business question

Hi I am starting a reptile breeding business im 13 and i already breed leo geckos, amazon tree boas, rosy boas and blood pythons. I was wondering what you guys think would be a good snake thats in demand and is in the 200 to 300 dollar range. Me and my mom are planning on joining businesses. ( Shes in advertisement) and she's willing to help me get this started let me know what would be a good species for this please no ball pythons and cornsnakes. Let me know im real curious about this. Also it can be something you guys would like to see more often that you think would sell good. Let me know im open to all suggestions.

If you're looking to make money selling herps, then don't bother. There are too many people doing it already, the market is too small, and breeding herps is a very time-consuming and expensive process. If you're not in the business simply because you love it, then you're going to be one of the many bad breeders.

If you really want to get into it, find something you love working with, and go from there. The Bob Clarks of the herp world are extremely rare, and require years and years of work to get to that point. You say no ball pythons or cornsnakes, but the biggest sellers are ball python and cornsnake morphs (of course, those are also the areas with the most competition).

Since you're only 13, I'd say you are far too young to get into selling herps. Spend about 5 years learning about them, how to care for them, how to breed and raise them, and how to deal with problems. Then see if you're interested in actually making a life out of running a herp business; otherwise, as I said before, you'll become one of the bad ones, instead of one of the good ones.

Since you're only 13, I'd say you are far too young to get into selling herps. Spend about 5 years learning about them, how to care for them, how to breed and raise them, and how to deal with problems.

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If what the young herper has told us is correct, I think he probably knows more than enough about the snakes he is already keeping, I mean I never heard it said the Blood Pythons were the easiest hatchlings to rear.

i already breed leo geckos, amazon tree boas, rosy boas and blood pythons.

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I am guessing that if he has been breeding them already, he would also be capable of selling them especially with an adult's help.

If you're looking to make money selling herps, then don't bother.

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As to not making money it may be right, that is another thing. Of course I know many people who breed and sell baby herps in order to help pay the expenses of their hobby as opposed to earning a livable wage.

As for the original question I would recommend Emerald Tree Boas. I think you can pick some up in your price range, though they may prove more expensive. Whenever I have seen these at shows in the last few years I have seen them sell fairly to very well.

Goodluck.

Best regards,
Glenn B

I would also have to say emerald tree boas. Not easy to come by and they will sell quickly if not overpriced.

Amozon tree boas i hear have alot of health problems (mostly respritory) you say you have succesfully bred these(and kept them alive in good health???). If so you should not have much trouble with ETB's.

Thanks and im not too young to sell herps cause i already do lol. I have a table at 3 arlington Tx shows every year i was just wanting to know what you guys would like to see more often. Also im not in it for the money im in it cause i love herps and its a good excuse to keep alot of the animals i love. Plus i'd never rip off a person with one of my animals i've been scammed to many times to make anyone else have to go through that. And i've never had uri problems with my amazons i think the mistake most people make with them is keeping it to humid cause they think well they live in the amazon so it must be humid. But since they are arborial its a little harder to replicate the same humidity in a cage. And my mom doesnt help me sell them she doesnt know anything about them she just does the signs and business cards. I hope i've changed your mind about younger breeders and thanks for the advice on emerald tree boas im definately going to look in to that. Later Eric

If you're looking to make money selling herps, then don't bother.

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Actually this is false. According to an article in the Pet Industry News last year, the reptile/amphibian market is the only sector of the pet industry with solid growth. Due to many social/economic factors I feel you will see an increase in the attraction to reptiles by the general public.

Now with all small businesses more fail than succeed. This is not the fault of the industry they choose necessarily but usually due to poor funding (I feel this one ) and poor planning. I believe the secret is to attack a niche market or service the general market in a unique way. This way you are not battling the larger more established companies head on.

Frankly, I am very impressed that a 13 year old would take the time to do market research and plan on how to run his business, a lot better than some of the 30+ year olds into reptiles who are too young to run a business.

