Thoughts on deciding NOT to breed....

I love snakes. I really do. LOVE EM!

And like many people here...one led to two, which led to 40+ as visions of breeding this and that began to happen. But I think like many others...that I became caught up in the idea. But how do I say goodbye to each sweet baby. To not know where it goes. I feel responsible for them.

There are two baby geckos in the house right now. We were supposed to sell them, well at least the second one, but frankly....how can I without knowing exactly where it would be going?

Maybe I am too sentimental...but I think breeding is something that perhaps is not for me.

Lauren and I are kinda leaning this way and we need to discuss it further...but this is me thinking out loud and asking for other's advice.

There was a time when we bought all snakes in pairs with breeding as the intention.

It takes us hours to feed and water. We are not good at changing the water as often as we should. We are not cleaning as often as we should either. It is just so much. Lauren has two jobs...I have full time work and school starting soon. And we barely have time to handle the ones we really care about. I know snakes don't need that...but I do. How would we care for dozens of babies each spring?

So what do you guys think? Why is it that people get so wrapped up in the idea of breeding?
A great example would be a bumblebee ball python. Lauren really likes them. So do I. But for some reason we thought we would breed our own. Why? THen we will have 3 snakes. The parents ...and the baby we hope will come. It would be cheaper to save up and buy one bumblebee then buy the ingredents, raise them and then HOPE for a chance at a baby in 4 years. (3 to grow up, 1 for eggs and hatching). Not to mention the cost and space involved in cageing.

Are snakes about breeding to you or just pets or is it both?

Tara that is a very good question and I am very glad to someone actually thinking before breeding, kudos on that. My opinion on breeding varys I think for example I am pair Doc (Granite) to Regina (Anery) this season. I know someone who knows who they are will be getting 1.1 of them. I know they are a steller member and deserve the snakes. Now I think when breeding Boas, pythons (Excluding Ball pythons and the genus antaresia) there needs to be MUCH more thought. When you sell a snake always think the person what they are going to house it in, what they are going to feed it, what their palns for it are, and Etc. I think you and Lauren care about animals so much that you would make wonderful breeders! Just make sure you are selling your snake to a Nanci not a Retarted Geese

~David D.

There's nothing wrong with being a collector, and not a breeder. Say you limit yourself to 2 clutches. That could still amount to 30-60 new mouths to feed! I don't find neonates to be easier than adults to care for. In some ways they can be more difficult. If your time is already limited, doubling (or tripling, quadrupling, etc.) your collection in a few months is probably the last thing you want to do. Still, breeding is fun. You don't have to breed every breedable animal. Do a clutch or two and then assess your ability to meet the demands. And believe me, being over-burdened is a great remedy against sentimentality...

I'm not sure what I am going to do. First of all, I want to start with just one clutch. Out of that clutch, I hope to have some keepers of morphs I do not have. Then I hope all of my friends here who said they wanted a baby really DO want a baby, and I can get them out of here before they are all named and I am all attached!!! I'm pretty proud that I forced myself to rehome two snakes this year. One of which was my third snake ever!!

I bought a lot of snakes specifically for breeding projects. As it happened, the snakes became a chore, more than a pleasure. I didn't get into this hobby to make money, I did it because I love the animals. So for me, that meant bringing my collection back down to a size where I actually enjoy the time I spend caring for them, rather than dreading feeding/cleaning day as a chore.

That doesn't mean I won't occasionally breed a clutch or three. Breeding is fun. I still have designs and ideas and goals to accopmplish in that endeavor. But for me, I made a conscious decision to avoid breeding for moeny, and will only breed snakes that I find fascinating, such as my suspected anerythristic Western Longnose, and my suspected hypo Desert Rosy boa. For me, these breedings are more about proving the potential genetics than actually breeding the animals. I would LOVE to work Panamint Rattlers one day, and produce some distinctive looks I have found around here as "localities". But again...that's because these particular animals fascinate me, not because I hope to make money from them...

I don't know if that helps you at all, but...it's my thoughts on the whole breeding vs. collecting idea...

