Breeding advice:. Creating your own competition, good or bad? 

Again, this hobby needs more people like you. Point blank.

Hey, Matt. I found your channel as a result of doing borderline obsessive research on ball pythons before I decided to get into the hobby. I just wanted to say how clear cut, informational, genuine, and personable your videos are. I’ve learned so much about both the animals and the business aspects from primarily your videos simply because they have a more laid back without trying to be laid back approach, if that makes sense. I have a long way to go before I can start my journey with ball pythons, but you have definitely gained my support and I will be thrilled when I can finally hop on the Patreon! Keep up the great work, bro.

When my family went to Tinley this past March I got the chance to meet the guys at Freedom Breeder. They were nice, professional, and treated me like a human being. I told them I wish I could afford a rack from them and they assured me we've all been there. I also went to another vendor that had enclosures for boas. I needed an enclosure for my dumeril's and I was in the market. But these people didn't want to give me the time of day. But I needed one of their enclosures. The next day I came in with cash and their whole mindset changed. All of a sudden they were ready to help me in any way possible. Just goes to show you shouldn't judge a book by it's color. Anybody can be a potential customer. Next time I might just have to save up for that top of the line Freedom Breeder, just so I can get good product with great service.

The end of the video reminds me of one of my favorite quotes--"Work hard in silence; let success be your noise." No better way to stick it to em, than for them to see how successful you've become. Great video.

Great video guys. The breeder who sold me my first morph definitely created competition, and that same breeder I now consider a friend. Has helped me fill in the blanks from day one, answering questions, and always offering advice anytime I've needed it. Even went out of his way to come over and teach me how to pop ball pythons because I had a few I was unsure about, plus my first clutch is on the way, and how the heck can I hold back and/or sell snakes if I don't know what sex they are!? Now I've met plenty of other breeders at this point, but none like that. With all that said, I can only hope to create a little competition, spreading my knowledge and passion along the way, knowing that competition could also be future friends and repeat customers.

It’s totally fine to express a disagreement of philosophy. I love that you don’t bash anyone, we have enough of that shit in the hobby imo

Hey Matt, I just wanted to say that I think your video is on point!!! I think that "We" as a community need to uplift one another, not be putting each other down or trash talking. Although I don't know you, I kinda feel like I have gotten to know you a little bit from having seen several of your videos, and I think that you're a hell of a decent guy. I just thought you should know that.

"Personality opens doors" but it's the "customer service that keeps those doors open!"

I enjoy that you don’t diss on any one particular but you vent about things you don’t like which is nice so thanks for that. I watch your vids all the time and I enjoy it and your snakes :) hope you have a great day!

Another fantastic informative video,love watching your videos. All the way from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 keep up the awesome work.

Just one reason why I follow you. You. You are good for this hobby.

Stay humble. Thats what i really like about you bro.

Just wanted to say thank you. You, your channel, and your crew is more what this world needs. Your honest and Real, but respectful. So thank you for all you do!!!

Totally understand, it is Important to have a strong inner a**hole And not be a total a** hole, Self defense mechanisms are what keep us sane and safe, Once again I never get tired of your honesty or your transparency, Thank you for your time and insight, Keep up the good work

Man! One of the best speeches ever! For my wife and I you are the go-to place for information, entertainment and motivation! We hope one day in the next 1 or 2 years to be in the same road to success than you.

I love your videos my friend I just started into this hobby so thank you so much for every information you give me

By the way I love how you catch yourself trying not to curse way to go with that definitely made me smile a bit. Seriously I agree completely with the vid

Matt, thanks for speaking the truth. I'm very new in the industry. Thanks for all the helpful information.

Matt's got that fire that wants to destroy all the keyboard warriors and online experts! Right there with you my friends. I may be brand new and going into my first season, but I'm ready to prove them all wrong when I do well and make great shit. 👍🍸🐍

When people say the ball python market is dead it makes me laugh, I've been involved with reptiles in some form since the early 90's and I've definitely seen times when it quieted down a little but the die hard enthusiast was always there. It's amazing how far the hobby has grown since the I started and I don't think it will ever go away as long as there are kids with buckets who grow up as adults with duckets. I agree 100% too that you should always help out new people and even people who are long time keepers, it just makes everything much more fun not to mention you never know when you'll need someone else's help.

