Why they ONLY cost $300-$600 not $1000

Posted by Doug T on December 08, 2001 at 19:03:49:

In Reply to: The cost of an Indigo. posted by Keith Hillson on December 07, 2001 at 23:34:44:

Anybody who comes on this forum knows I breed indigos. I've always tried to steer away from "price" threads but this one seems to be getting a bit weird. So I'll toss my thoughts it.

The demand is actually kept artificially low. The permit and endangered species status scares away many people who are qualified to buy. Outside of the United States, Indigos can be bought and sold no problem since they aren't CITES listed. The Endangered Species Act makes it all but illegal to export them. If I didn't have to deal with buyers getting endangered species interstate commerce permits and the impossibility (almost) of exporting to other countries, I could double or triple my price and still leave folks waiting for snakes. Think about it, essentially zero indigos are exported to Japan, Europe, Canada or anywhere where there are reptile enthusiasts.

You said it seems there are lots of people breeding them. That’s kind of true. There are a lot of folks trying to breed them or just getting the hang of it. It’s gonna be a few more years before there are a lot of productive breeders but there aren’t that many yet. Even then, they don’t produce a lot of eggs and not all of those eggs survive.

Red chins are more expensive than all black. It’s a simple recessive and can show up just about anytime. The ones that are all black or have just a touch of white on the chins are just as impressive, but due to the lack of red will sell for a little bit less (not much less).

My guess, and it’s nothing but a guess, is that in about 4 years the breeders will have caught up somewhat with the demand and they’ll drop to $200 or so. At that point they will lose their appeal to folks with large collections who are breeding for $cash$. (You can tell who they are by how many of your emails, phone calls and questions they answer). I doubt they will ever drop to less than $200.

Just some thoughts.

DT

Follow Ups:

Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:
: Anybody who comes on this forum knows I breed indigos. I've always tried to steer away from "price" threads but this one seems to be getting a bit weird. So I'll toss my thoughts it. : The demand is actually kept artificially low. The permit and endangered species status scares away many people who are qualified to buy. Outside of the United States, Indigos can be bought and sold no problem since they aren't CITES listed. The Endangered Species Act makes it all but illegal to export them. If I didn't have to deal with buyers getting endangered species interstate commerce permits and the impossibility (almost) of exporting to other countries, I could double or triple my price and still leave folks waiting for snakes. Think about it, essentially zero indigos are exported to Japan, Europe, Canada or anywhere where there are reptile enthusiasts. : You said it seems there are lots of people breeding them. That’s kind of true. There are a lot of folks trying to breed them or just getting the hang of it. It’s gonna be a few more years before there are a lot of productive breeders but there aren’t that many yet. Even then, they don’t produce a lot of eggs and not all of those eggs survive. : Red chins are more expensive than all black. It’s a simple recessive and can show up just about anytime. The ones that are all black or have just a touch of white on the chins are just as impressive, but due to the lack of red will sell for a little bit less (not much less). : My guess, and it’s nothing but a guess, is that in about 4 years the breeders will have caught up somewhat with the demand and they’ll drop to $200 or so. At that point they will lose their appeal to folks with large collections who are breeding for $cash$. (You can tell who they are by how many of your emails, phone calls and questions they answer). I doubt they will ever drop to less than $200. : Just some thoughts. : DT

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

---

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Indigo Snake Forum ]

KINGSNAKE.COM Enjoy all our content free of charge with a user account that gives you full access to every feature. For added visibility, paid options are available - post in our Classifieds, showcase your business with Banner Ads or a Directory listing, promote reptile events, and more. Quick Links Home Advertise Classifieds Lost Password Your Account Community Journals Events Featured Articles Forums Photo Gallery Legal & Safety Terms of Service Classified TOS Age Verification Business Verification Vendor Complaint Support Banner Ad Help Classified Help Classified Tips Contact Us Forum Help Register for free ✓ Sign up! Kingsnake.com ® is a registered trademark © 1997-