Breeder Q&A #2!

Today's Q&A is brought to you by our friends Tailor Made Reptiles!  Enjoy!


1. I always liked reptiles and amphibians growing up. Of course, my parents, did not share the same enthusiasm. It wasn't until 18-19, that I started keeping reptiles. First it was Bearded Dragon named Jack. Than Crested Geckos, Leopard Geckos, and the list goes on.

Ball Python's didn't come along till I was 23. Ever since than, they've been my favorite animal to keep.

2. The first time, was....an accident really. I bought a female and didn't know she was gravid at the time. About a month and a half later, I was cleaning her tank, and bam. Snake eggs! Well, I thought they were eggs, but she slugged out on all 3.

3. Seeing the babies pip from the egg's for the first time. Seeing the babies not make it. Like this year, we lost 15 snakes.

4. The wait! It kill's me every time waiting for the females to lay eggs. Than waiting for the incubation to finish.

5. We keep Ball Python's mainly, we currently have 30+. We also have a corn snake and a western hog-nose snake.

6. The biggest regret I have is....I don't really have any regrets so far.

7. Anytime I see a healthy snake poke its head from the egg.

8. Like the above, health is the biggest goal I have. As long as I breed healthy, living snakes, I'm good. Short-term goal, is for this year, hoping to produce a pastel red axanthic ghost. Long-term, well...I gotta keep some secrets.

9. I can't really think of any misconceptions when it comes to breeding. When it comes to snakes themselves, there are too many I can think of.

10. People. Specifically the anti-snake types. The one's trying to push all these bills in the US and Canada, to ban the keeping of certain types, if not all. I understand the fears that some people can have in regards to the larger breeds, (Retics, burm's, etc), but a lot of those fears are unfounded. I've seen 15+ foot reticulated pythons with better temperament than a 6lb toy poodle.

11. If you're getting into it thinking you;ll be making tons of money, just...take your savings now, put it on the ground, and light it on fire. Breeding animals, are not for the get-rich-quick types. Most of that's due to the demand for the animals. Reptile's and such, are still in the dark when it comes to keeping as pets.

If you're going to breed your snakes, do it because of the love for the animals.

Thanks, Tailor Made, for an awesome Q&A!  Hopefully your words will inspire and educate others.