• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

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    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
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    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Snake Economics

ChuckHurd

ChuckHurd

www.ChuckHurd.com
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Couple nights ago i spoke with a breeder about a pair of CB 07 Albino Eastern Diamondbacks. He quoted me his price and it was surprisingly high. I had been quoted a price for a pair in 06 that was less then half his price. Trying not to be rude about it, I explained that was a more then I expected, given I was quoted much lower the year before. He was bothered by this and wanted to know who was dropping the price. Being an economics teacher, this intrigued me and i began to think about snake economics. The price of anything in a free market economy is determined by supply and demand. The supply is, of course, provided by the breeders and the demand comes from other breeders and collectors. As with any color morph, the initial price is high, then steadily declines each year. While at premium price, the demand is supplied almost exclusively by other breeders who are looking for investment return. In other words, they are investing $5000 in an animal in hopes of that animal bringing them back the investment, plus profit. Each year more and more "investors" get the animals to the point that everyone looking to invest has the stock, then the price must nose dive to the point average collectors will be willing to pay, otherwise there is no market, in other words, no demand for the supply. Considering these are venomous snakes, i think there is a unique concern. Since the babies are not going to reproduce for at least 3 years, investors are looking at a 3 year investment before any return what so ever. as with any animal, there exists the possibility of death and a total loss of investment, but more specific to venomous reptiles, an investor must worry about new legislation. Seemly each year more states are regulating this hobby and pushing more and more breeders out of the market. Few investors are looking to tie up investment capital into a 3 year investment that may yield nothing due to death, or a fraction of the investment due to changing laws. In the world of venomous reptiles, it seems downward pressure is placed on the new morphs much faster then in the world of say ball pythons or boas.
 
I enjoyed reading your "Snake Economics" write up. I have never really understood the price determination myself. Do breeders say: "Wow we created a new morph. Lets charge $12,000." What determines that initial value for the animal?

Correct me if i'm wrong because I am certainly no economics expert. At some point in the marketplace for a specific morph, wouldn't it reach a point where the long term return would not justify the initial cost. It would no longer be an investment.

A bold prediction: Over the next decade we may see the "extinction" of some morphs in the market because they value hits rock bottom. It would look something like this:

Piebald Ball Python, Male, $65.00
 
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