How much are baby lesser females at an expo?

I want to purchase a baby lesser female at my local expo. How much do they cost? My Pastel male from the expo was only 40 bucks. I don't want to sound snooty but why are ball pythons so expensive? even the morphs that have been around for an eternity are quite pricey.
thanks!
~Gigi

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RegiusConstrictors03

I want to purchase a baby lesser female at my local expo. How much do they cost? My Pastel male from the expo was only 40 bucks. I don't want to sound snooty but why are ball pythons so expensive? even the morphs that have been around for an eternity are quite pricey.
thanks!
~Gigi

---

What do you consider expensive? 40.00 for a male pastel is 30X cheaper than what I paid for mine when I bought him. As for female lesser I've sold them for $200.00 and seen them as affordable as $125.00. Can they be had for less? Absolutely! Pay for quality and get quality. If you want to have an adult lesser that looks awesome at 2500 grams then find the best quality one you can and buy it. If you just want a lesser to have a lesser then buy whatever you can find.

I believe that what I paid was cheap but I only got him for that much because I was 9 when I bought him and the guy gave me a good deal cause of it.
The reason I say things are expensive is because... well here's an example, the pastel was found quite awhile back and you'd think that that would make people not need them much any more. I would think that the price would've lowered significantly more than it already has. I not complaining, I'm just a tad confused. thanks for giving me prices.
~Gigi

When people sell ball pythons for under $50 they are probably losing money. It isn't cheap to feed, house and breed ball pythons.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RegiusConstrictors03

I believe that what I paid was cheap but I only got him for that much because I was 9 when I bought him and the guy gave me a good deal cause of it.
The reason I say things are expensive is because... well here's an example, the pastel was found quite awhile back and you'd think that that would make people not need them much any more. I would think that the price would've lowered significantly more than it already has. I not complaining, I'm just a tad confused. thanks for giving me prices.
~Gigi

---

At some point there is a cost of diminishing returns. With bedding, enclosures, feeders, show cost, traveling cost ect.ect. At some point the animal starts costing you money to produce, now normally this is offset by the higher priced animals in the clutch. If I produce 2 pastels in a clutch of pastel pieds then the pastels are offset by the pied combos. So at some point either some morphs will no longer be bred or offered on the open market by breeders. Then people will be forced to buy them from the petco's and petsmarts of the world.

What is MY time worth?
There are a lot of factors many people overlook.
There is the care for the animals and cost to keep. Mine then doubles over on everything because I raise my own rodents too.
While this lowers my cost to feed my snakes it increases use of my time.
After you ponder on that. The next step is quality of an animal. You dont buy just any morph that comes along. You pick the one that catches your eye because it will help produce the sexy babies you want to make.

So to answer your question from my point of view..... I would not sell on of my Lesser female hatchlings for less than $150 but thats just me.

Everything that Pit and Frog said. I like ball pythons a lot but at forty dollars retail I would basically be paying you to take it off may hands.

I had a potential customer get pretty worked up because I wouldn't sell him a fire female for $50 shipped even after I showed him the shipping quote from SYR of $62. He then offered me $60 shipped and got mad when I said I couldn't?? I guess I should lose money smh.

You will find Lesser females for around $75.

Why do they cost so much is $40, $50, or even $100 is too much for you maybe you need to reconsider the hobby you are in.

Animals cost money to maintain and produce.

Let me ask you this would you go to work for free or even at a loss?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dave Green

I had a potential customer get pretty worked up because I wouldn't sell him a fire female for $50 shipped even after I showed him the shipping quote from SYR of $62. He then offered me $60 shipped and got mad when I said I couldn't?? I guess I should lose money smh.

---

Like I said before Dave, at some point guys like you and me will stop breeding the base morphs because people will continue to expect them to be priced like corn snakes. Then the guy that does breed for them will be able to ask 250.00 for a pastel because hes one of only three people in the country that is producing them.

FYI I just posted about this on my FB page.
I also dont understand why so many breeders price their animals so cheap. When I see prices too low it makes me question?
Whats wrong with the animal?
I know there are times that you just need to clear rack space but still.....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

FYI I just posted about this on my FB page.
I also dont understand why so many breeders price their animals so cheap. When I see prices too low it makes me question?
Whats wrong with the animal?
I know there are times that you just need to clear rack space but still.....

---

I wont clear rack space on the open market, I find it causes more problems than it solves and I feel I have a duty to my customers. How do I build confidence with my customers if they buy a snake from me for $200.00 only to see that I'm selling 20 more of them 6 months later for $75.00. I have wholesale venues that I sell to in order to maintain the market price and customer confidence.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RegiusConstrictors03

The reason I say things are expensive is because... well here's an example, the pastel was found quite awhile back and you'd think that that would make people not need them much any more. I would think that the price would've lowered significantly more than it already has.

---

What price, less than the $40 you paid, would you think is fair? Talking about the high price of BP morphs and using the current price of single gene Pastel males as your example is like saying that the housing market in NYC is outrageous and yet you still can't afford a studio apartment in Omaha.

Also, "not need them much anymore"? This statement honestly makes my skin crawl. Established morphs are the foundation for so many fantastic combinations. Just because something has been around for awhile doesn't mean that it should automatically lose its value. A great looking animal (regardless of genes) is a piece of art to be enjoyed, not a piece of technology to be replaced when the next hot new feature comes along.

Best regards,
Eric

I saw lessers for about $80-$100 at the expo I went to. I wasn't looking for a female, just one I liked for a price I liked, so probably the females cost more and I just didn't notice. I like lessers best, whether plain or mixed with something else :D.

Don't the base morphs pop up in fancy clutches? I always figured they were just the "by-products" of the breeder trying for something more complicated.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Willowy

I saw lessers for about $80-$100 at the expo I went to. I wasn't looking for a female, just one I liked for a price I liked, so probably the females cost more and I just didn't notice. I like lessers best, whether plain or mixed with something else :D.

Don't the base morphs pop up in fancy clutches? I always figured they were just the "by-products" of the breeder trying for something more complicated.

---

To some extent that is true. There is also this to consider though at least in my case. I by no means am a large breeder but sometimes I may be just trying to line breed the best single gene I can in order to have good base stock. Once other genes get involved it can mask the quality of the base gene.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Willowy

Don't the base morphs pop up in fancy clutches? I always figured they were just the "by-products" of the breeder trying for something more complicated.

---

Some of us take great pride in producing the highest quality base morphs we can. I paid high prices and worked very hard to make sure I produce the highest quality Enchi's and Enchi combos to be had. I also purchased a male Lesser that is the direct son of the Original Platty Daddy from RDR because of that people have often commented on how different my lessers look from other peoples.

Enchi's like this

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...p/DSC_0464.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...p/DSC_0463.jpg

or Lessers like this
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...lessermale.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

Some of us take great pride in producing the highest quality base morphs we can. I paid high prices and worked very hard to make sure I produce the highest quality Enchi's and Enchi combos to be had.

---

Nice. I know where I need to get my enchi's from now. Looking for a super enchi male with good parents.....

I did the same with my Phantom stock that you did with your lesser. Straight from RDR.

While I've always been bemused by the wailing and gnashing of teeth that accompanies the people bemoaning the dreaded low ballers and market crashers, Still there is a point where prices just get too cheap to justify breeders producing any. Frankly it would be a real shame to not have certain base morphs available just because they're not worth the rack space. I personally don't believe that any morph should be worth less then $50.00 and I'm of the opinion that even qood quality normals shouldn't even be worth that little.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...psd8dujd0f.jpg

I know someone with a platty too from RD ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...psd8dujd0f.jpg

I know someone with a platty too from RD ;)

---

There is a difference wouldn't you agree?

You should be able to find a Lesser female hatchling for around $75, and if your in FL, you'll find them even cheaper.

Any hatchling that has an average retail price of under $150, I sell at wholesale price to my local exotic pet store. This is the exact same pet store that I bought my first BP, Burmese, Retic, Boa, ect, ect, ect. They've been in the same spot for over 30 years, they're partly responsible for fueling my intrest in reptiles. They sell Pastels and other single genes for prices higher than I've seen in years. They'll sell Pastels all day long for $100-$150, while at the shows I see vendors with pastels for $20. When I bought my first Albino Burm in 1998 at the age of 15, I knew one day I'd be the one to provide them with snakes, talk about 360°.

