I'm not an econ expert.

I think that unless something happens, prices will continue to drop for quite a bit.

Ball pythons are getting (slightly) easier to produce, as we learn more and more about keeping them in captivity. But the more important factor is that there are more and more people breeding ball pythons, such as albinos. The supply increases so much, and consequently the price drops.

I agree with cinderbird. People will pay a lot more for good quality bp, and crappy ones will go cheap but good quality should stay at a steady price. I got my 09 pastel male a while ago for 150 dollars. I know you can get pastels for cheaper, but I decided to get one that's good quality.