What to do with unwanted normals?

[The_Hanged_Man]

Howdy all, I considering breeding morphs and have a question regarding the normal offspring. Now I love snakes, but I would want to keep my operation fairly small focusing on a few high quality morphs. Of course in the process I would produce several normals in the course of breeding as well, and I was wondering what exactly do people do with these extra snakes. Are they difficult to find buyers for? What is the best venue to try to sell these snakes (eg Internet, local pet stores, reptile shows)? The price I would sell them for is fairly inconsequential, I just would want to find good buyers that would treat the snakes well. Thanks!

[basuca]

I have an idea give them to me

[daniel1983]

unwanted????

Thousands of normal ball pythons are imported from Africa each year in order to meet the ball python demand. CBB normals should not be a problem to sell at all. The best venue is what is best for you.....all the ones that you listed are great. I just mentioned that I was planning on breeding ball pythons when I was picking up some mice at the local petstore and they wanted to how many I expect to have and when can I get the babies to them.....ha ha...one experience like that and I got a good understanding of what the bp 'market' is all about.

You will find someone that will want your babies.....No worries

[jglass38]

You will have NO problem selling CB females. Males will be a bit harder. You will always be able to sell them for $10-$20 to a pet store but of course you will have no idea if they go to a good home. I have 3 gorgeous males that were born in May but there just isn't much market and I am not willing to just give them away to a pet store without knowing how they will be treated or whether the store will even care. I would rather give them away to someone that I know will take care of them then make a few bucks and not know.

[Adam_Wysocki]

I keep all of the normal females that I produce, but finding buyers for them isn't hard ... I turn down lots of people looking for quality girls each year.

I have a local guy that deals to the pet stores that takes my normal males from me ... and I always keep a few to sell over the internet, and have no problems selling them.

In the past, I used to trade my normal males to a local pet store for credit towards feeders or supplies which always worked out great!

If you are going to sell ball pythons, then you are going into business and you should act like it ... research, advertise, market, sell ... if you do the things that all businesses do you'll sell what you want to sell .... the ball python market is strong!!

-adam

[frankykeno]

Hell yeah Adam! We are no where near ready for breeding and I've got both the local pet stores wanting any spare normal males I produce LOL (they won't get there hands on my future girlies tho!) Makes business sense for us, makes business sense for the pet stores. They get well started babies with no shipping costs/stress involved and Mike and I get a nice credit with them for whatever dry goods type supplies we might need.

Just like breeding any creature though, you have to plan ahead for the spare young and be prepared to raise them and feed them until you get a home for them and plan ahead for that.


~~Jo~~

[TekWarren]

I think the experts pretty much covered everything, its all about planning and being responsible. Females are worth their weight gold once they get well started, and the males should be fairly easily sold in the pet trade. Not to mention if your going to be working with high end only any "normals" you would have will be X% het for whatever you are working with and will attract buyers also.

[Eddie_Z]

And did I mention that you could always give them to me, i am more than certain i could make a nice home for them & I have a hot little momma who will be coming into her breeding weight within the next year! Hubba hubba!!

[justcage]

FREEZER!!!!!


Just kidding..lol

[The_Hanged_Man]

Thanks for all the responses! It's good to hear that there is a good market for normals as well. I was just worried about having swarms of snakes (hmm...is there a group word for snakes/ball pythons?...you know like murder of crows or pride of lions?) that I wouldn't be able to sell.