Does the Ball Python industry have a future?

Firstly I'm not trying to start a fight, but I kind of want to know what you guys think. IMO I think with the amount of people breeding balls and the recent price drops are going to destroy ball pythons. At the same time there will probably be new stuff all the time. I personally, with the exception of very few ball python morphs that I find beautiful I choose not to work with them. What do you guys think?

I think there is a future for the ball python "industry." I think the ball python hobby has a better future.
The fact that they are such docile animals of a relatively small size with a wide variety of morphs will keep them as a favorite for many people, for many years to come.
I think the market crashing the way it is will rid the ball hobby of those who were in it only for the money, leaving us with those who truly admire and respect them as animals; and that is a good thing IMO.
Once the market finds the bottom and the "money only" breeders are gone, I think those who stuck it out because they love ball pythons will see a rise in prices because the supply has been reduced, although it may take quite some time for that to happen.
The large scale breeders like BHB or Constrictors Unlimited will likely remain the lead suppliers in the "industry" and to the hobby; small scale hobby breeders who never cared about the money will have more opportunity to work with morphs that were once unattainable and keep them going in the hobby; Small scale "money" breeders who were trying to make a fast buck on expensive morphs will be destroyed.

I think the most important thing with balls is to work with morphs you enjoy because you enjoy them. I have also been trying to pair things in such a way that I do not produce an overabundance of normals and normal 66% hets; those add to the problem of market saturation.

I totally agree with you Jon and couldn't have said it better myself. Work with the animals you want to produce and create. not the ones to just make a quick buck.

I agree with that premise and we can only hope that all the money hungry guys get out of it

But then the importers/exporters bringing in new and possibly new morphs won't be out diligently looking for new stuff. People will always want something new and exciting. It's ebb and flow just like all markets pretty much.

Markets will stabilize. Unless WW3 happens in the next few years. Haha

the importers and exporters will continue to do what they do because that is part of their business. There is always going to be a market for new genes and that's what they capitalize on. people are going to come and go but the true hobbyists will be in it for the long run. And just with anything the more you produce the cheaper it will get as with why you're more common genes or older ones are worth just a little more then normals are.

Originally Posted by John kimball

But then the importers/exporters bringing in new and possibly new morphs won't be out diligently looking for new stuff. People will always want something new and exciting. It's ebb and flow just like all markets pretty much.

While true I've noticed that the prices on even new morphs aren't as high now as they were just a few years ago. I don't know if that's due to the economy, which still isn't great, or if it's because of the realization after the desert female fiasco that there's a lot more risk in working on a project with the latest morph than was previously thought.

Originally Posted by bcr229

While true I've noticed that the prices on even new morphs aren't as high now as they were just a few years ago. I don't know if that's due to the economy, which still isn't great, or if it's because of the realization after the desert female fiasco that there's a lot more risk in working on a project with the latest morph than was previously thought.

I think it's a combination of what you said. Economic uncertainty, fear of spending big money and not having something prove out. Like BHB spending huge money on the viper ball that wasn't genetic, then spending huge money again on the sunset right afterwards and taking 7 years to prove it out. High risk equals high reward....you can also screw yourself too if you don't dot your "i's" and cross your "t's" I think there will always money to be made or pay for your hobby but it comes down to smart choices while doing what we love and not screwing people over. I also think there's too much secrecy going on right now. Some people waiting years after proving something out so they can have 2,3 and 4 gene snakes before "releasing" it to the public.

I agree it's a sound theory but have also seen these same threads for 5+ (maybe longer) years about BPs and the prices just keep going down faster and faster each year.
:/