Any experience with breeding trades?

[smoothie4l]

I was just wondering if anyone has had any personal experiences with breeding trades.
I have a female woma python who is about 5 years old and I have always been interested in breeding snakes at least once and now that I work at a reptile store it will be very easy for me to find homes for the babies. But my only concern is that is my only option might be to purchase a male (which I don't really want to do) or maybe try and use my store connections to try and find someone with a male and either pay them a 'stud fee' or split the babies 50/50 etc.

What is your opinion about this? Has any one here done something like this before?

[DJC Reptiles]

It might be hard to find someone who is willing to let you breed their woma python. You will most likely have to buy a male.

[Captain837]

Here is my 2 cents. I would have 3 concerns;
1) With viruses like NIDO going around and the fact that snakes who seem completely healthy can have them I would be very leery about bringing a snake that is not mine into my collection for any reason. Now if the owner does not mind you bringing it in for quarantine and having it tested then I guess that is not such a huge issue.
2) Needing a loaner male could possibly limit your options as far as whit is available. Womas come in a variety of looks, you are going to want to be selective in the male you choose for your female so it enhances and improves on the looks of both animals.
3) Womas are snake eaters, although the risk is low, there is a risk you could potentially end up finding one snake missing and one fat and happy.
With that said, if you find someone you can trust who has an animal that would compliment your animal then go for it.
Another option you may or may not have considered. It does not take long to get a male to breeding size. Pick out the perfect male, breed them then sell him with the babies through your pet store connection.

[Andy_G]

It's usually a bad idea with many possible complications that can result.

[smoothie4l]

Here is my 2 cents. I would have 3 concerns;
1) With viruses like NIDO going around and the fact that snakes who seem completely healthy can have them I would be very leery about bringing a snake that is not mine into my collection for any reason. Now if the owner does not mind you bringing it in for quarantine and having it tested then I guess that is not such a huge issue.
2) Needing a loaner male could possibly limit your options as far as whit is available. Womas come in a variety of looks, you are going to want to be selective in the male you choose for your female so it enhances and improves on the looks of both animals.
3) Womas are snake eaters, although the risk is low, there is a risk you could potentially end up finding one snake missing and one fat and happy.
With that said, if you find someone you can trust who has an animal that would compliment your animal then go for it.
Another option you may or may not have considered. It does not take long to get a male to breeding size. Pick out the perfect male, breed them then sell him with the babies through your pet store connection.

Thank you for taking the time to write all this out! It was just a thought about maybe something to try in the future. Looks like I'll be picking out and buying a guy myself if I ever decide to do it :D

[Herpin' Man]

I have experience with breeding loans- nearly all bad. Now, if I want to breed a species, I obtain all of the necessary specimens. Here are just a few of the things that I have seen go wrong with breeding loans, first or second hand:
- Animal dies
- Animal comes home sick
- Animal comes home with mites
- Animal comes home very scrawny
- One party refuses to return animal
- One party sells animals
- Other party stops returning calls
- Animals fail to reproduce, both parties blame each other
- Apparently gravid female mysteriously fails to ever lay eggs. Or did she?
- Disagreements over who gets the nicest neonates
- I thought there were 12 babies, what happened to the other four?
Etc. Etc.
You REALLY need to be able to trust each other- and never breed an animal that you can't afford to lose.

[Aaron_S]

Seriously bad idea.

I've only done it with a best friend and we STILL had issues.

[pet_snake_78]

Just buy the snake and if they want to buy it back in a year or two then so be it they can buy it back. I won't do trades or loans of any kind too much headache.