Like most of us, I love morphs and cant get enough info. I constantly watch youtube video’s craving as much knowledge and info as possible . I own a variety of morphs and normals. My snakes are simply pets.
Here is my question and observation. I could be completely wrong but would love some feedback and opinion.
I would think the typical pet trade BP would be in price range of $60 to around $2500. I use these numbers from other keepers I know as well as the price range of other animals (Dogs, Birds, etc)
Obviously there are always exceptions and income differences that are wildly varied. So, what I may see as expensive is pocket change for someone else.
The big money BP’s I see on line seem to go to breeders for upcoming projects and whatnot.
So,are the high end morphs typically being produced by breeders for breeders? That what it looks like to me anyway. If so, it’s not a bad business model if you can stay ahead of it.
It just blows my mind to see some 8 gene (or more) animal selling for an excess of 10K. I wonder who buys them. Then the next thing I see, one of the many higher profile youtube breeder are unboxing another one in a typical “unboxing a 30K ball python, WOW!” style video.
I have no issues with this whatsoever! I was just curious what others think? Am I correct of way off base?
Yes, these 6/7/8 gene animals are mainly being bought by other breeders but not only by the big names.
Littler known breeders are buying them just as often, if not more, as a way to get their foot in the door in a few years time. One male with 7 genes is worth more than two males with 4 each, especially if there is recessives involved.
You also have pet keepers that don’t bother with breeding but have the money to buy the next big combo, there are more collectors than you would believe… Look at Instagram, some of the “pet-tubers” have extremely expensive animals and haven’t seen a incubator in their lives. They know the more expensive a animal they buy is, the more views, likes and followers they will get and in turn profit from.
If you get big enough you will also come across the odd celebrity or whatever and they don’t want to buy your £50 Pastel.
Sure you will have exceptions, but in my experience I’d say the typical pet snake isn’t bought for over 500 bucks. Anything more expensive than that it seems they have an interest in breeding. With that said, I have sold a $800 dollar snake to someone who claimed to just keep them as a pet. I found it odd enough to have it stick in my head all these years. Also I’d say most snakes bought in general go to breeders, even at the 200 dollar level you will hear people talk about their breeding plans vs just keeping.
How is this different than any other hobby tho? When I buy a family dog Ive spent 500-1000 on a dog, not the 5k-15k my dog showing friend do. I can get a horse for for under 1k but it doesn’t stop 50k+ horse being sold at auction.
Really is simple supply and demand. Demand is high for top preforming animals whether is be showing, racing, or just cool looking. Supply tends to be really low for these animals also. The price is going to be way up there and it’s not going to be the person who watched a couple youtube videos and wants their first snake. It is going to be someone invested heavily in the hobby. In this hobby find me someone heavily invested that isn’t a breeder.
I honestly think that the big breeders just breed for themselves and we get what they dont want.
I mean no malice in that statement though.
I just think the truly passionate ones just love to challenge themselves with what they can do next, and we get the snakes that dont happen to fit in with what they want to do at the moment.
That’s my two cents on this topic.
Kind of adding onto what you’re saying, breeders have a certain goal that they work towards and whatever doesn’t help them reach that goal they just sell, also when they reach that goal they might sell some or all of the clutch depending on what the purpose of the goal was (a certain morph that they wanted for themselves but couldn’t afford to buy, something valuable to earn them money, the end goal being something to work towards another goal, etc.)
And also because multi-gene animals can be used for multiple projects at the same time and also widens the consumer market because people might want a specific gene and if a snake has that with 3 other genes then they’re still going to want it.
I see what you are saying and I suppose it confirms my thought that the majority of “nicer” snakes are made by breeders for breeders and it keeps it all going. Of course there are just pet owners too. Not unlike most other breeders I suppose. Just thought it to be curious in the moment.
