Need your input guys!!!!

[Easterbunny]

I have just been told that I get to have my own "pet" project to keep myself out of trouble why my husband is working. Hes' going to give me a site of my own to run featuring beautiful women and even hotter snakes. my problem is this: I'm not sure what I should be looking at price range for snakes (averages just so i can make an outline) or what kind y'all would be interested in seeing and the price of upkeep of these said beauties(the snakes not the models I've already got model and shooting costs figured out) what is everyone's input/suggestions?

[dsirkle]

I'm not quite sure what you are proposing to do here, but please make sure that you stay within the TOS.
The cost of purchasing a morph will vary greatly, but once purchased the cost of maintaining a captive hatched BP from a petstore is no different than keeping the most expensive new morph.
If you are intending to start a nice collection and regularly posting photos of that collection,that would be enjoyed by many.
Please keep in mind that we are a family friendly site that is suitable for viewing by all ages.

[Easterbunny]

Oh of course hahahahahaha I would never submit the snakes to that hahaha I just want a site that appreciates snakes but the only way I can justify it to my husband is to have models posing with the snakes but I want to be able to show off many beautiful breeds of snakes and grow a collection I can be proud of and that I will most defiantly love. the site just for some reason justifies buying them to my husband he doesn't get my all out love and passion for snakes or why I could possibly want more than 3 lol

[bsavage]

Oh of course hahahahahaha I would never submit the snakes to that hahaha I just want a site that appreciates snakes but the only way I can justify it to my husband is to have models posing with the snakes but I want to be able to show off many beautiful breeds of snakes and grow a collection I can be proud of and that I will most defiantly love. the site just for some reason justifies buying them to my husband he doesn't get my all out love and passion for snakes or why I could possibly want more than 3 lol

Hmmm, that's kind of trange. Are you considering breeding or...?? I understand the whole modeling them off as an excuse to keep them and all but keep in mind, some BPs will shy away from that kind of exposure. Will the modelling site be profit driven?


In terms of upkeep, you're looking at probably fairly expensive, as you'll want lot of snakes, so that your photograph subjects dont get repetitive. Feed, caging, substrate, possible vets bills can all really add up. You'll probably want to consider raising colony of rats to maintain your growing number of models. Could get pricey.

Just a few things that went throguh my mind whilst reading your post.

Good luck.

[Easterbunny]

Yeah I considered all that and I do eventually want to breed them And I've already considered raising rats and all I just have to convince the husband that raising animal with fur is a nescisary evil cause he's allergic to them so he'll have to stay out of the room

[JLC]

I didn't see anything in the original post that suggested she was only looking for ball pythons. Just "snakes" in general. For photography's sake, I imagine the larger snakes make a much bigger impact in a picture...but not necessarily the giants. Boas come to mind as an ideal size. Womas or black heads would make for some very dramatic pictures...you don't see those snakes in posters at all!

The problem with such a general question is that there is no real way to pin down how much you could expect to spend. You can buy corn snakes for $10-$20...or spend a few hundred on a nice woma. A lot of snakes can be had for a nominal fee from a rescue. And if you want to get into all the different ball python morphs...well, there's a huge range of prices there, too.

Cost of upkeep would depend entirely on how many and what kind. A single corn snake doesn't cost much to house and feed at all....but a single burmese python requires a very large, secure enclosure with specific heat and thermostats...and their meals can get a bit pricey as they get big. Multiply feeding costs times the number of snakes you intend to keep, and it can add up to a hefty chunk of your monthly budget.

Lastly...if you truly intend to keep snakes for modeling purposes, then all of them need to be carefully selected for temperament and handled on a fairly regular basis to keep them used to and comfortable with human contact. Ball pythons are naturally docile as a general rule...however, they are also very shy and may stress out with such handling. Some of the larger snakes like boas and burms can also be very docile, but you have to work with them to be sure...as well as to get to know them and learn to read their body language...a surprise bite from one of the big ones is NOT fun.

[bsavage]

^^^

Very smart and well spoken lady right above me here !

[SpartaDog]

Well it seems everyone else has already given advice as far as snake care and costs, so I won't be redundant.

As far as the pictures themselves go, Burms are by far the most popular. If you are going for profit (and of course, can handle caring for Burms) definitely get a normal and an albino. I however am a particular fan of redtail boas and just about anything leucistic will be an attention-grabber (yeah, leuci bps go for $1000+, but leuci Texas rats go for less than $100). I also recommend Mexican black kingsnakes, black blood pythons (reds are more popular, but I like blacks better), and, if you can get your hands on one, a sunbeam snake (though photos with a sunbeam would be rare. They're pretty easily stressed).

Also, I definitely think you should get some men to pose with them. Men have enough pictures of pretty ladies with snakes to look at.
I actually drew a series of pictures of male characters from a manga called Bleach posing sexily with snakes. You can take a look here, if you need some ideas:
http://novaluna.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2wsryf
http://novaluna.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2xypl1
http://novaluna.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2ydphg
http://novaluna.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2ydpm2 (My personal favorite)
http://novaluna.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2yfn2a
http://novaluna.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2yl65w
http://novaluna.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2yon2h

Anyway, as long as you know exactly what you're getting into, I definitely think this could turn out very interesting and I'd love to see what you come up with. From one snake-keeping artist to another, good luck!