- Hey good morning everybody.
Welcome to the vlog.
Today I'm gonna tell you what the difference is
between this $20 ball python here
and this $20,000 ball python right here.
I mean really, what is this thing made of,
gold or something like that?
It's more valuable pound for pound than precious medals.
And we're at New England Reptile Distributors,
one of the coolest ball python collections in the world,
so we're gonna get an opportunity
to find out why these animals
can be so radically different in pricing.
This is actually a spider ball python
and back in the 90s when it was first produced,
I think the first one that I bought ironically enough
from New England Reptile Distributors was $25,000.
That's right, these guys were $25,000.
Now they're about $100.
What basically happens is the rarity of the animal
kind of becomes less rare as more people produce them.
Keeping in mind that again,
these are all ball pythons.
The same snake, just with cool paint jobs.
So the more crazy and rare the paint job,
the more interesting and more valuable the animal becomes.
Interestingly enough, it also depends on
the actual mutation itself.
Some mutations are in higher demand than others
so sometimes you can have a very complicated
and hard animal to produce
but it may not be as valuable as another animal
that's just in higher demand.
Again, single gene animals really have become
kind of mainstream and more like pets
and there's typically anywhere between $20 and $150.
And that last animal with the spider
was actually an incomplete dominant animal
meaning that when you breed it to a wild type
or a normal ball python or whatever mutation it is,
about half the babies come out right off
that first generation looking like
that particular paint job.
This particular animal is a piebald ball python,
of course, a recessive mutation
which makes it a little bit more difficult to reproduce
so what happens if you breed a pie to say
a wild type normal, you get all normal looking babies
that are heterozygous meaning it takes
one more generation to produce the visual,
or that phenotype, the paint job per se.
So these animals usually retain their value
a little bit more.
Piebald ball pythons were produced by Pete Call
probably like the mid 90s or something like that
and really was the first ball python
which basically set the ball python investment game on fire.
These guys were $25,000 when they came out
and everyone had to have them
and that was the first time that people
really valued ball pythons at that kind of value
and then it just kind of set the pace
for everything after.
And again, as you start to layer combinations like this
albino GHI, the albino is a recessive mutation,
but GHI is an incomplete dominant mutation
and this on top of it is actually heterozygous for piebald
just like the animal we just saw before.
So basically the heterozygous increases the value as well
so you start getting into multiple recessive mutations
or recessive and codominant incomplete dominant mutations
that are heterozygous and stuff like that.
You start really elevating from an animal
that might cost three to $400,
not even getting into an animal that might cost
six, seven, $800.
It just keeps going up from there
but this is an absolute gorgeous animal for sure.
And then this animal has one more gene in it
than that last one.
It's still an albino GHI,
but the difference is now it has a toffee gene on it.
But when you breed the toffee which is a recessive mutation
so you basically have two recessive mutations
it acts with is called allelic
which means it reacts and has instead of being
a heterozygous or a double heterozygous,
it actually comes through the first generation
with all this purple looking things on it.
So basically you have two recessive mutations
and an incomplete dominant with the GHI
and oh my gosh, that is an absolute ripper and again,
now that you've got more animals,
it becomes more value, probably a $1,000 snake.
This happens to be a pastel highway ball python.
Now the pastel has been around for a long time
and then the highway is actually an allelic animal
between yellow belly and gravel
and it's just an absolutely beautiful snake
and oftentimes when you're talking about value of snakes,
you certainly can look at the fact that
if it's something that's stunning and really incredible
looking animal like this because who doggy,
that thing is amazing.
It actually has a higher demand.
Not necessarily meaning it's a really super expensive snake
because sometimes you can have snakes like this
that are relatively inexpensive.
This particular animal still might fetch $800 or $1,000,
but in the old days,
this was probably a 20 or $25,000 snake,
but the rarity has kind of went down
because more and more people are producing it
but nevertheless, beautiful animals often equal
higher demand which oftentimes equals a higher price too.
This one starts getting into some crazy stuff now.
This is actually a spider, a recessive clown ball python,
an EMG mutation that basically blows out the head pattern
as you can see right here
and then also an enchi ball python.
So there's a lot of mutations going on.
It had four different mutations that combine together
to make a relatively unique animal
and the fact that the EMG kind of changes up
the head pattern much like orange dream does
to clowns as well too,
you start really seeing that there's
a higher value amount on an animal like this,
so again, more rare, unusual,
definitely something you don't see too long.
Now you start getting into animals
that are cost several thousand dollars.
We're really starting to layer multiple,
multiple genetics in it.
This is a super pastel, it's a spider,
it's a super enchi, it's an odium, and it's a lucifer.
It's also a het for piebald ball python.
So you have all those unbelievable genes mixing together.
Again, rarity because they have so many genes
and no one's really working with the type stuff
like especially odium which is a newer gene
that really Kevin has kind of pioneered
and there's not a lot of them out there
so it makes the animal even that much more
incredibly expensive and more rare.
