whats the least you paid for a morph!

just curious..
whats the least you have paid at an expo? a show?
thanks..

i can understand why u ask this, but i see it this way:

it would help to get the market down...

also- if u buy cheap, u get cheap- buy good animals from good breeders for a FAIR price and ull be happy

lets just say im young, and broke..
i guess
i wonder when the bp morphs will go down

They've already gone down - SIGNIFICANTLY.

Save your money and shop for the snake, not the price tag.

The one thing I have noticed about the cheaper you get, its usually to good to be true, there's always a catch. I have not been in ball pythons long but just the little bit I"ve been in I"ve seen drastic price drops.

i see..
but at age 14, still a bit too high :p

My son and I really wanted to get an Albino but there was no way we could afford it. What we ended up doing is getting a male and female het Albino, one at a time as finances would allow. Hets are usually a lot cheaper than a recessive morph and if you are truly a BP lover I think you'll find it rewarding starting small and then when you're ready you can breed to make your own.
Don't be in too big a rush. I find the joy in the hobby is in learning and moving forward as you're ready.

then save your pennies, or ask a breeder if they'll take a payment plan.

I generally trade for animals I want. But trade values and cash values aren't the same.

The least I've paid cash wise? Well, i'm friends with a few breeders so i do get some different pricing than that listed when i buy from them, but I won't name those prices publicly, sorry. :/

I have made offers for animals though. Generally , i don't haggle too much. I think if someone has an outstanding animal they deserve the asking price. I will ask if they'll go halvsies on the shipping though (basically knock off 25.00 if possible). If not, its not a deal breaker for me though.

I'd rather save up my money and get the animals I want.

if you just want a morph, you can usually get male pastels, yellowbellies and het red axanthics for 50-100.

I'm new to breeding and morphs, but it seems you can get good prices on morphs from a reputable breeder if you buy multiple snakes from them. Your still looking at spending a pretty penny, but you will end up with the best deal if you want more then one morph. Just my experience so far. If you are looking at just buying one, then you should just pay the fair price knowing you got it from a reputable breeder......its better then getting a great price not knowing if the BP is a picky eater, not good breeder, etc.

Free.....

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Originally Posted by rabernet

They've already gone down - SIGNIFICANTLY.

Save your money and shop for the snake, not the price tag.

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Amen.

The snake community has followed this trend: Snake is discovered, price is through the roof. People discover it, drool, it becomes a fad, everyone either starts making them if they're a combination of morphs or people pay a ton for them if they are owned by only a few people. The snakes are reproduced/made rapidly. Within a couple years the price becomes manageable. Shortly after joe-schmo snake owner can afford it the price tanks within a year or so, down to the 1-2k (recessive/super) or the 200-600 range (codom/dom).

So it's neither worth it to breed for the recent fad snake (unless you're like a generation away) nor is it worth it to complain about prices being high, because if you save the prices will drop as you save.

Good reason to work on the snakes not everyone is, like I am with Lesser/Fire. :gj: (there are good reasons they arent popular, its because 1. not many people have made them, if anyone has, and because the super of either would override any other morph in there)

If you want a cheap snake then you either make good friends with someone, and work like heck to have good husbandry with a pastel/normal so they see you as a responsible person to unload snakes on (ones you want), or you go to a pet show and get a male normal/pastel.

As for me the lowest I have payed was 60 for my, now sizable/awesome feeder, pastel. I got her when I paid 700 for my terrible eater/tiny fire.

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Originally Posted by Oxylepy

Amen.



Good reason to work on the snakes not everyone is, like I am with Lesser/Fire. :gj: (there are good reasons they arent popular, its because 1. not many people have made them, if anyone has, and because the super of either would override any other morph in there)

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Its also a good idea not to spread what your working on because there are alot of combinations that havent been made yet, spreading what your working on only gives other people the idea of producing the same

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Originally Posted by iCandiBallPythons

Its also a good idea not to spread what your working on because there are alot of combinations that havent been made yet, spreading what your working on only gives other people the idea of producing the same

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Cool :P I'm totally down for people doing that. See I dont mind the game and the market. I am producing the snakes I want to (I'm not making them for profit, I'm making them because I havent seen any and I want to), who cares if others do (and if someone else does hopefully I can see one for the first time prior to making one)

Bringing down the market is not a good thing to the breeders we know and love that rely on that income for their families.

Don't let your selfishness get a hold of you. Save your money and work hard for the morphs that these breeders have worked for years to create. I would not be very happy to see the bp morph market to turn out like the corn snake morph market.

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Don't let your selfishness get a hold of you. Save your money and work hard for the morphs that these breeders have worked for years to create. I would not be very happy to see the bp morph market to turn out like the corn snake morph market.

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The market is already on it's way. Sadly.

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Originally Posted by davidyun

i see..
but at age 14, still a bit too high :p

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Then that gives you something to work for and appreciate more! :gj:

Like I said before - save your money and shop the snake, not the price. If you want a particular morph badly enough, then you'll work harder to get it. And that's not such a bad thing.

davidyun,
Ask for it for Chrstmas or your birthday.
Jason

im not buying from shows but can i add my 2 cents?
malcohlm- your right. telling others what your doing will give them the idea to do it thus stealing your idea & reaping the rewards. but telling about your ideas can also bring on the advice, yay it'll work, or nay it wont work.
& robin- i'm doing/gonna do just what you mentioned. im saving up for 1 snake & will be saving up for 2 more later.

