new interest in snakes, trying to learn.

[MR Snakes]

You forget many things that entail snake keeping...

Herpstat are essentially are a requirement if you want to play it safe with high-end animals. Herpstat4 for 3 animals is $340. If you go with terrarium, better to go with an RHP, which are $40~$60 each with one per cage, so about $150. If you want to play it safe with ball pythons, you really need a pvc cage to use for your enclosure rather than a glass terrarium if you're not using a tub setup, which glass terrariums do not hold humidity (unless you want to cover the top with foil... but it doesn't look too good). $200~$250 per cage per animal, so that's $700 if you have three animals.

If you get adult ball pythons, you will not get 50 small rats for less than $50 lol... Fifty small rats would be about $100 including shipping and that will only last you 4 months. So it is actually about $250~$300 a year.

Ball pythons won't lay eggs annually. Females will usually skip a year every 3 years.

Oh no, those things are free.


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[smoothnobody]

fine, go out. i am still here and i would like to make my position clear. i got mister snakes telling me he is gong to send me a bill for his expertise when he doesn't even own a snake. i know he is joking, so i playfully responded with a little joke of my own about him still being a rookie himself. he thinks i am being a smart @$$ and insulting his level of knowledge. he gets bent out of shape. he responds with negative assumptions about my character.

then i got you getting bent out of shape because i accidentally copy pasted his response in your quote bracket. you say i'm fail. good luck. i'm out. sure, your words aren't inflammatory by themselves but i can read between the lines you know. you are basically assuming the worst about me and kicking me to the curb for something as meaningless as pressing a wrong button when making a phone call.

you guys have been making comments about my motivation. making comments about how i "claim" to care about animals as if my words may not be true. making comments how you see nothing good here. maybe you don't see it as insulting or turning on me, but as the person who is on the receiving end of this negative energy, it sure does feel like it. you "claim" to care so much about snakes. wouldn't it make more sense to be patient with newcomers instead of being passive aggressive and walking away from them?

[paulh]

Have you considered breeding and selling mice? Ball pythons have a few hundred mutant genes. I don't know how many mice have, but I am sure it is over a thousand. Mice average 8 babies per litter, mature at in a couple of months, and can have a litter per month. One male can handle 3 females easily. A family takes up less space than basic housing for a ball python. Build up a little business supplying mice to all the snake owners in town.

If you go to a two-day reptile swap meet, look around in back and talk to people. Vendors must rent a table, get food and housing, transport themselves to and from the meet, etc. This all costs money, time, and emotional stress. This was not for me.

Living things have a way of dying at the worst possible time. Kiss that investment goodbye.

When people talk about making a killing breeding snakes, I remember the motto of the Mystery Writers of America. Crime does not pay...enough!

Red and yellow are juvenile coloration in green tree pythons. By a year old, the snakes are turning green, the adult coloration. I've kept green tree pythons. They are gorgeous but NOT friendly. Every breeder wants "something that is nub friendly, has a unique look, and commands more than a few bucks to own one." That was the amelanistic corn snake back in the 1970s. The most money I ever made selling a snake was from raising an amel corn snake from baby to adult back then and then selling him as a proven breeder. And I think I lost money on the deal just from the food he consumed during that three year period.

[dr del]

Take a breath guys.

let the butt-hurt assumptions subside on all sides and come back to this afresh.

If I have to I'll lock the thread for 24 hours but a pause on all sides should let you see the points being laid out on both sides.

None of the advice given is wrong - slow is the way to go. But that applies to voicing the viewpoints as well.

If anyone needs a quiet rant send it to me instead of posting it in the thread - I'm used to rants at work so it won't phase me much.

[smoothnobody]

i know the advice isn't wrong. i know you guys have the snakes best interest at heart. despite what some of you may think, i'm not stupid. i am aware i don't know squat about snakes. i know you guys know more than me. i don't need you to tell me so from a high and mighty position. i don't need to be insulted to get your point across. i don't appreciate the negative assumptions about my character and capability. i don't appreciate passive aggressive comments like i see fail good luck i'm out. if you are going to be negative keep your jabs to yourself and be gone. go ahead and lock this DR. some of you obviously see nothing good in me and this whole thread went down the toilet.

[dr del]

As I said - take a pause.

These guys are some of the best people you could get advice from if you choose to make the hobby a part of your life. I'm not exaggerating when I say the years of reptile keeping experience shared between the posters on the thread is best thought of in terms of centuries instead of years. The main triggers to us as long term keepers was mainly the vagueness in species and the idea of money - that's what lead to this going south.

Take time, read everything you can, and find the snake you like -then the practical questions you ask won't be so "red-flaggy" [ hey I just invented a term ] to the forum in general. 20-40 years is a long time to pick up poop from an animal you don't love.

And if you don't love them I can guarantee you will sell up long before you make a dime. And that's the honest truth.

[Danger noodles]

Just buy a beautiful snake and raise it for a year then think about breeding. It’s like a tatoo, easy to jump in but not easy to jump out of. Just want the best for the animals, that’s all

[DandD]

haven't heard about fish and eggs yet. thanks.

i have seen some super high priced corn snakes, but to be honest they haven't really caught my attention like the balls and trees have. i didn't know corns can get 6FT. was assuming they are all little tiny things.

to be honest, i see dollar signs. i know that sounds terrible. but that's honestly the main reason i am thinking about breeding so early. i've listened to people talk about how rewarding it is to have your animals produce a healthy clutch and to see them push their way out of their shell. these aspects interest me as well. seeing them come to life sounds awesome. i can totally see myself being infatuated with the tiny things. i'm not going to jump in recklessly only thinking about dollar signs. but i am trying to look a few steps ahead and consider if this can be a viable business.

kinda bummed to hear you tell me tree pythons are not for beginners. the red green and yellow morphs are awesome. i really want them. if you don't mind, can you elaborate a little more on why you don't recommend trees? i can deal with attitude. to be frank i would respect a little attitude. as far as biting i'm pretty sure i can handle it. i'm pretty rough with my cat and she tears the heck out of my hand. i'm sure i'll be a little scary getting bit the first few times but i doubt it would be a deterrent. i'm not made of paper.

On a side note not sure if anyone mentioned this or not. The red and yellow “morphs” are just babies. I’m a very new keeper as well we have one ball python. Are planning another one months in advance. I wanted a GTP incredibly bad but their care requirements are to advanced for a new guy.

[MR Snakes]

I was talking with an unnamed breeder at the last show and he gave me an interesting insight into breeding. He asked me, "Do you know how to make a small fortune in the reptile business? Start with a large fortune and breed snakes."

[redshepherd]

On a side note not sure if anyone mentioned this or not. The red and yellow “morphs” are just babies. I’m a very new keeper as well we have one ball python. Are planning another one months in advance. I wanted a GTP incredibly bad but their care requirements are to advanced for a new guy.

There are some high-yellow adults. But yes "red and yellow morphs" as stated in op's post sounds like he saw some green tree python hatchlings, which are always either yellow or red, or a dark red. They go through a complete color change as they grow into adults.

@ the OP: Green tree pythons also don't have "morphs" like ball pythons. They are actually just called designer gtp, the color and pattern simply combine in interesting ways depending on the breeding.

I wouldn't start with the idea of breeding green tree pythons at all... Now that's just too much to get into for someone who hasn't owned snakes before. Raising green tree python neonates is a whole different ball game from ball pythons. You can of course get one green tree python neonate to raise from juvie after VERY thorough research, and see how you enjoy them.