Albino price?

[stevepoppers]

I'm actually very impressed that albinos, the oldest morph (right?), are still what they are. Newer morphs, such as pastels and cinnamons, are selling for much less than albinos. I wonder what the reason for this is....?

Rabernet, your operation is exactly the model that I wonder why I don't find in everyone's business. Pick a price and hold it, because that's what the animal is worth, even if it's just the price of covering your losses.

Master, he wishes the prices held so that people could make up their losses, or make the money that they deserve to have for putting the time, money, and effort into producing a snake. The sticking point of $1000 seems kind of arbitrary, but for people who may have originally invested $1500 or more just to get the snake, that seems pretty fair. Lowering prices just so everyone can buy one puts everyone selling deep into the red.

[Jay_Bunny]

I really wish the prices would stop dropping like they are. When I first got into the hobby, an albino was $1000+. That is when these animals were not AS common as they are today. And in my opinion, they were probably a higher quality.

You say the prices should drop so everyone can enjoy them and have them. I don't agree. While owning an albino was (and still is) a goal of mine, back then it seemed so much more special. I was going to save up and get really nice examples of the morphs I liked and it was going to feel so good when I finally had enough and got he snake of my dreams. Now, it seems, these morphs are everywhere, prices are dropping, the majority of snakes are not high quality and the same goes for the customer service. Look at all the scams going on and people getting ripped off. Its no longer as special as it once was.

Its kind of like.....you see a nice car. You want that car but it costs $100,000. To you, that is a lot of money, but you decide you still want it and start working really hard to save up the money. While you are saving, the car is becoming really popular. Some other companies pick up the design and begin making it with cheaper parts and selling it cheaper so more people can afford it. They make a ton of money off it, and when you finally have enough for that car, you realize that everyone has one and they are pieces of crap. The original company went out of business or just simply can't compete with the crappy versions and now, that beautiful car you worked so hard to purchase, is worth nothing and the special-ness of it is gone.


Does that make sense? At least that is how it is to me.

To the OP, I've seen anywhere from $200-600 for an albino, depending on gender and age will increase that price a bit. If you want an albino, wait until you find the one that really knocks your socks off. The one you have to have and get that one. Don't settle for just any albino.

[rabernet]

Sorry, i have to ask. Why in the world would you want them to still cost 1k?!
Personaly i think the cheeper the better, so everyone can enjoy all the beautiful herps instead of only the people who have lots of money to waste. I love herps but i dont have thousands of dollars to spend on a single snake, and im sure theres alot of people that are in the same position. Id love to own a pied but i cant and wont be able to afford it for a long while. It would be nice if herps were more reasonably priced so everyone can enjoy keeping these amazing animals instead of just those with lots of cash. Thats just my 2 cents.

A) I don't waste my money - I work very hard for it.

B) These days, people seem to want instant gratification, off the backs of other people's hard work, and so want things "cheap".

C) My hard work is not "cheap", nor are my animals.

D) When you actually have to work to save up the money for that pied, you're going to appreciate it that much more.

E) I want them to still cost $1000 because that's what I believe that they are worth. I think that they are under valued at anything less than that.

Some of you newer herpers don't have the frame of reference of pricing as recently as 5 years ago, when albino's were selling for over $10K each. When the most affordable morph, the pastel was selling for over $1000 and while I was building up my colony with beautiful normal girls, I was also putting away money every paycheck so that I could one day own a morph.

And you know what? I appreciate every single addition to my collection that much more - because none of them came easy. They all came off of my hard work.

Man - those were the good old days!

[rabernet]

Im not trying to say that quality isnt important. Im not trying to say everything should be dirt cheep either. But for the average person especialy in these times prices are very steep and unrealistic in my opinion. I unfortunately have not started breeding yet but i do one day hope to, mabe then ill see your point. You have to admit that it is kind of selfish to keep the most beautiful of herps only for those with loads of money or people who make a living off of it.
Once again just my 2 cents.

Again - see my previous post - it's NOT selfish, and we're not "keeping" them for only those with loads of money.

Any morph priced under $1000 is not loads of money. Many breeders have payment plans.

If you think that the prices are very steep and unrealistic, then you don't have a good understanding on the investments that breeders make, the cost to run our productions, the costs involved to raise a female ball python from baby to adult breeding size (that includes vet care, racking, feeding, etc) so that she can produce the babies that we plan to sell one day.

These days, as I said before, people want instant gratification, off the hard work of others. Gone are the days, it seems, when people have to actually work towards a goal to appreciate it even that much more.

[rabernet]

I paid 5600.00 for a pair of pieds and spent 3 long years caring for them and getting them to breeding size...not to mention the cost of maintaining feeders, buying and building racks and an incubator. I really feel asking 1000.00 per snake is not too much to ask for such an investment in time and money. If you can't afford a pied then buy a pair of hets and make your own...but don't expect a handout because you can't afford a highend morph. There are plenty of affordable ball python morphs that most people can own.

Hahaha - great minds think alike - I didn't even read your post before my last one, listing much of the same things you just did.

[rabernet]

I'm actually very impressed that albinos, the oldest morph (right?), are still what they are. Newer morphs, such as pastels and cinnamons, are selling for much less than albinos. I wonder what the reason for this is....?

Rabernet, your operation is exactly the model that I wonder why I don't find in everyone's business. Pick a price and hold it, because that's what the animal is worth, even if it's just the price of covering your losses.

Master, he wishes the prices held so that people could make up their losses, or make the money that they deserve to have for putting the time, money, and effort into producing a snake. The sticking point of $1000 seems kind of arbitrary, but for people who may have originally invested $1500 or more just to get the snake, that seems pretty fair. Lowering prices just so everyone can buy one puts everyone selling deep into the red.

I'm a woman, btw!

Co-doms and doms as a general rule are proportionally less than the recessives. So, pastels and cinnamons are less than albinos, because you only need one (pastel or cinnamon) and a normal to produce more.

Albino - you need both animals to carry a copy of the albino gene, not just one.

Recessives tend to hold their value longer, because they are "harder" to make.

[stevepoppers]

Recessives tend to hold their value longer, because they are "harder" to make.

Makes good sense!

[Piper's Balls]

I guess great minds think alike. I find it hard to believe that the price of piers have dropped as much as they have in 3 years. I did notice the breeder I paid 2600.00 per pied for sold his last baby pied from last year for 700.00. I don't know if he needed the money or just wanted it gone, but that is what drives the prices down. Now because one person sold for 700.00 that is what buyers will expect to pay. My investment in time and money will not allow me to drop the prices like that. My 2c worth.

[4theSNAKElady]

That's why I plan to keep my collection size manageable - if an animal doesn't sell, I'll hang onto them until they do. And as they grow in size, so will their asking price.

Robin rocks, Robin rocks.

[The Hedgehog]

No one, should drop prices unless absolutely necessary like losing their home or business or whatever. I'm still new to the morph world, but I've been in herping long enough to know that keeping the price up, also tends to (not always) weed out people who don't care for animals properly. That's why it's even more important to not let prices drop. I'll eventually own more than my normal, however I can't afford a new morph, nor am I in a rush to find a way to get one cheap. I'd rather get one for a little bit higher cost, that I know is healthy, and strong, and has good genes. Otherwise you run the risk of getting lied to, and having a snake that's not what you thought it was, and or one that dies because it wasn't cared for properly.

So I'm all for keeping prices up.