Not intent on breeding?

[Freakie_frog]

I have noticed a growing trend in the last two or three years of keepers that get their first Ball python. After as little as a few weeks or even a few months of keeping these wonderful animals this new keeper feels drawn to breeding. I think this has to do small in part to how easy many breeders make things look. The other factor is that there are so many morphs out and many of them so expensive that most people think the only way to aquire them is to breed for them. For many of the masses it is true.

I do how ever worry that many new keepers rush to the breeding side of things. Without truly understanding what they are getting themselves into. Where have the keepers gone that simply enjoy them and have no drive to breed.Where have the keepers gone that can say I have a Ball python and I really don't want to breed.

You see it all to often where people get the urge to breed pick up a couple of projects and then their excitement fizzles cause they come to understand that there is work involved in breeding.

So with all that said I want to hear stories about people a their Ball pythons that have no intention of breeding.

So please it can even be a morph but Only people that do not want to breed.

[littleindiangirl]

How about maybe not balls, but boas?

I just picked up a great RTB this weekend, and while I think breeding is a great and all, I have absolutely no desire to breed boas. Just not what I want. I bought this animal as a display and companion animal. I may get a few others... but I just have no urge to breed my own. I'd rather just buy a great looking animal if it speaks to me that much.

Having a rack full of balls is great, but I also want to enjoy my animals too. Having a room full of BP's is a dream, but I don't see it happening.

I would rather get a nice collection of different species of snakes and lizards over racks and racks of one species with the intent on breeding.

Now bloods on the other hand.... I can't get enough of them! I dream of the day I could get a room full of all 3 species like Kara's!

I guess it depends on how enthusiastic you are for whatever you want to work with. For me, bloods are definitely my absolute favorite species, and I really want to breed my own, and for those suckras... patience seems to be the key to everything.

**great post btw Ed**

[WellyBelly]

I know you said keepers and not breeders but I would like to share my 2 cents.

I did 3 years of volunteering and researching before even purchasing my first ball with no intentions of breeding. Once i got everything set up and he was happy and feeding normally I picked up a spider female. I had no initial intension's of breading but I got kind of bored keeping snakes after a short time. I learned all I needed to know about husbandry before keeping and I applied it. But cleaning once a week and feeding once a week loses its reward pretty quickly. Now I intend to learn everything needed to breed. Besides a little mishap that recently happened I am excited for the 08 season. I feel like i've gone way beyond the average keeper in these parts. Breeding my own rats, building my own racks. Even offering husbandry techniques to people on CL. I am not breeding to make money, but to trade what I have to diversify my collection. Id trade a killerbee if I had one to someone with a cinni if I needed it. I think its all a state of mind followed by responsible action. Turning your nose up to people who people who backyard breed then flake out before there first clutch is one thing I guess. But to me none of this matters. As long as people arnt breaking laws that will make them even tougher later on or people hurting animals is all I really care about. And even then I don't sweat it. I figure whatever happens in my house is none of anyones buisness.

[fishmommy]

I'm a non-breeding pet owner!

I can see the appeal of breeding animals - it's exciting! However, I don't want to add to the population of animals.

In a case where there isn't enough domestic supply of a certain animal to fill the demand, I would condier breeding in order to move the trade toward captive bred and away from wild caught. However, with ball pythons I don't see that as the case. There may always be some economic reason that wild caught is cheaper, but it's not supply that's the issue.

I've bred other animals in the past solely to create a domestic supply of a species....I may join in those types of efforts in the future. I don't breed for me - I breed for sustainability.

I also don't have the 'one of every color' collecting urges with animals, so I won't be breeding for my own collection either.

I don't fault people for choosing to breed their animals though, as long as it's done responsibly and the animals and their young are well cared for. More power to those people

[Freakie_frog]

I did 3 years of volunteering and researching before even purchasing my first ball with no intentions of breeding. Once i got everything set up and he was happy and feeding normally I picked up a spider female.

