Implications of Starting a Small Breeding Business

[zee-man]

I've been pondering the following topic for some time and as excited as the thought gets me it bears to question just how plausible it is. As this section is specifically built to cover just this topic - and is a bit slow as of late - I thought I'd throw it out there for perhaps some good discussion and an opportunity to learn from those already there. I warn ahead of time this is a long post, but I hope its broken down well enough to be easily read and replied too, and will foster good discussion.

I want to first state that I didn't want to put the word "business" in the title as to me that sounds like work. I already do work, I want this to be fun/play time. I know it won't always be, but relegating it to a "hobby" sounds more fun than "business." Though you still need all necessary permits, etc., it seems less painful and more positive this way. Kind of like if we rephrased "taxes" to "our contribution to society."


So when I land back on American soil I considered taking my modest collection and pursuing breeding. Nothing large scale, only a couple/few clutches a year, but this got me thinking. How do you market yourself to interested parties? Sure I can make a Facebook page, a website, advertise on ks, etc., but I've visited these areas, and the one thing that you need to do, is stand out amongst the crowd. I've already promised myself if I get involved in this undertaking, my desire is to provide the best I can - health, support, response time, etc. - but it won't matter for much if people never find/see what I have to offer. I suppose I could buy "likes" or play macro-writing games so that my website pops up as a top response when "ball python" is searched, but I don't want to play games. I'd rather be known as a solid, trustworthy guy who offers quality animals. This is something that I really wish to take pride in and truly share the experience with others. But I see many folks here who are just the same (which is great!) and I've visited some of your websites - how do you make those relationships and get people to see what you've got to offer - this forum, trade shows, people in your area, etc.? One example of a guy I remember "just starting out" was 8 Ball Pythons. He was a bit into it when I first came to this forum, but had built quite a reputation (positive) here and seemed to be doing well. From what I understand Adam is an awesome dude and that helped build that reputation. But was it also partly because of when he started just as much as how he started?

One of the topics that spins off of the above, is what you have to sell. If I offer only a few clutches a year, what encourages someone to check my website, when they can visit one of the "big boys" and see a massive list of available morphs? Are they really going to take the time to visit my website and compare? How about taking a chance on a no-name / no-rep breeder? I know people look at fauna boi's all the time, but what if there is nothing on this new prospective breeder? Would you personally take that risk, or go somewhere else? For me personally, I've leaned more toward the middle and smaller sized breeders, because I appreciate the attentiveness, eagerness, and effort they make in communication and making the sale. To me, that is just as important as the quality of the animal being sold.

The market is full of single and double gene animals. It honestly blows my mind, because in the time I've been in this hobby (owning my first snake to now) I've seen prices cut in half - or more - for many animals. I remember when bumblebees were the talk at my local reptile show, and now you can see 3-4 gene animals. What happens to all of these animals that are single and double gene? Sure, beginners will happily take them, but that's assuming those beginners go online to look for their first snake. You can also offer them as package deals - which seems a rather clever idea - but the user has to be even slightly interested in breeding on their own - or wanting two snakes instead of one. Even assuming you breed a 2 gene to a 3 gene, you still have odds for singles and doubles, heck even normal. Is everyone truly managing to sell these animals before the next breeding season, or are many collections of the small timers growing without necessarily wanting them too? Is there even a true demand for ball pythons nowadays with the number of big, middle, and already existing small time breeders - or is the market merely bloated thanks to sheer numbers and a struggling economy?

Auctions... perhaps one of the banes of the hobby for small timers. Its a great thing for those with the stock and the ability to deal with hit and miss sales, but it seemingly eliminates the chances of small timers. They either have to sell their stock to the auctions of a big timer / post their snakes on one of these sites, or hope that they have established a reputation strong enough to make a sale with their already existing clientele. I honestly wonder how much longer people will be operating their own websites with the masses looking more towards options on social media and the conglomeration of big names with their own hosted auctions. When prices on animals are so low thanks to auctions it creates a false expectation of those looking to purchase. There is not only the pull of potential buyers to these "hubs" looking for the best price, but there will be more and higher frequency of animals available.



For me personally, when I make a purchase, I really put the breeder through the ringer. Not being harsh on them, but moreso researching their reputation, communicating with them to see how they respond, what kind of information they can provide, and their willingness to work with me - not on price mind you, but in communication. I've always been a believer that if you are a stand-up individual and do your best to work with your customers and offer a quality product - regardless of what that is - you'll be able to manage a positive result. Perhaps not become a full-time big name, but be able to make some sales of your animals and build a reliable customer base. I now have some breeders I visit their websites first before going anywhere else, and others I would not consider purchasing from again - or at all. I'd like to hope the majority of people do similar, but in reality the bottom line is cost for most - which is the reality of business. What are your opinions? Do you feel there is a chance for the small-timer out there to establish themselves enough to have people interested in what he/she has to offer at this stage in the morph game, or is it merely a pipe dream/wish that more than likely won't become a reality because the "game" has outpaced that level of play?


If you made it this far, hopefully it wasn't too painful, and I look forward to hearing what you have to say. Thanks!