Never bought any on shows .. I prefer buying in a shop or breeder I know. My local shop always makes sure the snake in questions etc. are ok

Cheapest I bought ? A Pinstripe ... Most expensive ? AF Blue Eyed Lucy ... What do they cost ? A lot :) Or .. Could be worse :)

i think a good snake for u were yellow bellies. they not to expensive and have a super cool super form. 1.1 u can get for about 200$. save ur money or wish u one to ur birthday or x-mas...

otherwise, if u dont like the ivorys, u could get 1.1 hets. maybe albino hets so...


thats always good morphs to start and u can learn and then invest in more expensive snakes like a butter or so...


heres a good articel about buying snakes. really interresting!

http://ballpythonbreeder.com/2009/12...ples-problems/

Personally I'd suggest not trying to breed if you arent able to afford a snake to begin with. The cost of a rack system, food, etc, would more than make up the difference, and at that point why not just buy whichever snake.

thats why i wont breed. i know i couldnt afford the setup, food costs & upkeep of bills from all the heat pads & thermostats.
that & i'd have a hard time not getting attached to the babies.
thats just me.

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Originally Posted by joe23

i can understand why u ask this, but i see it this way:

it would help to get the market down...

also- if u buy cheap, u get cheap- buy good animals from good breeders for a FAIR price and ull be happy

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took the key strokes right out of my fingers.

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Originally Posted by joe23

i can understand why u ask this, but i see it this way:

it would help to get the market down...

also- if u buy cheap, u get cheap- buy good animals from good breeders for a FAIR price and ull be happy

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Originally Posted by cinderbird

then save your pennies, or ask a breeder if they'll take a payment plan.

I generally trade for animals I want. But trade values and cash values aren't the same.

The least I've paid cash wise? Well, i'm friends with a few breeders so i do get some different pricing than that listed when i buy from them, but I won't name those prices publicly, sorry. :/

I have made offers for animals though. Generally , i don't haggle too much. I think if someone has an outstanding animal they deserve the asking price. I will ask if they'll go halvsies on the shipping though (basically knock off 25.00 if possible). If not, its not a deal breaker for me though.

I'd rather save up my money and get the animals I want.

if you just want a morph, you can usually get male pastels, yellowbellies and het red axanthics for 50-100.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Bringing down the market is not a good thing to the breeders we know and love that rely on that income for their families.

Don't let your selfishness get a hold of you. Save your money and work hard for the morphs that these breeders have worked for years to create. I would not be very happy to see the bp morph market to turn out like the corn snake morph market.

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said like a TRUE SERPENT MASTER:gj:

thank you for all these awesome advices..
i guess i will save up a little more for a wishful morph
AND i will breed as i get a little bit older
hopefully produce a new morph one day?! haha:)

You can get Yellowbelly males and Pastel males at shows for from $75 - $125. I saw a Yellowbelly male at the San Diego show for $60.

Prices have gone way down, and go down every year. I got a pastel for $100 and a spider for $150. You can find pastels for $85, but they are horrid examples of the morph.

wow.
150 for a spider huh?
damn, im looking for a decent pastel.. that would be around 90-100?

If you shop you can find good deals, but you have to be patient. Cheapest I have gotten anything is my male spider for $80. He was originally a fair eater and a little small at 80g compared to his clutch mates who were near 130g. Now he is growing like a weed and eats better than my burm. Sometimes you get lucky I guess, or you pay, and even then you're still pretty lucky because you are getting what you want.

80???
damn.. i hope to see deals like that!

Remember: Cheap isn't quality, and quality isn't cheap.

There is no sense in buying a $85 pastel that will brown out to the point where it looks like a normal. Save up, spend a little more, and buy a high quality snake.

Prices fall every year. Believe me when I say you'll be much happier in the long run waiting a year or two and ending up with a top notch specimen, than buying one now and in a year or two you have a mediocre snake.

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

I would not be very happy to see the bp morph market to turn out like the corn snake morph market.

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I don't think it will ever get that low. Bps produce a lot less eggs than corns, so it is harder to get lots of homozygous animals. So prices will remain somewhat high.

But even if when it gets to the point that pastels are $50, and supers are $250, keep in mind that your customer base expands. There are a lot more people who would spend $250 on a snake than people who would spend $1000. Remember, its can't be about the quick buck if you want to come out ahead or try to break even, you have to think long term and have a game plan.

Falling prices aren't bad IMO, its supply and demand. (Now someone crashing the market, that's a different story - but falling prices doesn't meant the market is crashing)

thanks once again for these such wise advices

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Originally Posted by davidyun

wow.
150 for a spider huh?
damn, im looking for a decent pastel.. that would be around 90-100?

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Yep, that was the price for him at the Iowa show, granted the seller was a friend of mine, but that was the price anyone could have gotten. He's a nice spider too, not a crappy one.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...Isis/034-1.jpg

You could find a decent male pastel for $100 easy

wow cant believe that beast was only 150

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Originally Posted by davidyun

80???
damn.. i hope to see deals like that!

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They don't come by often. I was just fortunate to pick up where someone else was having a hard time. Local breeder had to get rid of his entire collection due to being unemployed for quite a long time. So he gave me a good deal on a few snakes.

One of my friends got a pastel "male" that popped to be a female for $30. Was it a good deal? No, because the snake was orange, and she'll obviously brown out very soon. The price can be amazing, but the quality of the snake more than makes up for it.