First you should look closely at the market in your area, visit local reptile shows, talk to local shops, etc. This will help you understand what will actually sell. Snakes in the $50-500 range don’t sell quickly in large quantities. I have to do reptile shows to move anything under $300, unless one of the reptile shops I work with will take them. If the reptile shops will take them, I don’t get retail for the animals. Just so you understand common 2 and 3 gene combos wholesale $60-120/each usually. Normals only go for $10. Pastels and such usually $25-40.
I’m taking 20+ babies to the show next weekend. I’ve been sitting on most of them since last summer. For me, that works fine because I’m not in a hurry to cash them in and they’re stuff that moves well at a show. Just keep in mind that I fed them about 80 rat pups a month for 4-6 months and that’s completely average shelf time for snakes in the price range you’re looking at. When new breeders are adding up all the sale prices they see online, they rarely take into account that it costs money to raise babies, and the longer they don’t sell the more profit they eat and poop out.
For anyone serious who’s getting in today, I highly suggest sticking to high end stuff. The reason being is that for a lot of us, the by product of our projects are going be snakes in the price range you’re looking at. They’re also typically going to be Het or Pos Het for a recessive gene or two. The biggest difference is, we have established reputations, established local markets, and are known in the community. Just like if I post something that Kinova also has for sale, no one will buy mine until his are sold out. The same will apply to you with all the mid market guys like me, until you develop a reputation and do something to set yourself apart.
An important thing I try to point out to new breeders is that the prices you see on MM or other places, are list prices. That does not mean that person is actually moving those animals at that price in a reasonable amount of time.