Thoughts &/or suggestions about building a foundation for breeding Ball Pythons

[Snake Den]

Hello, all!

My name is Emily & I have been quickly turning into a ball python enthusiast! I bought my first BP (a normal/wild type) two years ago, with a tank, light & heating pad for a total of $50, & the seed was planted. Since my first purchase of Gucci, I have expanded my collection to include another normal, an Albino, a Bumble Bee, a Pied, a Het Albino/Het Pied, & an unusually light-colored normal (the latter was adopted from my local Humane Society, so the specific morph is unknown.)
With the handful that I have obtained, & encouragement from my boyfriend, I have decided to start a small, home-based breeding program. We have a handful of breeding ideas that we will enact, but we are also curious about a few other ideas of ours. For instance, we both lust after the Blue Eyed Lucy & are at a crossroads as to our method of obtaining our own: We could invest in a combination of a Mojave/Phantom/Lesser & breed our own, or we could purchase a BEL outright. We were also curious about crossing a BEL & a Super Cinnamon, which is where our current debate has led us to. Our options are between purchasing one young Mojave/Phantom & one Lesser, plus two Cinnamons, to produce our desired BEL & Super Cinnamon, or purchasing a BEL & Super Cinnamon.
Given that I am in Vet School & my boyfriend is a bartender, our initial capitol to invest isn't as much as we would prefer. So, I'm curious as to what people think are the most cost-effective, popular, or preferred plans of action at my current position. I have a basic outline for the breeding program, but I am always open to what other people suggest, whether it opposes or supports my plan, because I am just starting out.

Thank you for your input & I look forward to the help!!


-Emily

P.S. I have pictures posted of my snakes if you're interested in what they look like

[Coopers Constrictors]

Hi Emily,

I think we have chatted a few times over email. If you have the funds, I would go with the Supers right off the bat. They guarantee you will produce at least what they are in their co-dominate form, plus the other parent. That guarantee alone should be convincing. Cinnies are popular to a very select few. The general population enjoys colorful animals over browned out/dark animals. However, when you start mixing the cinnamon gene or other dark mutations into other colorful mutations, you can make some pretty cool snakes! It all really depends on what your end desires are. But in my opinion, the Supers to start off are a must nowadays.

Best Regards,

Jeremy
Cooper's Constrictors

[MisterKyte]

Hi Emily,

I think we have chatted a few times over email. If you have the funds, I would go with the Supers right off the bat. They guarantee you will produce at least what they are in their co-dominate form, plus the other parent. That guarantee alone should be convincing. Cinnies are popular to a very select few. The general population enjoys colorful animals over browned out/dark animals. However, when you start mixing the cinnamon gene or other dark mutations into other colorful mutations, you can make some pretty cool snakes! It all really depends on what your end desires are. But in my opinion, the Supers to start off are a must nowadays.

Best Regards,

Jeremy
Cooper's Constrictors

x2
Every time I ever talk to breeders they always seem to talk about wishing they had invested more in their Supers and two gene combos right off the bat.

I've also been told to not exhaust a lot of energy into Spider and Pastel projects too, have some animals that carry the genes in your stock but focus more on some other genes/combos because everyone produces the Bumble Bees and there really doesn't seem to be a whole lot of money in it at this point. If you have the money, I would suggest investing in a Leopard right off the bat. Very hot animals with a lot going on for them and very worth it from what I've seen them produce so far.

[darthsamurai]

I began breeding because I saw a BEL. I decided to start from the begining. I bought a male mojave for cheap and bred him to a bunch of normal females. I've since then aquired a bunch of morph females including a cinammon. I personally want to make my own BEL. That is the reason I want to breed. I enjoy the day by day cleaning of the now 31 snakes that I have. I've now spent way over the amount I would have if I had just bought that BEL in the first place. I found my calling

[JCH979]

Hello, all!

My name is Emily & I have been quickly turning into a ball python enthusiast! I bought my first BP (a normal/wild type) two years ago, with a tank, light & heating pad for a total of $50, & the seed was planted. Since my first purchase of Gucci, I have expanded my collection to include another normal, an Albino, a Bumble Bee, a Pied, a Het Albino/Het Pied, & an unusually light-colored normal (the latter was adopted from my local Humane Society, so the specific morph is unknown.)
With the handful that I have obtained, & encouragement from my boyfriend, I have decided to start a small, home-based breeding program. We have a handful of breeding ideas that we will enact, but we are also curious about a few other ideas of ours. For instance, we both lust after the Blue Eyed Lucy & are at a crossroads as to our method of obtaining our own: We could invest in a combination of a Mojave/Phantom/Lesser & breed our own, or we could purchase a BEL outright. We were also curious about crossing a BEL & a Super Cinnamon, which is where our current debate has led us to. Our options are between purchasing one young Mojave/Phantom & one Lesser, plus two Cinnamons, to produce our desired BEL & Super Cinnamon, or purchasing a BEL & Super Cinnamon.
Given that I am in Vet School & my boyfriend is a bartender, our initial capitol to invest isn't as much as we would prefer. So, I'm curious as to what people think are the most cost-effective, popular, or preferred plans of action at my current position. I have a basic outline for the breeding program, but I am always open to what other people suggest, whether it opposes or supports my plan, because I am just starting out.

Sounds strikingly similar to where my brother and I are at now, except we have everything planned out by now. With some patience and hard work we'll get there some day. Hope the best of luck to you.

[iCandiBallPythons]

Take your time and invest carefully.There is alot of ppl that come and go but if you stick with it it can pay off.keep in mind also that the higher in the market you can come in at the quicker you will see a return on your investment. Just an fyi super cinnys have probs with kinking

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[OzarkPythons]

One thing to remember, if you are looking at it as an investment, the amount of time it takes to see a return. If you buy babies, your females will have a couple of years before they can produce.
I paid out a little more for my female Mystic, just so I could see a return next season, especially now that I have the male Special to pair her up with.
Just keep that in mind, some people overlook the time factor.

[Snake Den]

Thank you for all the input. This has been very helpful. I think I will invest in a couple of different supers including the BEL. I am also now interested in looking into the leopard a little more. I had never considered that morph in my plans, but it could have some interesting potential. It is always nice to get thoughts from breeders and experienced people! I want to set up the best program possible with the money I have, so of course I am trying to research and plan before making random purchases!

-Emily

[CD CONSTRICTORS]

Good article on purchasing wisely....

http://ballpythonbreeder.com/2012/02...thon-breeders/

[snakesRkewl]

I would invest in a rack system if you are serious about breeding, that is if you are still using tanks.
You might consider buying the super cinny, find one that isn't duck billed and is a healthy example, seeing kinked and duck billed babies pipping is probably no fun.
I'm breeding black pastel X black pastel and they have similar issues, but I already have them I'm not purchasing them.
I would however produce my own lucy's, there's nothing like seeing white heads pipping out of their eggs.