Question: Fair Pricing for Axolotls

[59Yessenia09]

Hello, can you please give me the website so I can order one? I have had one for almost 2yrs and she's lonely, I think it's time for a companion

 

[tumptyteapot]

1. What do you consider a fair price (for both breeder/seller and buyer) for an adult axolotl? Should this price include the full cost to produce said healthy adult, like a year worth of food, energy use, etc.? If not, why not?
Mine were £7 each I think, they were 4.5 inches long when I got them. The shop I bought them from didn't have adults but from memory, the first time I saw an adult axy in a shop it was about £20 and that would have been 5 years ago.

2. If you were in the market to buy an adult axolotl, would you look to buy one at the "fair" price mentioned above, or look for one for less (not including "rescue" scenarios)?

3. Would factors like breeder's reputation, breeder's availability to answer questions, and breeder's recommendations for useful aquarium products, etc. influence how much you are willing to pay for an adult axolotl? By how much?
Yes, I wouldn't have bought them if I thought the shop didn't know what they were talking about.

4. In general (and especially if you are new to caudates or axolotls), would you prefer to buy a "ready-made" adult axolotl, or a "do-it-yourself" egg or juvenile axolotl? Does initial price factor into this decision? Do you feel that one or the other option is more economical over-all?
I wouldn't buy any adult pet (apart from a rescue cat), I'd much rather watch it grow and develop.

5. If you had never cared for caudates or heard of axolotls, and stumbled upon a website that advertised a beautiful type of aquatic pet, and provided useful information and materials to get you started, how likely would you be to buy one of these animals from them? As an experienced caudate enthusiast and/or axolotl owner, would you consider buying from an outside website if it looked professional and legitimate?
I'm a newbie. I didn't know it was so easy to keep Axolols until I spoke to someone in a fish shop who really knew what they were talking about. I would have thought they were far too exotic and difficult otherwise.

 

[Moobear2010]

Does your place in the world change price? I just got 2 lil ens 5" cost me £18.99 each ?! Have i been "ripped off?" I dont really care now as they looked very healthy and i love them im just wondering x

 

[FX1C]

Personally I'd like to see their prices much higher - it would keep some people away from torturing them & treating them like disposable pets

Sadly that theory would also keep the greatest pet away from young enthusiasts who live looking after their pets properly - & that wouldn't be fair





<3 >o_o< <3

 

[kiathepooch]

Personally I'd like to see their prices much higher - it would keep some people away from torturing them & treating them like disposable pets






<3 >o_o< <3

The price is unlikely to make a difference if they're given bad advice in the first place.

Plus high price hasn't helped any other pet avoid being mistreated .




Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[FX1C]

The price is unlikely to make a difference if they're given bad advice in the first place.

Plus high price hasn't helped any other pet avoid being mistreated .

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

I don't see posts on fish forums about people letting their expensive fish suffer the same way some people post on here about never testing water / feeding cheese doodles etc - enthusiasts who spend big money on a fish will tend to do all they can & be more vigilant about water testing etc. I don't think anyone with an expensive salt water setup would go through using guesswork for water quality instead of testing it accurately (yes some people even pay huge maintenance costs for weekly checks) for example. That was my thinking compared to what people do to goldfish / bettas & sadly Axies - $5-$25 isn't enough of an investment to some types of people I agree good advice & care sheets are essential - but you'll always get those who 'know better' or worse still never even open the care guide.

Here in Australia the Dobermann breeders have set very high puppy prices to keep the 'unwanteds' away - we do not approve of our dogs being used as security dogs / yard guards & have priced them out of being a cheap viable option (yes we still have some idiots breeding them - but the majority are very good). Coupled with that Dobermann Rescue here is very well supported & most dobes get rehomed (very few per year - mostly through death of owner etc - not usually mistreatment) within a very tight circle of Dobermann lovers. Compare the actions of responsible dog breeders to that of the Backyard Breeders (dogs like Pit Bull / Am Staf) & the hellish inbreeding they don't think twice about because they don't understand genetics & health testing parents etc. then on selling those pups cheaply & in great numbers. Well bred purebred dogs are sold with contracts here & if you cannot care for the animal it can be easily returned to the breeder / breed club & will be rehomed to a breed enthusiast.



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[Tephra]

feeding cheese doodles etc

Wait, what?

 

[FX1C]

Wait, what?

lol :-/
who knows what some idiots will do!



