Thinking of starting a snake breeding business.

[Gregg M]

Originally Posted by mykee

Gregg, I have found that those who were successful with their initial focus of one species and made their mark with them, then decided to branch out do well. It is imperative that you make your mark with your "signature" species prior to branching out).

That I can agree with as well. Good point.

[red ink]

Originally Posted by mykee

Everything ranging from free normals to $5000+ quint genes.

Nice!... not only for the obvious financial return but also the possibilities you can create with an animal like that, just exciting mate.

[Corey Woods]

If you average everything over the year my expenses are about $10,000/month and I do it out of my house.

Your hydro and feed bills will be lower (because you probably don't have 1000 snakes like I do) but your rent will be higher.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by Corey Woods

If you average everything over the year my expenses are about $10,000/month and I do it out of my house.

Your hydro and feed bills will be lower (because you probably don't have 1000 snakes like I do) but your rent will be higher.

Do you enjoy bringing up old threads Corey? lol

[mykee]

There's nowhere else for him to go, that is.....unless he reopens his old site with two built-in Mods and a financial backer..nudge nudge wink wink Corey Woods!!!!

[KORBIN5895]

Now this was an entertaining read.

Can I just say that for my six boas (of which I have a moonglow litter coming) I have lost maybe $300 last year. That includes feeders, a custom built cage( which cost me $200), and the acquisition of a female breeder albino het anery, a breeder ghost het albino, a breeder dh snow( who is for sale) and a female hypo Abby ghost jungle. I did not figure in power cost but it is really cheap.

[mykee]

Don't expect to actually make money until your 5th or 6th year in business.

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by KORBIN5895

Now this was an entertaining read.

Can I just say that for my six boas (of which I have a moonglow litter coming) I have lost maybe $300 last year. That includes feeders, a custom built cage( which cost me $200), and the acquisition of a female breeder albino het anery, a breeder ghost het albino, a breeder dh snow( who is for sale) and a female hypo Abby ghost jungle. I did not figure in power cost but it is really cheap.

I have a really good write up for such a thing. It's for ball pythons though. I'm sure with some modifications it could work with almost any species.

[shaunyboy]

reptile shops in my area will tell you,they make their solid weekly money,from selling,frozen prey,live prey,also reptile accessories like,vivariums,thermostats,heat mats,etc

selling people reptiles,makes them have to spend a large amount initially,then weekly money comes in from the new keepers,weekly reptile needs

imo you would have more chance of making money breeding prey,to sell to the masses...

a snakes gotta eat

cheers shaun

[Aaron_S]

I'll do it as a seven year thing to show money can be made with breeding purely snakes.

We'll take into account that the rack system has been built and the tools are all set to make it a bit more simple. I have a 50 bin adult rack and 100 bin baby rack. I spent $3000.

I thought about this and want to invest. I've saved up and now ready to buy my animals. I buy 3 morph females. R, S, T, All co-dom animals.

Feeding per year per animal: baby $50
yearling $75
2 year+ adult $125
Prices based on the average that I personally pay currently.

[Aaron_S]

Year 1:
I buy 5 baby female morphs of R for $1000 each for $5000 total
I buy 5 yearling female morphs of S for $1500 each for $ 7500 total
I also buy 5 yearling female morphs of T for $1500 each for $7500 total

Now I need to feed all these for a year. $50 dollars for each baby and $75 dollars for the yearlings each. $1000 total for the year.

Profit: $0
Debt: $24000

Year 2:
I buy two yearling males of morph U for $2000 each for $4000 total.
I buy 5 new females of morph V for $1000 at $5000 total.
I keep raising everything for another year.

Feed bill: 7 yearlings at $75 a head for $525
10 adult snakes at $125 a head for $ 1250
5 babies at $50 a head for $250 total

Profit:$0
Debt: $35075

Summary: Historically this is usually where the “quick buck” people get out as they realize it isn’t going to happen. I may produce babies in year 3 but I won’t be reducing my debt by much.

