Quote Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion View Post
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Yes, I care about future customers. Any business person SHOULD. I care that they get healthy and well-bred animals, and that they come into owning ball pythons--whether as a pet, a hobby, or a business--knowing what to expect, with full knowledge and all the tools they need to be successful. I also don't want them to think that if they're considering making it a business--even a small hobby business--that they don't have a chance of success. Or that there is something wrong with them if they actually consider money.

When did making money turn into a BAD THING? I must have missed the memo on that.

A bad businessperson does not factor in routine expenses. They don't make a business plan. They don't care for the welfare of the animals beyond their monetary value. They plan no more than 1 year in advance.

A good businessperson sets aside a budget not only for routine cleaning and care, but also for veterinary expenses, extra food for any snakes that don't sell right away, and all the little bits and pieces that are necessary to keep snakes not just healthy but thriving. Because superior animals are going to bring a superior price--and, oh yeah--it's the right thing to do. Reputation is important, as well as how well you sleep at night.

So all this talk about business breeders not caring for the animals is complete bull pocky. If they're going to actually be around a while, they had darned well better care for each and every one of them. It's a stupid business to get into if you don't love the animals, and if people think you don't love them, you're not going to be successful at it.

"Mass producing" is the only way to breed reptiles and make a living at it. And there is nothing wrong with it at all. NERD and BHB certainly mass produce ball pythons. I don't see anyone faulting them for it, because they do it right. These aren't dogs or cats. The moment there are not other breeders waiting to buy them up, their prices will fall, and they'll enter into the pet trade. Most purebred Dogs and cats are in the pet trade from the moment they're born.
I quite enjoy your posts in this thread! I'm 10 years in & I believe we're just getting started.

I believe you are spot on about this!

We got people selling who don't quarantine properly or who kill healthy snakes, while the rest of us will survive beyond their brief time, folks NEED to vote with their dollars. They need to be okay with paying a tad more for a superior example of a morph & producers need to feel they can ask what an animal is worth. So while I agree that eventually this area will correct itself, it will require the buyer to care where they get their animals.

IMHO there's room for both Mass & Selective producers. Selective breeding is ultimately about smaller numbers. I could have bred every breeder female that I had last season, but I only bred under half that why? Not just the economy, because of the quality of the offspring. The project has to match the snake. Some pairings are just better than others. For those that "mass-produce" they are more likely to get graded results, IMHO go smaller with best examples of the morphs that you can get & it will show in the offspring. I not only care about doing the best by my animals, I care about improving the the morphs if I can. It drives my choices, it narrows my producion... I do hope it will also one day be something I will be known for.