Breeding Help

[steven.e]

I am 15 years old living in Florida. I made this deal with my dad where as long as I take care of them and they stay in my room I can get whatever animals I want. I have...

.1 Super Pastel Coral Glow Ball Python
.1 Normal Ball Python
.1 Irian Jaya Carpet Python
.1 Red Tail Boa
Unknown Savannah Monitor
.1 Blue Tongue Skink
Unknown Crested Gecko

Rats have been pretty expensive lately and I would like to start breeding. I do not not need to turn this into a business (although one day I would like to), but I would just like to try and cover some of the rat costs and maybe profit a little. My girlfriend will be buying be a Anaconda Het Albino Hognose soon and I was thinking about breeding that when its older maybe. I was also thinking about breeding Blue Tongue Skinks or Ball Pythons. Does anyone have any tips on how I should do this and how much it would cost? Also are racks the best way to house them and where would I sell them? I know of craigslist and I could make a website but it would only be a clutch or two a year. Any help is appreciated thank you :)

[Albert Clark]

Kudos to your Dad for allowing you to have the animals you want with restrictions. It sounds like your collection is already impressive. Nice. IMO, youre embarking on a very serious endeavor in breeding and one that will tax you in a lot of ways. Financially, your biggest expense will be temperature and humidity control followed by housing, bedding, and feeding the animals going forward. It's a very rewarding endeavor (breeding reptiles) but you have to consider what to breed and will you be able to house, feed , and care for any eggs, babies, hatchlings that you produce? Are you going to be prepared to hold onto any animals that don't get sold or take extended periods of time to sell? There are quite a few things to consider and you will have to do the research and work to really find out how to really apply the needed principles in breeding reptiles. This is just a few of the basic things to consider.

[Aaron_S]

I would consider ball pythons over blue tongues. Easier and it's not too difficult to sell. In Florida you can find a local shop or possibly a wholesaler to move your babies to. (At a lower price than retail).

What you will have to consider is well is the finite space of your room. Savannah monitors require quite a lot themselves so you may need to look at trimming the collection if you're going to breed and bring racks in. Don't forget you'd need baby racks as well as the adult racks!

[steven.e]

I have gotten permission to build a cage for the Savannah Monitor and I will be keeping that in the "living room." I will be building an 8x3x2 wooden terrarium so that will be fun. You said I could find a wholesaler to move the babies to, would they buy the babies so I could still make money or would I just be giving them away? What size tubs would you recommend for the adult/baby racks?

[Aaron_S]

I have gotten permission to build a cage for the Savannah Monitor and I will be keeping that in the "living room." I will be building an 8x3x2 wooden terrarium so that will be fun. You said I could find a wholesaler to move the babies to, would they buy the babies so I could still make money or would I just be giving them away? What size tubs would you recommend for the adult/baby racks?

I use small bins for babies. You can use something like 6 quart shoebox bins. Adults would go into something like the rubbermaid 2111.

Well if you're moving babies to a wholesaler and they are looking to sell to retail stores. So you'll be at like 10 - 15 for normals and go up from there. Pastels like $20/each etc. However, this is if you're stuck and can't sell them retail yourself via craigslist or facebook or friends or whatever other avenue you'd be going.

I personally find selling this way allows me more relationships and not to sit on baby mouths to feed and clean. Sure I get less money but I then have more time for other parts of my life or to buy a new snake. Choice is yours.

[steven.e]

I use small bins for babies. You can use something like 6 quart shoebox bins. Adults would go into something like the rubbermaid 2111.

Well if you're moving babies to a wholesaler and they are looking to sell to retail stores. So you'll be at like 10 - 15 for normals and go up from there. Pastels like $20/each etc. However, this is if you're stuck and can't sell them retail yourself via craigslist or facebook or friends or whatever other avenue you'd be going.

I personally find selling this way allows me more relationships and not to sit on baby mouths to feed and clean. Sure I get less money but I then have more time for other parts of my life or to buy a new snake. Choice is yours.

Okay thank you, I will definitly take this into account. I think I will check the weights on my snakes and then invest on a good male then build a rack system and start breeding next year if everything works out! Thank you very much for the help! :)

[steven.e]

I use small bins for babies. You can use something like 6 quart shoebox bins. Adults would go into something like the rubbermaid 2111.

Well if you're moving babies to a wholesaler and they are looking to sell to retail stores. So you'll be at like 10 - 15 for normals and go up from there. Pastels like $20/each etc. However, this is if you're stuck and can't sell them retail yourself via craigslist or facebook or friends or whatever other avenue you'd be going.

I personally find selling this way allows me more relationships and not to sit on baby mouths to feed and clean. Sure I get less money but I then have more time for other parts of my life or to buy a new snake. Choice is yours.

Oh sorry one more thing. Im guessing you have a rack system from all of your knowledge, but what size containers do you use? And if you buy them online can you add the links?

[Aaron_S]

Oh sorry one more thing. Im guessing you have a rack system from all of your knowledge, but what size containers do you use? And if you buy them online can you add the links?

I don't buy them online but they are like 6 quart bins from sterilite or rubbermaid for the young ones and the 2111 rubbermaids. You can search the model number on their website. I'm just at my office and can't really go searching right now. Sorry.