Mack Snow Marketing/Prices/Copied From Fauna

[KelliH]

I almost posted this in the Rants and Raves forum because it kinda ticked me off, but decided to go ahead and post here instead.

*disclaimer... I am not talking smack about the poster (you know who you are); this is just my retort. I would have posted in the Fauna thread but, of course... I can't! :lipsrsealed: So, please, don't take this personally.

I read this on Fauna today (yes I still read the posts). The thread was about Morph King and their sudden price drop on Mojave Ball Pythons, but a post was made in the thread about the Mack Snow market.

Nope, I wasn't dumb enough to drop over a grand on that morph before watching how it was handled in the market. So it didn't affect ME...Though I know many others it DID affect and know they're TICKED. I paid $200 for my first Mack Snow this year. I could have gotten him for $75 from the individual that started the crash...But I prefer to support quality breeders with the intent to better the species.

First of all, I paid a grand for my original male Mack Snow in 2005, and it was one of the better investments in my collection that I have made.

Secondly, I don't think I am dumb for buying that original male, and neither was anyone else that bought one that year IMO. I mean, look at all the cool crosses that have been produced with Macks this year! Because of that initial $1000 investment I now have 2 Super Snow Bells, many Snow Bells and a lot of other neat Mack Snow project leos. I have also produced and sold many, many Mack Snows/Supers/related Hets this year. I think what I put into the project initially was well worth it and will continue to be for as long as I am breeding leopard geckos.

And lastly, while it is disconcerting to see some of the prices drop this year as they have, anyone that has any real, long term experience with a leopard gecko breeding program of any significance knows that is the way the leo market works. One has to have some vision and patience to succeed with them on a large scale. A lot more goes into it than meets the eye.

Personally, if I can get $100 for a leo, I am not gonna complain. And I'm not dumb either!:main_evilgrin:

 

[LeosForLess]

you go girl! And your right, if yo uinvest in a super when the snows were at their peak, you could have made hundereds of het's (bells etc) and sold those for 500. You could easily turn a 2000 dollar supe rsnow into 20,000 worth of snows in a year.

 

[eyelids]

I got a male Mack Snow het Bell from Kelli before the prices dropped, but nobody is offering anything as good looking as he is. The Macks I've gotten from him are also nicer than most of what's being sold lately and I still have Snow Bells to look forward too. They'll be hatching next month. I never intended to make money from him this season; ever since I got him it was next year I was thinking about. Lastly, I paid what I did because I thought he was badass and could make badass babies. He's doing both!

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Well....... I guess I was 'dumb' enough to pay a LOT for my 1.1 Supers and free Co-dom, and have absolutely nothing to show for it as far as offspring. If it wasn't for a trade with Kelli, I wouldn't even have a Mack male! (Thanks, sis!)

 

[Select Gex]

Well....... I guess I was 'dumb' enough to pay a LOT for my 1.1 Supers and free Co-dom, and have absolutely nothing to show for it as far as offspring. If it wasn't for a trade with Kelli, I wouldn't even have a Mack male! (Thanks, sis!)

Mean old gecko lady ain't got no smarts!!



If you enjoy it, that is what counts. Where does the money we "make" off geckos go anyway? Back into buying new stock, and purchasing feeders and supplies. You'll make up for it in another project, stuff happens. A lot of cool stuff came out of Mack Snows, and more is to come.

 

[BalloonzForU]

I bought a Mack Snow het Bell from Kelli a few months ago before the prices dropped. Yeah it kind of hurt that they dropped, but I still have not found anyone with Macks as awesome as Kelli's. The investment idea was nice, but I knew the prices wouldn't last forever. It's more the idea of what I can produce with her. She's a great looking leo and holding a very nice color. I still want to get a male Mack Bell or het bell to breed her with and maybe breed him with some other morphs. It's not the money, it's the excitement of what's coming out of the egg next, at least for me.

Kelli, you know how excited I was just about hatching my first Bell the other day. I just had to call you! Well, can you image when I hatch a Mack or a Mack Bell, oh and I'll probably die if I get a SS Mack.

 

[ExcessiveHerps]

you go girl! And your right, if yo uinvest in a super when the snows were at their peak, you could have made hundereds of het's (bells etc) and sold those for 500. You could easily turn a 2000 dollar supe rsnow into 20,000 worth of snows in a year.

Hmm I don't know if thats the best way of thinking, anyone who's looking to producing hundreds of them and looking at those dollar figures are the ones that make the price drop.

 

[Grinning Geckos]

you go girl! And your right, if yo uinvest in a super when the snows were at their peak, you could have made hundereds of het's (bells etc) and sold those for 500. You could easily turn a 2000 dollar supe rsnow into 20,000 worth of snows in a year.

SOME people were able to do that, and some people weren't (like Marcia)...that's the risk of working with animals, you just don't know what's going to happen. Anyone getting into breeding with even a thought of making a profit should keep that in mind.

 

[nwheat]

I am still really excited about the Mack snows and all the wonderful combinations that are showing up out there! I am, of course, sad that there were no little Mack's hatching at my house this year, but there will be next year! Thanks again, Kelli!

It was widely predicted that Mack snow prices would drop because it's a co-dominant trait, but I thought it would be more gradual. I think that really nice examples that stay black and white - like that handsome male that Jeanne has - will still be worth more. I'd like to see people working toward a line of Macks that stay black and white.

 

[Jeanne]

I am still really excited about the Mack snows and all the wonderful combinations that are showing up out there! I am, of course, sad that there were no little Mack's hatching at my house this year, but there will be next year! Thanks again, Kelli!

I agree, I bought mine second generation, I guess I am only partialy dumb then :main_lipsrsealed: I haven't had many hatchlings yet, but, I am starting to get hets and I am very excited about them.

I think that really nice examples that stay black and white - like that handsome male that Jeanne has - will still be worth more.

He He! Thanks Nancy! I just hatched a Mack het Bell form him that looks just like him, hopefully I get more that look like him.

I'd like to see people working toward a line of Macks that stay black and white.

I am working on it If someone has a Female Super Snow that they would be willing to send me for a breeding loan, I am sure by breeding the SS to my male we would get some nice Black and White Macks

Here's a picture of my Mack Daddy (Whom I have decided not to sell )

 

[KelliH]

Mack Daddy is tha Shizzle.

 

[eyelids]

Here's a picture of my Mack Daddy (Whom I have decided not to sell )

Very good idea! I thought you were crazy to sell him...

 

[Jeanne]

Mack Daddy is tha Shizzle.

Thank You

 

[Jeanne]

Very good idea! I thought you were crazy to sell him...

LOL! Yeah, I brought him with me to the Maine Reptile Show, everytime someone held him I got a little sick to my stomach, when that happens, I know I HAVE to keep the gecko. So he is back home and with his "Women" again :main_evilgrin:

 

[marula]

..i take my forst leo 6 years ago...and now, here in the states, i try to improove the quality of my geckos and probably breed and working with them (a small number of animals for the pleasure to try to select "my kind of gecko") but i already just think about the possibility for one of my babies to go in a bad situation (i do the same with dogs, but with dogs is more simple..you can sign a contract with the buyer)...a lot of people working with animals for profit...and is a common for a lot of people think all breeders are the same..but i think is simple undestand the difference..when somebady working for profit generally do a really quality marketing...and put like first goal this..

 

[PaulSage]

I like Mack Snows.

 

[preacherman]

Thanks for the post Kelli.
My wife and I invested $1,200 in a beautiful pair of Mack Snows earlier this year. Unfortunately, the female never bred, so we didn't produce any Supers like we were hoping. But we did pair the male up with several Tremper Sunglows, and now we have a nice group of awesome little Mack Snows het for Tremper. I can't wait until next year!
Do I regret spending so much on a pair of Mack Snows? Absolutely not. What I do regret is not spending more than that on a pair last year.
As far as co-dom morphs are concerned, price drops are just part of the game. Last spring we spent $7,500 on a male Yellowbelly Ball Python. This year they are selling for $750.
I'm sure everyone who made a substantial investment into Mack Snows wishes that they were holding their price a little better. However, now that the prices have dropped substantially, they are more affordable. Which means that more people will be buying them. Which means that more people will have the joy of hatching them out for themselves. Which means that we wll see even more amazing Mack Snow projects in the near future. Isn 't that why we're all in this? Because we love the animals and we love to see new morphs?
To everyone out there who's working with Mack Snows, good luck! I can't wait to see what you produce next year.

 

[Jeanne]

Which means that we wll see even more amazing Mack Snow projects in the near future. Isn 't that why we're all in this? Because we love the animals and we love to see new morphs?
To everyone out there who's working with Mack Snows, good luck! I can't wait to see what you produce next year.

Right On! I just hatched out my second Mack Het Bell, I couldn't be happier

 

[preacherman]

Congrats Jeanne!

 

[eyelids]

Jason I toatlly agree with you and think you have a very positive attitude despite your YB deal. Ivories are going for just a bit more than what you paid the YB it's crazy! Get a Vanilla female for him and it'll be all good!

EDIT: That's how you get the Super Stripe if ya didn't know... :main_cool3: