Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Why are they so much? I am not starting a flame war, I am just really curious why they are two-thousand bucks or higher? First, they are not "rare" by any means, second, you can buy a beaded lizard for about half the price. Could anyone explain this? Once again, please no flames, I would simply like to hear a reason. I know that people can ask anything they want, but when does it hit ridiculous? My thoughts are if studying and breeding them is for the benefit of the wild populations and so people will quit catching them illegally, which it should be, why the high prices? Doesn't that really have an opposite affect on the situation?
Just curious,
Kevin

While some exceptional gilas may cost over $2000, your average suspectum sells for around $1200, cinctums may be a couple hundred more. Only CB gilas can be kept as pets and breeding and incubating gilas is not an easy process. Only recently, gilas have started being bred in captivity with consistancy. Previously, there were only zoos and a handful of breeders that were consistantly successful producing these animals. Gila breeders have invested large amounts of money in their breeding stock and a lot of time into their efforts (not exactly like breeding cornsnakes).
Gila breeders have every right to sell their animals for what the public is willing to pay and the public is willing to pay those prices. The higher prices also prevent them from becoming disposable spontaneous pets like so many other reptiles unfortunately do.
In short...they sell for that much because they're worh every penny
Chris

I do see your point about the breeding aspect. I also see the point of what people are willing to pay. The sad part of animals being priced is that people that it forces alot of people to be unable to work with them and we are also probably missing out on new husbandry techniques that could possibly be discovered with more people working with them. I find it very funny that people that have the most abundance of them and the most breeding success, are the ones asking the most money. I think the point of that is the high prices keep less people owning them and working with them, thus enabling the high prices to stay where they are. Not calling anyone right or wrong, just trying to examine every aspect the situation. I believe that the more people that they are available to, the better for the hobby and the animals. I think if there wasn't as big of money issue, we would be learning even more about these wonderful creatures.
Kevin

Another point to consider in evaluating the price differnce between beaded lizards and gilas is egg production and viability. Beadeds do not require the low temperature cooling that gilas do, they produce twice as many eggs, plus they are easier to incubate. When you consider those factors it seems that beadeds, not gilas are "over priced". As far as the high price of CB gilas affecting the demand for poaching, I think that, sadly, it does. Considering the difficulties and low reproducive potential for the species, I don't see the prices of them dropping below $1000 for any legitimate animal. The way that I look at the situation is this, the gila monster is the "lizard of dreams" for most herpers and you can get a legitimate expectional CB animal for less than $2000. Start saving and be glad that you aren't dreaming of owning one of the $45,000 pastel-ghost-whatever ball pythons I saw at Daytona last week.

Brian Leibow

for answering my post intelligently and with class. TJ has not quite figured that one out yet. LMOA about the ball python comment, I think the people that take all that time to name a new morph should all go out and buy a expresso bar, then they can put those long names to use and it won't cost us any more money for a fancy name. Just think, someday we could go to a coffee shop and buy a "Double-hit-triple-chocolate-caramel-fudge-swirly-pie flavored with a hint of cherry". LOL
Kevin

How is it that someone like yourself, someone who sells venomoids, can actually ask a question like that? Are you really that much of an idiot?
You may be one of the most hypocritical people I have ever heard. Why don't you ask this question in the hot forum and see what type of answers you get.

you would think that your ignorant @$$ would find something better to do, than start a flame war every chance you get. Why did I post this question on here? Well, if you weren't so ignorant, you would realize that I was asking a question about gilas and this is the "Gila and Beaded" forum. Guess it would take a genius to figure that out. Oh yeah, and before you make this a big long flame war, I am not going to reply to your posts of starting crap.
Kevin

Guess it wouldn't take a genius to figure out that Gila's are hot either, oh wait, sorry I forgot, you make animals not hot. Is this your new endevour, are you going to try to make the first venomoid gila? It's amazing that you can ask an ignorant question like that, yet sell butchered snakes for ten times what their original cost is. Truly amazing.
I may be ignorant, but your a hypocrite and a piece of crap. I don't blame you for not responding to me, you have yet to respond with any type of answer to anyone's question.

that is about along the lines of your stupid ranting and raving? I did not attack you, but yet insecure little people like you feel the need to attack me. Actually, I shouldn't say "people" because you seem to be the only one that likes to start flame wars as of late. I asked a simple question on here and everyone seemed to respond intelligently except you. I guess that is one thing you can be proud of. I hope it makes your little life a bit better in the knowledge that you have tried to start all the crap you possibly could on the forums. Glad I can give you something to do. You get so aggitated when I call you ignorant, but everytime you post, it is attacking someone for something that has nothing to do with the subject, except in your own little mind. I never once called you a "piece of crap" or anything of the sort, but feel free to meet up with me anyplace of your choice and we can see what piece of crap is laying in the grass. Does "Tj" stand for "Total Jackass" or is that just what you portray on the net?
Kevin

Since you're a big man, and you feel like making p@ssy threats over an internet forum, I'll be at the Hamburg show.