Whats your motivation foer breeding ball pythons????? (debate!!!)

[FINGAZZ]

why do you breed bp's? is it just as a hobby?if so what happens to the ones you dont want?you probilly sell them right? what happens when your collection it grows?you probily sell the ones that are no longer needed.you can ask a million why's but it all points to one answer,to make some money back and make some extra money. so it becomes a buisnes down the road now.

now why is it a problem if snake are sold cheaper then the next guy or should i say a big breeder or semi big breeder.why is it a problem and hate that little guy with the perfect examples of morphs. im trying to understand it.it seems like there are many people breeding and selling snakes.im in florida and its crazy that just in my area there are atleast 20 breeders with collections 200+.so for example if i sold a pefect example pewter for let say $350 for a male and $400 for a female or even less why is it a issue. if there are hundreds of breeders out there then the market is flooded already if you were gonna answer with that.if im breeding its to make money and give the snake a good home.im not saying im gonna sell a pewter for 150 bucks but if i have no use for it and its taking up room why not sell it less make money and put it towrds another new snake or the keeping of the collection.lets here everyones thought....

[Freakie_frog]

I got my first Ball fell in love. Saw how wonderful the morphs were and wanted them. So I started breeding. My motivations now for breeding are simple..I'm tired of working for someone else.. Pretty simply I want to love what I do and do what I love.

[mues155]

why do you breed bp's? is it just as a hobby?if so what happens to the ones you dont want?you probilly sell them right? what happens when your collection it grows?you probily sell the ones that are no longer needed.you can ask a million why's but it all points to one answer,to make some money back and make some extra money. so it becomes a buisnes down the road now.

Well Im breeding because its a hobby, I find the most joy and satisfaction when those eggs hatch and to watch those babies grow that its worth it in just that aspect.
I definetly dont plan to make a PROFIT, i dont have that many breeders. But the babies i do sell will give me some extra money for more morphs, pay for the feeders, etc.
I would eventually like my collection to increase yes. to become an actual business? Probably not but that would be so awesome! Turn a hobby into a full scale full time job. That would be a dream.
Breeding is a wonderful project that brings me joy and even if i lost all my money i would still be just happy that i got to experience it. IMO

[Biffard]

Breeding is a wonderful project that brings me joy and even if i lost all my money i would still be just happy that i got to experience it. IMO

While I haven't produced any BP babies yet (I will one day!) this pretty much sums it up for me as well. Herps are a hobby for me, just like golf and mountain biking. I do those things for the thrill and enjoyment I get out of them. I loose money on all my hobbies but I would rather spend the money and get the enjoyment than not do anything at all.

So in short, it's not about the money but the thrill and experience that I get from raising and keeping snakes.

[Jessica Loesch]

I plan on breeding to fuel the hobby and maybe make some movie and a dinner date night money. IF I make more than that, I plan on using half of it to pay off some student loans

[SourDeez]

I want to start breeding because i love reptiles and i want to someday help any reptile/animal come back strong. since i was little i have been saving little birds and snakes that get caught in sticky traps and set them free. what better way to learn then to do it yourself and yea making a little money can help pay for the life learning experiences.

[Nektu]

I got my first Ball fell in love. Saw how wonderful the morphs were and wanted them. So I started breeding. My motivations now for breeding are simple..I'm tired of working for someone else.. Pretty simply I want to love what I do and do what I love.

I can relate to this. Started with my first one 8 years ago. As the years went by started learning about the different morphs and realized how beautiful they are. Then started learning about different combo's. That's when my interest in breeding kicked in. That and some serious convincing of my wife which took a few years, lol. Now I want to start doing this on the side then eventually moving into doing this full time. My body can't take working 10+ hours a day standing on my feet anymore.

[MojaveLesser]

I breed ball pythons because I love them and the industry as a whole. I am proud to be part of the reptile industry and I love keeping snakes of all kinds and I find a great satification and pride in producing snakes. The money aspect is of course a draw but I think that there is a difference between saying you have a business and treating the animals like a business. My snakes never go three consecutive days with out seeing me and being handled. I take the time to get every animal out for at least a few moments many times a week. Now I dont have a huge collection at 43 snakes but even if/ when it grows I intend on keeping that ideal going. And that is because of my love for these animals. I love seeing them and spending tmie with them. I can name (yes all of my snakes have names : D ) every animal I own by memory and tell you everything about them. It was my first ball python that inspired me to persue my degree in wildlife biology from U of M. And to this day all of my animals inspire me and leave me in awe. That is why I breed snakes (Ball Pythons). ; )

[WingedWolfPsion]

I breed ball pythons in order to build a reptile breeding business, as my chosen career. I love reptiles, and I find that the easy care of snakes suits me (I have CFS), and its an industry I can actually make a living from.

While I don't handle every snake I own every 3 days, I do look them over well when doing cage-cleanings, and I can also tell you their name, and everything about them. (They don't enjoy handling, so I don't handle most of them--plus, if I do not handle them, then I have a clear idea of their natural temperament, and I breed for temperament).

I think the OP was asking why breeders care if someone underprices their snakes. The answer to that is, some breeders believe that this will cause people who are shopping to expect lower prices, because they saw a low price. That could hurt their sales, and sales are important to them.

Who buys a pewter ball python? This is a question more people should be asking. The answer is, OTHER BREEDERS. This isn't an animal that's commonly purchased as a pet! If you're a breeder, then other breeders are your customers. If you under price your animals, you're losing money, and yes, if enough people do that, they will drive the market price down. It's human nature--everyone wants a great deal.

I do think that we all need to avoid purchasing underpriced animals, because we're buying animals due to their investment value. We should support sellers who help keep market rates from dropping too fast, because they're helping support our future sales as well.

It doesn't matter if you're strictly involved as a hobby, or strictly involved as a business--you do want your animals to hold their value well, and you do want to get as much as possible when you sell offspring. That's a no-brainer.

[MarkieJ]

I buy most of my ball pythons from local breeders that I have a lot of respect for, and wouldn't dream of undercutting their prices. I'm a hobbyist breeder and have no desire for a profit, but keep and maintain a small collection, and wouldn't have a problem sitting on a snake until it sells at market price.

I personally also don't have a problem with people selling their snakes at below market prices... you made it, you can sell it for what you want. I likely wouldn't buy from you, and would be very cautious if I was buying a "cheap" snake from anyone, but you've got the right to sell at your own price.