Hi I’m starting to get into breeding ball pythons, I’ve owned my own anxanthic ball python for 4 years and he’s doing really good, I have been researching breeding for a few weeks now and I’ve been trying to figure out what morph I should start to Try to breed first. I’m thinking of trying to breed a super banana but i want to try to make the most money I can so I don’t know if it is the right decision. If anyone has any experience in breeding let me know what I should start breeding
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First let me say welcome to the forum
https://community.morphmarket.com/t/is-it-ok-to-breed-black-widow-to-enchi-black-widow/34297
Take a read thru this thread.
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If you’re in it for money, definetly reconsider as the market is flooded. Also, these are live animals so there’s a lot more to it than just turning a quick buck.
You’ll need to provide proper housing and food. When the babies don’t sell, you’ll need to keep them for a while.
If one hatches out with a deformity, will you be able to euthanize it? Will you be able to assist feed the ones that aren’t eating on their own and dropping weight? Bring any of them to the vet as needed if they become ill?
Do you have the space to properly quarantine any that you just received or any that are ill for at least 90 days?
Do you know which gene combos can lead to problems with incubation or other issues like eye problems and wobble?
Do you know which line your axanthic is?? They’re not compatible so that can be a big problem
After thinking about all that…
Super banana is a nice goal. I’m looking at breeding a super coral glow myself next year. But it’s a bit of a ways off considering you have an axanthic currently. Super banana is also sex linked as well so if you start with only a male banana you would ideally need a female maker, which is less common to find.
Lightning pieds are kind of the hot axanthic project along with axanthic clowns. In order to do that the best thing to do would be to find one that is het axanthic, that way you will hatch double hets or a visual het for the other gene.
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Oh man yeah that thread was a big “So you want to breed ball pythons?” infoblast.
Thanks for linking it =)
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I agree with a lot of @armiyana’s points.
At least in my experience it is getting insanely hard to move “lower end” inventory right now even at substantial loss. I think it’s a combo of too many breeders of common morphs and the overall economic conditions in the world right now. Personally think right now it’s more important than ever to focus on the long game and breed only very rare and high end morphs into combos that aren’t yet heavily marketed by the big breeders. The goal being purely holdbacks - not sales.
I think in the next 6mo to 1yr a lot of breeders will be forced sellers of very rare stuff at low prices. I wouldn’t put myself in the position that I can’t wait for the economy to turn before selling my “good stuff.” Hopefully when the markets turn around I’ll find myself in a good position to sell these high end combos that almost nobody else has.
As far as what morphs for you to choose - I think there’s still a good future in multi-recessives so I would start by looking at options there, plus incomplete-dominants that you really like and think will take the multi-recessives to the next level in a new direction. Personally, I’d spend as much as I can in order to get the absolute best combo for the project in mind. I’ve learned the hard way that time is far more expensive than money in BP breeding, so I’d take any chance I can to buy my way to the furthest point in the project as I can afford.
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A lot of good points already, but I’d like to add this:
You will not make money, period. If you do, it will take year(s) and lots of work/investment to do so. I don’t breed ball pythons, but I did just finish my first year as a corn snake breeder and I really need to emphasize this point. Just to get started you’re looking at:
- Investing in several high-end, multi-recessive morph animals
- Incubator and supplies (bins, incubation medium, thermostats/hygrometers)
- Either racks/bins or enclosures to keep all of your hatchlings & adults
- Food, heating, water dishes, enrichment, substrate for all of the animals you keep (hatchlings eat a lot, if you’ve got 10 babies eating every 5 days, that’s 60 mice a month)
- An emergency veterinary fund of several thousand dollars in case of issues with any animals (I had two animals need emergency care, totaling about $2k in bills, one euthanasia, and one spay)
This doesn’t include the emotional investment, time, etc. Ball Pythons are also the most popularly bred species of snake, which is both a blessing and a curse. You’ve got amazing morphs and combos, but in order to get there, it takes time and generations. Combined with the sheer number of breeders and you end up with a lot of animals with less desirable genetics that take a lot longer to sell. The longer that animal is in a breeder’s collection, the more money goes into the care and comes out of any possible profit. Ask any breeder how many animals they end up selling at a loss just to get them out the door. Basically, if you’re wanting to breed for monetary reasons, don’t.
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Something that’s been helping me, beyond what others have already posted, is finding a gene that I love and focusing squarely on that. For me that’s Ultramel and GHI (it was going to be clown too but honestly clown just doesn’t do it for me). With as many genes that are out there for ball pythons I’ve found it pretty over whelming trying to pick new animals to add to the group, so by keeping the list so small it lets me also keep my group small, thus lowering caging and food bills (or at least lets me play with the idea of adding newer, smaller species to work with along side the bps).
I’m also not in any hurry to sell either. I have a few animals that while they’re technically on my “sell” list, I’d also be perfectly happy keeping them as just pets.
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If you want the best ROI I would go the double recessive route, but honestly this hobby isn’t really about making money. Are there people making big money? Absolutely! But that usually doesnt come right away. And it seems that you are without females? That in itself is a big deal and might set you back a few years, unless you pick up adults.
Best thing I can tell you is work with what you love, because there will be days when you question your choices. For me there’s nothing like opening a tub and seeing an animal i raised or hatched grow. The memories throughout their transition into adulthood. It gets even better when you see them on eggs.
Don’t forget about quarantine, its extremely important imho.
This hobby can get really expensive quick. Racks, tubs, incubator, feeders, substrate. The first time I set up 70 tub it hurt my soul with how much reptichip it took to get it where I like it 
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“This hobby isn’t really about making money”
Nailed it. No matter what you keep. Either be a hobbyist, enjoy what you keep and breed and don’t worry about profits or be a businessman or woman, have a plan and investment funds in place and worry about profits and losses daily. The first is enjoyable, the second is a lot more work but could be even more enjoyable. Or not 
If you make double het axanthic pieds let me know, and good luck and have fun no matter what pairing you decide on 
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I’ve recently (1.5 years) got back into reptiles, mainly boas and BPs. I have 5 animals, including a breeding pair Pure Sonoran boas, a locality that is very popular. I do want to breed, and partially because I love Sonorans and other dwarf boas, I got my lines from super well known breeders even tho they were pricier, I have everything setup in grow up enclosures for the first 2 years or so and racks, handmade or otherwise, considered.
All that saying I’ll be.lucky in like 3-4 years to pay for food alone with baby snake sales lol. Start the breeding for fun and love and maybe in a decade you will cut a profit. That’s my approach at least?
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If youre doing it to make the most money you can, then youre in it for the wrong reasons, and should find another hobby. In it for the money is the very reason that some people think they want to breed, and fail. You need a new hobby if you want money…
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It’s been said forever by many of the better known names in the hobby…
“The best way to get a million dollars as a breeder is to START with 2 million”
This is all about doing it for the love of the hobby and maybe, just maybe, after many years you can have it pay for itself but definitely not a quick buck or get rich type of thing, especially getting in this late. The majority of people doing very well are making more off their YouTube and other content then animals.
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