Something like this you know, it's probably somewhere
in the $5,000 range.
I mean, just think about that.
This ball python even though it's a ball python
just like any other normal ball python
because of the complexity of the paint job
and the mutations within it,
it really just starts jacking the price up.
It's pretty incredible.
This thing is an absolute ripper.
What's going on, how are you, man?
- [Man] John, where have you been lately.
- Florida.
- Florida? - What are you doing
in Florida?
- I was visiting family.
- Did you misbehave recently and get in trouble?
- I didn't, no. - Okay good.
I heard a weird story.
I heard you were being punished
and you weren't allowed to come here.
(laughing) - Oh no.
Dude, well we're glad you're here.
You keep. - No he's actually,
John, how old are you?
- I am 15.
- 15 and you're killing it. - And this guy right here,
responsible, I ask him to do stuff,
he will take the detail that I give him
and the way I want it, he will do exactly what I want.
He comes with a very open mind,
he loves being here, he loves reptiles,
but he's very conscientious
and his work ethic is exceptional
and I have to point this out
because this is a rare kid
and it really is so I'm very appreciative
to have somebody like that because he'll be
very important to this place.
I just found him on the street.
- [Brian] On the street,
like literally on the street? - Yeah, he was like,
he was like begging for Pokemon cards
and I said, kid, I got something better.
I got real like Pokemon.
- Oh my gosh, well keep it up, dude, all right?
You're a good guy.
All right man.
Pastel.
- It's super pastel, enchi, hidden gene woma,
granite, pastel, fader, het clown.
- Okay, got you.
I don't know, man. - Okay let's go.
- I am blown away at this animal.
This is a six gene animal.
I probably won't remember what those genes are.
It's a super pastel, it's a hidden gene woma,
it's an enchi, it's a granite,
it's a yellow belly?
- [Jeremy] I think so.
- I think there's inferno in it and it's het clown?
I don't know if I got those genes right
but nevertheless, look at this animal.
(laughing) I tell you,
I love this style.
This is like my style of snake right here
so I was absolutely blown away
when I saw this animal.
I'm not exactly sure what it would cost me
'cause it's not for sale right now
but I'm assuming this is at least
a six or $7,000 snake and it would be worth it
because that is an absolutely beauty.
I love this animal, I mean, just take a look at it.
Oh my gosh, but as you can see,
we're starting to layer stuff up.
Six plus genes, you're starting to get pretty crazy
and again, it's the right six genes
that makes kind of a Picasso type of an animal like this.
- Odium het pie.
(laughing) - Pastel, enchi,
and stay right there.
(laughing)
Pastel, enchi, coral glow, fader, odium, het pie.
- Yellow belly.
Pastel, fader, coral glow, enchi,
odium, yellow belly, het pie.
- Sure, I'm confused now. (laughing)
- I think I just, okay.
- Okay.
- This is, it's crazy to have the opportunity
to see animals like this in person,
so I wanted to share it with you guys.
Let me know in the comments which animal
you like the best if you're enjoying this video
and stuff like that.
Again, it's about putting the right combinations together.
This is I think a pastel, enchi, coral glow,
odium, yellow belly, fader, het something.
I don't know.
Regardless, the right combination makes this ridiculous.
I mean all those genes together are incredible
and again, you know, myself, Kevin,
people like this, we are kind of living artists in a way.
We're thinking if we add a dash of odium,
we add a dash of enchi, we add a dash of this,
we're gonna make something amazing
not really knowing what the outcome is.
We put the proverbial brush to canvas,
we really don't know what's gonna happen
and sometimes a true piece of art like this comes out
and I'm blown away.
And I could tell you this much,
Kevin is really good at it.
He knows what animals fit good together
and some of these are blowing my mind.
And sometimes you get just a one off animal.
This is actually what they would call a paradox animal.
It's actually a coral glow, it's an axanthic
and it's a spider ball python
and it just kind of bled through
what they call paradoxing and it's a one off animal.
There's no real way to reproduce this animal
and as far as value, it just depends.
If someone wanted some really bizarre animal.
I mean, let's face it, it literally looks like
you just splotched paint all over it
and it's a one of a kind.
Someone might be willing to pay, I don't know,
tons of money for it or maybe no one
wants to pay money for it.
Doesn't really matter.
The fact is, it's still an unbelievably cool animal
and unfortunately you can't reproduce it
because it'd be super cool if you did.
There is something that's called an atomic gene
that does something similar to this,
but not as extreme, but this one is just a one off
and it's pretty freaking awesome.
This is a kind of subtle animal here.
This is a super inferno, enchi,
I don't remember any of it.
(laughing) I can't remember.
- [Jeremy] It's a hard one.
- Okay so just do this,
just super impose Jeremy's voice.
