The Ball Hype!

[LeviBP]

I was just wondering what everyone's opinions were on this topic.
We all know that the Ball Python industry has boomed, and thousands of people are experimenting the possible morphs and possibilities of these snakes.

Which leads me to my question, how long do you think this hype will last?

I certainly hopes it lasts forever and the innovation of exploring the possibilities stays intact, but realistically it is unclear to me, other than it will last at least another decade do to the strength in the market for these animals. But after that, I guess it just depends if enough people retain interest!

What do you think?

[thedarkwolf25]

Well I can only speak from my personal opinion, but I find it hard to believe that the BP hype will die out. I mean we all love these amazing animals and even if some people stop breeding them or owning them there will always be more that will.

I don't think BP will be going anywhere in the foreseeable future.

[BPelizabeth]

ummmm....seeing how they are like potatoe chips (cant have just one)....I don't see it happening! Afterall...how many different flavors of chips are there now.

[redtail9610]

This "hype" as you call it can go on for a very long time. There will always be the core group of people who will keep going no matter what. The best way to keep it going is to introduce new people and especially kids into owning and caring for these great animals.

[fredanthony]

As well as to keep producing great new and exciting morphs! Let's hope it doesn't end any time soon!

Fred.

[Xan Powers]

This "hype" as you call it can go on for a very long time. There will always be the core group of people who will keep going no matter what. The best way to keep it going is to introduce new people and especially kids into owning and caring for these great animals.

I was introduced to ball pythons at 13 and I got my first one then. now I am 20 and am currently in my first breeding season


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Xan Powers!

[darkbloodwyvern]

Corn snakes are still pretty popular and even now, plenty people own several and many people own the morph they love without breeding them. I foresee that perhaps more people will buy morphs JUST to have them, rather than needing to make more. As things like spiders and pastels become more affordable, I know more people who aren't breeding theirs, they just own them because they like the look!

[pinkeye714]

I do not think it will go down. But i do have to say i am afraid that there will be more balls for sale then those actually buying, also the prices will go down which is good for owners who want a pretty snake with a good price, but bad for those selling and making a profit.
But no, it wont go down.

[WingedWolfPsion]

I see the pet market as the relief valve at the end of the 'ball python pyramid scheme' so many of us are part of. As morphs decline in value, they eventually come into range of pet buyers. In the long run, morphs such as pastels and yellowbellies will become less common in their 'pure' state, because pet buyers aren't really interested in them. Spiders and albinos will remain extremely common.
In most cases, these animals will be produced as the byproducts of breedings for more valuable combo morphs, rather than deliberately (just as very few people deliberately breed normals these days).
No worries, though--there are still new morphs being discovered. If that stops being the case, we still have a staggering number of combinations to play with, and there's always selective breeding!

Ball pythons have that lovely reliable but low reproductive rate that makes them hold their value so well.

Ball python breeders really aren't going to outstrip the pet market, because the pet market absorbs thousands of imported captive-hatched ball pythons from Africa every year, with nary a blip. Ball pythons remain one of the most sought-after pet snakes. If the price of normal ball pythons ever falls so low that it is not worth it to import them from Africa, then we can start to worry. That's not happening anytime soon.

Still, if you're literally banking on it, it's probably wise not to put all of your eggs into one basket. Angolan pythons seem to be up and coming, and I'm starting to see aberrant Angolans being offered for higher prices. Who knows what the next popular reptile might be? It all depends on which species pops out a truly exciting new morph, and catches interest.
I'm betting that the super-dwarf retics and dwarf burms will catch on, if they aren't legislated into oblivion first. Some good selective breeding for temperament will sort them out.

The little Antaresia pythons haven't spit out any interesting morphs, yet--there's certainly potential there if Children's python morphs turn up. They can't be dismissed due to their low pricetag, because ball pythons certainly didn't have a high price when this boom first started (and normals still don't).

[darkbloodwyvern]

I do not think it will go down. But i do have to say i am afraid that there will be more balls for sale then those actually buying, also the prices will go down which is good for owners who want a pretty snake with a good price, but bad for those selling and making a profit.
But no, it wont go down.

I am also suspecting this will happen... as i said above, plenty people still buy corns, but a lot of people still re-home or stop breeding their corns because they can't sell them well. :/ it's too bad!