Hi Everyone! I'm new to this forum and this is my first thread! To introduce myself, my name is Laura and I am from Naples, FL. I started out with horses as my passion, working on breeding farms in Ocala in college, and learning all I could about horses....and I belonged to several forums/bulletin boards, which helped me to gain a TON of helpful information when I was just starting out. Horses started out for me as a passion and a hobby and grew into a successful business, which I started a few years ago here in Naples. Through some uncontrollable circumstances, I have decided to stray away from the horse business and give myself (and my bank account) a break (if any of you have horses, or have had them, you know what I'm talking about!) I have found a new passion and hobby.....

Over a year ago I got my first ball python (thanks to my best friend who has a ball python and I just fell in love with him!) I have officially been bitten by "the bug" and am very interested in learning about breeding morphs. I would like to start my own little breeding operation, not as a business but just as a hobby. I am very excited and have thoroughly enjoyed learning all that I have about ball pythons, breeding, genetics, etc. I am very intrigued by color mutations...I worked on a paint breeding farm in Ocala and learned a GREAT deal about genetics and color combinations....it was fascinating!

My question to all of you is now that I am ready to go purchase a couple snakes....can you all make some suggestions as to what I should be looking to get? I have been advised getting a couple females is the way to go....and then getting one really nice quality "stud" to breed to all of them when they are large enough. What are some morphs that are good "starter" breeders?

I am fairly educated on the genetics as far as pairing up genes, but still a bit fuzzy on the dominant, co-dominant, and recessive. I understand them on paper, but trying to figure out which would be the easiest combinations to start out with is stumping me.

So if you all can suggest a couple females (for example I was thinking of getting a pastel and a spider), and then what male would go good with them (I had the opportunity to get an albino male that was very affordable, but then I know albino is resessive and babies would be pastel (or spider) het albino.

Anyway, I am SO excited to be learning and I greatly appreciate any advice you all can offer to someone just starting out. Thanks again!