Quote Originally Posted by Kinra View Post
I certainly wouldn't have been able to get into the hobby a few years ago if prices hadn't dropped. The fact that a pied used to cost more than some new cars amazes me.

There are certain reptiles that I wish prices hadn't fallen on though. I hate that any idiot can walk into a pet store and buy a green iguana for under $50. I don't think price is a great way to control this, but it certainly would deter a lot of people if it cost $200-$300 to buy one.

I would hate to see prices reach the point where people don't bother taking their sick pets to the vet or giving them good care because they are so cheap to just replace.
This. This times 100000000000x's. Many years ago my pet cockatiel became ill and my Mom rushed him to the vet. When we got there all they said that could do was put him on oxygen and hope for the best. What they didn't say was that oxygen was about $2 a minute. On top of that they kept us waiting quite awhile despite us having decided to put him down to end his suffering. When the bill came my Dad happened to be there and his only response was, "With that money, you could have replaced him with two birds". Even if the vet visit did turn out to be a waste that time, it's an example of how some people think when it comes to pets.

(I will add that my Dad does love his dog and would do anything should the dog happen to fall ill if he could afford it, even if it went beyond what a replacement would cost. It depends on the person/animal relation I guess).