This is a.
- [Jeremy] Super inferno, spot nose, odium,
lucifer, enchi, fader.
- Okay great, so the point is
there's a lot of animals in here and keeping in mind
the inferno stuff is hidden gene woma, granite,
yellow belly?
Yes, I got it, all right cool.
So there's like, I don't know, seven, eight, nine genes
and trust me, this snake costs a bit
and what I mean by a bit is probably
like a bit coin because bit coin's about $13,000
so it's a lot of genes, a lot of rarity
and a pretty awesome snake.
This is an enchi, inferno, lucifer.
Again, the inferno is hidden gene woma, granite,
and yellow belly and the thing is
getting back to that kind of artist thing
is that it's just like again,
an artist doesn't just paint a painting
in a matter of minutes.
Sometimes it can take years and years
to get this living art.
An animal like this is probably five,
maybe even six years in the making
and some of the other stuff that we produce
or Kevin produces or other ball python breeders produce,
they might be working on it for the better part of a decade
so you have to have the foresight
to start really thinking about like
what if I put this to this,
what will it turn out to be
and sometimes it's amazing,
sometimes it's a little bit falls short
from what you expect.
Sometimes it actually blows you away.
But the fact is, you have to have the knowledge
of how genes interact with one another
and then hope that when they get put together,
something amazing happens and in many cases,
I mean the living art really does come through incredible.
Whoa, jeepers creepers.
And honestly guys, the hardest part about making this video
is just figuring out what these animals are
and trying to remember what's actually in them.
I think this is an orange dream, pinstripe,
spider, enchi, lucifer, yellow belly, het pie.
So I think I got it right there.
The point is is that this combination is amazing.
For whatever reason, the orange dream
and the spider and the pinstripe
really mix well together.
That's what reduces the pattern,
makes this (laughing) unbelievably beautiful animal.
I mean, I love it to death.
Again, really living art
and much like I talked about before you know,
think about the banana camo ball python
that I was trying to go for
'cause when I'm trying to do this
like I'm thinking in my head,
how can I make a purple ball python?
I wanna take something that has very little pattern,
that's very dark like the camo ball python, right?
Very little pattern, very dark and I wanna mix it with
something where the dark pigment turns purple
when I breed it to it, I.E. the banana or coral glow.
So I'm trying to produce that banana camo
thinking it might be a purple snake.
I might miss on it.
It might not be a purple snake
and then I have to start over
and that's kind of the whole process of producing
all these amazing kind of crazy living art animals for sure
but this one is so absolutely incredible.
- [Both] Fire, enchi, yellow belly,
special, possible orange stream.
Ah okay, got you.
(laughing)
So this is a hidden gene woma, special, enchi.
(crickets chirping)
(laughing)
This is a hidden gene woma, fire, enchi,
yellow belly, special, possible orange dream.
(laughing)
It is hard, guys, I mean 'cause a lot of these animals
you can't look at.
You can certainly see the hidden gene woma in this,
you can see the enchi coming through in this.
I can't really see the yellow belly
'cause it's kind of mixed in there.
Obviously it's a special because
the one the pairing was a crystal
and if you breed a crystal,
everything has to be special.
It's possible orange dream.
Can't really tell that.
Regardless, I love the way the kind of orange pattern
kind of peeks out on this
and just kind of makes it unbelievable.
I mean, this is again we're getting into
rarefied air when we're.
We're holding snakes that literally
there might only be one, two, three of these
in the world at this point,
so it's pretty much an honor for me to be able
to mess with these animals and hopefully
you guys are enjoying as much as I am
'cause this is absolutely insane.
But now for the crown jewel.
And now onto the creme de la creme,
the $20,000 plus dollar snake right here.
This is actually a multi gene animal.
It is a Mojave, it's an enchi, it's an odium,
it's a hidden gene woma and it's a lucifer,
so there's a lot of genes in this
and the fact that it's a rare animal
that hardly anyone is working with,
that is why it's worth what it's worth.
Now it's not gonna always be a $20,000 snake.
There's a chance that as these are produced more
and other animals that are more rare
and more sought after are produced,
this one might come down to, who knows?
Maybe it'll be 100 bucks here down the road.
We really don't know but as of now,
this snake is literally valued at over $20,000
and it's like I've been saying this whole vlog,
it's all about the rarity and complexity
and the demand for an animal like that
so it's pretty cool to be holding
such a rare and unbelievable beautiful animal
and that's it, guys.
I mean, that's what the difference is
between a $20 and a $20,000 snake
keeping in mind they're all ball pythons, right?
If you like this video, I actually did another video
about difference in pricing right over here.
You can hit this whole playlist if you don't mind.
Over here you can hit that subscribe button,
turn the post notifications on if you don't mind.
Have a wonderful day.
You better be kind to someone.
I promise I'll see you guys tomorrow.