Commercial breeders

[Kiwiflage]

Looking to get into commercial breeding. I have a small group of dedicated individuals who are generally interested in the welfare of reptiles(chameleons in particular). If I were to open a shop locally, would it be cheaper to keep breeders in back of my store or to only have sellable chameleons in store. This is in reference to having an extra room in my new house specifically for chameleons... I did not get into reptiles to make money, but since I'm pursuing my hobby so drastically, i am curious to what experienced breeders would recommend over in house breeding or residential breeding depending on price. Accessibility will not be an option either way

 

[nick barta]

If you are asking should the breeders be at home or in a retail space in the back room, it doesn't matter as long as husbandry is good.

I would suggest you rethink a retail shop, and sell via the Forum, Kingsnake and Fuana Classsifieds.

CHEERS!

Nick

 

[Mike Fisher]

I second Nick's suggestion. Overhead on a retail location is huge, there are times that you'll be waiting on eggs and no animals to sell and you'll have to staff it full time. PITA

Besides that, the successful business start at home and may grow to the point of opening a retail shop. All the ones I know that tried to start out with big plans failed big time.

If you do the retail location anyway, you want your highest quality breeder males where they can be seen, not hidden in the back. Keep your females back there so they don't get stressed while they are gravid or recovering from laying.

Another thing, almost everyone that starts out "planning to be a commercial breeder" fails. The successful route to that is to get so good at your husbandry and breeding that you just become one, but it is not the goal. Those are the people that thrive in the industry.

 

[fluxlizard]

The successful route to that is to get so good at your husbandry and breeding that you just become one, but it is not the goal. Those are the people that thrive in the industry.

Wow- looking back on things- that is really true.