I like how candid this video is especially the part about people being assholes in the industry. I can’t tell you how many breeders I’ve hit up as a new guy trying to get information on whatever have you or trying to get a mentor in the game. You know they say to learn from the people who are already there and so many people just shit on ya. It’s ridiculous lol. And I completely understand that people are busy with collections, jobs, etc but even if you are a simple response when able is appreciated. But you just ride it out and put it in the back of your head and do 2 things remember who they were and don’t be like them. You can always learn something from everyone even your idols or #goals. I think Sean said it best in ballshit about learning what not to do and what not to be from even the people you aspire to be one day. Mind you, I don’t have a big collection and I’ve never sold an animal but even I have some smaller guys then me that ask me questions all the time and with my work flow and or deployments I still hit people back. Keep these coming. 🤙🏿🤟🏿

Great video and thank you so much for the wonderful information. This will let others know how the hobby is doing.

Excellent video with great info

That last few minutes was so sadistically rapey but hilarious at the same time. I loved it

I couldn’t agree more. If done right with the right attitude the ball python hobby can perpetuate itself.

One of your best yet, brudda. Big ups for this one.

Old video but still love it

"The market is dead" is just code for "I thought it was gonna be easy to get rich and I was wrong." That's how you tell the difference between python lovers and money seekers. Those who love it will keep the market alive and healthy. There are 7 billion people on Earth and most of them don't own Ball Pythons, yet. That's nothing but a whole lot of new customers waiting to be educated on why BPs are the best pet you can own.

Articulate fireside chats with Matt and the gang. Pickle samiches. Firm but fair. Good lecture really! Starting to breed myself and have encounter people with empty tampx pearl boxes. Good show I feel my ball python ship is back on course and got a good shot of healthy confidence. Matt for POTUS. Thank you.

Pretty great job explaining the market, I believe that the more widespread the breeding is the lower prices will go but it will also bring more people into the hobby. As amazing morphs like banana and scaleless become affordable people begin to enter the hobby that would have never done so before.

Slightly different scenario but When I discovered there was another breeder very local to me it didn’t even cross my mind that they could be competition. I was chuffed to think there may be someone local I could learn from maybe work with and create an ally in. I have now purchased from this breeder and would happily do so again.

20:05 so funny I just saw "fluffy" in your actions it was so funny and cute

A big thumbs up to everything you said! I'm glad you covered this topic. Also I'm not a big fan of "secret" projects. It seems silly to me since people are going to find out sooner or later and start breeding them. If those people want to keep their edge what they really need to do is contantly think about how to improve upon what they're building.

Awesome ADVICE!!!

Excellent video Matt! Very well stated!

Totally agree customer service is the key of most businesses. Especially this business.

I love your snakes, some of the most beautiful and clean I’ve seen. I can tell it’s quality over quantity. One problem I don’t know how to purchase your snakes.

Blunt and to the point! The market in not dead. I've bought six snakes in three days. Can't wait to hatch our first clutch and watch my little guys vlog!

Great video matt!

You are always so Hilarious!!! Love your Channel!

Awesome advice matt...it’s all about customer service and how you treat your customers...I have a question do u ever plan to come to Cali for any of the reptile super shows? Do you plan to do any upcoming shows? Awesome videos and keep em coming..

So true what more can be said we completely agree

most of my "competition" dies off in 2 or 3 years, and I end up buying my babies from 2 years ago back for half the price of I originally sold it for, if I want it or trying to rescue.

I was the one who asked what to breed with my Killer Bee and you suggested Calico, this was a few months ago. Magic.

Great video I totally agree.

Great video bro! Love watching your content.

