Snake Market

Is it just my perception, or does the current market rather stink? This is only my second year keeping/breeding snakes, and I do not have a bunch for sale at this time, but it seems to me that there are a lot more breeders out there than buyers. Our local reptile shows are always packed with people, but from what I can tell, they're all just looking. Do that many people really buy admission tickets just to look at animals, like it's a big petting zoo? I see almost no one with purchases, and I've heard several vendors claim that they hadn't sold a thing the entire show. I've also talked to other breeders expressing interest in wholesaling their snakes because of lack of demand and the high prices for pinkies. So what gives? The supply of snakes seems huge right now, but I am concerned for the future of the hobby. Maybe it's just corns, but I haven't seen anyone buying ball pythons, either. I would be interested in the comments of more experienced persons. Thanks!

I've noticed geckos seem to sell really well at shows compared to snakes. I think a lot of people do go to shows for the giant petting zoo, if you think of it that way it might be worth the admission price for parents of reptile crazy kids. The reptile enthusiasts who go to shows are often looking for something in particular or just interested in one species.
If I'm not too busy I don't mind letting the kids hold a (designated ambassador adult) snake. More than once this has led to a sale if the kid convinces mom they really want a snake and not a lizard (you just have to convince mom it's easier to take care of and not slimy or gross)

Originally Posted by backafter30

Is it just my perception, or does the current market rather stink? This is only my second year keeping/breeding snakes, and I do not have a bunch for sale at this time, but it seems to me that there are a lot more breeders out there than buyers. Our local reptile shows are always packed with people, but from what I can tell, they're all just looking. Do that many people really buy admission tickets just to look at animals, like it's a big petting zoo? I see almost no one with purchases, and I've heard several vendors claim that they hadn't sold a thing the entire show.

Persons who go to shows are looking for a better deal then the online price. They do not have to pay for shipping, but the price they would have paid for shipping is equal to gas money and eats along the way and admission. It also affords them the opportunity to talk to breeders. (saving the online marketeer 87 emails) and then, even then, I'd still rather have that offline interaction then have to deal with the way different monitors show a 3d snake in 2d and color discrepancies) and there's a load of other concepts behind all that ball of whatever-you-want-to-call-that. The first couple of shows I did I had a lot of persons look at the snakes, and imprint on looking at me (not pretty) and not much chatter, the second one I sold enough to cover table costs. Sometimes it works out sometimes not, always a roll of the dice. I enjoy the persons that come to shows, they are my new software entertainment and I hope I am theirs. I go to shows and see uptight frigid vendors looking all terrified of not being behind a computer at home and, well, that. Shows are a different venue. You can sell online, offline, wholesale either to local pet shops or to major players, depending on how many you are producing. How much of a career you want to turn your hobby into is up to you. In fact, all of this comes back to you. What do you want to do with your snakes? Have pets and a nice little side hobby or give up friends (because you never spend time with them, and like brushing your teeth, if you ignore them, they will go away).



I've also talked to other breeders expressing interest in wholesaling their snakes because of lack of demand and the high prices for pinkies.

Maybe they are trying to scare you out of becoming future competition, or maybe they have not shopped around for the best price on pinkies. Maybe something else. Whatever that something else is, I might not know.



So what gives? The supply of snakes seems huge right now, but I am concerned for the future of the hobby.

A hobby does not make money. If a hobby made money, it would be called a "business".


Maybe it's just corns, but I haven't seen anyone buying ball pythons, either. I would be interested in the comments of more experienced persons. Thanks!

Replies in another color above

A hobby does not make money. If a hobby made money, it would be called a "business".

^ I completely agree with this! I never got into this as a "business" - it was just something I really wanted to do. I love my cornbabies, and I enjoy teaching others about them. If I can change someone's opinion of snakes along the way, and maybe make enough money to support my hobby, I'm good

I've been wondering the same, except with far less knowledge. I really wonder who buys all of the more expensive snakes out there. There seems to be quite a lot of them for sale with pricetags that are food/bill/rent money for the regular working folks. I know there's rich folks out there buying snakes too, but do they really buy so many?.

I've done my fair share of handling only at the reptile show I went to. I did buy two crested geckos. I couldn't afford to buy all of the herps I handled at that reptile show, nor buy more supplies for more setups.

