Quote Originally Posted by majorleaguereptiles View Post
Many folks have spend MUCH more on unproven traits over the years. In 2011, I paid $8000 for one unproven snake and compared to some older mutations that's cheap these days. And I still spend on unproven traits. Risk vs reward sometimes. Typically the higher the risk the higher the potential reward. Africa has played this game for a while now, so you can thank all the breeders who have spent money on unproven specials to have so much neat stuff to work with these days.

That being said, I don't see this as a $5000 pickup based on my understanding of BPs looking identical to this and not proving. Also, if it proves genetic, I'm not even sure it would necessarily draw that kind of money. It doesn't look dynamic enough... of course, that could all change with combos if it were genetic. However, its not $5000 in my eyes.

I like to price unproven stuff based on likelihood to be genetic, appearance, and originality on a scale/pricing system that I've created to help me price import prospects. I would price him at $1500-$2000 or so. Originality is pretty high on my list because love working with original looking animals. Very hard to buy them away from me, so that typically is how pricing can get difficult for me. Of course this would be knowing he was in fact an import and not CB.
Thanks for the great reply. He thinks that it's likely genetic because the belly is clear and has fairly definitive lines separating the belly and the side pattern. He believes that most codominant mutations have that characteristic.

Let's pretend he DOES prove out to be genetic....codominant. How would you see his offspring being priced the first few years? And what if he somehow turns out to be a super? That would make him less valuable? or more valuable? Also, wouldn't his originality be high based on other dark morphs that are genetic thus far?

Thanks.
Kyle