Your the type of keeper I am looking to hear from the kind that spends time learning about the animals before even trying to keep them. Bravo!

I had no initial intension's of breading but I got kind of bored keeping snakes after a short time. I learned all I needed to know about husbandry before keeping and I applied it. But cleaning once a week and feeding once a week loses its reward pretty quickly.

How can it get boring if you love ball pythons enough to learn all that about them prior to keeping them where does boring come to call. Was it visually looking at the same animals every week or was it that once the new wore off now keepers feel the need to move to the "next step".

Now I intend to learn everything needed to breed. Besides a little mishap that recently happened I am excited for the 08 season. I feel like i've gone way beyond the average keeper in these parts. Breeding my own rats, building my own racks. Even offering husbandry techniques to people on CL.

Fantastic the hobby needs more people like you willing to learn first then do.

I am not breeding to make money, but to trade what I have to diversify my collection. Id trade a killerbee if I had one to someone with a cinni if I needed it.

I understand expanding your collection 100% and have no problem with that in fact I have no problem with breeding for money hell I do it.

Turning your nose up to people who people who backyard breed then flake out before there first clutch is one thing I guess.

Not turning my nose up at it by any means. It just saddens me to see the new keeper get bored with their animals so quickly and feel that breeding is the only solution to fill the "New and Exciting" void. See I think once people get a routine of feeding and cleaning and handling and every thing is going smooth most will look at their pet and say "This is it theres got to be more to it than just this." Then they see breeders and go "Aha thats what I want to do" Fine great but what stops the "New and Exciting" from wearing off of that.

Where are the keeper that are content with their "pets".

I am one of them I have a Pet ball python. I have had this animal for years and years I don't even know the animals sex..don't care. I have no intent of ever breeding this animal for any reason. It is my pet and if I had to sale all my breeders it would be the one I would never even consider getting rid of. I spent years falling in love with the animal and thats what sparked me wanting to breed I wanted more I wanted to see the different personalities, I wanted to be surrounded by them have rooms full of them. I have spiders, mojos, several pastels, hets out the butt, but I still handle my pet every morning and even loads on the weekends. It is my favorite and my friend. My breeders are that breeders but the new has never worn off not even off my first one.

[WellyBelly]

How can it get boring if you love ball pythons enough to learn all that about them prior to keeping them where does boring come to call. Was it visually looking at the same animals every week or was it that once the new wore off now keepers feel the need to move to the "next step".

Well I put him in a tub. and handled him once in awhile. They are not like a dog, so there isnt much of a thrill other than feeding day. I guess I was looking for that next step. I think I love the community as much as I love the animals. I like the whispers about new projects and new imports. I love the people involved. In order to maintain some sort of relevance in this community I feel like I might need to bring something to the table. Sure I would love to be the first to produce something, but that means a lot less to me than the excitement of babies piping and people on the forums just as eager as I am. Feel like breeding is what separates the pet owners from the Ball Python enthusiast. At least in my book. Its the not being able to sleep around day 54 that I am most eager for.


Not turning my nose up at it by any means. It just saddens me to see the new keeper get bored with their animals so quickly and feel that breeding is the only solution to fill the "New and Exciting" void. See I think once people get a routine of feeding and cleaning and handling and every thing is going smooth most will look at their pet and say "This is it theres got to be more to it than just this." Then they see breeders and go "Aha thats what I want to do" Fine great but what stops the "New and Exciting" from wearing off of that.

Where are the keeper that are content with their "pets".