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[kiathepooch]

I don't see posts on fish forums about people letting their expensive fish suffer the same way some people post on here about never testing water / feeding cheese doodles etc - enthusiasts who spend big money on a fish will tend to do all they can & be more vigilant about water testing etc. I don't think anyone with an expensive salt water setup would go through using guesswork for water quality instead of testing it accurately (yes some people even pay huge maintenance costs for weekly checks) for example. That was my thinking compared to what people do to goldfish / bettas & sadly Axies - $5-$25 isn't enough of an investment to some types of people I agree good advice & care sheets are essential - but you'll always get those who 'know better' or worse still never even open the care guide.

Here in Australia the Dobermann breeders have set very high puppy prices to keep the 'unwanteds' away - we do not approve of our dogs being used as security dogs / yard guards & have priced them out of being a cheap viable option (yes we still have some idiots breeding them - but the majority are very good). Coupled with that Dobermann Rescue here is very well supported & most dobes get rehomed (very few per year - mostly through death of owner etc - not usually mistreatment) within a very tight circle of Dobermann lovers. Compare the actions of responsible dog breeders to that of the Backyard Breeders (dogs like Pit Bull / Am Staf) & the hellish inbreeding they don't think twice about because they don't understand genetics & health testing parents etc. then on selling those pups cheaply & in great numbers. Well bred purebred dogs are sold with contracts here & if you cannot care for the animal it can be easily returned to the breeder / breed club & will be rehomed to a breed enthusiast.



o_o

In the UK things seem to be a lot different. Mistreatment of animals happens amongst all animals,whether they be pedigree,cross breeds,fish....
People don't look up what the pet requires,or get bad advice,no amount of money will stop that from happening.
On fish forums over here I've seen countless people who have un cycled tanks,inadequate conditions and a bad mix of species,its not just limited to axolotls.

I don't know what's its like anywhere else but i bet its more than just the UK where it happens.

Don't get me wrong i think its great what happens with the dobermans but i would say that's a minority rather than a majority.

 

[Nemesea]

When we first got axle our Wild type who was 4-5" long and s/he costed £7.50 and when We got Nugget, Our golden albino s/he was £24.99 who was also 4-5" long when we got him/her both where from the same store and both where from the same batch just got at different times (1-2 month between getting them) I don't know why Nugget costed more as s/he was stunted in his/her growth since s/he was still only 4-5" long where axle was 7-8" long also nugget had a slightly deformed leg (i thought s/he had been injured or something and it was growing back but its smaller than the rest even now) but im glad I got both of them as they are both so cute and my kids love them too. and as pricing goes I think bigger the axolotls the more they should cost as more time has been placed into caring for them to get them in good shape and that so i think the pricing should relate on the conditions of the animals and the size.

 

[SuperSteve]

Eggs- 25 for £10
Juveniles- £8 each, 2 for £15, 3 for £20
Sexually mature adults- £30

 

[mshine1217]

I think that the price is dependent on supply and demand. Many of our members sell the eggs/offspring of their pets and I have seen prices quoted from $5 for wildtypes to $35 or more for GPFs. It's great if you live in an area where they are for sale, but I live in Montana and I haven't seen any one else on the forum from here. I would drive over 3 hours to pick one up, so I am forced to pay $35 in shipping for anything I purchase. That means that my wildtype would cost me $40 for one or a little over $13 for the three that I actually have.

Even if a pet store had a supplier, I would not purchase from them. Yes, I would feel sorry for the animal and I would try to educate the store on the proper care of these wonderful creatures, but I would not play into the marketing strategy. The animal may die, however if I purchase it then the store has made a profit and will acquire more. If the animal dies then it is a loss and this may keep the store from ordering anymore. In my younger years I worked for a pet store and I can tell you that the bottom line is what counts.

My bottom line is to pay for what I can reasonably afford after I have researched thoroughly, no matter how "cute" or "sad looking" they are. That's the logical part of me speaking, in reality it would break my heart to leave one, but my experience tells me that I need to be strong.

 

[sugarkandii]

I don't see posts on fish forums about people letting their expensive fish suffer the same way some people post on here about never testing water / feeding cheese doodles etc - enthusiasts who spend big money on a fish will tend to do all they can & be more vigilant about water testing etc. I don't think anyone with an expensive salt water setup would go through using guesswork for water quality instead of testing it accurately (yes some people even pay huge maintenance costs for weekly checks) for example. That was my thinking compared to what people do to goldfish / bettas & sadly Axies - $5-$25 isn't enough of an investment to some types of people I agree good advice & care sheets are essential - but you'll always get those who 'know better' or worse still never even open the care guide.

