Is the ball python trade/market collapsing?

[Durhambreeder]

I have had several conversations with a few people lately and many seem to feel that ever since that incident with the rock python and other people in Canada (and the US) are getting screwed for keeping ball pythons in racks (apparently its animal cruelty), we feel like the sale of ball pythons has been drastically reduced, as well as some provinces/cities banning ball pythons all together.

Has anyone noticed this at all? I am currently trying to sell my Cinnamon male locally for $100 (350g in weight) and I haven't had a single person email me, its been up for about a month now :S

[I-KandyReptiles]

I haven't had issues. Even sold my last normal in my clutch recently.

[King's Royal Pythons]

Sales tend to drop this time of year (from what I've seen in the past)
People start to panic and drop their prices to ridiculously low, then after the new year, things will pick up. The only thing with that is that the people that sell at a rockbottom price set a precedent that effects the rest of us.
I'm not worried, yet. I'm letting my hatchlings grow, and by the time the next show comes around, they will be nice plump little worms

[NYHC4LIFE8899]

I do not like rack systems at all and I do think it's very unfair to the animal..but that's me and I have no problems voicing my opinion about it..if u are breeding it's one thing,but if your jot,there is no reason to keep getting snakes to leave them basically stuck lying in draws,that's how I look at it.but to each there own.

[John1982]

I do not like rack systems at all and I do think it's very unfair to the animal..but that's me and I have no problems voicing my opinion about it..if u are breeding it's one thing,but if your jot,there is no reason to keep getting snakes to leave them basically stuck lying in draws,that's how I look at it.but to each there own.

Seems a bit wishy washy to me. So you think it's unfair to keep these animals in a rack system unless the person doing so is a breeder? I probably read that wrong.

[Andybill]

I do not like rack systems at all and I do think it's very unfair to the animal..but that's me and I have no problems voicing my opinion about it..if u are breeding it's one thing,but if your jot,there is no reason to keep getting snakes to leave them basically stuck lying in draws,that's how I look at it.but to each there own.

I don't see the difference between 4 plastic tub walls and 4 glass walls. Tubs in a rack system hold temps and humidity better than tanks. If the snakes weren't happy in their tubs they wouldn't eat and breed.

[Snake Den]

I also worry that people are setting a low precedent for prices. What worries me the most are these auctions that have popped up all over the place. Don't get me wrong, at first I thought they were fantastic because I was picking up animals way under market value, but then I realized it was driving the rest of the market down. Too bad some people try to undercut the market price and end up ruining the market for everyone else. As for the drawer issue. From what I understand, ball pythons like it in a rack. It most closely simulates their native habitat- rodent burrows. I have a system where I have three display tanks and the rest are in racks. I keep my prettiest snakes in the display tanks until they reach breeding size then they move to the rack. I have far more issues with them in the tanks though, such as shedding problems and off feed. As soon as I put them in the rack they shed better and start eating again. I just don't believe that a rack is cruel, they really do seem to like it better.

[satomi325]

Having your snake up for sale for 1 month is nothing. Be patient.
I had a pastel female that was up for sale for 8 months. That was my longest sale. Most of my other animals were sold within weeks. And I know some of the snakes that I have purchased from other breeders were not sold right away either.


As for racks, I haven't had any issues with them regarding the law.
When I move to a larger house, I might be inclined to move some of my more aggressive eaters into a display enclosure. But there's no way some of my ball pythons would eat in anything larger than the tubs they're in now. Heck, some of them are picky as is. So moving them to a 'humane' enclosure is pointless if they're only gong to eat/thrive in an enclosure with the same floor space as the tub.

I think I'll always keep ball pythons in racks because they thrive in there. My other non-ball snakes are in larger displays because they're not as sensitive or picky in regards to space/food. And they're species that will actually utilize the space unlike my ball pythons. My BPs are in their hides so much, they don't even utilize the extra tub space.

[Raven01]

People going on about "market price" usually have no clue about economics.
The market price is the price the market will bear.
Sooner or later you will see Bamboo, Ghi and Coral Glow going for $200 a pop. Expect it.
Quality animals with patience can always command a higher price but, if you think you are going to get rich selling snakes from a $5K snake breeder indefinitely, you have another thing coming. Every single snake you produce(and you must remember you aren't the only one producing them) drives the price lower and lower.
Keeping these morphs out of the hands of everyone that desires them is hardly the answer. A few will make a buck by getting in early or focusing on specific projects of high quality animals. Getting in early involves risk, which is why when it does pay off (and it does not always do so), it tends to pay a larger dividend.
The market for 4 foot snakes is not dead due to the second incident involving a rather large snake in Canada in 2 or more decades. The market is going soft for crap quality animals, since anyone can easily breed these animals, where as higher quality animals although not worth their weight in gold can at least keep you in feeders for your hobby and if you apply yourself with a little luck and a lot of passion you just might do way more than subsidize your hobby.

[Bluebonnet Herp]

Animals can be hard to sell if you don't have a solid reputation, or any reputation at all. Competition makes it easier for well known breeders to sell first and faster. I don't think things in the market are collapsing yet, but in some places, especially Canada, things may not be too hot right now.