Okay uh... I'm still not sure if you do understand? Dude, recessive projects take a LONG time to prove out. I mean YEARS. You could be looking at a decade or more going the route you want to take, and by that time you will have invested A LOT more money in just the care, feeding housing and raising of the babies, meanwhile the price of the visual snake you want will have dropped.

For real, I feel you here on the “the snake I want costs more than I car is worth rn," thing (HELLO Dreamsicles). I want pretty much EVERYTHING pied, but I’m NOT starting with pieds as my first project snakes. I’m looking to make some cute bumblebees and lemon blasts because I still like them! Then maybe I think I’m going to bring in some bananas and some calicos, because I like THOSE combos too! Eventually, I will be investing in some pieds and and work my way up, but that’s down the line, after I’ve saved up, and gotten some experience. And even then, I’m going to get visuals, probably with MORE than one gene.

The way you’re planning it? You are working BACKWARDS. You will cost yourself more money in the long run. Have patience. Work on getting your husbandry right in the mean time, and save up money for a couple nice snakes. Buy some snakes with dominant or co-dominant genes first. I’ve seen spiders as low as $75. If you can’t afford that, you REALLY can’t afford feeding and housing 4-8 baby ball pythons properly.