Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I wanted to eventually get a female hypo boa but cannot afford one at the current prices. I only see hypo boas in the $400-1500 price range. Aren't hypo boas co-dominant and doesn't that mean they'll show up in the first generation? I guess I don't understand how they cost more than single recessive mutations.
I was able to buy an incredible anery boa and a beautiful 100% het kahl albino female for around $400 shipped TOTAL. Why are hypos so much more than, lets say an anery, which takes at least 2 generations to produce. PLUS, so many people are currently selling them so the supply must be greater than the demand. I understand that some hypos are of a higher quality than others and that some are het for other morphs but I just want a plain old hypo for around $200...how long will I have to wait? will pricing ever drop? just curious...

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Sincerely,
Jason
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My Website:
www.members.aol.com/northeastsnakes

BOAS: 0.1 Solomon Island Ground Boa, 1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas, 1.1 Argentine Boas, 2.2 Nicaraguans, 1.1 Sonoran Desert Boas, 1.1 Cay Caulkers, 1.0 Columbian Boa 100% het. Kahl Albino, 0.1 Anery Col. boa, 1.1 Hog Island Boas, 0.1 Hog Island Boa poss. het. patternless, PYTHONS: 1.2 Green Tree Pythons, 2.2 Bismarck Ringed Pythons, 2.8 Normal Ball Pythons, 1.0 Ball Python 100% het. Piebald, COLUBRIDS: 1.1 Black Pinesnakes, 1.1 Northern Pinesnakes, 2.2 Bairds Ratsnakes, 1.2 White-sided Black Ratsnakes, CORN SNAKES: 1.0 Blizzard, 1.2 Bloodreds, 1.2 Butters, 1.0 Ghost, 0.1 Sunglow, 1.0 Hypo het Amber, 1.1 Lavenders, 1.1 Miami Phases, 1.2 Reverse Okeetee, 0.1 Snow, 0.1 Striped Amel, 3.2 Okeetees

Eventually the price will drop.
If you find people willing to kill the market, you may not have to wait very long.
Most of us with killer salmon or albino breeding stock are trying to breed for even more color.
I'm sure that if you are patient or find someone who doesn't care about the snake breeding industry, or more importantly, the people who comprise it,!... you will be able to find those who are willing to sacrifice the entire market & the families who depend on it, to "hook you up" with below market value animals.
May God & the rest of us have mercy on their souls.
Happy Thanksgiving! Jeff "the family man" Gray

...

Thanks, someBODY has to TESTI m&f'n FY.
That's testify for those of you in the blue states < jk

n/p

Jeff, I do not know you and yet I like you very much! I like your style. I am on my way to becomeing a Salmon boa breeder. I bought great stock, and they will be worth the money. Happy Thanksgiving Everybody! Keep your rubbermaids Full! Andy Federico

There was no need to be so rude about my post. If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all. I was not trying to be disrespectful nor was I trying to complain about pricing. I was simply asking for a guess about when pricing may drop AND why co-dominant hypo boas are more expensive than simple recessive gene morphs. You chose to answer none of those questions nor provide any insight. I do not know you but my first impression of you is that you are concerned more about money and less about the animals. Maybe I’m wrong and if so, I’m sorry. Furthermore, the ‘market’ that you refer to varies quite a bit, but something tells me you already know that. I see some hypos selling for less but should be more and other hypos overpriced based on their coloration and patterns. Ya know what, I could go on and on but I keep re-reading your reply and you are just a jerk so I’m just going to stop now.
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Sincerely,
Jason
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My Website:
www.members.aol.com/northeastsnakes

