The $5000 challenge

[Autra]

Ok, so I have the room, and I have access to the equipment(tanks/racks/etc) to start up a small time collection, and eventually breeding group. I also have a friend who is looking like he's willing to bankroll me. Before we do anything though, he wants a business(breeding) plan from me. He's not so much interested in making a ton of money from this(I disabused him of that notion from the get-go), but he and his kids are fans of bp's while his wife won't let them in the house.

I also am planning on using some of this collection as part of a group that I take to elementary schools to use as science teaching aids sometime in the next two years, so it's not just a breeding program.

I'm looking at buying nothing but late 2011/early 2012 hatchlings, except for MAYBE a few older normal females, and I'd like to get at least one clown male(assume $800-$850), and one pied male(assume about $600-$650). Other than that, I'm pretty much open to checking out whatever is recommended.

I've kept balls, leopard geckos and beardies for about 2 years, and I've done some very low key leo breeding, so I'm not a stranger to the animals, or breeding in general, even if I haven't bred ball pythons.

So, here's my question: From a breeding perspective, what morphs would make the most sense?

From a teaching perspective, what do you think would be the most interesting morphs for the kids to see/play with?

With those two ideas in mind, how would you spend the last $3500-ish?

[evan385]

It's really about you and what you like. Choose the ones that are the most appealing to you and take into account the types of morphs that you want to combine.

[Autra]

Oh, I know it's about me, but that's why I'm asking for input.

I've really only gotten hooked on the clowns recently, because someone pointed out how cool their pattern was, and I fell in love.

I also ask because I'm not great at keeping up with what the prices are for all the morphs. Between work, my animals, being a single parent a bunch and being a full time student, I don't have a ton of time to be cruising the internet all the time to see what might be the newest good deal on all of the morphs.

Thus, the question, and why I asked what YOU would do with the cash.

Haha

[wolfy-hound]

For kids to see, albinos, lucys and pieds. Those are strikingly different from a normal.

I would think about something newer, rather than a established morph that's common.

Also, if you don't have tons of time, entering into a large scale breeding project/collection is not a good idea. It will take a ton more time to care for. If you get overwhelmed by the work of it, you won't be enjoying it.

Lastly and most importantly, I would definitely get whatever money agreement you work out in writing, notorized and signed by all parties. I know you think "Oh he's my friend" but if you don't have paperwork and everything set in stone beforehand, there could be misunderstandings later and then you lose a friendship in the process. Talk about all the details, what is paid for, what is owned by who.

[Autra]

The guy I'm working with is a lawyer, so the 'in writing' part isn't an issue. We've started the uncomfortable discussions, and will continue them until we get to the point that money changes hands. We're not stupid and want to stay friends.

What's the going price on regular albino females? I'm not sure I want to go with another male recessive

[cmack91]

3-400 i beleive, for the kids, id go with high contrast albino, pinstrip/normal, and ivory (theyre cheaper than lucy's, and just as fascinating), so there goes 12-1300 i think, plus you want a clown and a pied, so theres 3k gone total, then i'd pick up an enchi, black pastel, super pastel, spider, mojave, butter, orange ghost, yellow belly, if you could squeeze that all in there, this would give you alot of really cool longer term projects, and this is just what i would do. i think you can squeeze all this out of 5k, but i was just doing simple math using the middle of the average price range for each, and i wasnt thinking about shipping either, and its assuming you had all the housing stuff

[wolfy-hound]

You could also think about the sulfurs or sulfur crosses, since the super sulfur is CRAZY gorgeous.

[loonunit]

A good chunk of that $5k will be setting up the housing. How many snakes are we talking about? A dozen? A half-dozen?

Since you've already stated you'd like a clown boy and a pied boy, let's think about what plays nice with those. An albino girl, a nice pastel or even pewter. An enchi. A lesser/butter or a mojave, or maybe even a lucy. (I have a super mojave, and peopler really do love her.) Spiders don't play as well with pieds, but pinstripes do.

Rather than normal females, you might look for some hets. Double or combo hets if you have the money, (like pastel het clown, or double het albino pied), but definitely a het pied girl and a het clown girl.

[Driver]

I wouldn't spend it all on snakes. I would invest some of it into some feeder colonies as well. You don't want to spend all the money on snakes then realize you have to either buy rats when its time to feed or spend more money stater colonies and on setting up housing for the colonies.

[mschmied]

A pied male may be a little more than that. I haven't seen $600 anywhere but at shows, but I could be wrong. I'd look into reputable breeders so you know the quality of animal you are getting. May be a little pricier, but it isn't always about dollars and cents with this hobby/business. Quality stock trumps all and will bring in business IMO.