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 #2069927


ShadowAceD
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 Maybe it’s just me ...

But does anyone else find it annoying that along with the crash of prices in Albino/Sunglow Boas (mostly Kahl’s because Sharp’s still seem to be quite expensive to me) came a coupled crash of the quality of these animals? The majority of them that I see are not very good contrast and are already fading before they reach even six months of age. I just find it frustrating that the market on them was hit so badly by an influx of specimens when the influx is not even of really good quality animals.

I have a yearling Kahl Albino who still has quite a bit of color to him and when I bought him last year I paid 600.00 USD for him. If it came to getting a high contrast animal for that amount or a low contrast for 250.00 USD I think I would go with the higher amount. Again ... maybe it’s just me and maybe I’m just rambling ... it’s just something that’s been annoying me for quite some time now.

Anyone else have any thoughts or opinions on this particular subject?
09/09/09  04:30pm

 #2070216


Bciaddict
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   Message To: ShadowAceD   In reference to Message Id: 2069927


 Maybe it’s just me ...

Yeah, it’s frustrating. Boas prices always drop over time. I remember when a T positive male Nic was price at $40,000 US, now just a few years later you can get a nice one for under $1000.

Sharps will probably always be a little higher than Kahls, for one, there are less of them. And now since it’s been proven that they are compatible with the Boawoman hypos.....that alone will sustain their price for a while.

The market is flooded with albinos and hets, same thing with hypos boas. Too many people producing them just to make money without any care of supply and demand.

How many people do you see on forums boasting about a brand new boa that they got where one of the first things they generally ask is, "what should I breed this with?" They are thinking about what THEY want...they breed to produce a litter of something they want, keep the one or two babies from the litter that they like and try to sell the rest. Considering the size of the average boa litter, that’s a lot of boas that are "not wanted." This isn’t just the case with small breeders, big breeders are just as guilty of this. Think about all the people who bought a pair of triple hets for moonglow....why, so they could breed them to produce 1 moonglow which they keep....what about the other babies in that litter???

I bought my low contrast Kahl for $750 just before the prices dropped even further into the toilet. But I specifically picked him for certain breeding projects....not to put more low-end albinos into an already overfilled market. I plan on flooding the world with CB Nicaraguans!! Bwahhhaahaha!!!! just kidding....

Amie
09/10/09  07:34am

 #2070249


ShadowAceD
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   Message To: Bciaddict   In reference to Message Id: 2070216


 Maybe it’s just me ...

LOL! I like that last comment (by the way, I have seen your albino and low contrast or not, it’s a gorgeous animal), but I am totally with you there. I snagged a pair of TH’s for Moonglow and a DH for Snow a few months ago with intentions of breeding them later down the line, but not for turn of profit. The majority of the animals I will keep, because I’m crazy like that, but others are going to be sold mostly to family and friends.

I am not foolish enough to try and breed these animals just because I want money. That, in and of itself, is incredibly irresponsible. I mean, think about it? You go to Craigslist all the time and see unwanted boas and other snakes. People bought them because they thought they were cool and then, low and behold, they got too big to handle. Or they are "expecting a baby and cannot dedicate enough time to it". The excuses abound in the thousands, but the bottom line is people are just irresponsible in general and do not think before they act. Whether or not I will breed my animals (my normal and my Hog are never going to be bred), I am keeping them for their entire lives, which is crazy to think about sometimes because I’m like ... Wow ... I’m going to be in my thirties and fourties and still have these animals. That’s awesome. Lol

But, the overall flood in the market is annoying. People think it’s good because the prices drop and these animals are affordable now. If they are affordable, that really means there is a lacking uniqueness in them. But even still, there are people stuck with tons of animals they cannot sell because they bred a litter of twenty-five just to keep ONE snake from it. I mean, I went to Daytona this year and on Sunday I was shocked at how many snakes still remained. There was one table I saw with literally hundreds, if not thousands, of baby corn snakes in containers on it. Even Peter Kahl had a ridiculous amount of animals left, but they were all from the ’08 season. He did not even breed anyone this year.

I just worry what will happen to boas as a hobby if this crap keeps up. No wonder people are trying to pass legislation to keep people from owning/breeding/selling these animals. It’s similiar to the problem with the stray dog/cat population but the unfortunate fact of that is ... boas are typically bred intentionally. I just hate seeing so many unwanted snakes. I have personally brought over fourteen fosters into my home, nursed them back to health and adopted them out to responsible owners or non-profit organizations in the past three years. And these were great tame animals, just unwanted and forgotten.

Lol ... I so just went on a rant here. Sorry! But, clearly, this annoys me. XD

-D
09/10/09  11:01am

 #2070274


Bciaddict
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   Message To: ShadowAceD   In reference to Message Id: 2070249


 Maybe it’s just me ...

I have no problem with ranting...I’ve been known to speak out at times

I realized when I made my comment about TH’s that you might misconstrue what I meant and might think I was attacking you specifically, I’m glad you didn’t....that particular example was the best I could come up with at the time

Anyways, I agree with you....we as hobbyists need to be responsible for our animals and any animals we produce.

Amie
09/10/09  12:31pm

 #2070281


ShadowAceD
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   Message To: Bciaddict   In reference to Message Id: 2070274


 Maybe it’s just me ...

Lol I’ve been around here long enough to know you don’t outright attack people. You’re one of the few that actually knows what they are talking about half the time.

I just wish people would get a lick of sense in their head and get over themselves. If you want to breed these animals, then that is fine, but don’t crash out the market because you don’t want to take the time and effort to care for these animals or because you want a fast buck. I encountered a guy like this and he gave me a sick animal I sunk hundreds of dollars into only to ultimately to euthanize her. I guess all we can do is try to educate others while remaining responsible ourselves. Even if what we REALLY want to do is smack people. XD

-D
09/10/09  12:59pm

 #2070284


Fairy Frog Mother
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   Message To: Bciaddict   In reference to Message Id: 2070274


 Maybe it’s just me ...

These are all reasons which, though I got mine intending to breed them one time, I may not breed them. They are from lines which produced a paradox...so its still tempting- but I would need to be sure I could find good homes for all of the others in the clutch too. I have a few wanting some...but again, I dont want to keep flooding the market with possible hets.

I think anyone breeding should take all of these factors into consideration BEFORE housing their snakes together. Unwanted snakes end up dead from improper care or released in parks where they dont belong- which is off topic I know.

As far as prices go, pricing goes with demand. Once a rare commodity, in this case an animal, is no longer rare, the prices are sure to drop. The higher quality healty animals will always be worth more to breeders and true collectors. The pet industry will continue to crank out inferior specimines who will eventually have health issues from inbreeding...like German Shepherds with Hip Displasia.
Smart people will still save for and seek out higher end healthier specimines. People who want them as status symbols will go with the cheaper mass produced pet.



09/10/09  01:09pm

 #2070298


ShadowAceD
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   Message To: Fairy Frog Mother   In reference to Message Id: 2070284


 Maybe it’s just me ...

Couldn’t have said it better myself, Fairy.
09/10/09  01:40pm


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