New breeder

[cinderbird]

Ah I see well thank you again this is why I wanted to ask about it all. I would have trouble housing them all but could do it with a rack system. No to answer your question about giving them away before their first meal or shed, I would not. I merely dont have room to house them for a year or life. If no one would buy them I know I could give them away to say a pet store or someone as long as they were semi-healthy. I dont mind, actually, I plan on losing money on the deal having to purchase a rack system and making an incubator with all the food I have to purchase and vermiculite, tubs, and a breeder female. I really just want to get experience in the matter so later when I actually have a collection I know what i'm doing when it counts.

BPs definitely aren't going anywhere. They will still be here in a few years when you're in a better living situation for the animals. I wanted my first snake when I was 10. I FINALLY got my first snake when I was 20. That was literally 10 years I had to research and find out exactly what I wanted. Its really only within the last 4 years that I became interested in morphs and breeding. But i still have my first snake. She's an educational animal and helps other people learn about ball pythons.

I wouldn't even recommend that you get your first snake now. I wont tell you to do something thats against your dorm rules. I know in my college dorms they SERIOUSLY had problems with people who disrespected the housing rules. (and i graduated college in May of this year). What happens to the animals if you get caught? Do you have a room mate? How do they feel about this? What about having frozen rodents in your freezer? What happens if a snake gets sick? What happens over breaks when they do room checks and cleaning? They often shut off POWER to the rooms to save on utility bills (i know my college did, and they made you clean out your freezers/fridges and open and unplug them).

To me, having pets in a dorm room that dosent allow them is a logistical nightmare, and the animals are the ones who end up suffering. Are you planning on living in the dorms next year? I got my first snake within months of moving out of college housing. I asked my house-mates and they were ok with it. I also had a freezer i used for food. When i moved into my own apartment, i could store feeders in the main freezer (because dorm freezers are SO bad for keeping stuff frozen).

Now, in my current living situation (a nightmare actually..) my land lord failed to disclose that i HAD snakes with me even though they are on my lease and they ALL have a problem with me storing feeders in the communal freezer. Now my animals are in my room only and i had to BUY a freezer (not such a bad thing) to store my feeders.

You lose a ton of money to start up a breeding venture. The amount of equipment you have to buy, etc. I couldnt even fit my stuff in a dorm room, and dont even ask about my room mates...

The only advice i can give you is to wait.

[ShiftyPowers4444]

The good thing is my dorm and college are pretty good about pets as long as they dont have feathers or fur. My RA and RD know about my snakes and some RAs actually have a few of their own. We have full sized fridges with freezers that work great. The only thing is we can't keep beer in them since it's a dry christian campus... Thats the only thing we really can't keep in the fridges to be honest. As long as they are clean when you check out they couldn't care less. I have a roommate who wants to steal my snake cause he likes it so much and is the most easy going guy i've ever met. After this year I will most likely have to move out of the dorms into my own appartment however this isn't for sure which is why I can't keep alllll the babies.

This is why I wanted to start this year and seem so urgent and impatient. I know I could wait but me being young and immature doesn't help my patients any. Particularly with snakes I know patients is key but I am still a teen what can I do lol.

I guess my best bet is to buy that male stud I've been looking at, bite my lip and wait till I have the propper room and respective space for the animals. sucks but you make very good points and after all it is about the animals rather than my satisfaction. Thanks you again though

[cinderbird]

The good thing is my dorm and college are pretty good about pets as long as they dont have feathers or fur. My RA and RD know about my snakes and some RAs actually have a few of their own. We have full sized fridges with freezers that work great. The only thing is we can't keep beer in them since it's a dry christian campus... Thats the only thing we really can't keep in the fridges to be honest. As long as they are clean when you check out they couldn't care less. I have a roommate who wants to steal my snake cause he likes it so much and is the most easy going guy i've ever met. After this year I will most likely have to move out of the dorms into my own appartment however this isn't for sure which is why I can't keep alllll the babies.

This is why I wanted to start this year and seem so urgent and impatient. I know I could wait but me being young and immature doesn't help my patients any. Particularly with snakes I know patients is key but I am still a teen what can I do lol.

I guess my best bet is to buy that male stud I've been looking at, bite my lip and wait till I have the propper room and respective space for the animals. sucks but you make very good points and after all it is about the animals rather than my satisfaction. Thanks you again though

Your college housing situation sounds a lot better than mine was then if the "rulers" of your housing situation are ok with what you're doing then the world is your oyster honestly.

Age has very little to do with this, I browse various forums but pretty much lurk on every forum that isn't this one and age is a poor guideline for judgment on pet ownership. I've seen 14 year olds that care for their animals better than a lot of 42 year olds. Its all about mindset and education (and money is also a factor).

There are a lot of affordable 09 morphs right now. I dont know what location you're in but there are shows everywhere. Even if your budget isn't that high (when i go to shows i have a max amount of money i'll spend at a show). Theres another thread i posted on where there are a ton of morphs available for about 300 depending on what you're looking for. I'd get a little female and raise her up. If you're raising her, she wont breed for a few years but when she's 1500 grams you'll have a nice girl for your projects.

I've found that buying 300-600 gram snakes is a good thing for me, the animal is established feeding and has some size on it but i have room to watch the animal grow and learn its personality (and every one of my snakes does have their own personalities). I've also gotten an unstarted baby and my most recent pick up is just under 1000 grams so it varies.

I wanted to try breeding this year for the first time but that won't be happening for me. On the other hand, all of my breeder sized females, or almost breeder sized females will have another year to gain weight and grow and have good body condition for the next year.

[ShiftyPowers4444]

Ya you and I sound like we are in very similar boats but you have more snakes it sounds like , i'm jealous.

Thats great though I guess now is more of a time to grow some youngins and slowly expand my collection in a responsible and affordable manner. Slowly is the key word which is my problem cause I want so many different snakes and to be able to breed them. I'll just have to be patient I guess, you seem to have a good head on your shoulders thanks for the wonderful advice for sharing your life experiences with me that's exactly what I was looking for so thanks again.

I live in georgia but I've only heard bad things about local expos, however I've yet to attend one. I was hoping to travel down to a florida expo at some point but again money is the main concern at the moment. Do you know of any decent expos in say SC, NC, TN, or AB?

[cinderbird]

Ya you and I sound like we are in very similar boats but you have more snakes it sounds like , i'm jealous.

Thats great though I guess now is more of a time to grow some youngins and slowly expand my collection in a responsible and affordable manner. Slowly is the key word which is my problem cause I want so many different snakes and to be able to breed them. I'll just have to be patient I guess, you seem to have a good head on your shoulders thanks for the wonderful advice for sharing your life experiences with me that's exactly what I was looking for so thanks again.

I live in georgia but I've only heard bad things about local expos, however I've yet to attend one. I was hoping to travel down to a florida expo at some point but again money is the main concern at the moment. Do you know of any decent expos in say SC, NC, TN, or AB?

Trust me when i say you will not be disappointed with making this decision when you do start breeding

I'm located in Maryland right now, so virginia and PA is really the farthest i go. there are a ton of breeders i can recommend to purchase animals from though if you want someone reliable with quality animals (the inquiry section of the forum is sweet too).

With some of the money you've got saved up, definately buy the VPI book, if you need it PM me and ill get you a link to it. I have it and im barely half way through it right now. its the best book for EVERYTHING though.