Why are spiders still so expensive?

I was just doing a few searches on some classifieds and noticed that spider males are still in the ~3-4k minimum. I understand that 1 male spider can = tons of spider babies.... but shouldnt that in itself drive the price down? I look at these similar to pastels, except that they dont display a super form of themselves, and the super form of a male spider is even more deadly in being able to produce 100% spiders and bring the price down even further?

I was just looking at possible combinations for an investment and spider, pastel were the first two that popped in my mind.... unfortunately it will be 3 years at least before I am able to start producing clutches, and I'm really not sure of how the dom and co-doms may hold up over the next 10 years...

I may have to switch back to albinos and piebalds :) I think those recessives will hold their value a bit more as they are slower to produce.

any input appreciated :)

PS I still want to go with spiders and pastels just because I can produce at least 4 morphs that I want in my collection (spider, pastel, super pastel, bumblebee, and eventually killerbee) with them. Just trying to think it through.

You should really just stick to what you like, if you are in it to make money, then you'll need to invest WAYYY more than $3-4 to make a return in the near future. If you are in it to make some cool morphs that you really like, get to work on your super pastel (which can be done with a $500 male pastel and normal females) while you wait for the spider price to come down to make those other combos you'd like to have. By the time you make a super, you'll probably also have some pastel babies to trade for a spider. Cross your super to the spider, make some wicked looking snakes!

Some good advice there from elevatethis. Work with what you like and want to produce. If you make a few bucks extra thats awesome too.

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Originally Posted by SnakeySnakeSnake

Why are spiders still so expensive?

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Because that's what people are willing to pay for them ... and they are worth every penny!

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Originally Posted by SnakeySnakeSnake

I'm really not sure of how the dom and co-doms may hold up over the next 10 years...

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They won't "hold up" ... prices will come down ... that's just the way the game works ... supply and demand .... Work on a project, make money ... when the price falls to a point where you're not happy with your profit margins, move on to another project ... Maybe Lesser X Spider X Caramel X Pastel??

The first spiders sold for 25K ... do you think that the people that bought them at those prices regret it? ... LOL ... not even close!! ... So if you buy today when they are 4K, do you think you'll regret it when the prices hit 1K?? ... LOL

The other reality is that we are just at the very beginning when it comes to mixing morphs ... this hobby/business has a long life ahead of it. If anyone is looking at what is being produced today and trying to plan on "making money" on today's morphs in 10 years, there is really a lack of vision there.

Start with what you love (doms, co-doms, recessives, it really doesn't matter) and what you can afford ... feed them up and raise them ... breed them ... sell some babies and establish yourself as an honest person that wants to do right by his/her customers ... keep some stuff for yourself and plan for the future and be prepared to adapt.

If you're going to sell snakes and accept money then like it or not you are a business ... so act like it ... have a plan ... a real business plan ... research what it takes to run a business ... how to sell, market, budget, advertise, and PLAN FOR THE FUTURE!!

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Because that's what people are willing to pay for them ... and they are worth every penny!



-adam

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i agree when i bought my female they where twice as much as now but as soon as i seen her in person i knew i made the right choice. now i did buy my female spider for one reason i love the bubblebee's(sp) and i want one more then most others and looking at the pics of spiders online i wasn't really impressed with them then i got mine and as the old saying goes. the pics just don't do them justice

I understand the concept of supply and demand, I guess I was just confused on how the supply isnt skyrocketing past demand because of how the dominant gene works...

I'm sure almost no one who plans on breeding regrets buying a morph at market price.... even if the price goes down to 1/10th the price... thats only 10 babies worth to make it back.

I originally planned on trying to collect a few morphs, but I was also attracted to breeding my own. Now that I've done more research I know my options are either wait for prices to come down, or start breeding my own and selling/trading/breeding to make my own, and to buy more to add to my combinations.

I think now my plan is turning into more of a business, because like adam said, if I plan on selling snakes, its basically a business (even if only a part time one). I will continue to develop my plan, I was just curious about spiders. I think now I realize that once spiders come down there will be many other spider + other + other morphs to take its place that I can work on as well.

Thanks again guys, great advice/posts

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Originally Posted by SnakeySnakeSnake

I understand the concept of supply and demand, I guess I was just confused on how the supply isnt skyrocketing

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It is ... but so is demand! ... It's a testament to how strong the ball python market is and will continue to be. Everyone wants balls! ;)

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

It is ... but so is demand! ... It's a testament to how strong the ball python market is and will continue to be. Everyone wants balls! ;)

-adam

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I think that was my problem :) Underestimating the demand.

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Originally Posted by SnakeySnakeSnake

I think now I realize that once spiders come down there will be many other spider + other + other morphs to take its place that I can work on as well.

Thanks again guys, great advice/posts

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That's the whole point. Work with what you can afford while keeping your options open to "proving" something new when $$$ and time permits. What a thrilling ride it will be...

in addition to the above, i think co-doms will lower in price faster. the flip side is that as prices drop the customer base gets bigger. (alot more poeple will buy a pastel vs a lesser). it really is solid advice to work with what you like to see, makes cleaning tubs for 3-4 yrs more enjoyable. i think a good strategy is to work with both co-doms and recessives. produce co-doms while you are raising your hets.


vaughn