Killer Bee prices

Anyone else notice the price of Killer Bee's (Super Pastel / Spider) seems to be dropping pretty quickly? Not even I year ago I was seeing them for $2000+ and now when I was just glancing through Kingsnake I spotted a male for $800!

This strikes me as strange considering the Killer Blast's (Super Pastel / Spider) prices are holding steady at about $2000.

I mean its only a minor difference. Is the Pinstripe gene really worth that much more than the Spider gene?

Maybe that's why pinstripes cost a little more than spiders these days, and considering the spider gene has that woble issue...

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Originally Posted by Agent73

This strikes me as strange considering the Killer Blast's (Super Pastel / Spider) prices are holding steady at about $2000.

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Typo makes this funny. :D

I wouldn't buy anything with spider in it at all, but a killer blast I'd really love. So, I can see the killer blast being more than a killer bee. :D

Might be the after effect of the bumble bee boom.. everone baught a bee and later a pastel.. and now is ending up with killer's......... blah... about 1-2 months ago there wer still holding steady at 1200-1600. Maybe the 800 version you saw was from some cheap pastels. There is a MAJOR difference between a killer bee made from a cheap pastel and a good pastel!!

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Originally Posted by Subdriven

Might be the after effect of the bumble bee boom.. everone baught a bee and later a pastel.. and now is ending up with killer's......... blah... about 1-2 months ago there wer still holding steady at 1200-1600. Maybe the 800 version you saw was from some cheap pastels. There is a MAJOR difference between a killer bee made from a cheap pastel and a good pastel!!

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Even with the above stated, I think the $800 price was an anomoly. I say that because I haven't seen very many KillerBees for sale lately, or all year for that matter. I produced my first pair of them this year, and would never dream of selling them. I don't think there are that many produced per annum, nor that many being sold. I would bet that guy wanted to move it quickly, and I would bet that you could still get $1200 easily for a nice looking KillerBee.

Just did a search on kingsnake. found about 4 killerbee adds with maybe 7 total for sale. Prices ranged from 1300-1750. That one was either a scam or a quick sale because it isn't even listed anymore.

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I wouldn't buy anything with spider in it at all

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I'm trying not to sound like a jerk, but if you avoid buying anything with Spider in it, well you are missing out. A have a Spider, Albino Spider and Killer Bee and they are definitely the gems of my collection, My Spiders seem to be more curious and outgoing (strange for BPs) than my others and I find them to be the most beautiful base morphs to tweak with other genetics.

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Maybe that's why pinstripes cost a little more than spiders these days

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Yes, Pins cost a LITTLE more, but when you get to Bee's vs. Blasts with both having super Pastel you are talking $1000+ extra for the Pinstripe gene instead of a Spider gene, just strikes me as strange for such a big gap.

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Originally Posted by Subdriven

Might be the after effect of the bumble bee boom.. everone baught a bee and later a pastel.. and now is ending up with killer's......... blah... about 1-2 months ago there wer still holding steady at 1200-1600. Maybe the 800 version you saw was from some cheap pastels. There is a MAJOR difference between a killer bee made from a cheap pastel and a good pastel!!

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+1, perfect answer and just what I was going to say.

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Originally Posted by Agent73

Yes, Pins cost a LITTLE more, but when you get to Bee's vs. Blasts with both having super Pastel you are talking $1000+ extra for the Pinstripe gene instead of a Spider gene, just strikes me as strange for such a big gap.

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Could it be because most people get the spiders instead of pins because spiders cost a little less, and since you need to add the super pastel to make bees and blasts, the multiple effect makes the killer version a gap of $1000+. I am sure the law of supply and demand plays a role too, isn't it what this is all about?

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Originally Posted by Agent73

I'm trying not to sound like a jerk, but if you avoid buying anything with Spider in it, well you are missing out. A have a Spider, Albino Spider and Killer Bee and they are definitely the gems of my collection, My Spiders seem to be more curious and outgoing (strange for BPs) than my others and I find them to be the most beautiful base morphs to tweak with other genetics.

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to each their own but I have to agree that spiders and their genetic defects are not appealing at all. I don't now and will never have anything to do with them and in fact I personally feel that it is irresponsible to continue to breed animals that have a known genetic defect regardless of how attractive and interesting they may be. and I think this is a growing opinion in the community that you will see continue to grow and further reduce the demand for anything spider in the years to come IMO.

I have to disagree, I do not believe breeding Spiders is irresponsable. I mean Albinism is a "defect" (a condition where no melanin is produced) so is it irresponible to breed Albinos as well as Spiders? All of my Albino as well as all of my Spiders are both good eaters, both alert and active. Both 100% healthy and happy as far as I can tell, what quality of life issue makes it irresponsible to breed the Spider?

Also I have to disagree also about Spider morphs prices going down because people are not buying/breeding them anymore, I think the fact that so many people are breeding them and making them more common is the reason the prices are dropping, as it was already said many times before lower Killerbee prices may be fallout from the bumblebee craze a few years back.

To bad I am part of that bumblee bee craze a few years back... Had BP for 7 years now, morphs for 3 now.. and I am also one that is shooting for killer bee's.. but more then likey will NOT be selling any of mine, unless I hit some crazy odds and get more then 2 or 3... that would just be nuts!!

3-4 years ago I saw 2 snakes that blew my mind and I wanted so bad!! I knew I couldn't afford it so I made a plan to make my own!! step one was getting a bumble bee. the rest is in the works and a killer bee is a big help to get closer to my goal since it is a super.

And on the spiders are cheaper idea I think it is everyone out there buying spiders and spider x ???? morphs and makeing there own. and since most of these people are not wanting to keep the babies long the prices hit the floor when everyone was compeating to sell them. Supply and demand.

Just my 2 cents here but I think that the price difference that we see between spiders and pins is due mainly to the number of years on the open market more then the odd guy that chooses not to work with one or the other. bottom line is that spiders that been around for a few more years and have been more readily available to the hobbist type breeder, same as asking why are pastels so much cheaper then butters, the extra 15 or so years on the market has affected prices.


I bet that there is a fairly predicable rate of decline for any morph and we soon we will seeing more genes hitting the market price of the genes more in terms of gene type, like the first (most popular) 3 or 4 of each gene type will kinda lvl out and Signs like "ress 350 , co-doms 125, Doms 175" will be hanging at every pet shop or table. Once again this is just my opinion.