You know the market is changing when...
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mrsshep77
Very Well-Known Member
I agree.... in such a short space of time prices on most species have dropped dramatically. As a breeder it's making us think twice about breeding any more as it seems as the prices drop our running costs don't so we end up making huge losses on the sale price!
I wonder where it's going to end?? Are we going to be like the States where gtp's are $300 or will people realise the value of the time, effort and money that goes into breeding and stop the market falling out from under us???
I wonder where it's going to end?? Are we going to be like the States where gtp's are $300 or will people realise the value of the time, effort and money that goes into breeding and stop the market falling out from under us???
Cheyne_Jones
Well-Known Member
I think its great!
More people are breeding for the enjoyment and research side, not just to make money or cover costs.
I can see the future of this hobby involving more trading of reptiles than selling for money, which will lead to better animals that are more accessible to everyone in the future.
More people are breeding for the enjoyment and research side, not just to make money or cover costs.
I can see the future of this hobby involving more trading of reptiles than selling for money, which will lead to better animals that are more accessible to everyone in the future.
F
FAY
Guest
Let's hope it never gets like the cat and dog market...a quarter of a million get euthanised every year...
JungleRob
Very Well-Known Member
I agree, it's happening a lot already!
Kenshin
Very Well-Known Member
before albino darwins were readily availible normal darwins used to go for around 250-300 each now as everyone has bred sheeeetloads of them with the albino boom the normals come up for sale as cheap as 60 bucks, interesting eh..... wonder how much cheaper coastals will become in afew years time
J
junglepython2
Guest
You won't be able to give them away. And there will be a hell of a lot more coastal crosses produced then there were ever normal darwins produced.
Cheyne_Jones
Well-Known Member
There will be a lot of well fed laceys and bhp's getting around i think...
It's a nice theory but "trading" reptiles will not cover keeping costs and transport by AaE. Just read Kristen's thread How mush dosh and you will see that many breeders will be forced to scale down. What do you predict will happen to Snake Range, URS, SxR, etc.? They won't be interested in trading reptiles - I wouldn't think. There is evil in every good.
The Carpets have had a pretty good run! Even if you bought a pair in the first season they were available, and it took you a full six years to breed them (which would mean you'd be having babies in about six months from now), you'd more than make your money back assuming you're still getting the best part of a grand for them, which is most likely. That's quite a remarkable job of value holding! If you managed to breed them at three years, then four, then five, then again at six, wow, you'd have done extremely well indeed, with a few hundred grand to show for it. You can't expect anything to hold high values forever, it's not realistic to think that albino Carpets were always going to be fetching over $5,000, but that doesn't mean they weren't a brilliant investment. Seeing them cheaply (and keep in mind, the figure we're calling cheap is still $1,600) in a pet shop is mostly an indication that the breeding project started around a decade ago. The next big thing will be striped albinos or albino jags or snow Carpets or whatever it is. They too will start high and come down over the years, and people will say "Oh, wow, I can't believe you can get a striped albino double blizard dreamsicle custard pie with cheese Carpet for only $1,500!", but of course, the Triceratops Jetstream Hypo Speckled Freckled Supervillain Megablotch Carpets will still be $8,000 each, and people will be shocked, pleased and horrified by that figure too.
I agree about the jag siblings etc being $0-$10 snakes in the near future. That side of things really will change the market. I think it's great though. If you want a very cheap pet snake, the cost will be nominal. If you want to get something exciting and new to invest in and make some money, you have that option too! Whether it's a free snake or a five figure snake, you can get whatever you want to from the reptile hobby.
I agree about the jag siblings etc being $0-$10 snakes in the near future. That side of things really will change the market. I think it's great though. If you want a very cheap pet snake, the cost will be nominal. If you want to get something exciting and new to invest in and make some money, you have that option too! Whether it's a free snake or a five figure snake, you can get whatever you want to from the reptile hobby.
I
imported_Varanus
Guest
I WANT a "Triceratops Jetstream" already!!!
Cheyne_Jones
Well-Known Member
I agree completely Michael!
Those large well established companies will always have a place in this hobby.
