Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Guys, I am confused. What is considered fair these days for locale specific and non-locale specific captive bred Eastern Kings; hatchlings and adults?

I remember when they were available all day long for $20.00 (if you could find them, which was rare because it seemed that nobody wanted them) - but those days appear to be long gone.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Peter Jolles

First let me say I dont know if these are in line with market prices but are more or less what Im willing to sell and purchase Eastern Kings at.

There are all kinds of variables i.e. desirability, rarity of locale and overall look. Here is what I think the market is if there is even one due to so much varation. Its a bit like Cal Kings but not to that extreme but you cant put a market value on all Cal Kings in general as there are many morphs patterns and locales to consider. Anyway here is a rough idea on how I see it but others may not.

NON LOCALE/GENERIC ANIMALS

JUVENILES
non locale/generics 25-50 bucks each depending on appearance.
If someone had sulpher yellow crossbared Easterns with a jet black ground color kick that price up quite a bit to maybe 100 bucks each.

ADULTS
Non locale/generics -
Males 50-100. Depends on size and appearance. 100 is for example a 5' proven clean animal. I must say I would pay 200 or so bucks for a clean 6' animal thats non locale (male).
Females 100-200 (proven breeders)

LOCALITY ANIMALS

JUVENILES
Locality Easterns 50-100 each
Tough call each locality is different . Some are rare some are now illegal to collect etc...Lots of variables so those prices are very static. There is also the CB versus Wild th.ing. CB may command more i.e. less work for feeding, parasites etc...

ADULTS
Locality Easterns 50-200 ????
Tough to say on these more than juveniles due to value as breeders right away.
-----

Well, I have to say I think Keith and others here have helped to bring the eastern back into favor, so it is no wonder they are beginning to command a bit higher price than in the recent past.
Still not anywhere near what some think they're worth though!
That said,
I will start at the bottom with pricing some at $15. Most hatchlings will be at $20. I have yet to see what will hatch out from the breeding of my large male with my smallest female. We'll see. $25. at most.
Notoriously a cheapskate, I won't pay more than $50.-$75. for any wc animal, and not a heck of a lot more for a cb. But then as Keith says, locality may sway me to fork out a few more bucks.

Still looking for a nice NC female to put with my NC male next season.
:Mark

Here's a nice 4.5' plus female available (with EXACT locale information). . . . . She laid 14 eggs last year. Didn't breed her this year though. E-mail me if you're still interested

Zee

....did you get it?? Contact me at markk15@msn dot com
Thanks.
:Mark

Hi Peter,

I think the potential price of eastern kings is rising pretty dramatically in recent years because of several factors, all of which are directly related to supply and demand. Many of us have been selecting for qualities that were until very recently unheard of in this sub-species of kingsnake. Vibrant color, predictable wide or narrow band width, as well as some simple recessive color mutations that were until very recently just not available have drastically increased the demand for easterns.

Like all herp novelties, the price is driven by the public's demand for the appearance. For example, the demand for black and white, narrow banded NJ easterns and black and red/orange wide banded GA easterns has skyrocketed. I don't think anyone producing either of these two varietes will be able to keep up with the demand this year. The relative rarity of extreme appearances will command hundreds of dollars, as well they should (IMHO).

I think the king of kings is finally coming into his(her) own. They are bigger, and I believe far more variable throughout their natural range than other common kings. With a little more selective breeding effort they will begin to become consistantly more attractive and therefore more valuable than the other getula as well. Hopefully the day of the $20.00 eastern is gone.

Just my .02

Will