You have this price phenomenon in SA geckos too. Why is Pachydactylus tsodiloensis so cheap though it has a distribution range of just 6 squarekilometers in Botswana. THAT´S rare in my opinion.
Then again P.occulatus or P.rugosus for an example are much higher priced. Why?
Sebastian
P.S. That is a really nice thread and I´m glad,too, that people can discuss factually. Thanks.
The term "rare" has two components in its definition when relating to the gecko hobby. First, availability from nature. Second, availability from captive bred sources. When one definition is true, then it's not as effective when both are true. Moreover, when they are not available from captive bred sources (or in captivity) - then that, to the average gecko keeper, can be termed "rare". When they're not available from either source = rare. When they're not available from either source and very sought after = rare & expensive.
Sure, Pachy. tsodiloensis is very rare in nature! However, they're quite common now in captivity, and most people who want them - have them. To try and sell more at this point for some high price would be like trying to extract orange juice from an apple. If my primary focus of breeding P. tsodiloensis was to make my money back, well, I wouldn't be trying to pump out 40-80 juveniles each year, because I'm going to be keeping a lot of juveniles around for a while! Then, I'll get desparate and start dumping them at shows or, worse yet, on the net and advertise my desparation here in the US - and ultimately in your back yard (Europe) too.
P. oculatus or P. rugosus being expensive? Because a lot of other people want them and cannot find them. Supply = not equal to demand. Many people have sought after P. rugosus for decades. They're fascinating to look at, they're fascinating to keep and breed. The species can speak for itself - it does not need me beating the cowbell in order to ring in interest.
Why are there such price differences between the species? Like anything else (cars, women, real estate, stock, and everything) some species are nicer, rarer, and more sought after. I've had some cheap dates:banana: and I've had very expensive dates with women:yawn:.
I think there are differences between both US and European standards of rarity and the degree of interest and determination to keep geckos. The internet brings us together as a common community as we set here in almost real time discussing these matters internationally over a forum, although with very different economies and cultures.
This "rare" phenomenon is expressed in a lot of geographic regions of the world. But none more so than Aussie geckos. Sure there are other areas, several of them. As more and more species are being captive bred, with more and more people looking for something different than run-of-the-mill Aussie geckos, the possibility to keep animals from other areas will help drive the hobby into the next phase of the future. I see Sphaerodactyline geckos becoming more popular (growing very fast here in the USA), S.E. Asian species becoming more popular, African geckos becoming more popular. People are just tired of dealing with powdered diets, automated gecko collections, stamping out new color patterned mutants - like chocalate chip cookies, and being told by the internet and everyone else (instead of their own pursuit of what is interesting) what is rare and most valuable. People are beginning to pull their heads out and see there are other species besides what is commercially driven by commercializers.
For me, I can tell a serious gecko keeper/breeder from a $$-charged buffoon at a moment's glance.....almost completely defined by what they keep and what they're looking for next. I had a guy recently email me looking for Phyllopezus. When I asked what else he keeps, he answered "nothing, I just want to keep some Phyllopezus, not more". My kinda guy:!:
Peace out,
Jon
