The REAL reason for dropping prices?

[mak2266]

I don't know about you but I never complain when I can get the same quality product for a cheaper price.

[muddoc]

Even selling for lower prices, you still make good money.
Even with pastels, you get 5 of them and they are all males, sell them for $100 each, and you still made a nice return.

Unless you paid $1000 for your first Pastel male.

[nevohraalnavnoj]

Unless you paid $1000 for your first Pastel male.

But even then, that pastel male should be able to sire 20+ eggs in his first breeding season, half of which are pastels. Theoretically, in your first year you could make all your money back and still have the snake for many more years.

I think it's weird that people are dissapointed they may not make their money back in their very first year. I can't think of a single business where the owner expects to turn a profit his/her first year.

JonV

[ADEE]

Supply, demand, and a very sloooow economy.

JonV

that paired with people who want to breed sooner will purchase bigger/older females therefore the cost of babies are cheaper then adults. I know thats why my breeder sells his babies cheaper then adults. It just makes alot more sense too. Also, Connie had some great points in her response. If ultimately (meaning by the time the snakes are old) i make my money back that ive invested (not talking feeders and maint) but their base cost ill be more then thrilled. Not to mention I love having them around!! Im just in awe when I see my morph snakes and know there was a point i didnt think i could ever validate paying that for a pet. My head spins everytime I think about what we have invested... in snakes! and our collection isnt even all that big yet. I cant wait to breed them either.. talk about a whole new exciting milestone

[DLawIII]

How viable is it for someone new to the Ball Python industry to sell offspring at a pace to sustain the hobby? I had corn snakes many years ago when I was a little kid. Many years later with a wife and child on the way I am thinking about getting back into this hobby?

Any advice for someone who wants to start out slowww with Ball Pythons but also wants it to be a hobby that pays for itself, no more or less?

[SPJ]

Unless you paid $1000 for your first Pastel male.

Close. I paid $750 plus shipping.

I also paid a LOT more for my first spider and albino than what they are going for now.

Even so, no matter what you paid back a few years ago, you will make back the money put into purchasing them.

[JoshJP7]

I think prices should be based on looks and I think thats where the industry will be headed... A lot is supply and demand right now but down the road(hopefully sooner than later) youll have the hyundais and the lexus's of snakes... The not so nice pastels will sell for 100$ but the really bright ones that keep their color should be priced higher... Theyll all breed for you, just like a car with get you from A to B, but theres a reason a lexus is double if not tripple a hyundai.

[nevohraalnavnoj]

How viable is it for someone new to the Ball Python industry to sell offspring at a pace to sustain the hobby? I had corn snakes many years ago when I was a little kid. Many years later with a wife and child on the way I am thinking about getting back into this hobby?

Any advice for someone who wants to start out slowww with Ball Pythons but also wants it to be a hobby that pays for itself, no more or less?

If all you are looking for is a hobby that sustains itself, then a couple pastel/normal females combined with a male spider, for example, should be able to do it. It's a lot of work though, cleaning cages and chasing down rats. So don't do it if you don't absolutely love it, or you'll be dissapointed.

Think of it as a hobby that's cheaper than gambling. But not by much.

JonV

[nevohraalnavnoj]

that paired with people who want to breed sooner will purchase bigger/older females therefore the cost of babies are cheaper then adults.

Good point! I am finding something kind of unexpected about this, though.

All the babies I have had since near hatchling from other breeders are doing absolutely great, pounding rats like there's no tomorrow.

The larger/older snakes that I have picked up are largely a pain in my bum. They just don't seem to acclimate like the ones I've had longer. It would probably be easier if I fed live, however.

I'm going with an '08 pied male rather than '07 for this reason.

JonV

[muddoc]

But even then, that pastel male should be able to sire 20+ eggs in his first breeding season, half of which are pastels. Theoretically, in your first year you could make all your money back and still have the snake for many more years.

I think it's weird that people are dissapointed they may not make their money back in their very first year. I can't think of a single business where the owner expects to turn a profit his/her first year.

JonV

I also paid a LOT more for my first spider and albino than what they are going for now.

Even so, no matter what you paid back a few years ago, you will make back the money put into purchasing them.

I guess I should have made myself a bit more clear. I too have spent much more on ball pythons than they are worth today (i.e. $20,000 for our first Pin male). However, I am not crying about it, nor do I think that I am losing money on any project that I have bought into. In fact, the first year that my Pastel bred, he bred 4 females. None of those females took or produced eggs. Yet, I still know that he will breed for years to come. The same happened with my Pin male. He decided not to breed until he was 20 months old. I have not made my money back from that purchase, however, he has more offspring coming this year, and I would bet money that he is still producing in 5+ years.

What I didn't convey in my first post is that it gets aggravating to think that you pay a guy $1000 for an animal to find that the guy you bought from drops his price faster than the market calls for. Then next year, when you produce some of said morph, you can't sell them because your original supplier is under cutting you. With all of that said, all I am saying is do your best to support the guys that help to stabilize the market, as they will be helping you in the long run. Sometimes it may cost you a bit more, but I guarantee you will appreciate it in the future.

I take no offense at anything that was posted, but rest assured that I have been around long enough to have watched the drastic changes in the market, and never expect to make my money back in the first year. All I have ever expected out of an investment in a project is to make my money back over the LIFE of the project, which is a very attainable goal with the Ball Python Market, even in this day and age.