This video ticked so many boxes that I was thinking. I do appreciate that you don't trash talk others openly on a social media platform because I hate that as well and I refuse to subscribe to anyone who does that. When I was listening to the first part of the video I was thinking though..."This guy is a COP for a job, and a cop's job is to deal with the worst of people every single day so if anyone should be willing to release some of those pent up feelings, if should be a cop". I bet that takes come self control to NOT participate in the online bashing. I have Many many relatives that are in law enforcement so I definately hear of the pitfalls of that profession. Then I hear the answer to the first question and it's like, there it is....begging to come out.....but you kept it in "somewhat" just like I'm sure you have to supress it on a day to day basis at work.

yep I work 12 hours a day, 5-7 days a week, and my days off or when I'm home I'm always with my snakes!!

HahhHa....I gotta give the credit to question girl for instigating you....to make me laugh 😆

This is exactly why i follow you and love your videos!!!!

Well said Matt, great video and great advice!!

Im new to this hobby. This video has given me motivation. Also you will have a new supporter on Patreon.

Hatched my first ever clutch this weekend... vanilla x super pastel yb... amazing babies

Thank you

You've created competition, but you've also expanded the ball python community and helped another person realize their dream of breeding their own snakes. Eventually, that person may do the same for someone else, all because you sold them the snake that they fell in love with. Sometimes it's important to look beyond the dollars that go directly into your own pocket.

i totally agree matt , i do really hate people who presume they know so much more than the next person, undermining them even when there trying to sell you something. people like that suck , if your a good breeder you have nothing to worry about, iv bought of many people and the people who i was happy with have had multiple buys from me and others that i recommended to them and till this day i still show love to there projects and new clutches , were suppose to be a community but there always has to be a few ass's to ruin everything x

Love this video

Loved your motivation talk its the same as mine i smashed my skull in when i was 12 doctor's said it killed half my brain and i would have learning difficulties for life but i always go like you if someone says i can't i will my father always used it with me so left school with really high grades and learn something every day iam the site go to man for everything even now after 20 something bleeds on the brain and animal things iam the free vet so good on you if this doesn't make sense i just had a bleed 4 or 5 days ago so i apologise

Matt you are right dude customer service goes along way and word of mouth will make your business either thrive or die

Great Information, Great Advice

The sun comes out for everyone! Nice vid.

Well put man!

16:00 and on is how I feel about my Twitch streaming career.

Well said brother💪🏼👊🏼

Hey Matt/Olympus Reptiles. Great Topic, and I didn't completely agree with Barczyk's original message he seemed to be trying to get across. I think you guys addressed this topic in the best and most honest way possible, and I really agree with your guy's way of looking at this and ideas behind it. Great Video, and Keep up the Great Work!!!

I don't think of my customers as competition the way I would someone in another business might. Breeding balls is an art, and there are SO many morphs these days. If they want to turn around and copy my project to the letter... that's going to hurt them more than it will me, I'm really not going to sweat it. Chances are though, they will have different ideas, because we all have different tastes and goals. The same way I just don't see it as a good business decision for them to copy me, I don't want to copy someone else, I want to see something awesome and think, "OH MY GOD that is going to look GREAT with this other gene." and then that's what I'll try. I want to hit world firsts. I want to carve my own path. People who play copy cat are just going to drive the prices of their own animals into the ground, let them. If you aren't adding something new and different to your projects each and every year and expect to breed the same exact thing over and over, you are doing it wrong anyways.

I agree this is the kind of videos I enjoy straight to the point no sugar coating a dam thing ps is there a way I could email you a few questions I have

If he likes them he puts a little cinnamon 😂 I enjoyed this video

I binge watch the crap outta this channel. Dude you're so real. I literally would like to buy a snake from Olympus. I just wanna know what you would recommend to pair with n enchi.

