Quote Originally Posted by PghBall View Post
The #1 thing I believe this hobby teaches - Patience. From the time you purchase your first female with the dream of breeding you learn just how long it can take before she is mature enough and of size to breed. You learn about the 1000 gram wall. Males and females alike going off feed for months at a time. You go through the long breeding process..recording locks, trying to catch ovulations, watching for the glow, prelay shed. Then the countdown to the clutch. But then there is still the long wait in the incubator. Days 50, 51, 52, etc are agonizing as you wait for them to pip. Then to cut or not to cut...decisions. After they hatch it's getting them all feeding and thriving. Now how do you sell what you are not holding back? You set your price but you are not getting any interest...do you mark them down?...no...patience. They will sell, you just need patience and be prepared to house them sometimes into the next season. That's the advice I'll give and will say good luck and enjoy the ride
Thank you so much for all of this. There are so many things that I have read about... and by far the going off feed even already drives me insane even now. I can definitely see why patience is such a big big thing. I feel like just waiting for your first babies to grow up to maturity is an exercise in patience in and of itself. I watch them, and weigh them, and talk to them and look them over. I spend time getting to know them, and knowing what is normal for them and what isnt. I just keep telling them that it will all pay off, and in turn telling myself that too. Patience is definitely a great lesson to remember. You guys are awesome! Thank you so much.