Dilemna......to trade/sell or not to trade???

I have always loved Albino BP's. Around 5 years ago, they were always so highly priced so I never thought I would own one. I just now started getting back into Balls and bought 3 adult female pastels and 1 bumble bee male. I also bought 5 normal females and one pinstripe male. My goal was obviously to produce some great bees, spiders, pastels, and hopefully a Killer Bee or Super Pastel or two......my Pin was backup for possible Pins, Blasts, etc in case my bee didn't deliver. Obviously I was hoping to make some money or some trades so I could start getting into Albinos.

Anyways, I see Albino's are so cheap now.....unbelievable. They are still my favorite morph (the bee is #2). I do not plan on becoming a large breeder and was hoping to keep my 10 BP's and nothing more.......eventually becoming all Albino's. I was thinking about selling/trading one of my mature pastel females for a female Albino juvenile. One part of me says.....sell/trade for that Albino so you can start raising her to breed in 2011 or 2012, and slowly start collecting/trading more Albino females and a male or two.......another part of me says to wait and let the pastel breed with the bee, then sell her and you should have plenty of babies to make trades for too. Damn it, why do the Albinos have to be so cheap now?!

You won't be able to trade on pastel female for one albino female.

Maybe two pastel females.

If you love albinos, I would go for it!

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Originally Posted by RR - Mackenzie

You won't be able to trade on pastel female for one albino female.

Maybe two pastel females.

If you love albinos, I would go for it!

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breeding size, nicely colored pastel females can easily go for $800 on fauna. There might be someone interested in trading a hatchling albino for a breedable adult.

there was a guy selling an albino on craigslist for $200...it stayed there for a few weeks too...I kind of kick myself for not looking into it

I would say most 1500g and above pastels are worth/going for a good $400 or more. The most expensive Albino I saw at the Arlington Reptile Expo was $375 and that was Bob Clark's table. I saw the one on Fauna and I think it had some issues, that's why it stayed there so long. Also, if you think about it, a normal BP hatchling is worth about $20-40 and you will find most mature, breedable adults of good size are going for $100-150......give or take.

I would probably trade for a 400g+ female Albino but outside of that, I should probably wait until I prove my girl out and get (hopefully) some bees, killer bees, spiders, or super pastels out of her. I think I was thinking with my heart on trading her for an Albino. Going to the Reptile Expos just tease me!

i would definatly keep em and make some nice pastels, super pastels, bees and killerbees. with that money u earn with the babies u could buy alot albinos and even keep the other adults...

If I were you I would buy a 09 male albino ($350 or even less) and an adult het female. You can find them for reasonable prices now as well. That way next season you could make a few of your own albinos.

These pastel prices are way off for breeding sized or proven breeders.

Cheapest proven breeder pastel female i seen was 1100$. Males proven or not will get about 150-200. So yes proven or ready to breed female pastel will easily get you a nice albino female for someone needing a pastel.

Yeah, I didn't even realize that until I did a search on Fauna and Kingsnake. The cheapest I found was a 1000g female for $699 plus shipping (and she was a finicky eater). I have a 1700g female, 1400g female, and 1000g female pastel right now. Walking around the expo looking at the Albino's is what did it to me.....reality set in an hour after I posted this thread. Thanks for the advice.

Buy it because you want to produce some awesome animals.

With a small hobby, chances are you really won't make a little money. All your money is going to go towards supplies and feeders.

but the purpose of a hobby isn't profit, either...so it's all good :)

If it was me I would trade the 1000gr female for an 09 female of 500 plus grams or a pair of 2010 albino babies or sell her and buy any of the above.

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

These pastel prices are way off for breeding sized or proven breeders.

Cheapest proven breeder pastel female i seen was 1100$. Males proven or not will get about 150-200. So yes proven or ready to breed female pastel will easily get you a nice albino female for someone needing a pastel.

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I've actually seen a couple for around $800 for people motivated to sell, but that is what I was trying to put across when it was mentioned a few posts earlier that no one would trade an albino for a pastel. I think it pretty much depends on the quality, weight, whether or not she's proven.

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

These pastel prices are way off for breeding sized or proven breeders.

Cheapest proven breeder pastel female i seen was 1100$. Males proven or not will get about 150-200. So yes proven or ready to breed female pastel will easily get you a nice albino female for someone needing a pastel.

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I'm with ya on this one...A breeding size female pastel is more than double the price of a hatchling albino. Any females that are up to breeding size go drastically up in price.

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Originally Posted by Nate

Buy it because you want to produce some awesome animals.

With a small hobby, chances are you really won't make a little money. All your money is going to go towards supplies and feeders.

but the purpose of a hobby isn't profit, either...so it's all good :)

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Eh forget paying off feeders/supplies with it. Use your own income for that and help manage the addiction. I am all for trading! Plus it kills the whole capital gains tax thing ~_~

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Originally Posted by Sariel

I've actually seen a couple for around $800 for people motivated to sell, but that is what I was trying to put across when it was mentioned a few posts earlier that no one would trade an albino for a pastel. I think it pretty much depends on the quality, weight, whether or not she's proven.

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You would be out of your mind to not trade an albino for a breeding size pastel. Thats like someone walking up to you and saying, "Hey I have a $100 bill that I will trade you for your $20 bill."

If it were a female albino that is up to weight or an albino morph, then I could see where it wouldn't make sense.

I have a full time job and that is where my income comes in. I am not in it for profit, but with 8 female morphs and 2 male morphs, I would think that the babies they will produce will at least pay for supplies and feeders, and hopefully a little extra money.........to go right back into getting more or better snakes!

The more research I did and more I thought about it, a mature adult FEMALE pastel is probably much more valuable then an juvenile or maybe even albino. There are so many great morphs to use a pastel female for and the albino is so limited. Also, I am seeing Albino babies for $375-$400 everywhere now and it looks like the price is going to keep dropping......crazy. I am still going to get my albino next year but for trade value, I am definetely going to see what my pastel girls give me when bred to my bee and pin.

I would trade one. You have three, :) You probably could get a pair for that female pastel. Or, a female albino and a few hets. Good luck with them!

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Originally Posted by rj1204

I have a full time job and that is where my income comes in. I am not in it for profit, but with 8 female morphs and 2 male morphs, I would think that the babies they will produce will at least pay for supplies and feeders, and hopefully a little extra money.........to go right back into getting more or better snakes!

The more research I did and more I thought about it, a mature adult FEMALE pastel is probably much more valuable then an juvenile or maybe even albino. There are so many great morphs to use a pastel female for and the albino is so limited. Also, I am seeing Albino babies for $375-$400 everywhere now and it looks like the price is going to keep dropping......crazy. I am still going to get my albino next year but for trade value, I am definetely going to see what my pastel girls give me when bred to my bee and pin.

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This sounds like a good plan to me. :gj: