This has got to be one of my favourite new items added to our site, simply because it is such a common question. Mostly at Reptile expos this question will come about at least once with every new wave of people circling the tables : “Why is this reptile so much more expensive than that one?”  The answer is because “these ones are investment quality reptiles”.  Most people have no idea what that means so here’s a brief summary and the advantages of Investing in reptiles.
We work with 5 different species of reptiles and people tend to either compare our stock to the next table down the line or to another animal in our own collection.  The question is mostly asked of Leopard Geckos and Ball Pythons at this time. Once our Crested Gecko collection is in full swing, I’m sure this popular question will follow suit.
For the sake of simple explanation, we’ll use Ball Pythons. In the time in which we are living, economic hardship and low returns on stock and bank investments, people have begun to invest their money in less than traditional ways.  You have more control to reach your goals and can personally decide what level of return you’re looking for.  With an ever growing market for reptiles, especially Ball Pythons, always new morphs popping up it’ll definitely keep you on your toes.  Whether you want to start off small or go big right off the hop, the key is QUALITY. You generally get what you pay for, and when investing for your future or looking for a hobby with financial return, you don’t want to sacrifice the number one thing people are looking for.
For some people, a snake selling for $20,000 or more makes absolutely no sense; but for the hard core investor/reptile enthusiast taking chances on unproven genetics or spending the money to make a rare snake morph is common sense. Many years of hard work has been put forth and it’s not too late to join in and leave your mark in Reptile Breeding History.  So if you’re looking for a new, fun way to invest or a unique hobby, breeding reptiles may just be for you!