However I believe that more and more people will be interested in trading their animals that are worth little to them and more to someone else. Its the way alot of things in this world are going now days.
Would you not be interested in trading some of your greens for new blood lines or multiple animals for a new morph?
It has many advantages when you think about it, and although there is no money changing hands when trading its a good way for two people to get what they want.
Those large well established companies will always have a place in this hobby.
However I believe that more and more people will be interested in trading their animals that are worth little to them and more to someone else. Its the way alot of things in this world are going now days.
Would you not be interested in trading some of your greens for new blood lines or multiple animals for a new morph?
It has many advantages when you think about it, and although there is no money changing hands when trading its a good way for two people to get what they want.
One other thing to consider, trading with reptiles will become very localised, mainly in capital cities. If a $20.- animal is to be flown from Darwin or Cairns to Melbourne at the cost of $86.- it's just not going to work out for the breeder or the buyer.
I am doing this already but it's still costing me thousands to keep & feed. If you're serious about selective breeding, you need to work with more than two lines (IMO). With greens, you have to keep all offspring for a year or so to see what you've got and then wait another 3-4 years for their offspring and another year to see how they turn out.
I love doing it but it is very, very demanding.
Cheyne_Jones
Well-Known Member
The way I think of it is, if I could get an animal I really wanted for $86 I would be stoked. Beats paying $586 in anyones language...
slim6y
Almost Legendary
Sorry to come in on this so late (after so many posts) but I am puzzled as to what major costs there is that wouldn't cover $1600 per albino python.
I could be wrong... I admit... especially if you've purchased your python for $4500 a few years back...
(hope no one else has questioned this in the thread).
So are the costs:
Food (pinkies to weaners aren't overly expensive)
Electricity (for you poor suckers who live in the populated south)
Enclosures (click clacks... reusable)
Time (the most expensive component - but don't we do it for love not money?)
There's probably a lot of other things from incubators to substrates.... but in reality - the expense is definitely covered by $1600 pythons (I would think).
And doesn't the law suggest (unless you're a business) you're not meant to actually 'profit' from a hobby?
Still, I think it's a wonderful thing to allow unique pythons into 'everyday' collections. I for one would love a decent black headed python - but at $900 they're out of my reach financially (I can't justify that at current rates surprisingly so). Maybe $400 I would!
mrsshep77
Very Well-Known Member
Ok I guess I should have been more specific in what I was thinking hahaha!! I'm talking about the less exotic species ie spotteds, diamonds, coastals etc.... the higher end species such as gtp's etc I can understand their value decreasing as more people have access to them but there was alot of room to move in the beginning. When you're talking about a snake that was only a few hundred a couple of years ago and now you see people getting knocked down to $100 and under then it's hard for breeders.
I definitely love doing what I do so much so I've arranged my "real" job to be work from home so I have more time to do what I love most... looking after our reptiles!
Yes there will always be a Snake Ranch or SXR etc and there will always be a "new and fancy" line coming onto the market but what about the lowly spotteds or regular diamond pythons and other species.... where do they fit in if everyone is wanting to buy the latest and greatest?
I definitely love doing what I do so much so I've arranged my "real" job to be work from home so I have more time to do what I love most... looking after our reptiles!
Yes there will always be a Snake Ranch or SXR etc and there will always be a "new and fancy" line coming onto the market but what about the lowly spotteds or regular diamond pythons and other species.... where do they fit in if everyone is wanting to buy the latest and greatest?
They'll be the $0-$50 snakes which people breed for the fun of it, and will cost more to produce than you'll get in return. You'll do it because you enjoy it, even though it costs you money. A bit like most hobbies.
slim6y
Almost Legendary
Thanks for clearing that up mrsshep - and Sdaji - Phew
I'm looking also for that 'real' job to be at home so I can also do the breeding (probably rats, chickens, mice, snakes, etc etc).
Maybe I can push the price back up for decent spotteds
I'm looking also for that 'real' job to be at home so I can also do the breeding (probably rats, chickens, mice, snakes, etc etc).
Maybe I can push the price back up for decent spotteds
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