My GOD! Do prices usually slice in half every year!!!!

[rabernet]

"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 read people writing about mass producing, and I'd like someone to define what they consider mass producing. I've been to NERD 2 x now, for a full week each time, helped out with cleaning and feeding of snakes, cleaning and feeding of rats.

I don't consider Kevin a mass producer by any stretch of the imagination. His incubator sits in his living room - he doesn't have a walk in incubator. It's a little wider than a full sized refrigerator. He has one room of breeders, that's not huge.

Kevin is one of the "big breeders" who is truly a hobbiest at heart. You can see the excitement and joy and twinkle in his eye when he talks about his animals and his pet projects.

I'd say that Kevin is more into pushing the envelope in the endless combo possibilities, not into mass producing a bunch of base morphs.

I've never been to Brian's, but I've seen his videos (hasn't everyone) and as far as volume of animals, he's HUGE compared to NERD's collection. BUT, Brian is just as passionate about his animals. Anyone who has ever taken time to talk to him on the phone or in person can hear his love OOZING out of him.

I agree with what WingedWolf said - why is making money at something you love considered a bad thing? If someone was in love with surfing, started a surf shop that went on to make millions, are they less in love with surfing? Have they "sold out" on their love of surfing? Why is with breeding reptiles, some people feel that they're not in it for the love of the animals? Yes, there certainly are some people in this industry that see the animals only as a commodity (see the culling thread above), but not all.

I'll never make a living at doing this, it's HARD work - it's a 7 day a week job, with no time off. But if I can make a little money to help fund and support my hobby and help me to acquire more animals that I'd like to have, then it's a win for me. But I will NOT disrespect the larger breeders who put in the blood, sweat and tears to get this hobby and excitement level to where it is today by suggesting that they don't love what they're doing, when in my limited interactions with them, I've found the opposite to be true.

Love what you do, and you'll never work a day in your life. Kudos to them for doing JUST that!