Having just finished a show (and my first big show! Woo!) I think it also depends on how often your area is having reptile events.

If you're in an area where there are frequent shows, your market is going to be less full of buyers at each one. It seems to me that Colorado has several decent-sized shows a year, doesn't it? I'm aware that it's not a little state and the population in different areas would change, but people who are really interested in reptiles are often willing to travel, too.

There were plenty of people buying at the Sacramento show. I can't speak to whether it was more or fewer than usual, because I haven't been a vendor there before.

Originally Posted by Ecim

I really wonder who buys all of the more expensive snakes out there. There seems to be quite a lot of them for sale with pricetags that are food/bill/rent money for the regular working folks. I know there's rich folks out there buying snakes too, but do they really buy so many?.

Normal people who want more expensive snakes get payment plans! :-) Really. I've only had one person, ever, not complete payment. And I've bought plenty on payment plans, and been very grateful for the opportunity to do so.

I've been in this industry for decades and I can tell you it's alive, well and growing.
It is heavily saturated with product right now especially Ball Pythons.
Most people that go to the shows are there for the "petting zoo" experience. 10% are there to buy. A high % of that 10% buy cheap reptiles for fear of investing in an expensive pet only to possibly loose it. I see a lot of WC selling cheap which for the novice buyers only leads to disappointment and a bad taste for owning reptiles in the future. BUT look how many first time corn snake owners joining here are in their 30's, 40's ! ALSO most kids aren't buying into unfounded fear that a lot of the adults have. Every exhibition that we do all the kids are at the front and most of the adults stay back
The next show I'm vending at will have over 140 vender tables with 250+ sellers. This show has expanded to a larger room and added a 3rd date for each year. If you have the hard to find and the unusual then the other venders tend to be your base customers at the shows. Most will want to trade though.
As a hobbyist, You need to find your "niche" in this business and your outlet for your product whether it's mainly local or internet sales. Focus on your "niche" and where the future is with them.
A seller at the last show had $10 to $25,000 BP's for sale. She sold a $10 BP. Another vender sold the most because she brought a bunch of used tanks. She offered 1 48''x36''x24'' PCV Viv with heat for $250 but it came with a normal 8 foot common boa. I offered $350 without the boa LOL she turned me down. She sold it later on. On the other side of it, As a collector I will spot a reptile that interests me with a high $$$ and go back later to try to get the "end of the show" price only to find it had sold. I'm happy for the seller that he got his asking price.
Most of the expensive BP morphs are traded. I saw a real funny post on FB awhile ago that compared BP's to Beanie Babies. Humorous but accurate.

I was a vendor in Anaheim and in Sacramento in years past. I've been to the Daytona show a few times, Pomona, the San Diego Super show, and various other small shows.

At the bigger shows there seems to be plenty of sales going on. These are the shows people are traveling from further away in hopes of getting that special something that you usually don't see at the smaller local shows. That special something could be a reptile, supplies, or saving shipping costs on that Vision V-70 rack w/heat you want. Not that I know anything about that last item. Ha ha. I think there's more people going to a big show with the mindset that they'll buy something... and excited about it too. :-)

Last weekend I was at a small show in Harmarville, PA. I go to this show with the mindset that I'm going to look and buy supplies. I looked around and then bought aspen and mouse block. There never seems to be any corns I'm interested in at that show.

I can abselutly tell you a hobby is something you invest in for the love of the hobby, not for the profit it makes. As a past bloodhound breeder of twenty years and now retired, i only bred if i could better the quality of the animals i was showing. I still was responsible for every pup i produced, so spending the time and money on the babies was a priority to me. I only kept 1 or 2 pups and my litters were 10 -12 pups per litter. Between vets and food and all the time to raise healthy, happy, babies, i made less then i spent and never broke even, but it was a hobby and I loved the showing and training for tracking trials. I even donated a few pups to a sherrifs dept. when i found out they needed a tracker. So If you do something for love of a hobby, The few dollars that is made by breeding will just off set some expence but never make a profit.

As far as people who go to shows, I don't know about reptile shows, I'm going to my first in a 2 weeks, but i am going to look for something specific. If i see it i will consider it.