Here in Australia the Dobermann breeders have set very high puppy prices to keep the 'unwanteds' away - we do not approve of our dogs being used as security dogs / yard guards & have priced them out of being a cheap viable option (yes we still have some idiots breeding them - but the majority are very good). Coupled with that Dobermann Rescue here is very well supported & most dobes get rehomed (very few per year - mostly through death of owner etc - not usually mistreatment) within a very tight circle of Dobermann lovers. Compare the actions of responsible dog breeders to that of the Backyard Breeders (dogs like Pit Bull / Am Staf) & the hellish inbreeding they don't think twice about because they don't understand genetics & health testing parents etc. then on selling those pups cheaply & in great numbers. Well bred purebred dogs are sold with contracts here & if you cannot care for the animal it can be easily returned to the breeder / breed club & will be rehomed to a breed enthusiast.



<3 >o_o< <3

I've actually seen a lot of asian arowana abuse; fishes that are easily $1200-5000 CAD. Aquatic animals are especially targeted by abuse due to their 'it's just a fish in a bowl' complex and disposability. Many new aquarists don't know about water changes- and thus poison, kill, cramp, and toss away beautiful fishes that really need a lot of love to care for properly. I've got a 155 gallon for my fish personally, and will be building them a 500-800 gallon in my new pad- but at the moment even this is too small for the large species of Silver Aro, Florida Gar, ID Shark (which need 1000 + gallons to themselves alone as they reach from their tiny fry stage to the whopping 4 feet they can get in captivity), and the Flowerhorn I begrudgingly keep around. They're all large, waste producing food guzzlers- and I love them very dearly.

When posting ads to rehome my FH (who is a tyrant at best) lots of grown men were offering room for her in a 10 gallon- people claiming to be 'seasoned aquarists'. As no one with a 90+ gallon has offered a home for her yet, I let her stay with me. The LFS would be torture, and some kid with a 20 gallon breeder is also not going to care for her.

Too many people strive to do the bare minimum for their animals- 'it's just a fish, they only get as big as their tank lets them' comes to mind. These animals die prematurely due to internal bleeding caused by internal organ growth while their bodies are stunted. Or usually poor water conditions- a water change does NOT mean topping up when your water gets low ...

bah. -flips table-

 

[FX1C]

I've actually seen a lot of asian arowana abuse; fishes that are easily $1200-5000 CAD. Aquatic animals are especially targeted by abuse due to their 'it's just a fish in a bowl' complex and disposability. Many new aquarists don't know about water changes- and thus poison, kill, cramp, and toss away beautiful fishes that really need a lot of love to care for properly. I've got a 155 gallon for my fish personally, and will be building them a 500-800 gallon in my new pad- but at the moment even this is too small for the large species of Silver Aro, Florida Gar, ID Shark (which need 1000 + gallons to themselves alone as they reach from their tiny fry stage to the whopping 4 feet they can get in captivity), and the Flowerhorn I begrudgingly keep around. They're all large, waste producing food guzzlers- and I love them very dearly.

When posting ads to rehome my FH (who is a tyrant at best) lots of grown men were offering room for her in a 10 gallon- people claiming to be 'seasoned aquarists'. As no one with a 90+ gallon has offered a home for her yet, I let her stay with me. The LFS would be torture, and some kid with a 20 gallon breeder is also not going to care for her.

Too many people strive to do the bare minimum for their animals- 'it's just a fish, they only get as big as their tank lets them' comes to mind. These animals die prematurely due to internal bleeding caused by internal organ growth while their bodies are stunted. Or usually poor water conditions- a water change does NOT mean topping up when your water gets low ...

bah. -flips table-

I love a good table flip

It disgusts me how so many animals get mistreated - there's no limit to so people's stupidity / cruelty



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[Quentari]

I am looking into large-scale breeding and selling of axolotls, and would like to know what people think regarding pricing for axolotls.

1. What do you consider a fair price (for both breeder/seller and buyer) for an adult axolotl? Should this price include the full cost to produce said healthy adult, like a year worth of food, energy use, etc.? If not, why not?

2. If you were in the market to buy an adult axolotl, would you look to buy one at the "fair" price mentioned above, or look for one for less (not including "rescue" scenarios)?

3. Would factors like breeder's reputation, breeder's availability to answer questions, and breeder's recommendations for useful aquarium products, etc. influence how much you are willing to pay for an adult axolotl? By how much?

