'07 Co-dom/Dom price: Ouch!

I got one male Pastel for $550 and couple of Spider at $900 last year, and look at this year price...oh year male Mojave for $800. And I was so close to buy one Lesser for $2,000 and Pin for $2,500.

I don't want to sound like I'm bitter that I paid more, but my customers are(I import for resale in Thailand.) For me, I'm happy with the animals I keep. My point is the price tanking in them co-dom/dom morph really scare off my customers to order morph Ball from me. They all think if the price drop again next year, why not wait until next year and on and on. I don't blame them.

This morning I just saw Spider for $500, Pin for $1,000, male Pastel for $99!!! omg, even cornsnake new high-end morph don't have that much in price dropping lol

I really want to get the double co-dom morph for myself, but now I'm not sure. I want Pastel YB or Pastel Fire but now I'm thinking about waiting a year for their price to drop below $1,000 mark. It's realistic with the Pastel YB, last year I got someone offer me $1,800 for male. This year I saw someone posting $1,500 already. hmmmmm I don't mind the price declining, it's good because more people can have them. But how fast they drop scare me.

Hope someone sell Bee for $1,000 this year ;)

Do you all think the co-dom/recessive morph will have a much drop in price like the co-dom/dom morph?

I really want male Pastel ghost and 2-3 female orange ghost for breeding project. I don't want to pay $4,000+ for male this year and find out next year that they're for sale for $2,000 or lower...that would suck.

Oh well, I just realised someone offer me Pastel Ghost for $2,000 already lol

I'll decide I'll get him or not after I see pic.

Prices do drop, in rarer cases they might go up(some combo of morph turns out truely hot hot!!).
Mostly prices will drop. Especially with co-dom morphs. More people breed those every year, and the prices will drop. You can't ever expect to pay one price one year and get the same price the next year it seems.
Good luck on that pastel ghost, those are really sweet!

I know price drop every year. But is 50% usual thing in my case the pinstripe. Lesser also drop from $2,500 to $1,250-$1,500. I know big breeders' animals' price don't drop that fast because of their "brand name" so to speak.

holy cow! Pastel YB just listed for $750 ea.
*picks up the phone to call US*






Look at the seller's name
*hangs up the phone*

*shakes head*

/walks out.

That's the market for you. If you get into it expecting to make big bucks, you're in it for the wrong reasons.

Too true. I was really surprised at some of the prices dropping this year myself.
I don't want the prices to drop too much. But I'm not about to think I'll "make my money back" on my ball pythons. I love the ball pythons. I love to see those really cool heads popping out of eggs, but if I broke even I'd be floored! I only bred one clutch last year, and hatched one clutch so far this year.
I don't expect to ever break even really. Sure won't do it anytime soon! But then, my dogs don't generate money, so why would I expect to make moneys off my pet snakes too? LOL.
*goes to fuss over her pets more
Wolfy

I agree with what Wolfy said. Nate also hit it right on. I know I have snakes because I TRULY LOVE them. This coming breeding season I don't expect to make anything off of them if I sell them. I've spent hundreds of dollars on them, their setup's, food, etc. I'm in this hobby because I love them. I'm not in this to try to "get rich quick". You will see the poor house before seeing any "big bucks". it's all about the passion for the animals in my opinion.

I have to agree that those who fuss the loudest about prices dropping are probably looking at it that way for the wrong reasons. Here's how I see it...


If you choose not to buy a certain snake this year simply because you know it will be "cheaper" next year....then why would you buy it next year either? Because it will be even "cheaper" the following year. So....heck? When will you ever buy that snake???

OR...

If I spend today's prices on a male pinstripe...let's say $1000 and I'm able to breed him next year, but prices have dropped by 50% already. I may still get three baby pins to sell for $500 each and make more money than I paid for the snake to begin with. BUT....if I wait an additional year to buy the snake for $500....what have I gained??? Nothing but a lost year of potential breeding and babies.

My personal philosophy on the whole thing.... buy what you're passionate about and can afford. If you dig yourself a hole of debt in order to buy the animals hoping to make money off of them someday, you're liable to loose your shirt AND your animals. And it won't matter one whit whether the prices dropped or not because you won't be left with anything to breed. But if you can afford it...and you are passionate about the animals and you want to share that passion with others the way I do....then go for it now and you won't need to worry about what next year's prices are doing.

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Originally Posted by JLC

I have to agree that those who fuss the loudest about prices dropping are probably looking at it that way for the wrong reasons. Here's how I see it...


If you choose not to buy a certain snake this year simply because you know it will be "cheaper" next year....then why would you buy it next year either? Because it will be even "cheaper" the following year. So....heck? When will you ever buy that snake???

OR...

If I spend today's prices on a male pinstripe...let's say $1000 and I'm able to breed him next year, but prices have dropped by 50% already. I may still get three baby pins to sell for $500 each and make more money than I paid for the snake to begin with. BUT....if I wait an additional year to buy the snake for $500....what have I gained??? Nothing but a lost year of potential breeding and babies.

My personal philosophy on the whole thing.... buy what you're passionate about and can afford. If you dig yourself a hole of debt in order to buy the animals hoping to make money off of them someday, you're liable to loose your shirt AND your animals. And it won't matter one whit whether the prices dropped or not because you won't be left with anything to breed. But if you can afford it...and you are passionate about the animals and you want to share that passion with others the way I do....then go for it now and you won't need to worry about what next year's prices are doing.

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Fantastic post, Judy! If you (not directed to anyone in particular) are so strapped for cash that life is going to implode if you don't make back what you paid for an animal in the first breeding season than you are in the wrong game. Very few businesses make money after year 1. I don't know why people expect it when living creatures are involved.

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Originally Posted by JLC

I have to agree that those who fuss the loudest about prices dropping are probably looking at it that way for the wrong reasons. Here's how I see it...


If you choose not to buy a certain snake this year simply because you know it will be "cheaper" next year....then why would you buy it next year either? Because it will be even "cheaper" the following year. So....heck? When will you ever buy that snake???

OR...

If I spend today's prices on a male pinstripe...let's say $1000 and I'm able to breed him next year, but prices have dropped by 50% already. I may still get three baby pins to sell for $500 each and make more money than I paid for the snake to begin with. BUT....if I wait an additional year to buy the snake for $500....what have I gained??? Nothing but a lost year of potential breeding and babies.

My personal philosophy on the whole thing.... buy what you're passionate about and can afford. If you dig yourself a hole of debt in order to buy the animals hoping to make money off of them someday, you're liable to loose your shirt AND your animals. And it won't matter one whit whether the prices dropped or not because you won't be left with anything to breed. But if you can afford it...and you are passionate about the animals and you want to share that passion with others the way I do....then go for it now and you won't need to worry about what next year's prices are doing.

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AMEN!!!!!!!!!

I know this might seem kinda bad, but I actually like the price drops to an extent. It makes this little hobby affordable for me at least...coming from paintball... I am determined to get certain snakes in my collection, but as a college student with limited income it makes it harder...but with the price drops...the sacrifice is more bareable. As Wolfy said I would love to break even, but honestly I don't really care as long as I get the snakes I want in my collection I will be happy. :)

I am trying to get some of my friends in the hobby and hope to let people know that snakes aren't the devils creature and are actually some of the prettiest animals on the face of this planet in my opinion. So after my first breeding I already have plans to give some of the babies to some friends...hopefully I am blessed with enough babies to do so :D

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Originally Posted by mricyfire

I know this might seem kinda bad, but I actually like the price drops to an extent. It makes this little hobby affordable for me at least...coming from paintball... I am determined to get certain snakes in my collection, but as a broke college student it makes it harder...but with the price drops...the sacrifice is more bareable. As Wolfy said I would love to break even, but honestly I don't really care as long as I get the snakes I want in my collection I will be happy. :)

I am trying to get some of my friends in the hobby and hope to let people know that snakes aren't the devils creature and are actually some of the prettiest animals on the face of this planet in my opinion. So after my first breeding I already have plans to give some of the babies to some friends...hopefully I am blessed with enough babies to do so :D

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I can agree with that as well. :gj:

If you buy animals simply for investments purposes might i suggest the stock market or Real Estate, those are not living creatures that depend on our care. I love animals and enjoy my snakes. The only money I make will end up going for more animals and husbandry stuff.

I knew it some of you wouldn't get my point.

I do not buy BP to breed to make big bucks. I've bought two BP for pet so far(look at my avatar) and didn't even thought about breeding them (but Caramel Pastel could be cool morph though :) )

I'm an importer in Thailand. I import Ball Python for pet stores and take order on morph Ball. Some of my customers feel kinda bad to see the value of their animals drop pretty bad. They don't get how the market price drop, and in the co-dom/dom...drop badly. It's a lot of money for a pet. By the time animals got here, their price double from the buying price because of all the expenses. When the price drop, I drop my price too, but still customers who's already bought animals feel a bit upset. They know that I didn't overcharge them the fist time, it's just the current price is not the same.

Just a guess but I bet the Ball Python market in Thailand is nowhere near the size of it in the United States....so even though the prices in the United States have dropped....the supply/numbers of ball python morphs in Thailand is low... which means their snakes should still be worth what they paid for them.

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Originally Posted by JBallPython

Just a guess but I bet the Ball Python market in Thailand is nowhere near the size of it in the United States....so even though the prices in the United States have dropped....the supply/numbers of ball python morphs in Thailand is low... which means their snakes should still be worth what they paid for them.

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That's right. It's all about supply and demand.

Yeah I don't know why you're dropping your prices based on the US market. What are you customers going to do? Go with the hundreds of ball python breeders/importers in Thailand? The reason prices drop so rapidly in the US is because every year there are more and more people breeding and selling morphs. I'm sure that's not happening in Thailand. Actually this could be good for you. You can get supply cheaper and sell for the same amount, unless your customers are savvy and know the market price in the US, in which case you direct them to a competitor (assuming there aren't any or many).

I plan to breed not for the money but because I want all the combos.

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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog

I plan to breed not for the money but because I want all the combos.

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x2!!! I want all the cool bees like in sig.