When I go to the shows, I make sure I have the highest prices, and I don't go around looking for the cheapest price and try to beat it. The price on Saturday morning, is the same price on Sunday afternoon. I take pride in the animals I produce, I respect other breeders, and I show that respect by always paying their asking price. I never haggle.

The words "what's the best you can do?" or "what's the lowest you'll take?" have never left my mouth.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

Some of us take great pride in producing the highest quality base morphs we can. I paid high prices and worked very hard to make sure I produce the highest quality Enchi's and Enchi combos to be had. I also purchased a male Lesser that is the direct son of the Original Platty Daddy from RDR because of that people have often commented on how different my lessers look from other peoples.

Enchi's like this

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...p/DSC_0464.jpg

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...p/DSC_0463.jpg

or Lessers like this
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...lessermale.jpg

---

Ed those are killer man. That lesser would look nice locked up with my mojo

My first BP purchase was 2.0 normals for $35 each. It never occurred to me that they were expensive. That was 1993.

Ball python prices are set just like everything else in the world; supply and demand. As others have stated, there is cost in both time and money to bring them to market. Those who feel $40 for a single gene morph is too costly are not really part of the demand side of the equation.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

There is a difference wouldn't you agree?

---

That is for sure. This guy is still sexy even in shed

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BMorrison

Ed those are killer man. That lesser would look nice locked up with my mojo

---

I would bet but I already know the answer, only female "Lesser" I have held back so far. ;)
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...psmctfsmew.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

only female "Lesser" I have held back so far

---

Pit, that girl is dead sexy!

Killin me with that pit!

Partly it has to do with supply and demand, depends on the time of year too. If you sell when everyone is selling in the fall then the prices will drop in order to sell. If you sell in the dead of winter when most people are in the middle of breeding season there's probably a limited supply and you can get a higher price. Some people ignore supply and demand and just have the same price year round. And some people do it for fun and not for money and can sell at a loss and don't care one way or another. I got my dog for free, I've been feeding him for years, and if I had to sell him I'd give him away for free, not really into it for the money LOL. I usually buy on Morphmarket and there is always a wide range of prices for any type of snake. The cheap ones sell fast, usually within a day or two. And the expensive ones sell but it takes a lot longer (usually), that is the 'cheap' and 'expensive' for the same snake in the price range of high and low. I've gotten some fantastic deals on ball pythons buying within hours of being posted on Morphmarket before anyone has a chance to even see it.

whoa guys! Maybe I didn't word that correctly but I did not mean to start an argument. I love my BP very much, I try to do as much as possible for him "Not need them any more" was a concern for me because I believed that eventually people would consider them unworthy, which is not right. Also, I wasn't saying that Pastels, Lessers and a bunch of other inexpensive morphs are expensive but why is a pastels price so drastic to one of those 30,000 dollar morphs (yes I understand that base morphs are usually inexpensive). sorry if that was a stupid question.
And also I am well aware that it is normal for ball pythons to fast but mine always does it, he is also skinny and i'm starting to worry as he is 4'5" and only 2in. thick. How do I get him to eat more?
Sorry for any trouble,
~Gigi

And people should of read my second post before replying because I said the guy gave me a deal. He had really nice looking pastels and was selling the males for 70 bucks but because I was this 9yr old he gave it to me for 40. That is by NO MEANS expensive to me. honestly that price made my jaw drop. I also did a BP demonstration at a 4h petting zoo yesterday, I am not unlearned or inexperienced as I might've seemed, I have done years of research and understand breeding and genetics but not all of my problems are solve so the best place to ask would be here. Because I'm not an adult or even a young adult for that matter and I am on a tight budget, that's all I meant.
~Gigi

For me, any morph is worth what you are prepared to pay to have the best quality in your collection. Here in the UK, lots of people price their normals at £5 ( yes under $10!!) and their pastels at £10-£15 because they have become a lowly by product of producing better morphs. On the same note, there are people who straight out refuse to sell their normals etc when shooting for multi gene clutches.

If I want to purchase a new snoot, I see what I like from a breeder I can trust produces cared for a quality animals and the price is what the price is. Over or under the "market" trend doesn't matter because it is what I am looking for xx


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk