On the Economic Viability of Ball Python Breeding

[WingedWolfPsion]

Thank you for writing this up! I learned that A) My business model doesn't suck and B) I'm not delusional. <lol>

An added bit of advice to make those 3-5 years go by more smoothly--you initial investment should NOT be hatchlings, it should consist of a mixture of recessive hatchlings, adult females, and male co-dom morphs. This will give you offspring in your first or second year of operation, and the money from those animals will enable you to pay for your operational costs without putting in more money from outside. At least, this has worked for me. After my initial investment, my breeding business has been self-sustaining. I have not made back my initial investment (in profit that isn't reinvested), and do not expect to do so for about 2 to 3 more years, but I don't have to put in anything from outside to maintain it and keep it growing.

Also, when I did the math and figured in bedding and feed, as well as equipment, raising my own rodents came out to approximately the same amount as buying them frozen, but with added labor costs. Remember that your time is worth money, too! Unfortunately, as we all know, some balls won't eat frozen, and hatchlings prefer live, so I do both. But don't feel you're losing money if you buy frozen. Buy in bulk, and buy efficiently, to save money on feeders.