I am very..very attached to my snakes..and as much as I like the idea and will be breeding..I also have a hard time saying goodbye.
I have a Male MBK who has some yellow spots..not much..but he is not jet black like his girl..anyway. I had a chance to get a baby BLACK MBK from my friend this last spring..so I could get BLACK-BLACK MBK's..But "cooper" is such a lovey little guy and he is such a sweetie..I couldn't even think about giving him up..so I may and may not breed MBK's..BUT my other snakie babies I hope will be going to people that I will beable to have contact with...maybe here..or just over e-mail..I can say that for sure..there will have to bee groups that breed every other year..untill I have the means to house all babies..i.e. I need more rack built..haha..BUT I have no life.. Just work and School..and my animals..and they make me happy. I have been able to keep a pair of non-eaters alive for a while..(I hope they figure it out on their own soon)..but that makes me feel a bit better about bringing new life to this planet.
I will hopefully also get my frogs to breed..and I don't even care if I have to keep them all..I will turn the shower into a HUGE VIV!..HAHAHA..naw..Those babies will be going to friends only..LOL
EVERY snake, EVERY animal that I own is a PET to me..just some will get to spread their seed..and some will not..But I am very aware of getting over my head..I'd say right now I'm still touching bottom.
Great topic!! and thanks for bringing it up!..



~~'Mnada

I know what you guys mean spring and summer are hectic for me with all the geckos hatching, setting up cages, and then posting them for sale, filling orders.......the busy season never stops,lol As far as "knowing" they are going to good homes- you never will for sure, but parting gets easier the more you do it I promise. My corns I hve no breeding intentions more collecting for now, my chahouas and cresteds are already paired up for next season, and in the future I would love to get my male hog a female.

Sell what you don't enjoy and then breed what means most to you small scale. Being a hobbiest who breeds is different than being a full time breeder you don't have to go crazy

Originally Posted by whippet

Are snakes about breeding to you or just pets or is it both?

For me it is both. I can't wait to start breeding, playing with genetics, etc... But the main reason I get them is to enjoy them as pets. I guess you have to weight the pro's and con's and see what works for you.

Originally Posted by tyflier

I bought a lot of snakes specifically for breeding projects. As it happened, the snakes became a chore, more than a pleasure. I didn't get into this hobby to make money, I did it because I love the animals. So for me, that meant bringing my collection back down to a size where I actually enjoy the time I spend caring for them, rather than dreading feeding/cleaning day as a chore.

This is exactly where we have gotten too. I think we need to par down the animals we just bought as breeders and get down to the pets we love. To have a resonable postage stamp herp collection. IT has become a burden somethings to feed these days. Tonight while Lauren was at work I fed all 42 snakes, some of the frogs and lizards and watered everyone. it took well over an hour. I had some moments of joy... (the pied BP ate her 2nd F/T but off the tongs for the first time and the pastel BP had his first F/T ever off the tongs as well) but most of them were just feed and water and move on...which makes me very sad. I used to LOVE feeding my beautiful guys. I guess I am to the point where we need to think about getting down to the core of our love.
It's so easy to get caught up in the genetics. It was never something we wanted to do for money....but as Snakemaster mentioned...he has a home for 1.1 of a clutch that will be a good home. What happens to the other 20 baby snakes? I am just not up to it. I doubt at this point I will ever breed. *shrugs*

Originally Posted by whippet

This is exactly where we have gotten too. I think we need to par down the animals we just bought as breeders and get down to the pets we love. To have a resonable postage stamp herp collection. IT has become a burden somethings to feed these days. Tonight while Lauren was at work I fed all 42 snakes, some of the frogs and lizards and watered everyone. it took well over an hour. I had some moments of joy... (the pied BP ate her 2nd F/T but off the tongs for the first time and the pastel BP had his first F/T ever off the tongs as well) but most of them were just feed and water and move on...which makes me very sad. I used to LOVE feeding my beautiful guys. I guess I am to the point where we need to think about getting down to the core of our love.
It's so easy to get caught up in the genetics. It was never something we wanted to do for money....but as Snakemaster mentioned...he has a home for 1.1 of a clutch that will be a good home. What happens to the other 20 baby snakes? I am just not up to it. I doubt at this point I will ever breed. *shrugs*

I produced close to 100 babies this year. Hypos het lav. Hypo Lavs, ghosts, ghost motley, anery motley...bunches of babies. By the time I got them all feeding and shed properly, I was so fed up with them that I GAVE all of them to a friend of mine, and simply told him to sell them at a show, and give me what he thought they were worth. I put a couple bucks in my pocket, but it was so much frustration that it was not remotely worth the effort.

Next year, I may have 1 or 2 clutches but...I really doubt it. I need to get back to my love of the hobby, and get away from the frustrations of the business...