writes for me whial i talk sometimes. ( as you can see from the poor spelling in this post this one is by me) LOL

anything else you would like to know?????????

sounds to me like you have a lot of time on your hands.

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Originally Posted by MATT FISHER REPTILES

my wife Katherine ( the one with the degree) writes for me whial i talk sometimes. ( as you can see from the poor spelling in this post this one is by me) LOL

anything else you would like to know?????????

sounds to me like you have a lot of time on your hands.

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No need for antagonism bud... She was simply asking a question, I honestly was thinking the same thing when I read what "you wrote".

BTW, spell check does wonders.:rockon:

-Jason

It does kinda seem sometimes like there's two different people using the same account.

Thanks for the clarification.

This space reserved until someone defines what a 'successful' ball python breeder is. :confuzd:

Rick

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Originally Posted by SiscoReptiles

This space reserved until someone defines what a 'successful' ball python breeder is. :confuzd:

Rick

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I'm confused. This means, what?

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Originally Posted by jglass38

I'm confused. This means, what?

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The original poster never said what is considered a successful breeder. Is it someone who has bred and hatched eggs? Someone who sells XXX amount of snakes per year?

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Originally Posted by tmlowe5704

The original poster never said what is considered a successful breeder. Is it someone who has bred and hatched eggs? Someone who sells XXX amount of snakes per year?

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He sure did.

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I'm thoroughly impressed and amazed with many of you who make a (presumably nice) living breeding and selling awesome bps.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

He sure did.

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gotcha, I didn't read through the thread.

If he means "Successful Ball Python Business", (meaning someone who makes a living only breeding and selling ball pythons), then I guess many people on this forum may not be able to reply to the thread.

Seems most of the people here are hobbyist breeders (like I), not businesses that sell solely ball pythons. (I realize there are some who are, like Adam)

Personally, I breed tegus and several years ago I started dabbling with ball pythons. Last season I successfully produced my first clutches of ball python hatchlings and successfully sold them. I did this from profit from successfully breeding and selling tegus. So at this point I have normals, pastels, spiders, pied, albinos, yellowbellies, mojave, orange ghosts, etc.. all of which were from money raised breeding and selling the reptiles I keep. In the many years ahead, I plan to keep breeding and selling tegus and ball pythons and use that money to grow and expand. I love what I do, and I consider myself successful at my hobby since my hobby maintains and grows with no strain on my bank account since it's all self supporting.

So really, what is "successful"?

Rick

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Originally Posted by MATT FISHER REPTILES

my wife Katherine ( the one with the degree) writes for me whial i talk sometimes. ( as you can see from the poor spelling in this post this one is by me) LOL

anything else you would like to know?????????

sounds to me like you have a lot of time on your hands.

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Do read the TOS Matt...this is a quote from it...

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I. An account/ID/member name may not be used jointly by a married couple/involved/commited couple

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In other words if your wife wants to post, she needs her own ID here or you need to ask Admin is she's allowed to post for you if for some reason you are unable to type your own words. To do otherwise is as far as I can see confusing to the members here as well as walking a fine line with the TOS.

As far as the smart remark, Matt I have little time on my hands and what I have would not be directed your way. What I do have is a brain between my ears though and when I see posts that are radically different than a person's norm, well I'm going to wonder about that and I'm going to query it. I'd expect the same done to my own posts should anyone question whether they seemed like mine or someone else's due to content or construction. I don't think anyone here is above questions from other members or the TOS.

Quote:
I. An account/ID/member name may not be used jointly by a married couple/involved/commited couple


I would interpert that as sharing ie said husband /wife posting their own remarks or opinions. Having someone type for you while you stand there and dictate ie being a typist, I don't see how that could be breaking the rules.

Just my 2 cents, maybe we can get admin to comment on this since for some unknown reason it has become an issue

Hello out there admin?