Setting up your first pairing
A step-by-step guide to creating your first Pairing Manager entry — what fields matter most, how to write a title that gets found, and how to describe genetics that convert browsers into buyers.
Before you start
You'll need your Trader or Breeder subscription active, plus the species and morph genetics of both sire and dame. Everything else — photos, timeline updates, waitlist activity — can be added after the pairing is first saved.
Step 1: Write a title that gets found
Your pairing title is what appears in search results and on your profile grid. Include the species, the key morphs, and the season year. Buyers search by gene name — if your title doesn't include the morph, your pairing won't appear when they look for it.
- Good: "2026 Ball Python — Pastel Enchi × Lesser het Clown"
- Good: "2026 Jungle Carpet Python × Coastal F2"
- Avoid: "BP pairing" or "My snakes 2026" — too vague to appear in morph-specific searches
Step 2: Describe both parents fully
The description is where you sell the genetics. Write it as if you're explaining the pair to a serious buyer who knows the species but hasn't seen these animals. Cover the visual morphs and het status of both sire and dame, any notable line names or bloodlines, and previous clutch results if this is a proven pairing. That last detail — 'last season: 9 eggs, 8 hatched' — is your strongest social proof.
Step 3: Set the pairing date
Setting a pairing date does two things. It automatically sets stage 1 (Introduced) on your timeline — so you're not starting from zero. And it populates the Season Year field, so this pairing appears in your correct season overview. You can update the date later if you recorded it approximately.
Important note
Setting a pairing date gives you Introduced for free — you start with one stage already logged.
Step 4: Open the waitlist immediately
The default is for waitlists to be enabled. Keep it that way. You don't need photos or a completed timeline to open a waitlist — the genetics alone are enough for serious buyers to commit to a position. Every day your pairing is live without a waitlist is potential demand you can't recover.
Step 5: Save and add photos
Your first save creates the pairing and enables photo uploads. Add at least one photo of your sire and dame — these are the most important photos for converting waitlist sign-ups. Buyers want to see what produced the clutch. You can add more photos at each stage as your breeding progresses.
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