Piebald Ball Pythons

[Destarte]

I was seriously considering a small ball python operation, dealing with purely pied balls. Does anyone know any reputable breeders? I've found a few, but cannot justify $3,500 from a website, when I see piebalds going for $800-1500 at the expo.

 

[Carinata]

Well when it comes to Pieds, the demand is there. Things like Albino Pieds and Lightning Pieds (VPI Axanthic X Pied) are pricey. The combos all are expensive and there is a market, it's just much smaller and there's less of a demand. If you want to breed Balls, be prepared to drop 10X the money you would with corns. Balls always hold their value better and make a better investment but be prepared to invest lots of money. Regular Pieds are around $800 now and you could get a nice pair for $1500 or so.

 

[Kokopelli]

It also depends on the "expression level" of the animal.
"Low expression" animals, that have low levels of white, are a deal cheaper than "medium" and "high" levels.
Also, without a doubt, buying from a "big name" breeder will cost more- just like buying a phone from company X rather than Y.

 

[Carinata]

Gonna have to disagree with Oren. Some low expressions are more pricey than the high whites. Many people like the crazy pattern pieds get, as the gene effects the regular pattern. And I know that most big breeders are cheaper because they have access to more of them to sell as where a smaller breeder has to try and make money on the 1 or 2 a season they may sell.

 

[Destarte]

I found some really nicely priced ones on kingsnake. I am well aware that it's going to cost me a pretty penny, but that's the whole point.

 

[Carinata]

If you send me a PM I may be able to hook you up!

 

[Snakewhisperer]

I went the poor man's route and bought a het pied pair, lol

 

[Destarte]

If I were to pickup a het pied pair, I'd want het amel as well.

 

[BloodyBaroness]

If I were to pickup a het pied pair, I'd want het amel as well.

Just to be clear on BP morphs, there is no "amel" BP. Just albino.

You can find some nice prices on pieds if you look around. Expos are a great place to shop around. All pieds are different and it's nice to be able to see the animal from all sides.

I prefer a nice 60-40 split on my pieds. 60% white, 40% pattern. Some of the really low whites do end up with some really nice pattern swirls, and can be just as amazing as the high whites.

 

[Carinata]

The cool thing about Pieds is, most pattern mutations tend to make them 90% white, except for the head. Spider Pieds, Pin Pieds, Desert Pieds. The Enchi Pied thurns the snake 99% patterned and they look really cool. Pied mutations are on the rise! Look at the Panda Pied (Super Black Pastel Pied), those are awesome (and the people I work for created them).

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

Everyone needs a pied!! If I was you, I'd get a homozygous pied male and a female dominant gene het pied (pastel het pied, yellowbelly het pied, etc). This way you have a visual pied and can also make pied combos in the F1.

I went the poor mans' route, I hatched this guy two years ago from a pair of hets. Going to pair him back to his mom this year to make some more.