My personal/professional opinion is that the more common animals (corns and pythons) provide a very solid base of income that helps with the funding part of the equation. If you have cash reserves that will hold you over during the slow periods then attacking a niche market (such as ETBs) can also be profitable. Build a spreadsheet considering factors such as maintenance costs, start up costs (breeder buys) and expected returns (I usually run high return numbers and low return numbers to assure survival in both good and bad times). Space will also be a consideration, "normal" animals will need to be done in volume to generate a decent profit margin.

Thanks for the info dwedeking i've decided to breed either etb's or tiger and super tiger retics. Im trying to breed something that not many breeders have due to less competition= more sales. And dont get me wrong i dont sell to just everyone and im not in it just for the money. i will question a buyer about the snakes care before i sell it to them i want my snakes to thrive not be malnurished. Thanks and get back to me of what you think would sell better the retics or etb's the only reason im considering the retics are that etb's teeth are kind of intimidating lol.

Personally i think the etb's will sell better because retics get entirely to big. People may buy them when babys but when it gets to big for them it will most likely be abandoned. I see people all the time trying to give their retics away after they got to big and had no luck selling.

Thats very true i didnt think about that i had a brain fart. My main question is are etb's similar to breed as Atbs because i have had success breeding the atb's but i've heard the ETB's can be tricky also how many neonates do they give birth too? I was also thinking it seems like gtps are more popular then ETB's are they harder to breed or what i've also noticed they probably have more baby's due to them laying eggs. Just let me know what you think im just making sure i invest in the right things.

I was also thinking with the retics if i sell super tigers and normal tigers then someone who buys it is probably going to be a more experienced keeper. I mean think about it what are you going to take better care of a $400 super tiger retic $40 normal retic which one is more likely to be abandoned?

I believe ETB normally give birth to 8-12 young. Not sure on their breeding similairities with atb's. But i think GTP's are also a good choice to breed they are very similar to ETB's but more common from what i've noticed on most forums.

As far as the tiger/super tiger retics go you would have more experienced people buying them than you would selling cheaper retics but alot of newcomers to snakes just want something to look cool and they think that would be cool to have a 20foot snake and not really think about the fact that when it is full grown its basically gonna need its own room and not to mention them trying to handle a snake big enough to eat them. Assuming they dont get rid of it when it hits 12 feet.
Think the males are breedable around 9' and females 12'.

Thanks man for the info my moms kinda hooked on the retics she likes them alot. And she's helping pay for the snakes but im still trying to talk her into the etb's. I think the ETb's would sell good because i sold all my atbs at one show! and etbs are prettier.

damnnn

damn im jealous - somewaht recnetly got into breeding with my friends (im 18)

got 2 bloods / 2 rainbows / 2 het albino balls / few more balls (personal attachment) / 2 werneri chameleons - and soon to be 2 sand boas + 2 emeralds (bomb deal) - and panther chameleons .... the sad part is i just started and they are all juvinials

anyway ive looked into what makes money... i try to consider almost all aspects:
- and selling at the lowest respectable price
- lowest average clutch size
- keeping cost (caging, food, room, personal care)
- tons more stuff

there is definately ways to make money, but dont bother with balls or corns....i mean come on - if you get 10 balls in a clutch ... sell them for maybe $20 ... nice profit - definately go for animals in the higher price range..you make a lot more money that way

i would say...look for animals that can get you in the 5grand+ price range of income a year .. anything less than that seems pointless to me (for business purposes) -> the bad part about the emeralds is that they dont have too many young .. and they dont always breed easily every consecutive year (long gestation period) - but they are pretty as hell, and can make a profit -> if you do retics...advice from someone who knows nothing...get the expensive super tigers $$$

and this 13 year old kid sounds like he knows more about this stuff than most people - telling him to study up for 5 years makes me laff

It sounds to me as if snakekid13 has a pretty good experience, both with the keeping and breeding of snakes. i reckon so long as you let your mum know what your doing theres nothing wrong with it. i am only 14, and ok i don't want to make a business (yet) i do have a lot of information on corn snakes and boa constrictors. good luck with your business kid, perhaps you could give me advice on some of the snakes you have got, i want to buy another snake at christmas. Best wishes!