Ok, when I originally got in to ball pythons it was strictly to get a pied. I saw my first one on the cover of Reptiles magazine in the early '90's and decided no matter what I had to have one. Many years later, my husband bought me a pair of het pieds to help make my dream come true. Then my eyes were opened to the first of the pied combo's, and man did the wheels in my mind start turning. Why should I stop at a plain pied when there were limitless possibilities for pied combinations?

After waiting four very long years, I have now successfully produced my first pieds. One was even my perfect 50/50 pattern and white snake that I always dreamed of. I am in the position now to start breeding towards my pied combos.

However, lately I've been thinking if I really want to go down that road. There are so many other combos out there, two gene and three gene that are within my grasp if I don't limit myself to just producing pieds. But then again, pieds are the entire reason why I started this in the first place. And as thrilling as it was to make my very first pied, how much more so my first pastel pied ? My first pinstripe pied? My first mojave peid? And then what about the new possibilities? Pastave pieds? Firefly pieds? Lemon Blast Pieds? Then, dream of dreams, how about things like Enchi Pinstripe Pastel pieds? Fire Enchi Pastel pieds, Mojave Pastel Pinstripe pieds? Vanilla Cream Enchi Pieds? The possibilities boggle the mind.

Then I start thinking, do I really want to devote the time and effort it will take to make two gene pieds? Three gene pieds? Four gene pieds? My head starts to hurt and my stomach gets knotted up just thinking about the work it will take.

So here is what I am asking.

Given the popularity of certain morphs over others, it is realistic for me to focus on my pied projects the way I always swore I would? It is more realistic to settle for making the occasional pied and pied combo but focus on just making whatever combos are popular that I fancy? Is it just the depression talking when I think the pied route is just not worth it? Is achieving my long held dreams what really matters? Or am I just being stubborn to limit myself to just pieds and a few assorted combos that happen along the way?

Gale