Being a breeder

[MartinW]

I was wondering if there is much money in breeding. I have bred leopard geckos but only normals so I didn't make any money. At the moment I'm making around $11500 a year and I don't see much promising things in my future, so thought maybe I'll just breed animals. Does anyone here actually make money by breeding herps? I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy it, but I don't know if I'll make enough money to support myself financially.

Martin

[lordkovacs]

takes a HUGE initial investment. I think most breed only to offset the costs of their collections (ie. food, housing needs, etc.). of course, the serious breeders make some money, but again, takes a big initial investment. good luck,
MIKE

[Jayson]

Most breeders have day jobs !!!

[C.m.pyrrhus]

A fellow friend and breeder I know makes about $140,000 a year, and holding down a full time job (60+ hours a week) as well. Another aquaintance of mine makes ***a lot more*** than that out of his own shop, but he went to KU and has a zoological degree, head of a herptelogical society among other things, and worked extremely hard and knows about everything there is to know about herps under the sun. These guys make up a small percentage of folks that do this well, and not everything is about money to them either (they just do a darn good job and love what they do). They took their time and went to school, worked hard at a full time job.
Fact is, most breeders have a day job and breed just for shear interest in herpteculture. It is not something they do to make big bucks, and most of what they make goes back into food, supplies and other expenses. It takes money to make money!!!!
If this is something of your interest, by all means work hard at it as a hobby. After time and experience is gained, you will start to do better and enjoy it more. Nothing can be rushed with a lack of knowledge of the specifics it takes to make it.

[mykee]

If I'm not mistaken, I can only think of two breeders that don't have a day job as well as their hobby/business of breeding reptiles and/or snakes.

[Lisa]

Most breeders are lucky to break even - if you're not in it for the love of the animals you shouldn't be doing it.

Being self employed is a tough racket and lots of work.

[Tim_Cranwill]

Let me offer another side to this discussion...

If you breed nothing but $50 - $150 animals, you'll probably only break even but it costs the same amount of money to keep a normal ball python as it does to keep an albino. Same cost, higher market value. If I sell 10 $100 snakes and you sell 10 $5000 snakes, who do you think would only break even? Me.

Breed animals that you enjoy working with and invest in some high-end animals. It will just be a matter of building yourself a reputation based on the quality of your animals. It's possible... maybe not easy but it is possible... :)

[Corey Woods]

Yes you can make money at breeding snakes......it just all depends on what you plan on breeding. You have to breed animals that you like and that will sell.

I make about $40,000 a year at my day job and about $100,000 a year breeding snakes.

Corey

[mykee]

WOW!!.....

[Linds]

This topic was recently discussed in great depth. Here's the link ;)

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28706

[sSNAKESs.com]

Corey you really shouldnt post that on a public forum... Well unless you claimed all 100 grand on your taxes... LOL You never know who is lingering... ;)

[Corey Woods]

Jeff,

Don't worry.....everything legit.........It is a pain in the *** keeping all the receipts for tax time. When you are a "small" breeder you don't have to keep track of anything because they are "pets". But, when you start making money at it and have to start paying tax on it then it's a whole lot extra paperwork. I'm actually afraid to file my taxes this year because it's going to be a real hit in the wallet! Oh well......you make more so the government takes more. You also have to remember that I have a lot of expenses as well which goes against your income. I'll have in around $40-50,000 in expensese this year as well......it's not cheap keeping 300+ snakes!

Ralph Davis is going to feel a hit too......he's done a couple million in sales on snakes..........that is public info as he posted at on one of the forums recently.........I'd hate to see his tax bill!

Corey

[DNA Reptiles]

Hey Everyone...it is great being breeders, but let's not forget that you don't have a life (aside from whether you make money or not). We are constantly in trouble with our family because we can't get away to spend as much time as we should with them. No one invites us to spend a week-end camping with them 'cause they know what we will say.
Make sure it is really what you want to do...we really do enjoy what we do most of the time!!! David and Andrea of DNA Reptiles.

[Darren179]

Well, I am a student so I dont have many bills I just basicly am going to see how breeding regular beardies and leopard geckos goes then keep moving up keeping track of everything and using the profit I make to expand, I am going to be paying my portion of electrical and my own food bills, I am hoping to make maybe break even and just keep building so when im older maybe I can make a little money off of it, I doubt I will because I go all out on all my enclosures :( its just to fun. But I do it as a hobby so I think it would be cool If i could basicly do my hobby for free.

[BoidKeeper]

Didn't we just have this disscussion?
Trevor

[eyespy]

If you don't have much income at present, I wouldn't recommend starting off a breeding operation with beardies. Before they are big enough to take 1/2 inch crickets each hatchling can go through 100-150 crickets a day. One female can have multiple clutches from just one mating session. My Monet gave me 168 eggs last year. I only incubated 67 of those and froze the rest but had an $88 a week feeder insect bill for months.

That's a lot of bugs and unless you have a reputation most people will not pay enough money per beardie to let you recover your feeder insect bill. So first-time breeders are left with a difficult choice, dumping them off to a pet store when they are too young to sell, underfeeding them and risking them mutilate each other, or taking a financial loss for the love of the hatchlings.

[chas*e]

Do what you want, but as far as I am concerned, there is a fine line where the reptile becomes a product and not a LIFE.......ps the more snakes, or whatever, you have,the more money you have to spend on heating, enclosures,supplies, not to mention food and medical(veterinarian) expences....Reptile breeding is a long patience-needed endevour....the money doesn't flow in right away ...it takes years.....so.....it is up to you start off slow and let things roll.

[Jeff_Favelle]

BUT, the more snakes you have, the cost PER SNAKE to house and feed and heat goes WAY WAY down. If it costs $2,000 to maintain 100 snakes, it does NOT cost $4,000 to maintain 200 snakes. It doesn't work that way.

[chas*e]

Yes I agree Jeff...there is a point where the cost decreases per number of animals...but I was just trying to make a point about not getting in over your head....go slow and learn then do what one can......compende dog...lol