A question for the breeders

[biggiy05]

How do you do it season after season? Obviously you have to be an animal person to want to breed and put all the work into it. I love animals, spoil my dog, cat and geckos but can't see myself breeding. I have the perfect couple that would make some excellent hatchlings but I know I would want to keep all of them.

I almost have to be dragged out of the shows so I don't buy more reptiles. So how do you breed your reptiles and let the hatchlings go when they are big enough?

 

[Khrysty]

Selling the hatchlings on here, or to people you've met in person, makes it so much easier to let them go. At least for me. I know these guys will take good care of them. I do ask for pictures and updates occasionally and most people don't mind giving them. It's not that bad, especially when you remind yourself that you'll have new babies next season

 

[robin]

sometimes it's very hard but i always remind myself that i can refuse to sell to anyone i choose, whether it be someone online or at a show or whatever

 

[acpart]

I'm really into the yearly cycle. I'm as much into having more babies every week in July as I am in having fewer babies every week in December. I find that the year has a rhythm and each part of it has things I love and things I hate. For example, I love all the new babies in the summer, but I kind of hate spending 3 hours feeding everybody. I miss the babies this time of year, but I don't spend as much time feeding. I like the fact that I'm not getting babies all year long because I think I'd burn out faster (it's kind of the same as preferring New England weather to San Francisco weather --not meaning to insult any SF'ers).

Aliza

 

[supremegecko]

Some great points- We have decided too that with education and experience of the customer, we can sell or refuse to sell to customers. We've turned down a number of customers that just did not have the right setup/was unwilling to provide a good home to the geckos.
It is tough to see such wonderful animals leave our home but understand that they will help enrich the like of another keeper.
Some of our best moments at shows have been when a long time customer shows up with one of the animals that they had purchased to show them off. Now that is fun!

 

[gixxer3420]

Its hard to see your geckos go but with this forum and going to shows you get to meet the people that are buying your reptiles. Plus I get a lot of updated pics of geckos that I have sold. Sometimes the updated photos are harder to get over than the baby its self.

 

[gothra]

I can't do it either, therefore I haven't been breeding my geckos at all no matter how much I wanted to do it.

However, I have plan to start my first breeding when my new girl is over 2 years old (in 2011). I don't want to sell any babies and I won't be able to keep them all; so I have decided that I will only incubate 2 eggs, and keep both babies myself.

 

[Designer Geckos]

Yep, you definitely do get attached to these guys, especially the really sweet ones that look up at you and melt your heart! It is very hard to let those go. One thing we do with leos we know we will be selling, is do NOT name them. Once you name them it seems you get involved emotionally and selling them is tough. Call them by their number, S19 or whatever, instead of Sweetie.....letting a Sweetie go is difficult!

I like the other points others have made here. Be careful who you sell to and make sure they know what they are doing. If they do not seem 100% committed to giving the leo great care it is best to refuse selling to them until they are ready...it can only bring problems for the leo, and you, down the road.

If you know your leo is going to someone great and that they will have a wonderful life, letting them go is much easier for sure.

 

[MichaelJ]

How do you do it season after season? Obviously you have to be an animal person to want to breed and put all the work into it. I love animals, spoil my dog, cat and geckos but can't see myself breeding. I have the perfect couple that would make some excellent hatchlings but I know I would want to keep all of them.

I almost have to be dragged out of the shows so I don't buy more reptiles. So how do you breed your reptiles and let the hatchlings go when they are big enough?

It can be very difficult, because we love all of our babies. We enjoy their personalities and get attached very easily. However, we keep in touch with all of our customers - and they send us pictures, stories, updates... so it's great! Otherwise, I'm not sure I could do it either!