Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i would just like to get some info on what you think the pied
market is going to be like in the next 2-3-4 years?
as in value ect..
just wondering because im thinking about investing a good amount of $$$ in them over the next few months.
do you think the bottom is going to drop out of them??
Thanks

I think it will be quite a while before the market "drops out" on them but I think the price is going to fall signifigantly in 2004. I've seen low whites offered in the 2003 season for as low as $6,500 and I think you will be able to get one in 2004 for under 5K. Hi whites will still demand twice that. As more and more hets/possible hets reach breeding size, more and more pieds and hets will be produced forcing the market down. Only my opinion but I too am interested in getting into pieds for 2004. I would be tickled to produce pieds but the future money in the pied market is far from over when you consider all the combinations we have yet to see. Albino X pieds, pastel X pieds, spider X pieds and so on. Still a good investment animal and a lot of peoples favorite. Bill Lubak

The market will stay fairly strong for a long time to come. The Pied is still IMO the rock star of the ball python industry. Even those that have never seen a ball python are absolutely blown away when they see a good pied.

Yes I think the price will come down steadily as they do on all morphs, but I think it will be several years before they settle in around the 2 - 3K mark, just as the albinos have. But as an investment I don't think you can go wrong with a pied. For that matter I have never experience a better investment than ball pythons period. That is if you are looking at it as a business.

This hobby has a long way to go before saturation if ever reached. There are so many people that are totally unaware of the greatness of these beautiful well nature snakes and the joy they can bring as pets.

Good luck and all the best with your future endevours!

MJ
Markus Jayne Ball Pythons

I have to agree with you. The white on a pied just shouts at you. The folks at the Philly show made several comments on my boy I had on the table on Sunday. My favorite morph hands down. Again IMHO!!!!

I can't wait to see a pied albino.....maybe two different types of white!

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RicK Denmon

Ball Boutique,Inc.

I was just talking to my breeding partner about this. What about a pied with a clown or spider head! DAMN!

okay, all of you are saying i cant wait to see a pied albino etc... How long has the albino been around? how long has the pied been around? i would have thought it would have been done already.

Nope pied X albino are being made now and I believe I heard about it in 2001 or 2002. But none have been made yet as far as I know-just the double hets. It goes into those hard 1 in 16 thingies. But I can not think of the beauty.
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RicK Denmon

Ball Boutique,Inc.

Why not just put a spider with a pied...wouldnt you see results ALOT faster?

You bet same as pastels too. But But But I want an albino x pied. Besides it will be harder to do. IMHO will be worth more. Like fast foods and fine dining! If you want fast projects go for it! That is why I got into the snow project.... Working with three lines of axanthics. Maybe I might produce a snow this year...depends.
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RicK Denmon

Ball Boutique,Inc.

people COULD have done this a long time ago.........but they were all too busy getting the morphs that tey ad to reproduce........trying to make the money ........

NOW that they are all watching morph prices drop ever so slightly..........or alot)......they have time and critters to breed for double homozygus animals........

they just didn't see it before........

*(also ,,,now..people are dumb enough to pay ridiculous prices for double hets......)

I believe there are still too many variations, possibilities to be seen to have the market just drop off.
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Greg
www.imageevent.com/gmherps

As the price inches down the demand will rise. I couldn't justify $12000 for a low white 3 years ago but I could for a $7500 one this year. My male never refuses a meal and he looks better and better as he grows. The 2 het females also are consistant feeders. When pied morph mixes start appearing prices for het females especially will probably rise. Look what happened to ghost females this year, and mojaves!! SJM

I think the market for them will be strong for many years. There are probably still a ton of collectors that do not have this morph and would love to add it to there collection. I personally started with normals, a hypo, a pastel, and a het albino female, and I would love for my next purchase to be a pied!! Hopfully I produce some good animals this year that sell so that I can afford this cool morph.

Tom Barnhart