I need some Price experts!!!

Well I think I found my first BP!!! I found a guy selling a Pastel Female for $150 but I got him down to $130! I was just wondering if $130 is a good price for this.... http://s1155.photobucket.com/albums/...5e28831592.jpg

Check Kingsnake.com for price comparisons, and then make up your mind if you think it's a good price...

That is a horrible first picture, but from the first pic I would not buy that snake at all. Are all 3 pics the same snake?

I am in the boat that true high quality Pastels are fairly uncommon on the market. I think that they are kept back, or sold before they get to KS or Fauna. Also, few folks have bothered to line breed their Pastels, and many are just overflow from other projects. And some folks hide a poor Pastel by putting it with another morph, and the Pastel offspring are nothing to write home about.

If you want a Pastel I suggest looking for one at least 300g. This will allow you to see how the color is working out. You may pay a bit more for the larger snake, but you will get a better product in the end. You can also ask for pics of the parents, and that can give an indication, but even great Pastels can throw ugly ones (but not so much the other way around). Also, you can got to a show (if they have them in your area) and pick one out in person.

I get you are excited to get a BP, but I truly think you will be happier in the end when you get the best example you can find. If Pastel is the morph you have chosen, I would wait a month or so and you will se MANY more on the market, and you may be able to snag a fantastic one.

Also, investigate the different lines, as they have their benefits and drawbacks as well. Ask yourself what YOU are looking for in a great Pastel and go after that.

There is a reason that I do not own a straight Pastel, I have yet to see one that I would buy, that was available. All the great ones are NFS....

Sorry for the novel, but it addresses issues I see come up a lot on here.

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Originally Posted by jinx667

That is a horrible first picture, but from the first pic I would not buy that snake at all. Are all 3 pics the same snake?

I am in the boat that true high quality Pastels are fairly uncommon on the market. I think that they are kept back, or sold before they get to KS or Fauna. Also, few folks have bothered to line breed their Pastels, and many are just overflow from other projects. And some folks hide a poor Pastel by putting it with another morph, and the Pastel offspring are nothing to write home about.

If you want a Pastel I suggest looking for one at least 300g. This will allow you to see how the color is working out. You may pay a bit more for the larger snake, but you will get a better product in the end. You can also ask for pics of the parents, and that can give an indication, but even great Pastels can throw ugly ones (but not so much the other way around). Also, you can got to a show (if they have them in your area) and pick one out in person.

I get you are excited to get a BP, but I truly think you will be happier in the end when you get the best example you can find. If Pastel is the morph you have chosen, I would wait a month or so and you will se MANY more on the market, and you may be able to snag a fantastic one.

Also, investigate the different lines, as they have their benefits and drawbacks as well. Ask yourself what YOU are looking for in a great Pastel and go after that.

There is a reason that I do not own a straight Pastel, I have yet to see one that I would buy, that was available. All the great ones are NFS....

Sorry for the novel, but it addresses issues I see come up a lot on here.

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This! :gj:

It's a decent price for a female pastel. I would say $150 is about average. So $130 is good. But judging by the picture(the newspaper one), she probably will brown out a bit. The more orange on a pastel, the more brown it will become.

I've seen the other 2 pics before on a different thread, I think, as a petstore snake.



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The patterns don't match up so if you were sent those 3 pictures by this guy I would run away as fast as you can.

Ya it's the one on the newspaper. The two other ones are of a different snake...

Ok. Personally I wouldn't buy that pastel but if you like it, then go right ahead. $130 is a pretty good price.

If you are not in the elite crew that has to have the best of the best, that is not a bad price. Granted, those aren't the best pics to show color, but i see some decent patterns. If i were in the market to own a pastel I would go for it. If I were in the market to breed a better/best pastel or pastel mix, i would save a whole lot more money and hope to find whatever it is I think is better. Just keep in mind that not everyone can have or afford the "best", and the day you do get the "best" someone will have something better! Also the genes are there, the ugliest example could have come from the best example and could produce the new best! You never know!

