Over priced BPs?

The local pet store here wants $60 for baby BPs and they also have a larger 14 yr old that they want $99.99 for...I saw on line that I can get babies for $19.99 and adults for around $40-$50 at another place over in California but I still have to pay shipping (I still think that it would be cheaper than the store here)...

Whats the average price where you live? I kind of think that my local store is over pricing?

I think that all pet stores have overpriced ball pythons. The local pet stores in my area sell them for $70 to $80!

Buying from a breeder is usually best.

That's pretty consistent with what you'll find anywhere. It's always cheaper to buy directly from a breeder online than from a store (if you don't count shipping..). I've seen normal babies in stores for $125 :rolleyes:

local petco's are like $60 for a baby ball python

local reptile stores are like $50 for a baby and $80 for an adult

local pet stores that only have 1 or 2 snakes sell adult ball pythons for $80-$150

(all of these are normals and the stores I'm looking at are in the Long Island, NY area)

How much would i be looking at if purchasing from a breeder? Im talking just the normal pattern. I was thinking that a breeder would charge more?

Tampa Repticon had ten baby BP's for $100...

Check on kingsnake and see if there are any shows in your area. You can usually pick up a little normal for 20-25 at a show, and no shipping! Good luck!

Well, they are overpricing because they have to. Think about it. Someone who keeps, feeds, and breeds their own snakes can sell a baby for $40 and technically still make a profit. But pet stores do not breed for their own animals. They have to buy them from someone else. That person sells a normal ball python for $20, the petstore has to make a profit. If they want that $40 profit, they have to sell it at a minimum of $60. Then there is the cost of feeding and housing it during the time it is there. Working in a pet store I can tell you that sometimes a snake will stay with us for a month or more. That is at least 4 feedings and the cost of the heat and bedding. So that is usually why they have to up the price a lot when you get them from a pet store.

Just my :twocents:

I think that is a great price for a quality CBB Ball Python..there are advantages to slightly higher priced "pet" snakes

1: cuts down on the number of Impulse buy's
2: Higher prices means the retailer can afford better quality stock
3: People that Pay more for things tend to take better care of them

Higher isn't always a bad thing.. I think 60.00+ for a good well established baby ball python is a perfect price after all they will live for many Decades so why price them live gold fish..

Breeders are going to charge anywhere from $20 for a normal male to $40 for a normal female baby. If it's a particularly pretty baby, they might charge more.

The prices that you see in the stores is the market price from a retail store - and consistently priced amongst most pet stores.

Keep in mind though - you'd need to find a local breeder, otherwise, you'll pay close to $50 for the shipping alone.

Most pet stores are going to have to get their animals from some one, and then care for them.... I am in the process of opening a store here, and I will produce most of my own ( alot of the reptiles in store will be produced my my family or other local breeders.)... Keep cost down but I am not afraid to refuse a sale to someone who will not care for it.
You also should realize that you will pay 30-50 bucks for shipping

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jay_Bunny

That person sells a normal ball python for $20, the petstore has to make a profit. If they want that $40 profit, they have to sell it at a minimum of $60. Then there is the cost of feeding and housing it during the time it is there. Working in a pet store I can tell you that sometimes a snake will stay with us for a month or more. That is at least 4 feedings and the cost of the heat and bedding. So that is usually why they have to up the price a lot when you get them from a pet store.

Just my :twocents:

---

Thanks. I understand what you are saying. I dont want anyone to get the idea that Im trying to come down on the store. Thats why I am asking for prices in other areas. I know that the stores need to make a profit in order to stay in business but I am trying to figure out why a place like LLL Reptile can afford to have their stock priced at $19.99 all the time (last week they had them on sale for $10.00) and other stores charge much more? I think that I am starting to get the picture though. ;)

Pet stores are ridiculous. I got ripped off on my first one because I went with a recommendation from a friend (right before I came here to learn anything) and I paid $140 for normal girl. They told me she hadn't been in the store for a day. Someone came in and sold her to them for some reason or another. I regret the impulse decision and price, but she is the sweetest thing. Not the slightest bit afraid of people. High contrast; the dark is almost black with a little blushing, the light almost green with heavy white border and a little yellow creeping up the side. She looks phenomenal next to my het pied. 600g at the time. She eats live mice like a champ (working of f/t rats). No apparent health problems. I say we got lucky with her health, etc. and the pet store got a ridiculous profit for keeping her in a tank for a few hours.

It's a love/hate thing with that decision I guess. If I had known there were cheaper, I'd have never gone and paid so much. But I really like the girl, so she just might be worth it...

I paid $80 for ours. And that was 40% off. Canadian pet stores :(

With SYR no longer doing snake shipments, unless you're a huge breeder with a special deal, expect to be paying more like $70 to $75 in shipping charges now.
Fed Ex isn't cheap. :P

Lmao, you guys think it's bad? Try being a Canadian. Here's some "average" prices for yeah in Canada...

Hatchlings:
normal female - 75-100
normal male - 25-50
pastel male - 125-200
pastel female - 250-300
spider male - 250-300
spider female - 300-350
mojave male - 300-350
mojave female - 350-425

Breeding size:
normal female - 250-300
normal male - 50-100
pastel male - 175-225
pastel female - 500-1000

That's just a taste.

$1000 pastels? My goodness, what is going on up there in my hat? :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jeremy78

Lmao, you guys think it's bad? Try being a Canadian. Here's some "average" prices for yeah in Canada...



Hatchlings:
normal female - 75-100
normal male - 25-50
pastel male - 125-200
pastel female - 250-300
spider male - 250-300
spider female - 300-350
mojave male - 300-350
mojave female - 350-425

Breeding size:
normal female - 250-300
normal male - 50-100
pastel male - 175-225
pastel female - 500-1000

That's just a taste.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stevepoppers

$1000 pastels? My goodness, what is going on up there in my hat? :D

---

Thats for a breeder size pastel..........
A breeder size pastel that a proven breeder and hold color well with big clutches is worth that even here.....normals breeder females go for 80-200 depending on same variables

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stevepoppers

$1000 pastels? My goodness, what is going on up there in my hat? :D

---

Ha! You couldn't even approach me to sell my adult female pastel for LESS than $1000. $1000 for a breedable female pastel is not a bad price.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jeremy78

Lmao, you guys think it's bad? Try being a Canadian. Here's some "average" prices for yeah in Canada...

Hatchlings:
normal female - 75-100
normal male - 25-50
pastel male - 125-200
pastel female - 250-300
spider male - 250-300
spider female - 300-350
mojave male - 300-350
mojave female - 350-425

Breeding size:
normal female - 250-300
normal male - 50-100
pastel male - 175-225
pastel female - 500-1000

That's just a taste.

---

LMAO:taz::taz::taz: Check this out, cross the pond and head south to South Africa

Hatchlings:
normal female - 200
normal male - 200
pastel male - 475
pastel female - 550
spider male - 650
spider female - 650
mojave male - 650
mojave female - 925
Piebald male/female - 2000
Albino male/female - 1200

We recently had a shipment of ranched ball pythons arrive here in South Africa. The importer of these was selling these to the petshops between $33.00 & $45.00. A lot of these petshops are then selling on at between $170 to $200.

I don't know what the importer paid for these ranched hatchlings and the shipping.

Funny thing is that you can actually buy locally bred normals at between $105 to $160 which is less than what the petshops sell ranched babies for.

Down here the petshops make a killing with these animals, granted they have overheads etc to cover, but still IMO they overprice these animals....