4. In general (and especially if you are new to caudates or axolotls), would you prefer to buy a "ready-made" adult axolotl, or a "do-it-yourself" egg or juvenile axolotl? Does initial price factor into this decision? Do you feel that one or the other option is more economical over-all?

5. If you had never cared for caudates or heard of axolotls, and stumbled upon a website that advertised a beautiful type of aquatic pet, and provided useful information and materials to get you started, how likely would you be to buy one of these animals from them? As an experienced caudate enthusiast and/or axolotl owner, would you consider buying from an outside website if it looked professional and legitimate?

Well I brought mine for $20 - $32, but I've seen them for $40 at pet shops (and that's all juvies, not adults!)

I'd personally pay up to $50 for an axolotl if I needed to for it to be healthy and well fed, and a good reputation would help too.

My first axolotl was about 10-15cm and I got the basic info with her, if she needed more care than that I wouldn't have got her so a bigger axolotl is better for newbies.

If the website gave lots of good information and it wasn't difficult to buy off them I'd definitely consider it, especially if it gave me options on colour/size/gender. ESPECIALLY if it also at least had links to where I could buy the other things I need to keep it on an easy to find place on the website

 

[EJgraydon]

Our local reptile shop (bred their own, mind you) sold babys (less thatn 3 inches) for 19.99, juvies (less than about 5.5 inches) for 49.99, and fully grown 6 inches and up for about 129.99. Mind you this included a size appropriate container to transport them

 

[iSuzie]

Being a small time breeder, I took a lot of extra time to make sure the people buying my axolotls were fully informed about all the basic needs and "do's and don't s" so to speak. And I also tried to inform the owner about more complicated things as well as insuring they had my contact number, care sheet, advice, and had the links to here and encouraged them to all become member's here and on a private face book group set up for on-going support witch I provide as a part of the axolotl's cost, so that if there ever was a question that needed to be asked, they would defiantly find the right answer here on from me. Although none of this concerns price, but I do believe in educating all new owners to the full extent that you can. With that said I do take quiet a personal interest in the homes my babies go too, to try and insure healthy axolotls everywhere.

With price I believe you get what you pay for, and if you wouldn't pay the same amount asked for said axolotl, then it shouldn't be that price. So in other words a fair price is what you would optimally want to spend yourself.

 

[Anna F]

I have seen prices all over the board....my two juvies were $35 for 2 and the eggs I got were the same price for quite a few, of which most of them hatched.
These are my first axies but I have done research, research, research. Even though I am continually learning, I agree that there can be too much abuse, especially if the animals are not valued or the new owners don't have all the pertinent information.

 

[SkollSunChaser]

That was my thinking compared to what people do to goldfish / bettas & sadly Axies - $5-$25 isn't enough of an investment to some types of people

I had a goldfish and a betta growing up, and very unknown to me, I had mistreated them. My poor goldfish had a little 1 or 2, MAYBE 3 gallon bowl, and the betta had even less than that. It makes me sad that if they had everything they needed they might have lived a lot longer and happier. Heck, I did 100% water changes weekly for the little guy and hardly even cleared his poop in that time. The more I type the more ashamed I am of my treatment on the poor little dude. His name was T.A.F. (Tough A$$ Fish) for obvious reasons.

Rats are also pets that are mistreated due to being cheap and readily available. Rats NEED social interaction, and unless you're nocturnal and devote every waking second to them, they have to have a buddy. They will get depressed and become mentally unbalanced if they don't have a friend. I would have gotten one without researching if my mom wasn't so dead set against me having one and I wasn't so set on the opposite. I did tons of research so that I could convince her, and when I did I was shocked on how little I really knew.

For example, I went to the pet store when I was little, and the lady told me not to bother the mother rat or she would eat her babies. Later, I found out that mother rats will only kill their young if they are afraid of their conditions. They mercy kill. When I bred my female, she didn't care if I touched the babies from day one. She came up, licked my fingers and begged to be let out to play and get away from the little monsters. The father rats also don't kill their babies; they love them and will be fine to sniff and clean them.


Sorry for the tangent on rats there, I loved the little suckers when I had them. But I just saw that and instantly thought to my little guys and how I saw a couple at a pet store getting just one, and getting mad at me when I tried to tell them how unhealthy it is for them.

 

[SkollSunChaser]

Apologies for double posting, but for some reason this post seems to think either that I am continuing to comment on it or that somehow my comment from last week was posted like two hours ago, every day. I'm hoping this totally pointless post will fix it, so again, sorry for the weird double post =__=