Ya money isn't an issue. I just like this because it's honestly an hour away and I really don't have the option to go to a reptile expo considering it's once a year and is 6 hours away... So to be able to drive there and visually see it that's important to me. I don't like the idea of not being able to see what I buy, so i'm weary of buying reptiles online...

I was recently in the same boat, so I know what you're going through.


I would honestly hold back on this specific one, and keep looking on fauna she's extremely browned out to my untrained eye and her blushing doesn't seem that great. Her pattern (To me) almost seems normal rather than what I think of as a pastel.


Honestly, keep an eye on fauna there are some spectacular normals out there as well.

As long as you buy from a reputable breeder, it's totally safe buying online. Don't get on KingSnake and assume every person on there is reputable. Google their name, get on here, or on fauna and check out their reputation. If money isn't an issue order online.

http://s1155.photobucket.com/albums/...513_133907.jpg

Here's some more pics he sent me. It really isn't a bright pastel, I more then likely will never breed it to anything. But lets say I decide to breed it to a spider will they produce darker bees?

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Originally Posted by Tfpets

If you are not in the elite crew that has to have the best of the best, that is not a bad price.

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You don't have to be elite to want a quality animal.

If you use a Pastel that people would not want, to breed, you will produce Bees that folks might not really want. I do not know of anyone that goes for dark Bumblebees.

I personally would not buy that Pastel, and for sure would not breed it in to a project.

Quality in = Quality out

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Originally Posted by Slim

You don't have to be elite to want a quality animal.

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Yeah, they seemed to take offense to pushing for the best you can find. A outstanding Pastel may cost you up to $300 or so as a hatchling, but you get what you pay for.

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Originally Posted by gopherhockey03

http://s1155.photobucket.com/albums/...513_133907.jpg

Here's some more pics he sent me. It really isn't a bright pastel, I more then likely will never breed it to anything. But lets say I decide to breed it to a spider will they produce darker bees?

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Not the worst pastel I have seen. Decent pattern and blushing but that lateral line running the length down the side within the yellow, that will darken from there up towards the spine. Here is a pic of a VERY nice pastel next to a great looking pastel, these are both adult females.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...illa/156-1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...illa/267-1.jpg

i agree with a a few of the posts.

1. looking at the photos provided the person sent you photos of at least 2 different snakes.. look at the dorsal pattern at the base of the neck, they don't match.

2. to purchase something that you wont be happy with in a few months it would be best to wait and either, save some more $ towards a multiple gene pastel mix or towards a less busy one.

3. the price actually is not that bad, but for the same price you could potentially get a slightly better one.
my opinion for what its worth. good luck with the buy.

Im pretty sure bad looking pastels can throw good looking ones... Correct me if im wrong, I don't think its a bad deal at all for the price and you wouldn't have to pay for shipping so even better!

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Originally Posted by oskyle1567

Im pretty sure bad looking pastels can throw good looking ones...

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Sure, it can happen, but quality begets quality. Why take a risk on a sub par snake passing on sub par genetics?

Bad quality snakes can have good quality offspring and vice versa. Just like how two odd looking humans can have a beautiful child. But the chances of having quality offspring isn't as high when the parents are of bad quality stock. You have better odds at the offspring gaining good quality genes if the parents are quality.

I don't understand why anyone would buy a snake like this. I really don't get it.

With the internet, you have your choice of dozens (and dozens) of fantastic breeders across the country. Animals that will be far better looking than that, and at a similar price.

Heck, there are seven ad banners for great breeders to the left of the page as I am typing this.

You do have to pay shipping, but that $50-$70 is going to be insignificant a year from now when you look at your animal with great pride and visual affection.

I personally would never buy from someone that put so little effort into their pictures. I want to do business with someone that takes great pride in their animals, care and presentation.

I would strive for the highest quality animal possible, and from a reputable breeder. Starting off on the right foot, and creating that relationship, pays dividends in the long run. Give yourself the best chance of success.

Best of luck.