Year 3:
This is the start of breeding for me!
First I buy 5 more females of morph W for $1000 each total $5000.
I breed my male U morphs to the 10 females of morph S and T.
3 of each go and give me an average of 6 eggs each.
I get a breakdown of the 36 eggs as:
9 normals $25
18 single morphs $400
5 morph US $1000
4 morph UT $1000
I holdback a 1.3 of each double cross of US and UT.
The rest of the feeding bill is after holding them all the for sale animals for 4 months: $448
Sold total: $8425
Total collection: 35 animals of various sizes.
Rat feeding for year: 13 babies at $50 a head for $650
22 adults at $125 a head for $2750
Total rat bill: $3400

Profit: $8425
Debt: Year 2 + 5000 + 3400 – 8425 = $35050

Summary: Year 3 was good. My animals paid for my entire collection to eat and most of my new investment! Pretty good start to my first year of production plus I have lots of holdbacks!

Year 4:
I breed everything again this season including the morph R girls.
3 Morph R.
2 Morph S.
2 morph T.
I get average 6 eggs again and 42 total.
Depreciation: 10 normals $25 each
21 single morphs $200 each
6 double moprhs $650 each
5 UR (new) morphs $650 each
I hold back 1.3 morph UR
Again I feed them all for 4 months $608 feeding bill before they sell.
Sold total: $9000
Collection and feeding: 4 babies $50 a head $200
13 yearlings $75 a head $975
22 adults $125 a head $2750
Total food $4533

Profit: $9000
Debt: year 3 + 4533 - $9000 = $ $30583

Summary: Year 4 saw some similar sales but animals were held back and I cut into my Year end debt with my sales only after TWO seasons of production. Everything is still going into the business though.

Year 5:
I do not buy anything new. I just breed. My holdback UT and US males are ready to breed and breed the 15 adult females again. The proven morph U males breed with the 5 now adult morph V’s for 20 total. 3 of each go and give me a total of 12 clutches of 6 eggs for 72.
3 of the V breeders go producing 18 eggs.
4 normals $25
5 U morphs $100
4 V morphs $200
5 UV morphs $650
I keep 0.3 UV and sell the rest:$2700
3 each of the other girls go with the double males with 6 eggs each.

Morph R breakdown: Morph S breakdown:
3 UTR morphs $1000 3 USS morphs $1000
11 double morphs $400 8 double morphs $450
2 single morphs $100 7 single morphs $100
2 normals $25 I sell everything for: $7300
I keep a male UTR. This group sells for: $5450

Morph T breakdown:
2 UTS morphs $1000
8 double morphs $400
4 single morphs $100
4 normals $25
I holdback the 1.1 UTS and sell everything else for: $3700
Selling total: $19150
Collection and feeding bill:
64 babies fed for 4 months: $1024
6 babies for a year: $300
4 yearlings for a year: $300
35 adults for a year: $4375
Total: $5999

Profit: $19150
Debt: year 4 + $5999 - $19150 = $17432

Summary: Woohoo! I’ve overcome my yearly expenses by a lot and cut into my overall debt. Still not in the black but longevity will show the real money. Bare with me a bit longer.

Year 6: I again don’t buy anything but breed 31 females this year. I get 19 females go 6 eggs average for total 115 babies. End of season I sell off my proven male U morphs for $200 each.
3 Morph R girls produce: 3 Morph S girls:
1 USR $650 3 UTS morphs $650
12 double morphs $200 9 double morphs $200
4 single morphs $75 5 single morphs $75
Total: $3275 after selling everything. 1 normal $25
Total: $4150 after selling them all.

2 Morph T girls: 3 Morph V girls:
2 UTT morphs $750 4 URV morphs $1000
8 double morphs $200 6 double morphs $200
4 single morphs $75 3 single morphs $75
2 normals $25 total: 0.2 triple morph holdbacks. $3425
Total: I hold back the triples. $1950

3 Morph W girls: 2 Morph UT girls:
4 UW morphs $400 1 UUTT morph $1500
10 single morphs $100 2 triple morphs $800
8 normals $25 4 double morphs $200
Total: I hold 0.3 UW morphs. $1600 1 single morph $75
Total: I keep the UUTT and sellfor: $2475

2 Morph US girls: 1 UR girl:
2 UUSS morphs $1500 1 UUTR morph $2000
2 triple morphs $650 3 triple morphs $650
7 double morphs $200 2 double morph $200
3 single morphs $75 1 single morph $75
Total: I sell everything: $5925 Total: I hold the UUTR &rest: $2475
1 UR girl:
1 UUTR morph $2000
3 triple morphs $650
2 double morph $200
1 single morph $75
Total: I holdback the super and sell the rest for: $2475

Total: $25675
Feeding for all sale babies is for 4 months = $1728
Collection feeding:
7 babies $350
6 yearlings $450
39 adults $ 4875
Total: $7403
Profit:$25,675
Debt: Year 5 + 7403 – 25675 = $ -840

Summary: Into the black we go! It isn’t much but I’ve got holdbacks and lots of females this season to produce!

