Kelley BlueBook of Ball Pythons...

Someone mentioned in another long thread about the idea of doing a "blue book" so to say, of BP prices.

While I don't dispute that this would be a very large undertaking, are there resources that could be pulled together to do something like that?

My first thought would be something in connection with the worldofballpythons.com morph list. Perhaps it would be able to go along with a BP classifieds section/list, and in order to advertise in it, there would be a modest fee, somewhat like this site, just to pay the costs of keeping the "blue book" updated.

Also, along with this idea, I'm reposting the great read that mschmied posted: http://ballpythonbreeder.com/2009/04...price-animals/

That post you linked is absurd. It's full of "what ifs". That is truely not how the ball python market works. I'm sure that is the way it works for lower end breeders because it's more difficult to sell single gene animals each and every year. However the people that breed and sell the higher end stuff make up their own prices. I doubt very seriously that Kevin from Nerd is sitting in front of his computer on kingsnake trying to figure out how to price his animals. The scenario used is very far fetched. I don't believe that a "Kelley Blue Book" is the answer either. How are you going to keep it updated? Prices change everyday. You either buy quality from someone you trust or you buy the cheapest thing you can find. I'm a firm believe in you get what you pay for. I paid $600 for a hatchling mojave female last year, just becuase she looked better than any mojave I'd ever seen. And she is still the hottest mojave I've ever seen.

I could probably program something (or get some help with it, if it becomes more complicated than I can handle) that would allow people to anonymously put in the price of a ball python they bought, the genetics, and its gender and age, and the program would average the value of various ball pythons based on the data entered.

Problem is you'd need a LOT of data. There's also the chance that someone could lie and skew the average, hence needing a lot of data.

I dunno, I could do it but I don't think it'd help so much?

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Originally Posted by PassionsPythons

I doubt very seriously that Kevin from Nerd is sitting in front of his computer on kingsnake trying to figure out how to price his animals. The scenario used is very far fetched. I don't believe that a "Kelley Blue Book" is the answer either. How are you going to keep it updated? Prices change everyday. You either buy quality from someone you trust or you buy the cheapest thing you can find. I'm a firm believe in you get what you pay for. I paid $600 for a hatchling mojave female last year, just becuase she looked better than any mojave I'd ever seen. And she is still the hottest mojave I've ever seen.

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I kind of agree with this. I will price my animals as well as buy my animals for what I feel they are worth (to me)...Not some made up market price.

that link does have some validity to it...march 2011 i purchased a spider and pastel for 350, cuz bees were 700-850, 9 months later male bees are selling for 450, that almost a 50% drop in "market value":O

I am new to all this, but have looked into a male to buy. I see the Bp market as anything else. There tons of morphs and breeders add mote each year. With this the easier morph is to get or have better odds at getting it is going to drive market price down. I have a pastel easy to come by. If on my case I want to make a high end morigh end morph will have to get amore expensive male. I feel it is you get what you pay for snake, and off spring wose.

Supply and demand yes prices change yes they change quickly the other issue is that regional pricing. In my area there are breeders producing spiders like crazy so they are relatively cheap pins however no one is producing any locally so they are about 100$ more than what you would normally expect. Blue books don't take that into account. The same is true for cars the blue book price isn't a guide it is a distraction. It also assumes a base value for genetics and doesn't account for the quality. Personally I don't care about genetics it is strictly animal to animal good looking good feeding good attitude.

As somebody just getting into this hobby, I wish there was a general list for pricing somewhere. I understand it can change quickly and that quality or region might dictate a higher or lower price, however, it would be nice to know what the general price is. It may not be 100% accurate, but it would give me an idea of what I should be looking for. Far as I know a cinny could be an 800 snake, you know? So aside from asking people, I have no idea lol. Even searching on kingsnake, its hard to find certain single morphs or combos sometimes.

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Originally Posted by PassionsPythons

I doubt very seriously that Kevin from Nerd is sitting in front of his computer on kingsnake trying to figure out how to price his animals.

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I cannot speak for Kevin specifically but I can tell you with complete confidence that the biggest of the big do indeed use the on-line classifieds to figure out pricing. So yes, a breeder who produces 200+ clutches of snakes every year may very well be pricing his animals based upon the whimsy of a person who produces 10 clutches per year. I know this from first-hand experience; I am not guessing or assuming how they do it.

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Originally Posted by ColinWeaver

I cannot speak for Kevin specifically but I can tell you with complete confidence that the biggest of the big do indeed use the on-line classifieds to figure out pricing. So yes, a breeder who produces 200+ clutches of snakes every year may very well be pricing his animals based upon the whimsy of a person who produces 10 clutches per year. I know this from first-hand experience; I am not guessing or assuming how they do it.

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Hey Colin, I saw a link posted the other night to an article you wrote about this topic. VERY well done! Thanks. :gj:


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