The thing is when I told my mom that I was going to go to college and go and get my massage therapy degree she laughed at me and she told me I was chasing rainbows I was absolutely crushed that my own mother told me I couldn't do it so I looked at her right in the eyes and I said watch me make it watch me succeed and then we'll see who's Chasing Rainbows now and you know what there's nothing wrong with chasing rainbows as long as I know that can achieve my dreams get my degree and start my own business in massage therapy I'll prove you wrong watch me succeed I got my degree here I am now she's like oh well I knew you could do it I said no you didn't so don't give me that BS she didn't think I could do it and not and then I proved her wrong then she's like oh wow she can't do it prove people wrong when they say you can't do it exactly and then when you see yourself succeed and they didn't expect it to happen that's when you see the running or that's when you see them grovel

Nice!

Great way to motivate yourself. Have a few peoppe in my life like that and I keep proving them wrong. Hoping to get a small sub to your Patreon (spelling) soon. Cuz you have one of my favorite morphs so far.

You should have called it “Viking Reptiles”. 😉😈

Well said Matt

True

This is very true I started selling 0 dragon now I sell 4 a week lol if you are nice nice then people are going to to come back to you

So what are some people's favorite combos with piebald? Because I personally have such a love hate relationship with this gene because on its own I don't really like it but I do love pandas and also I do look at pieds with a little bit of business mind because I've seen them prove to be very popular and for good reason they're very interesting and weird. So I think if I'm trying to make my own pandas I can see them also paying off some investment nicely in the meantime.

Awesome video guys! Granted I'm very very small but every one of us has been there before. I've had some terrible experiences but luckily most have been positive

Totally agree, respect, and admire your commentary. On the topic of customer service, my first experience purchasing a snake online was a bad one (cough - Fauna Classifieds). The experience almost lead me to believe that all online sellers where rude and had a mob/clique mentality of that same narcissistic know it all attitude. I am glad I met a lot of cool online breeders that helped me along the way.

What do breeders do with their stock once they don’t need it anymore? Do they get donated to sanctuaries or new homes or traded off to other breeders? Do you keep every snake for the entire 30+ year duration of its life? If you do re-home it, how do you make sure your breeding stock stays safely in captivity once it’s gone and doesn’t get dumped somewhere or euthanized?

Love the video!

Awesome vid man, but for real, you need to show off that Corvette. Then I'll drop a pic of my 79.

Hey man I love ur channel! Soo I'm brand new and been watching in the most and love ur transparencies. So in me being new, what r the top 5 things I need to do to start successful? As of now I hav a (F)normal, (M)banana pastel spider, (M) breeder clown and a (F) breeder harlequin lesser. Any info will help.

Loved "never! I hate pickles!"

If people are worried about creating their own competition they want sell any snakes thats what gets me

Nice video!

Love it

What!?! No pickles?!?

Hey I was just wondering later on in the year a plan on getting some more ball python to start breeding.I started with a normal and my question is is there allot I could do with a normal? And also what should be the next morph I should look into.

Just a thought can any body be on your patron if they don’t live in the USA I know you don’t ship snakes abroad but I love your shirt design and would love one and loved the video again amazing information and sheeeeeeet sandwich brilliant especially no pickles I nearly fell off my stool lol 😂 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Don’t roll over the dog lol

and to bad you dont breed other things then ball pythons ( not really where my focus is). I would love to buy you a beer some time if you ever come to the Wichita show.

creating your own competition makes better breeders. the more competition you have the better your animals have to be, you cant sell crappy looking snakes if the guy next door is selling a 10x better looking one (exact genes) for maybe $20 more then you.

I have a male VIP pastel that is a sub-adult somewhat new.... is there anyway I can get him out of the snappynss that he shows me whenever I try to hold him?

You're the bomb

I have a male banana lemon blast and a female spider, what could I expect if I wanted to look into breeding them in a year or so when I’m done doing some research on the actual process?

What kind is your male you glor from tall grass?

I’m 17 and breeding snakes. I want to do it as a hobby when i’m older and if it turns into a business then it does. I am going to college in a year and a half and don’t know what I want to major in. I was thinking a herpetology degree but there’s not many jobs in that major. What are some jobs that would be compatible with breeding snakes?

❤️👍😁

You should talk about the Spark morph a little bit in one video