I am one of them I have a Pet ball python. I have had this animal for years and years I don't even know the animals sex..don't care. I have no intent of ever breeding this animal for any reason. It is my pet and if I had to sale all my breeders it would be the one I would never even consider getting rid of. I spent years falling in love with the animal and thats what sparked me wanting to breed I wanted more I wanted to see the different personalities, I wanted to be surrounded by them have rooms full of them. I have spiders, mojos, several pastels, hets out the butt, but I still handle my pet every morning and even loads on the weekends. It is my favorite and my friend. My breeders are that breeders but the new has never worn off not even off my first one.[/QUOTE]

I have my first snake that I am very attached to. I would never sell him. He is what got me started and I can't wait to see him as an old fart. I look at it like this. Having a ball python is like having a really nice car. And breeding your ball is like driving that car. Sure it looks great in the garage, but you dont know how to drive it until its on the road. Sure you own a ball python, but you are not the entire keeper until you understand all aspects of the species including breeding.And the best way to learn is research then personal trial and error.

[jdmls88]

I have noticed a growing trend in the last two or three years of keepers that get their first Ball python. After as little as a few weeks or even a few months of keeping these wonderful animals this new keeper feels drawn to breeding. I think this has to do small in part to how easy many breeders make things look. The other factor is that there are so many morphs out and many of them so expensive that most people think the only way to aquire them is to breed for them. For many of the masses it is true.

I do how ever worry that many new keepers rush to the breeding side of things. Without truly understanding what they are getting themselves into. Where have the keepers gone that simply enjoy them and have no drive to breed.Where have the keepers gone that can say I have a Ball python and I really don't want to breed.

You see it all to often where people get the urge to breed pick up a couple of projects and then their excitement fizzles cause they come to understand that there is work involved in breeding.

So with all that said I want to hear stories about people a their Ball pythons that have no intention of breeding.

So please it can even be a morph but Only people that do not want to breed.

I agree with you to the max! but what makes a new ball python owner unfit to breed? If they do their research and know their stuff why shouldnt they be allowed? I mean if they are in it for the money then they wont succeed mainly because they havent gained the friends most of us "usuals" have in this industry. You have to take in to consideration that all these new people are keeping this industry alive. You think adam, Brian, or ralph have customers buying 20 pastels? No each customer buys one maybe 2. If we didnt have newbies who would buy the rest?

[fishmommy]

I'd like to play devil's advocate and suggest that forums like this are part of the drive to breed.

You mentioned 'making it look easy'
but there's also the shared excitement WB mentioned
AND there's the natural escalation of mastery, which WB also mentioned. I have seen and felt it in every hobby I've enjoyed - the feeling that you have not truly arrived until you are indulging every aspect of that hobby. The same thing that makes me want CO2 for my aquarium and 40" tires for my jeep also drives me to want to breed my animals. I resist that urge but I have to bear the feelings of inadquacy and lack of expertise I feel as a result. poor me!

[missi182]

I must say I am very interested in the idea of breeding and I will purchase an albino girl this year, but I don't plan to simply because I will be moving in spring of 2010 and I don't have the extra money sitting around to ensure I have the proper set up to incubate.

I would love to breed to add to my own collection and because the whole process is incredible to me, but I spend enough time fussing over my bp now as it is. Once I have a steady job and have moved and settled, then maybe I'll go for some babies, and when I do, I want to keep them. (Time for a rack!) But for now, my little dude is plenty to keep me happy!

[WellyBelly]

I'd like to play devil's advocate and suggest that forums like this are part of the drive to breed.

You mentioned 'making it look easy'
but there's also the shared excitement WB mentioned
AND there's the natural escalation of mastery, which WB also mentioned. I have seen and felt it in every hobby I've enjoyed - the feeling that you have not truly arrived until you are indulging every aspect of that hobby. The same thing that makes me want CO2 for my aquarium and 40" tires for my jeep also drives me to want to breed my animals. I resist that urge but I have to bear the feelings of inadquacy and lack of expertise I feel as a result. poor me!

I totally agree with you. I knew if I was going to do this I was going to do it to the max. Like I do with everything I am interested in. Its why I started hiking, then I learned about the applachian trail. Now I plan on doing the AT in 09 ( was planned for 08 but messed up my knee real bad) After that id like to start doing winter mountaineering. It just goes on and on and on.