BOAS: 0.1 Solomon Island Ground Boa, 1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas, 1.1 Argentine Boas, 2.2 Nicaraguans, 1.1 Sonoran Desert Boas, 1.1 Cay Caulkers, 1.0 Columbian Boa 100% het. Kahl Albino, 0.1 Anery Col. boa, 1.1 Hog Island Boas, 0.1 Hog Island Boa poss. het. patternless, PYTHONS: 1.2 Green Tree Pythons, 2.2 Bismarck Ringed Pythons, 2.8 Normal Ball Pythons, 1.0 Ball Python 100% het. Piebald, COLUBRIDS: 1.1 Black Pinesnakes, 1.1 Northern Pinesnakes, 2.2 Bairds Ratsnakes, 1.2 White-sided Black Ratsnakes, CORN SNAKES: 1.0 Blizzard, 1.2 Bloodreds, 1.2 Butters, 1.0 Ghost, 0.1 Sunglow, 1.0 Hypo het Amber, 1.1 Lavenders, 1.1 Miami Phases, 1.2 Reverse Okeetee, 0.1 Snow, 0.1 Striped Amel, 3.2 Okeetees

For several months now,the market has been literally brimming with very nice looking "hypos" for $350-400 (shipped!) I recently offered a few for $300 shipped,(that's a little over $200 bucks) there aren't any recessive mutations other than anerythristics,that are cheaper than that! and,there again price variation depends on quality,(or,"should" )as well as supply & demand...what is already begining to take place across the board,is that,as any mutation is refined,and,begins to benefit from better choice selective breeding,the price begins to go back up,above previous "market lows",because the bar is raised,so-to-speak,in terms of a "standard of quality".this same trend occured with albinos a couple of years back,and,is not over yet. If you truely "want" a nice hypo,there are plenty to be had at the $300-350 range,and,honestly,that's really not alot of money in this hobby,or,any other for that matter...Just my opinion,I hope you find what you're looking for.

So...about hypos. I see nice hypos from time to to time in the $300 range, but you've got to watch the ads...which I'm sure you do. Also, many of the $1000 hypos out there are worth it, it my opinion.

Personally, when I am pricing an animal I look at the `market' price to make sure I'm not charging too much. Beyond that, I could care less if I'm cutting the `market' off at the knees...I will part with an animal for a price that I am comfortable with. I have never made a profit selling snakes....maybe that will change someday and I can stop managing a grocery store......
Anyways, I think a well run business is one that reacts to market changes, not one that complains at the changes taking place...

I realize this post is a little left field of your question...but oh well. Jason, I respect your dedication to the animals. It is refreshing change from all of the pricing talk.

p.s. When are you going to post some more pics of those beuatiful Nic's?

Take Care, Chris O

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www.chrisolsonreptiles.com
Naked I see the camp of those who desire nothing

I appreciate your reply...and you're 100% right, many of the $1000 hypos are indeed worth every penny. Also, I've almost jumped at the opportunity to buy a $300 hypo on more than one occasion.

I don't understand why people get so uptight discussing pricing sometimes. By the time I pay electric, gas and other expenses associated with my herps, I could never possibly come close to making a profit from selling snakes unless I luck out with a brand new morph, like an albino ringed python (maybe Santa will put one in my stocking!)

Anyway, enough dreaming.lol. My nics are doing awesome but I still cannot get them to eat f/t for me. Time is such a rare thing anymore and with being a first year teacher, I have such time for my herps lately. I have moved many of my breeding plans back another year just to be on the safe-side with the health of my animals.

I probably won't be posting any pics again till the summer, which is unfortunate, but it will be exciting to compare then and now pics. Plus, I just moved only a month ago so I'm still getting settled. My new herp rooms are not anywhere near complete. Its a mess in my house right now and summer simply can't come around soon enough.lol. I also plan on taking plenty of pics on the progress, and stages of development of the new snake rooms so that others can learn from it. What a process!
Well, Happy Turkey Day! I will be a ghost again come Monday...back to school! lol
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Sincerely,
Jason
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My Website:
www.members.aol.com/northeastsnakes

