Is there still a market for "Classic" morphs?

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Do what makes you happy. We only truly compete with ourselves. If you MUST bury your husband in the yard, be sure to dig the hole deep enough.

Thanks, Wes! (I would need to hire a backhoe... or maybe just a ho).

 

[cassadaga]

I still remember seeing my first murphy patternless leopard gecko...it was $750!

J

Do you happen to remember what year that was? When I first went into a reptile store to get my first leos when I was 12, I was given the choice of a "jungle" and a normal, or two "leucistic" leos, for $20 each. In my months of research before I could get a leo, I had never come upon any information on leucistics, albinos, or any other morphs. I picked the normals, because I was confused on what the leucistics were. In my young mind, I thought it was a different animal than normal leos. That was '99, and obviously they weren't leucistic, they were patternless. I sometimes think they must have been pretty rare in '99 and $20 would have been a steal.

 

[lampeye]

Thanks, Wes! (I would need to hire a backhoe... or maybe just a ho).

ALWAYS. USE. QUICKLIME. Just saying. ;-D

Anyway, I read the first 2 pages, and then gave up, so forgive me if I'm repeating what someone else said.

I think there will always be a place (in the market) for the "classics," particularly as the new morphs become increasingly outlandish in appearance. Someday we'll no doubt have solid reds, solid blacks (or nearly so...and people will want a nice, normal leo, if for no other reason than as an alternative to the flavor of the week.

That said...what makes jungles, stripes, etc "old school," anyway? There is still room for improvement of these morphs! In other words, there is still some distance to travel before we see consistent permanent, thick, solid deep-black markings on these morphs. A bloodline like that would still be a first.

Third, an not the least of the reasons to keep at it, is quality. Your leos are beasts. It's important to maintain pure, healthy less-derived bloodlines for outcrossing, but beyond that, there will always be a market for quality.