Boa vs. Ball python market

I am just curious to ask how both markets are doing economically? Have boas and or balls been moving lately? More so in babies then adults? Noticing any market trends? Predictions are always entertaining and welcome! lol

Short answer = Every part of the reptile market is pretty bad right now. People just aren't spending money.

Matthew is right on target. All species are suffering in the market today. I think boids in particular may be suffering in part because of the proposed ban. If the ban passes, it will make it very difficult for those whose livelihood revolves around the captive propagation of boids.

Breed what you like.... People are not buying like they once were but I am not going to try to predict something as up and down as the reptile market. There are no set prices like a lot think. And if there is who sets them? lol

I am just going to truck along and do what I do. To worry about it takes to much time.

I think part of it is that prices on many species and morphs were hyperinflated. Its one thing to ask a high price because a species or morph is rare or difficult to breed. Its another to ask a high price simply arbitrarily. For instance, look at the price of many BP, bearded dragons and leopard geckos. These are very easy to breed, very common and pretty inexpensive to keep yet the prices on most morphs are still skyhigh, then sellers bump the thread a dozen times with no responses and still dont lower the price.

Larger species in general will also be hit harder when economy is bad because they cost more to house and feed.

All very good points, i definitely see how the ball market is somewhat inflated even still. I wonder how much the boa market is really affected by the bills being considered. I personally have just invested $4,000 or so in boas in the last month without a second thought to the bills being considered. I sign everything I can sign and support where i can to fight the bills but honestly if those bills do pass, the government does not have the man power to enforce captive breeding and sales (especially in michigan where there is no way a species could be introduced in the wild). I will still breed my boas regardless along with most other hobbyists.

In response to bigjej

"These are very easy to breed, very common and pretty inexpensive to keep yet the prices on most morphs are still skyhigh, then sellers bump the thread a dozen times with no responses and still dont lower the price."

I see your point with ridiculous prices and not budging but sometimes price is not the problem. For example I listed an adult male cinnamon breeder bp for sale not more than a month or two ago on fauna for i don't know 350 or so to start. i bumped and bumped and bumped with little serious interest, so i decide price is the problem i lower and lower and lower even down to 150 for an adult breeder flawless feeding cinnamon, this is right in the range of a hatchlings price.. I still could not sell it and ended up doing a trade deal. Now in that situation i dont think the problem was the price, clearly the price was right. I think the problem was you have to wait for the right buyer, and in this business that might take the whole season. What i mean by that was probably no one who saw that add wanted a male cinnamon, had someone seen the add for 300 who wanted one, they very well might have purchased it. Which is why i defend the habitual bumpers, you have to do it if you understand the business, you cannot put an animal up and expect it to move that week or even month unless your willing to dump it, and even still it might not sell.. I am not saying this is the case with every animal, some people price ridiculously and don't budge, but thats their business to do i guess..

just my view on that.

Yeah, I've heard more than one person tell me that getting into balls right now is pointless because everyone is breeding and morphs are poor investments. I just do it for the hobby, it's never been about money. My ultimate goal is for my snakes to pay for themselves, without me having to invest extra money into them. The market may be poor but you can't really expect much with the economy just coming around.

Balls will always beat boas simply because more balls fit into smaller places and the morphs are nearly endless. Of course, a beautiful Suriname will beat any ball in my opinion.

I have noticed on my end that all aspects, whether it is balls or boas are very slow right now, as is everything else in the trade. It has alot to do with a poor economy, but also there are so many people breeding everything, and way to many shows, the market is totaly saturated. Large supply X Saturation X lots of shows X Poor economy = More competition, surplus animals, lower prices.

Has anyone noticed the prices on Co-dom Ball Morphs? Another year or so of these declining prices Co-doms will be the new normals, with alot of them priced at under $150, everyone will have them which means all the double co-doms are gonna drop. Dont get me wrong, the ball market is gonna be around for a long time to come with limitless new morphs, but I dont think prices are gonna stablize and sustain like they have in the past.

Originally Posted by jntreptiles

I have noticed on my end that all aspects, whether it is balls or boas are very slow right now, as is everything else in the trade. It has alot to do with a poor economy, but also there are so many people breeding everything, and way to many shows, the market is totaly saturated. Large supply X Saturation X lots of shows X Poor economy = More competition, surplus animals, lower prices.

Has anyone noticed the prices on Co-dom Ball Morphs? Another year or so of these declining prices Co-doms will be the new normals, with alot of them priced at under $150, everyone will have them which means all the double co-doms are gonna drop. Dont get me wrong, the ball market is gonna be around for a long time to come with limitless new morphs, but I dont think prices are gonna stablize and sustain like they have in the past.

I agree 100% the ball market is full of double edged swords, it is desirable because they are small, prolific, one male codom can breed many normal females, small cages, etc etc.. but these are all ingredients for a saturated market. A ball python male or female can be bred at a year and a few months making a rapid turn around on your investment which makes people get the get rich quick bug and buy those high dollar codoms.. But at the same time if your not successful in your first year or two with your investment the market has already dropped so far your sol. This is why i prefer the boa market to ball market, boas take 3-5 years for females to reach a reproductive age, so this deters most people looking to get rich quick, it takes years of dedication and when they are ready they are not as consistent as ball pythons so it might take longer than those 3-5 years. Also you cant take an expensive codom and breed to a bunch of normal females, i wouldnt bank on a male hitting more than 2 females with any consistency especially not a first year breeder and raising a bunch of normal females is not worth 3-5 years of your time. And although ball pythons have many morphs... a lesser is a lesser a cinny is a cinny etc etc.. in boas an albino can be a bland $200 snake or can be a bright pink and red $1,000 snake. to me this is why boas are so exciting, every boa is different and some can be remarkable. A boa breeder can fine tune his lines to exactly what he wants and it shows that the breeder has done that. That is just my opinion on the subject, i hope that didnt come off like i was ripping on ball breeders or their market, i respect the hobby and all the breeders, these are just my thoughts..