Breeding Questions

Hello! I am not really sure what to ask here? My Fiancee and I are gonna try breeding crickets. Its gonna take a couple of months to get the hang of breeding them and all. My Fiancee can make the website just fine, he knows all the html, and all the places to go. We have never shipped anything though? I'm not really sure what I need to know when it comes to shipping. Jeff has done more research. I think this could be good! I wanted to try my hand at breeding leopard geckos, and corn snakes someday. I guess crickets would be a good place to start for the shipping and kinda buisness aspects I guess. It would be awesome also if we actually made some money. All the proceeds would go to a car, and more reptile gear! YEAH!! I am just looking for some feedback right now. Any suggestions, or thoughts, or explantaions?? Anybody else here breed crickets? Thank You!

In all honesty, you're not going to make any money breeding crickets unless you are literally breeding thousands, if not millions. It's too hard to be competetive when I can order 1000 shipped (shipping likely runs $4-6 minimum) for $14. There's too many people who already have the facilities and cost-reduction techniques to make it worth their while. The only way to be profitable without doing hundred of thousands would be to sell locally in a physical store where they can charge $1/dozen.

If you're going to breed feeders, I would start with something that has less competition and a higher price point, like silkworms or some roach species. They might be a little more work but they will be a lot more profitable for you. Plus who really wants to deal with the smell and annoying-ness of 4,000,000 crickets for pennies worth of profit?

Sorry if that came accross a little disappointing, but you need to reallistically look at the cost/benefit and have a solid business plan before investing any money in it. You're looking at a lot of fees for housing, food, a business liscense, taxes, billing, visa/mastercard license, etc. Not to mention you need to have a plan in case a neighbor complains and the DNR or local regulations shut you down. Start with something more profitable (and don't expect to actually be profiable for a while, most businesses don't make a profit in their first year, and with reptiles and feeders I'd imagine it's even worse). Start your business with the reptiles, it will teach you all the things you need to know about running a business including the taxes, regulations, record keeping, shipping, and incorporation processes on a much smaller, more reasonable scale.

Even most people that breed and sell reptiles do it as a hobby because they love the animals, not because they seek huge profits. And if they did, they would be sorely dissappointed; most breeders make just enough to squeeze by, if even that much, and therefore have other "real" jobs to support their reptiles.

No, No. Well I left my post open for a lot I guess. I have seen the corps on TopHat crickets or sites from here were they make enough to live comfortably off of breeding there crickets and stuff. I'm not trying to be all like that, thats impossible. The idea is mainly crickets for us, since we don't have a car. I don't ever want to see my babies without food. We can't sell to pet stores, but we have a couple of friends here with Tarantulas that were estatic about us breeding crickets. 10 extra dollars selling them to friends. Now that I think about it, I am not sure about a website. We have never had to ship anything period. I thought if I could learn some about that, that would be kool because I would LOVE to breed leopard Geckos and corn snakes some day. Also no I'm not looking to get rich, or make huge profits. I sit here and day dream about a car often! I would be absolutley estatic to make like 1,000 dollars. I haven't had a car for almost two years! That includes walking to work everday, even through winter, and carrying everything I need home. I can't tell you how much it sucks not to be able to go to the pet store whenever I want, or the park throughout the summer! If I don't even make that much though oh well. I know we want to breed them for us, our local friends, and maybe we could sell some for Fauna people? That would be the only way to get rid of a couple thousand we may hatch. LOL These are my intentions. Sorry