Breeding to sell for the casual herper

[CraigC]

I replied to an inquiry in another forum where the person was asking about what herps would be good to breed for making a little extra money. Here is my reply. Feel free to add on if you can think of something else.

There are other considerations besides the actual animals.
1. How are you going to advertise? This costs money for the most part.
2. How are you going to ship and is it a legal method.
3. Does your state require a seller/exhibiter permit or pet store license? We live in Florida and have to have the former. A friend lives in New Jersey and has to have the latter, even though he doesn’t have a store front. Both cost money.
4. Will what you breed cost more to feed before it is sold than your asking price?
5. Is what you are selling legal to own in the state your potential customer resides?
6. Does your potential customer require any permit(s) to own the species you are selling?
7. How is the market for the species you intend to sell? It wouldn’t be fair to hatch out a bunch of babies that you may not be able to care for and house if you can’t move them.
8. Are you going to screen your customers to determine if they are capable of caring for the species you are offering.
9. What happens if a mishap occurs either during shipping or after a day or two with the new owner or they aren’t satisfied with the animal. How will you handle it?

Craig

[telefrag]

I wish most breeders would ask themselves at least one of those questions (other than how are they going to advertise, thats the easy part)

there are alot of people who really have no business even keeping an animal let alone breed and sell them.

[nomadbean]

Where are you going to keep the animals, if you turn your hobby into a business? Most Home-Owner's policies are explicit about a business in your home AND potential lethal pets- by the way any snake over 6 foot is in that category, and you can be canceled on the policy and then be in a world of trouble on your mortgage. As a lender and a reptile/pit-bull breeder I see both sides of the argument and do not fully agree with either. Just a thought.
Do you understand all of the legal ramifications of how to start a business and protect yourself in case of lawsuit? Hate to think of it, but you must protect yourself if sell a snake that does something bad down the line and the 40 year old responsible person you sold a snake to turns out to be a moron with no common sense.
It is not as much fun as you might think to be a full time breeder. Think about what you enjoy about the animals then think all you will have time to do is clean the cages and routine maintenence. I do not remember the last time I just had a reptile out for the beauty of the animal. It is because the cage is dirty, they need to eat or they need medical treatment. I will be very excited when I sell the last of the breeders and just have my "pets" again.
Sorry, I got off track...
Trina
OMNIherp, LLC

[BrentS]

"As a lender and a reptile/pit-bull breeder I see both sides of the argument and do not fully agree with either. Just a thought."

ok, little off subject but why are you breeding pit bulls? I happen to love pit bulls. But, there are way to many out there dying in humains societys and so for. People need to stop breeding them to stop the over population. Please, tell me your not some back yard breeder just trying to make a quick buck....