Not intent on breeding?

[AzureN1ght]

I don't have any plans to breed BPs. Auryn's my first BP and he's a Lemon Pastel. I adore him, and I'd love to have one of the more expensive morphs, but I'm not going to breed my way there. When I'm ready for another BP, I'm hoping my dream morph's price has dropped a bit. I'm in LOVE with Honey Bees, and I'll probably add one to my collection some day. I like the simplicity of having one snake, and maybe two eventually...but I just can't see myself with incubators and racks upon racks of snakes. Auryn's my pet, and any future snake I have will be a pet, too

[Freakie_frog]

Well I put him in a tub. and handled him once in awhile. They are not like a dog, so there isn't much of a thrill other than feeding day.

I disagree there is the thrill of knowing you have taken what you learned and successfully housed, fed and maintained an African species of snake.

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.

The community aspect is fantastic I agree but I can tell you from experiance you don't have to breed to bring something to the table. And breeding isn't what divides the enthusiast from the pet keeper any more than not driving a NHRA Top fuel dragster makes me any less of a car lover. It is merely the level we wish to express it. But you would take a 16 year old new driver and encourage them to drive NHRA saying "Oh it's really easy you just do this then do this then do this and boom your an NHRA racer"

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 don't 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.

No it would be more akin giving a new born a car and then saying you have everything you need now go drive.

The line from Jurassic Park fits best here.

They were so preoccupied as to where or not they could that they never stopped to think if they should.

[NickMyers03]

i have an Amel corn snake. she was my first snake and i do not plan on breeding her. shes is in a display in the snake room on top of some of the rack systems.

[2kdime]

I have zero interest in breeding. My animals are strictly "pets".

[Freakie_frog]

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 shouldn't they be allowed?

Nothing what so ever in fact.

But I'm talking about someone that has barely gotten their snake to eat 40 times wanting to jump off head first into breeding that I don't understand. Is it boredom, is it money, or is it the possibility of breeding their way to that dream morph that causes it.

[littleindiangirl]

But I'm talking about someone that has barely gotten their snake to eat 40 times wanting to jump off head first into breeding that I don't understand.

My honest opinion?

You've said "they think breeding is easy...."
BP morphs cost thousands retail...
easy breeding + thousands of dollars = EASY MONEY.

[Freakie_frog]

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 inadequacy and lack of expertise I feel as a result. poor me!

Inadequacy?? Why would not having indulged in every aspect make one feel inadequate. That is what I am trying to understand where contentment lies and why being content has gone (for so many new keepers)from the idea of years of doing it right to "if I'm not breeding" so there for I have yet to truly enjoy Ball pythons.

If the government said tomorrow you couldn't breed for what ever reason would the new keepers still have their pets 15 years from now?

[Monty]

i picked up a boa this month and have no intents on breeding him hes a pet and a pet alone

[WellyBelly]

I disagree there is the thrill of knowing you have taken what you learned and successfully housed, fed and maintained an African species of snake.


The community aspect is fantastic I agree but I can tell you from experiance you don't have to breed to bring something to the table. And breeding isn't what divides the enthusiast from the pet keeper any more than not driving a NHRA Top fuel dragster makes me any less of a car lover. It is merely the level we wish to express it. But you would take a 16 year old new driver and encourage them to drive NHRA saying "Oh it's really easy you just do this then do this then do this and boom your an NHRA racer"




No it would be more akin giving a new born a car and then saying you have everything you need now go drive.

The line from Jurassic Park fits best here.

They were so preoccupied as to where or not they could that they never stopped to think if they should.

I dont agree. People get involved in racing not from owning a car but being pushed by a dream. People start racing carts and pit bikes long before they touch anything over 150cc. Well not everyone but a lot of top racers today. Owning my bps are like racing a cart. Been there done that, now im ready for the next step. I'm ready to be all I can be in this hobby.

[missi182]

My honest opinion?

You've said "they think breeding is easy...."
BP morphs cost thousands retail...
easy breeding + thousands of dollars = EASY MONEY.

It is hard not to think that at first when you see the prices on some morphs, but people who are fairly new to the world of BPs (including myself) do not always do all the calculations before they jump in. Such as the price to construct or buy an incubator, the space and equipment to care for the juveniles, vet bills, time, patience knowledge, ect.

I can't wait to breed but I won't be doing it for some time. I may not even have an interest in breeding by the time I am ready for it.