Reptile breeder as a career?

[mainbutter]

Lastly, there will always be demand for gorgeous snakes......

As long as they remain legal to keep! Always fight for our rights

[Watever]

Most people who do breeding as their first income, don't have it easy. It's not a stable business. Not many business is, but this one can be hard since you can't know what you are going to produce and it's hard to minimize the risk.

I think some made quite good money. Especially in ball pythons a few years ago, where you could bought a snake for 25k-50k and make that and a bit more the next year. That time is gone and probably won't be back.

But if you are innovative, there is still place for you probably and if you can make enough money to be happy and raise your family, it should be enough isn't it ?

But I would suggest too that you look elsewhere as your first income.

I started owning snakes (and eventually lizard) when I was about 14-15. Now 10+ years from that, I still in it. My passion had up and downs, like you will probably have when you start partying, girlfriends and cars , may be it won't go up, may be it will be a crazy passion, who knows.

But if you can, keep studying. I have just finish my university in engineering, and that's probably one of my best accomplisment so far. And when I come back from work, peting and cleaning my snakes is something I really appreciate and that calm me down after a big interllectual day.

Good luck, and don't be shy to ask questions.

[EdShal]

And when I come back from work, peting and cleaning my snakes is something I really appreciate and that calm me down after a big interllectual day.

I agree 100% on this. Im a Operative Technician, 2x12-hour shift worker.. so yeah, coming back from work, pet & clean my snakes at the end of the day, is a total de-stresser & actually calms me.

[p3titexburial]

I agree with what everyone else said--snake breeding (or breeding of any kind of animal) is unpredictable business. There's no such thing as holding back inventory either--you'd have to feed them, take care of them, invest time in them, and things could happen where they could die or get sick, you can't just leave them in the back of a warehouse and expect them to be the same when you come back a year later.

You not only need to know the animal, you need to know the business side of it as well. Financing, investing, accounting, sales, marketing the whole kitnkaboodle. If it's something you're really interested in, I would work for/volunteer for large reptile breeders who do it full time so you can learn the trade.

I know it looks like the story of the goose that lays golden eggs (seriously, baby snakes that can be sold for 1k+?) but don't forget what happened in the end.