was there some moment where you decided "heck, it'd be better if I just had my own colony rather than buying live/frozen"?
Yes when I reached 10 snakes before that the cost would not have been effective, if that is your main concern.

Now it is definitely cost effective since I have spent $354.46 (so far this year) to produce 1065 feeders. (that $0.33 per feeder produced )