BOAS: 0.1 Solomon Island Ground Boa, 1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas, 1.1 Argentine Boas, 2.2 Nicaraguans, 1.1 Sonoran Desert Boas, 1.1 Cay Caulkers, 1.0 Columbian Boa 100% het. Kahl Albino, 0.1 Anery Col. boa, 1.1 Hog Island Boas, 0.1 Hog Island Boa poss. het. patternless, PYTHONS: 1.2 Green Tree Pythons, 2.2 Bismarck Ringed Pythons, 2.8 Normal Ball Pythons, 1.0 Ball Python 100% het. Piebald, COLUBRIDS: 1.1 Black Pinesnakes, 1.1 Northern Pinesnakes, 2.2 Bairds Ratsnakes, 1.2 White-sided Black Ratsnakes, CORN SNAKES: 1.0 Blizzard, 1.2 Bloodreds, 1.2 Butters, 1.0 Ghost, 0.1 Sunglow, 1.0 Hypo het Amber, 1.1 Lavenders, 1.1 Miami Phases, 1.2 Reverse Okeetee, 0.1 Snow, 0.1 Striped Amel, 3.2 Okeetees

LOL,IN ALL SERIUSNESS THOUGH IF YOU CAN AFFORD 400 DOLLARS ON A ANERY OR A HET ALBINO THEN WHY CAN'T YOU GET A HYPO?THAT MAKES NO SENCE?GRIFF HAS SOME POSTED IN THE CLASSIFIEDS,RIGHT NOW FOR 350.00,NOW DEPENDING WHERE YOU LIVE WITH SHPPING THATS ABOUT 400.00,WHATS THE PROB?,HYPOBOA!

I'm not trying to run the market into the ground.lol. I meant to say that I paid $400 total (appx $200 each for an anery and het albino). I can afford many snakes in the upper price ranges but if I paid top dollar for every snake I have purchased over the years, I'd be broke. I'm not saying I want to sink the market and I doubt that a few animals sold at lower prices would ruin things for everyone. Just look at the green tree python market. I occasionally see some for $200 but it doesn't stop everyone else from selling them at $400 each. Besides, I take my time and do not take any shortcuts with husbandry so by the time I actually produce any of the morphs I buy today, prices will be much, much different anyway.

Plus, at some point or another, we have all gotten a 'deal' on a snake...and that's not even what I'm really inquiring about. The market varies greatly from the northeast to the west coast to the southeast. My main question initially was why a hypo is more than, lets say, an anery and someone already answered that question. Also, I occasionally see lower quality hypos being sold for top dollar prices similar to the higher quality hypos.

As for supply and demand…I always argue that philosophy simply because I do not believe that it can always be applied to every situation with expensive snakes. The fact is that hypos seem to be in plentiful supply so if demand was there, we would not see so many for sale in classifieds and at herp shows. With more efficient rack systems, people can always ‘holdback’ animals not sold until they get the prices they feel they deserve, which throws the supply and demand principal out the window…which I’m not necessarily disagreeing with. In fact, I see a lot of $450 hypos that I would pay $450 for.
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Sincerely,
Jason
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My Website:
www.members.aol.com/northeastsnakes

BOAS: 0.1 Solomon Island Ground Boa, 1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boas, 1.1 Argentine Boas, 2.2 Nicaraguans, 1.1 Sonoran Desert Boas, 1.1 Cay Caulkers, 1.0 Columbian Boa 100% het. Kahl Albino, 0.1 Anery Col. boa, 1.1 Hog Island Boas, 0.1 Hog Island Boa poss. het. patternless, PYTHONS: 1.2 Green Tree Pythons, 2.2 Bismarck Ringed Pythons, 2.8 Normal Ball Pythons, 1.0 Ball Python 100% het. Piebald, COLUBRIDS: 1.1 Black Pinesnakes, 1.1 Northern Pinesnakes, 2.2 Bairds Ratsnakes, 1.2 White-sided Black Ratsnakes, CORN SNAKES: 1.0 Blizzard, 1.2 Bloodreds, 1.2 Butters, 1.0 Ghost, 0.1 Sunglow, 1.0 Hypo het Amber, 1.1 Lavenders, 1.1 Miami Phases, 1.2 Reverse Okeetee, 0.1 Snow, 0.1 Striped Amel, 3.2 Okeetees