MY FIANCEE WONT LET ME BREED!

[Rainey]

HEY ALL!

I need all of you to give me good reasons to breed snakes. I am new but I love my corn and want to get into breeding eventually. I need to hear your accounts of how great it is. I don't care about the money but if you can tell me it's relatively cheap or that it pays for itself that's cool too. Her other concern is that you have to give up everything for the snakes. They aren't giving birth all year round so we would just have to be home around that time. other than that we could have a friend feed them for a fewdays if we went away. RIGHT?

Thanks

[Darin Chappell]

I'm not at all trying to be rude, smart alecky, or anything else by this response, but I think there is some wisdom in what I'm about to suggest for you. Quite frankly, until you've done enough independent research (you can start by getting a copy of the Love's Cornsnake Manual) to be able to convince your fiancee on your own, you probably don't have enough knowledge to start breeding anyway. Just do a LOT of reading on the subject, try to find out what the corn snake market is like in your area, and then, after much detailed study, talk to her. You'll be more confident, she'll feel more at ease, and your snakes will be better off from your efforts.

Hope this helps -- Darin

[HomeBreeder]

that's a loaded post :)

Good reasons to breed snakes? That's one you need to answer for yourself, methinks; why do you want to do it? Want to do something new and different? or simply prove to yourself that you can do it? Something inbetween? Someting else?

I'm doing it for a number of reasons, but mostly because A) I like to help plants and animals thrive, and B) I am addicted to eye-candy and fractals and the natural expression of both in a cluth of offspring is my sugardaddy. :)

Need accounts of how great it is? I hear at least as many horror stories as I do fairytales when discussing the benefits and pitfalls of breeding at home. That's why it's cool, I guess - it's a reflection of real life... you pay a price to play the game, but playing is it's own reward.

I spend more than $50 a week just to feed my snakes, and that's ontop of the mice, gerbils, and rats I'm breeding. My electricity bill is about 30% higher than it was before I got into herps. It takes a lot of my time to take care of the herps.... I tend to their needs, but I also maintain information of their behavior and such, as well as create breeding schedules, and all the baggage that comes with setting up an e-commerce site and other methods of finding buyers, like running around to the scores of nearby petstores to build relations and find more buyers... Don't forget there's more to it than "putting two snakes in a box".

Can it pay for itself? That's mostly dependant on how much of your time and energy you put into it. I think that most people who breed have the potential to pay for their hobby, but I doubt many actually do....

Of course you'll be able to take a vacation if you have a trustworthy friend who will keep the water bowls clean and what-not, but if you have a major invenstment (emotionally OR monetarilly) in your snakes you'll never be 100% on vacation :)

I'm not trying to discourage you.. simply point out some things you ought to consider before you commit yourself. Good Luck!

^Curtis

PS - I have perhaps the most understanding wife on the planet, so I can't really relate to your prime dilema... Are you sure she's the right one for you? :)

[bmm]

If you cant come up with enough reasos on your own that convience your fiance, then you haven't done enough of your own research.

If you can't figure out conviencing reasons, then you really are only breeding to breed because you can. And thats not right.

I think to many people say "I want to breed cornsnakes" or "I want to get more cornsnakes" before they have even learned the basics well or had a full year or two of hreping experience. Not saying this is you but a lot of people come on here like this. It's sad.

I think when you know why YOU want to breed, and YOU have a long list of good reasons and you have done a coupld years research then your fiance will change her mind because by that time she will also understand the reasons.

bmm

[bmm]

It's NOT relatively cheap. NO WAY.

You need tubs, water dishes, incubatiopn methods, TONS of pinkies, small deli cups, advertising for the babies, food for the parents, possible vet visits for any accidents, a scale comes in handy, so its NOT CHEAP.

It DOESN'T pay for itself!! I am not sure where you got this idea. For one you have to buy the parents and feed them for three years to get the up to breeding size. You need their tanks, water dishes, heat sources, etc. THEN you have to buy all this for up to 20+ babies until you can sell them which is not right away. Then you have to HOPE you can sell each and every single one that you aren't keeping. And let me tell you there are a LOT of normal, amel and anery cornsnakes around and they won't make you rich!!!!

bmm

[Rainey]

Hello,

Thanks for the replies! I just wanted to clarify that I did say eventually I'd like to get into breeding. Maybe I jumped the gun on asking your advice. Sorry. Your answers are helping me learn more though, so thank you!

[bmm]

If you didn't ask you would never know.

I think that you should start researching now even though you are planning on breeding quite some time from now! The more research the better!!!! And asking questions like this helps you along, as does getting honest answers!

:)

bmm

[Rainey]

Hey Bmm,

I am curious what an ATB is? I saw it on your list of herps.

Thanks

[bmm]

An A.T.B. is an Amazon Tree Boa!

I have one little one right now, well not little, he is about 3 1/2 feet and mean as all hell. Just got him about three months ago. Has only eaten once for me, and has had to be treated for both external and internal parasites. A good example as to why you never buy wild caught!!!! :) He looked like DEATH so I had bought him, won't buy another W.C. ever again though

bmm

[CornCrazy]

I've been meaning to ask what an "A.T.B." was also. I'm glad to finally know!