Year 7: I breed everything again. My females are great again and this looks to be a good season with 24 females of the 39 breed! I get 151 babies.
My triple males are now breeding with my 3 double males as well.
My morph R girls produce: My S morph girls produce:
2 UTRR morphs $1500 4 triple morphs $400
7 triple morphs $400 8 double morphs $150
6 double morphs $150 6 single morphs $ 50
3 single morphs $50 6 single morphs $ 50
I hold UTRR and sell the rest: $3850 6 normals $25
I sell everything for: $3350

My T morphs girls produce: My V girls produce:
3 UTTS morphs $1500 1 UTRV morph $1250
5 triple morphs $400 5 triple morphs $400
2 double morphs $150 3 double morphs $150
3 single morphs $50 2 single morphs $50
I hold 1.1 UTTS and sell others: $3950 5 normals $25
I sell all of these for: $3925

My W girls produce: My UR girls produce:
1 UTSW morph $1000 2 quad morphs $1500
7 triple morphs $400 6 triple morphs $400
4 double morphs $150 2 double morphs $150
9 single morphs $50 6 single morphs $50
3 normals $25 I sell everything for: $6000
I keep UTSW and sell the rest: $3925

My US girls produce: My UV girls produce:
4 quad morphs $1000 2 quad morphs $1200
2 triple morphs $400 3 triple morphs $500
1 double morph $150 1 double morph $200
4 single morphs $50 6 single morphs $50
I sell all for: $5150 I sell these all for: $4400

My UR girls produce: My UT girls produce:
1 UURTS morph $3000 1 UUTTR morph $3000
3 quad morphs $850 3 quad morphs $900
4 triple morphs $425 2 triple morphs $500
2 double morphs $175 3 double morphs $250
1 single morph $100 1 single morph $100
I keep the quint and sell rest: $4700 I keep UUTTR and sell the rest:$4550
Sold total: $43,800
Feed bill for sale babies is: $2336
Rest of collection:
Babies 5 for $50 a head $250
7 yearlings for $75 a head $525
45 adults for $125 a head $5625
Total: $8736
Profit: Year 6 + 43800 – 8736 = $35,905
Summary: FIVE years. All it takes is FIVE years of some moderate investments.

[Aaron_S]

Technically, you can achieve these profits in a much shorter time if you have no issues with going into debt to get your seed money at the start or at any point throughout the process. I did this without any personal debt or loans taken, so from day one, I was essentially debt free and didn’t owe a single person any money in any way.
Total profit over 5 full seasons of breeding: $62954 after taking into account all the food the 2 additional investments of 5,000 each.

This would mean that with an investment of $24,000 and in 7 years more than double it. That doesn’t take into account all the holdbacks and the next breeding seasons. Also, I could double my racks and buy more morphs that are higher valued.

[KORBIN5895]

I actually may have made money last year but my record keeping kinda went to pot around October. I'm not really sure what my last quarter profits were.

[Strutter769]

I'm expecting to kick-off Next Generation Boas with a litter that will blow away what I've ever pictured would be my first. Couldn't be more excited!

[jimmy62alan]

if you can cut down the heating and fuel costs this could be a great saving, if you can get into wind, solar and recycled fuel this in its self can save a fortune every year.
I don't mean pay a company to fit a wind turbine, solar panel or solar water heaters but make them your self. If you actually delve into making the systems your self you can again save a lot of money, I've been using recycled fuel for years this can be cooking oil or motor oil the process is very similar for both oils. The cooking oil is smelly and smells of fishshop but I worked on a making that better and now it has a citrus smell and I don't get tailbacks of people following me in my van now because of the smell lol.
My future plans are to move to France and set up a ECO-REPTILE HOUSE, it will take a **** load of planning but in the long run it will be a very economical way of living and have reptiles as part of it as well lol
ALAN
Sheffield, England S25 2RN