Pricing on Deformed Morphs?

[Starlightriddle]

I've been interested in taking on some pet quality snakes with mild (viable) deformities for a while now. I don't breed and have no intentions of doing so, so I figured there would be no harm in it and I might be able to give a home to a few animals that might have a hard time finding homes otherwise. I'm not sure what price to be paying for them though. There's a big reptile show in my area in about a week and I'm planning on going and taking a look around to see what's available. I don't want to inadvertently encourage poor breeding practices by paying too much for them though, should I find any.

What would you consider to be a good price for a disabled morph, as a percentage of the usual going value? Do you think there are price caps on how much should be paid?

Additionally, I recently got offered a leopard clown with a kink for $900. Is this reasonable? I'm not sure how I feel about paying almost a grand for a kinked snake, but it looks like the normal price is about twice that.

[MmmBanana]

Im not a breeder, this is just my opinion,but I think $900 is priced to be a good deal to a questionable breeder(someone who would breed a snake with a kink). I dont think $900 is a price someone would pay for a pet or a rescued animal. That price seems steep. I guess it could also depend on how bad the kink is maybe? However, a kind is a kink, no?

[redshepherd]

I've seen snakes with a missing eye go for 50% the regular morph price. I'd guess the discount depends on how bad the defect is and where it affects though. If a snake has difficulty functioning and eating normally, it should be free or should have been culled as a hatchling.

[ladywhipple02]

A leopard clown with a kink for $900 isn't unreasonable to me. It's still a unique animal to add to a collection, and therefore can carry a high price tag. It kind of depends if it's worth that much to YOU or not. I'd pay $900 for a leopard clown with a kink and never breed it and love it for all the world for it's uniqueness.

I collected quite a few kinked/deformed animals back in college and slightly afterward. Its rewarding to give them good homes and watch them prosper. It can also be heartbreaking as some of them may never prosper fully...

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...ighlight=kinky

This was a thread a long time ago about a boa I had named Kinkers. She ate fine when I acquired her, and was friendly as could be, but one day she just stopped eating. It was terrible to lose her, and I stopped keeping snakes for awhile. I think I paid $100 for her and I never regret it. She was beautiful.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

FREE would be what I would charge.

I do not believe in selling sub-part / deformed animals, I believe a deformed animals should stay with the seller or adopted out as a pet to a person of trust that will not breed the animal (granted of course the animal as a shot as as good quality of life)

I have a high end animal right now with a slight underbite that is the example of that in a few weeks he will join his new owner free of charge, I waited for the right person to come along.


Sadly while a few people will pay high amounts for a pet many will feel that they need to recoup and will purchase a deformed animal and breed it just because it was half the price and they can get into the project for cheap.

[L.West]

That is how I obtained my Coral Albino snake. He had what appeared to be a neurological problem. A friend of mine contacted me and offered him to me for free because she knew I would give him a good forever home with no intentions of ever breeding him.

He is an awesome eater and is growing nicely. He does have some body movement issues as best describe as sort of rigid with poor motor skills but other than that he is a real sweetheart and I am glad to have been given the chance to raise him.

I've had him a year now and he is thriving.

[AbsoluteApril]

FREE would be what I would charge.

I agree. Animals with issues that can thrive and simply need a forever home should not be something to be 'sold'.
Breeder friend gave me a sunglow that was born with one eye for free with the promise to never breed her and he knew he could trust me to give her a pet home for life. This was back when sunglow boas were kinda pricey and he could have sold her but profit was not the intention.

Did the seller give a reason for the high price tag?

[bcr229]

Did the seller give a reason for the high price tag?

Probably because it's a male, which can still breed successfully even if kinked, and especially if the kink is due to an incubation rather than a genetic problem. And yes, there are people who would take a kinked snake and breed it if it were a high-$ morph otherwise.

I have a kinked BRB that I produced that I haven't rehomed (yet). I'm not averse to the idea but I also am waiting for the "right" person to come along. Since I produced him I feel responsible for where he ultimately ends up. The new owner would have to sign a contract stating that I get the snake back if he can't keep it any more.

Otherwise, you're not likely to find kinked critters at an expo unless the vendor can't fill up the space on his table with healthy, breedable stock. If you're looking to purchase imperfect critters that can still have a decent quality of life as pets I'd suggest writing something up introducing yourself, what you're looking for, and why. Then make copies and hand them out to vendors.