Breeder rep or looks?

[Brion99]

To answer your second question: I would think one or two ugly snakes could pop out some hot holdbacks but is it really worth the chance??

I was referring this only to a circumstance where its a pretty bigtime guy like Wilbanks and you have seen really good ones from the same batch.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I can't tell you what to do since ultimately it is up to YOU however here is what I do

I strive to get the best example of the morph I want that is my number 1# priority, my other priority is to buy it from someone reputable.

Big breeder, small breeder, big name person just starting out does not really matter as long as they have what I want, are reputable and have good ethics.

Most of my animals came from small breeders

[Brion99]

I can't tell you what to do since ultimately it is up to YOU however here is what I do

I strive to get the best example of the morph I want that is my number 1# priority, my other priority is to buy it from someone reputable.

Big breeder, small breeder, big name person just starting out does not really matter as long as they have what I want, are reputable and have good ethics.

Most of my animals came from small breeders

Thx alot, that really helps alot.

So it's offsprings quality is more on what that one snake looks like than it's lineage?? If that's the case it looks like I'll be saving some money.

Now that I think about it it's pretty obvious....if 2 average looking people have great looking kid and the kid has eventually has one with another great looking person odds are their kid will be pretty damn good looking....maybe the odds aren't as great as with someone with generations of great looking people, but probably not worth paying 20-80% more.

[KingPythons]

On animals such as specials and spectors etc, animals also that are hets I would go with big names. Just because I would trust them more and would give me a piece of mind. IMO.

[Brion99]

On animals such as specials and spectors etc, animals also that are hets I would go with big names. Just because I would trust them more and would give me a piece of mind. IMO.

Thx. Yeah, anything involving Hets, or morphs that can mistaken for others (i.e. people selling Calicos as Sugars) I'll definitely make sure they're trustworthy.

[purplemuffin]

That's exactly why I don't plan to play the het game when I start breeding! I want to reduce the amount of hets as much as possible when breeding early on by just buying visual recessives! Pied to pied, albino to albino, etc!

[Brion99]

That's exactly why I don't plan to play the het game when I start breeding! I want to reduce the amount of hets as much as possible when breeding early on by just buying visual recessives! Pied to pied, albino to albino, etc!

ALOT more expensive that way. I want to eventually get into Hypos and Axanthics and the difference going het is huge....though if you can pull it off thats at least a year ahead you'd be, OTOH, puttin that money in hets and you'd have a stockpile of your own Pieds and Albinos after one season.....my 2c

[Anna.Sitarski]

Exactly like Homegrown said, it all depends on the animal you are looking at. Quality can be from small breeders. If the animals look good and are healthy and something you want to get into and the breeder takes care of their snakes then by all means go for it. I have NERD snakes and snakes from smaller breeders. They are all gorgeous and I chose them carefully for certain qualities and the breeders were all great to deal with, very knowledgeable and cared for their animals.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

On animals such as specials and spectors etc, animals also that are hets I would go with big names. Just because I would trust them more and would give me a piece of mind. IMO.

Well I guess people without a big name don't stand a chance, I assume you never plan on selling hets? And I guess the rest of us who do but don't have a big name are just not as trustworthy?

Not to rain on your parade here but a little food for the thoughts there have been instances in the past when hets from big breeders were switched by unscrupulous employees.....just saying.

[kitedemon]

Smaller breeders with smaller collections may actually spend more time with each animal than bigger breeders do and actually notice issues and keep things cleaner than it is possible for a big breeder. I am not saying that a big breeder does not care for the animals but open spot clean fresh water close next. Isn't the same as open lift out spot clean fresh water check the snake over and close. If you want to breed and are not interested in pets it doesn't matter much but if you actually want to handle a snake smaller breeders have likely handled the animals more and they don't need as long to adjust to people as some of the big breeders snakes may. Just something more to think on.