Breeding Normals..is it a bad thing?

[ajmreptiles]

the only thing that is certain with him is that every single baby he fathers will have the pastel gene in it

[distaff]

Okay! So if I breed him later, and he produces otherwise, we know he's not silver streak?

If you bought him as a pet, how much do you really care?

If I were purchasing an animal for a breeding project, I'd get one from a breeder I trusted. I wouldn't be proving out anything, I'd be following a known genetic recipe that has an expected probability of producing the desired morph.

The thing is, breeding gets expensive, and many of those costs will be fixed at a certain baseline no matter what genetics the parents have. Those costs will only go up, if you can't readily sell the babies. Better to have a sound plan to earn your money back in sales of animals that are in demand.

[bcr229]

It's not trick, I just want to prove that he carries the gene.

Just that he is a silver streak AND he is carrying a Liesen Line gene

"Liesen Line" isn't a stand-alone gene, it's just a line of the black pastel morph. IIRC they are in demand because they hold their colors (darker black and brighter orange) better than many others, though you can find plenty of non-Liesen black pastels that look great also.

[SCWood]

"Liesen Line" isn't a stand-alone gene, it's just a line of the black pastel morph. IIRC they are in demand because they hold their colors (darker black and brighter orange) better than many others, though you can find plenty of non-Liesen black pastels that look great also.

Thanks! I'm not really sure I want to breed. In truth, I was only considering it because I was told there's no way to own multiple snakes without breeding to help with the expenses..

[TheSnakeEye]

You will never be able to determine if the snake has a Liesen Line Black Pastel. You can prove the Black Pastel in it, but you'll never be able to determine it's lineage.

[bcr229]

Thanks! I'm not really sure I want to breed. In truth, I was only considering it because I was told there's no way to own multiple snakes without breeding to help with the expenses..

If that were the case no one would keep dogs, cats, horses, fish, boats, motorcycles, guns, muscle cars...

Yes you can keep multiple snakes without breeding them by getting a job that pays well enough to cover living expenses and your herp hobby.

[SCWood]

If that were the case no one would keep dogs, cats, horses, fish, boats, motorcycles, guns, muscle cars...

Yes you can keep multiple snakes without breeding them by getting a job that pays well enough to cover living expenses and your herp hobby.

This. Thank you. I gotta keep reading on it. It's a 50/50 right now. Research is needed

[distaff]

This. Thank you. I gotta keep reading on it. It's a 50/50 right now. Research is needed

Before you do anything, budget. Determine:

What is your income/what are your expenses.
What do you have for an emergency fund.

If money is getting tight now, what can be sold, what expenses can be cut.
Where is money getting wasted.

After you figure out what can be trimmed, you can look at how you might earn more. Breeding is likely not the best way to do that - certainly not in the short term.

[bcr229]

Another point is that breeding has costs that simply keeping doesn't. Equipment such as incubator + high quality thermostat, thermometer, and hygrometer, hatchling rack + thermostat, accessories like hides and water bowls, etc. will set you back a few hundred even if you find quality stuff locally.

Also you really need a good exotics vet that can see your prolapsed male or egg-bound female with little or no notice, and obviously some cash in the bank (or room on the credit card) so that getting your animal seen immediately on an emergency call doesn't mean you're eating Ramen for the next month and figuring out how to pay the rent.

[ECechoHO]

breeding NORMALS isn't bad, look at Oct 5 in the breeding post section...