Ball python pricing? HELP PLEASE

Quick question about the price of ball pythons. I'm going to a reptile expo tomorrow and want to buy a normal male ball python, and want to know what price should I pay? I see them online for $20-$100 for a normal male. I know you get what you pay for but I also know people take advantage of people who don't know much. Let me know what you guys think!!!!!:bow:

Ive seen hatchlings at shows for 10 bucks

you know you can get them for free on craigslist..lol

Im selling my normals for $20 male or female

It's really going to be up to you as to what you feel a particular snake is worth. I bought normal females at a premimum price because I trusted the seller, and because I wanted THAT particular snake and felt the price was worth it.

If you are willing to pay $xx for a particular snake, and the seller is willing to sell it to you for that price, then you should be happy with the purchase. You can get cheapo snakes for $10... or you can pay the $100. Either one could be a great purchase or a very poor purchase.

That said, I don't think I would pay more than $50, no matter how nice for a normal male.

the price will vary on the area and such and all.. I seen recently seen prices here in delaware almost double. A lot of it due to all the headache and paperwork that now required due to the permit requirements.

$20 is the most you should pay for a normal BP at a show.

STOP... think about getting a female... yes they get a little bigger but they are still able to be handled... I wish my first normal was a female so i could use it in breeding. Although I will never get rid of him its like a extra mouth to feed. but i can't let go of the one that started me into the hobby.

Just somethin to think about.

Man oh man, if only I lived in the States.

"Free on Craigslist"? Here, people are asking $150 MINIMUM for a ball python on Craigslist. It's just silliness. Mind you, that is for an adult male, not a hatchling. But it's still just a normal!

And at shows, on average, you'll get a yearling (or younger) BP for about $40-$80 bucks. Oof. :weirdface

wow yeah people in the states are trying to get rid of their snakes pretty badly, they didnt know what they were getting into and its a little overwhelming if you dont know how to take care of em. there low maintenance, but only once their set up right.

I bought my first snake at a reptile show.........and my second. If I were you I definetely would not buy the first snake that I saw. Take your time and look around. Talk to the breeders/sellers and ask them a bunch of questions. Hold their animals and see how they react to your handling. Ask them questions that you already know the answers to. If you feel confident that they know what they are talking about and give you their phone number/website then think about pulling the trigger. It's nice to have someone to talk to after the sale!

With all that being said I purchased my first girl for $35. I then purchased my male for $20. Although I would like to have a morph someday I like the looks/colors of the normals. Just don't buy the first animal you see. When I bought my male I saw them first for $50. The longer I looked the cheaper they got. Also, do not be afraid to bargain with the seller. Especially on the last day of the show. Remember they want to sell their animals. All they can say is no.

I just wish someone would have told me that owning a ball python is worse than crack! Now I want 100 of them! :) Good luck and have fun!

All good advice. I would also suggest you check out the het males. Here in Florida, 100% het albino male hatchlings are selling for $50 . . . not that much more than a normal and you have a potential breeder if you ever decide to make ball python babies.

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Originally Posted by tsdsbd

wow yeah people in the states are trying to get rid of their snakes pretty badly, they didnt know what they were getting into and its a little overwhelming if you dont know how to take care of em. there low maintenance, but only once their set up right.

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I've never seen a "free" ball python on Craigslist. In fact, I've seen un-sexed ball pythons sold with their enclosures for $300 firm all the time. Never less than $100 (they all think they should get the Petco/Petsmart price or more).

I've seen quite a few free balls on Craigslist, but also lots for sale at $xxx. The isue is that you're not supposed to sell animals on Craigslist, so the sale ads often are flagged by people who do nothing but sit online watching for a pet sale ad to go up so they can flag it. So certain areas might only have free snake ads because there's someone(s) flagging anything with a price.

At any rate, yes, don't buy the first snake... look around, writing down the name of the places that have snakes you're interested in with the prices, then you can go back to look at the tables that had the best snakes, eliminating until you know which table you want to purchase from and which snakes to pick from.

Otherwise, you might buy a snake thinking "This is great! Only $40!!" and then 3 tables down, you'll see a snake you like even better, for less. Then you'll feel cheated. The seller isn't likely to take the snake back, and it was a fair sale, so then you'll be stuck with the first snake(that you were happy with until you saw snake #2).

Good luck! And post pics when yu get one!

There is a lot of good advice here.

I want to add this: Don't make it about price. That's the worst thing you can do. Buy the one that just grabs you for some reason. Maybe it's the color, maybe the pattern, maybe it's the seller, or just one of those mysterious things you can't explain. You'll never regret purchasing a snake like that no matter what it cost.

That being said, take your time. Especially if you've never been to an expo. You are going to be overwhelmed by all the snakes of different morphs and prices and types. Try to visit every table that has ball pythons if you can. If it's one of those giant expos, visit at least 20 tables before you start deciding.

Talk to the sellers, ask questions like age, weight, what they eat so you know what food to get, type of enclosure and such. A tub raised snake is going to need extra care to adjust to a tank and vice-versa. Hold as many as you can, get comfortable with them, but be aware a crabby snake at an expo may mean getting tagged. :P

Once you think you have one or two picked out, go back to each one and examine it, ask yourself why this one instead of that one? Eventually, one will just call out to you, and then you'll know which is the right one.

Best of luck, and I can't wait to see pictures of your new friend.

Gale

Generally, you are going to get what you pay for. If you buy a $20 snake, well hopefully you get my point.

If you are willing to spend xx amount of money, then spend that much. For $100 you could find a lot of great looking hets and perhaps a decent male pastel.

Yeah I went to the show and of course meet some of the slums who had a crap load of babies for like 10 bucks a piece with his cardboard sign he made 20 minutes before setting up.

The good thing is that I looked at everyones table, talked to the different breeders, and then got lunch and came back so I could think about it. I ended up buying the most expensive normal baby male at the place. I didn't buy him because he was the most expensive one. I got him because out of the few people who had normal babies, he was the only one I trusted. It ended up costing me $30 which is not a bad price at all, just not as cheap as the $10 ones.

Thanks to all of you who helped me out. This was a birthday present for the GF so of course I score good points for this purchase.:banana:

:/ Guess I was too late, I was going to suggest forking out the ~100$ for a pastel over just getting a normal. Ah well.

Yeah, I sell my normal males for $25 apiece. You got a healthy, feeding baby with records, and certainly didn't get ripped off. I wouldn't buy any ball python from one of those people who keeps them all in a big pile and sells them off cheap like they're running a fruit market. I've seen female hatchlings as high as $60, and they were worth it, too.