5-9-08

 Pricing a Boa


Frequently I get questions about how I establish a value for one of my animals. It is not simple. Frequently I am asked to place a value on someone else's animal. This is very hard, however, this is essentially what I have to do each time I am considering the purchase of an animal. For me, there are many factors that enter the equation when it comes to pricing a boa:

  1. Species
  2. Age
  3. Size
  4. Sex
  5. Genetic potential

  6. Captive born on U.S. soil, captive born outside the U.S., born from wild caught gravid female, or wild caught.

  7. The original cost of the animal (if it came from another source)

  8. Reputation and trustworthiness of source
  9. Who produced the animal? Recognized & established bloodlines?
  10. Virgin or proven breeder?
  11. Current health status
  12. Feeding response
  13. Digestive problems?
  14. Quality of pattern
  15. Quality of color
  16. Scarcity of type
  17. Acclimated to handling?
  18. General temperament
  19. Current demand and pricing in the market
  20. How long has the animal been in my collection?

  21. Have I raised the boa through its first months of life when the risks of something going wrong are comparatively high?

  22. Did the animal arrive in my collection already established or did it arrive with little or no history?

  23. Sentimental value

I did not prioritize this list. My feeling is that most people don't recognize the value or place enough value on #20-22. Because I have confidence in my quarantine program, I will sometimes purchase animals that have little or no established history. These animals may have been recently imported or they may have come from unknown breeders. These animals are risky purchases compared to animals that are captive born and are already well established feeders from reputable breeding programs. These animals will sometimes require lots of time and attention to get them established as healthy, reliable feeders. I believe that this risk and the time & effort required to establish the animal have value. Additionally, each animal in the collection has a weekly cost. Think about what goes into maintaining and raising a group of boas:

  • providing cages with prerequisite caging equipment (water dish, heat source, thermostat, etc.) - my larger cages cost about $250 to set up

  • electricity required to maintain heat sources

  • a freezer as well as the electricity required to keep the rats frozen

  • rats - here is a rough estimate of my expenses for a given boa (assuming 50 meals a year of appropriate size):

    • First year of life: $30-35/yr
    • Sub-adult: $45-55/yr
    • Adult: $75-85/yr
  • camera equipment
  • computer equipment

  • Internet costs (ISP, domain registration, web site hosting, Kingsnake account)

  • time - it requires immense amounts of time to maintain a colony of boas while maintaining high standards of quality. Here is a list that surely is not complete:

    • finding exceptional animals by perusing the classifieds, web sites, and shows

    • arranging a deal (usually by email or phone)
    • arranging and completing the shipment
    • acquiring caging
    • acquiring caging accessories and equipment
    • setting up caging and heating system
    • quarantining an animal
    • acclimating an animal to eating frozen/thawed prey
    • establishing an animal on a feeding schedule

    • attending to the basic husbandry of maintaining a clean cage with clean water

    • acclimating an animal to handling and developing its trust in humans

    • acquiring rodents
    • maintaining rodents
    • thawing rodents
    • feeding the animal
    • photographing the animal
    • developing & maintaining a web site
    • advertising animals
    • answering email inquiries
    • arranging a deal
    • scheduling a shipment
    • properly packing an animal for shipment

Obviously an animal that has spent time in my collection has required a significant investment of resources both directly as cash and indirectly as time. My investment of time has more to do with my enjoyment of the animals than any potential compensation. I never attempt to factor my time into the cost of an animal. On the other hand, I can't afford to lose a great deal of money to a hobby. I need to at least cover my direct costs. Don't worry, I am not quitting my day job.