Summer market gone loco?

Is it just me or has the summer market gone BONKERS?! Maybe it's just in Arizona but $5 - $15 is the average for a single rat. Some are even asking $20 for rex, dumbo or any random colour but agouti and black. I cannot imagine paying that much for a rat that isn't even rare.

How are your local feeder markets doing?

8$ in Petstores.
I produce mine. Screw 8$ for a rat.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Homegrownscales

8$ in Petstores.
I produce mine. Screw 8$ for a rat.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

---

It seems that reptile shops are keeping prices .50 - $1.50 higher than usual, pet shops are $8 - $15 and private sales are just below pet shop prices if not the same. It seems odd to me because I have always sold my rats for less than these prices and still made profit.

Those are some crazy prices.

I pay .95 for crawler rats, 1.15 for weaned, 1.35 for smalls and 1.65 for mediums from a nearby rattery.

I can't imagine buying from a pet store, sub par rats (most of the time) for a premium price.

I used to pay $1 for mediums, now I'm buying f/t online for $1.40

yeah i buy online just put in an order, here can't even find rat fuzzies and they even sell F/T for like 5$. Its crazy. looks like I will be playing with the vacuum sealer soon!

Rats in our area go for $5 to $8 in pet stores for smalls/mediums :rolleye2:
If one has time and doesn't mind driving around there is almost always rats available on CL for less.
We breed all of our rats and asf's and almost always have an abundance, no snake goes unfed for long here :P

My previous stock was sold off in a package with the equipment. Looking back I regret doing that but I didn't believe in a future breeding opportunity. With my local market as is making a profit will be hands down. I will never steep to those insane prices. The problem is gathering decent stock when evidently there is little none that meets my standards. I have found a handful of OK females yet not a single male that is not infested with mites, sneezing or snapping.

I am considering a trip to California to visit ratterys. It's terribly costly but if I can nab a few burmese or chocolates with decent builds I can begin. *sigh* If I lived close to you Jerry! I would buy 30!

I sell solid colored rats and hoodeds for $1 as small-med. After that their gassed if not sold.

Though i do deal with pet quality rats that i sell for $10 a piece that are going to pet homes

Rodent food is slowly rising each year due to the amount of people breeding them and needing food. So to raise the rodents prices helps in long run. Ive had to raise my Mice prices to accommodate the price rise of food.

Price of fuel and the price of corn/food is raising significantly. It won't be long, and the prices for all animals will be even more ridiculous. I'm paying $750 per ton of rat block, last year at this time, I was paying $650 per ton. That's $100 a month, or $1200 increase for the year just in feed alone.
So, yes, I have to raise my price too.
Please keep that in mind when you buy local!!! We are just trying to get by ourselves.
That being said, support your local shops, not chains. And yes, $8-10 per rat is a bit stupid. But, look at it from their point, they are buying from places like mine for $1-5 depending of size, plus delivery or fuel charge to get the rats to the store. Plus paying employees and all those shiny displays... So, they are not making as much as you may think on your rat...