Gooty Ornamental...$450???

versicolor · Mar 22, 2004

Hi, this is my first post. I just came across this forum last night and enjoy it very much. Lots of interesting things going on here. My question is about the Gooty Ornamental I have just recently seen offered at a few dealer/breeder sites. One of the most awesome tarantulas I think I have ever seen but also the most expensive as well. I understand that these are new and rare and there are only a handfull available but how is the asking price determined? The lowest price I've seen these for is $375 and the highest $450. I would assume that once they have been distributed it is then a race to produce spiderlings and the price will drop dramatically, but how does one decide on a $450 price tag to begin with? And why so high for that matter? I know that I will eventually own one but will definately have to wait, as I am sure is the case with most of you, until they are much more readily available. Kind of frustrates me in a way.

heyjeyniceid · Mar 22, 2004

how's it going Versicolor?

there was actually a very good post on this about a week ago examining why p. metallica are so expensive

and it basically rounded down to a very in demand spider from a popular genus with very little to go around.

the first round of p. metallica wasnt as expensive, but as word and pics of this species began to circulate, frothing demand increased and dealors seeing this decided they could probably make a better profit if the price tag was raised.

the fact that its also expensive gives the spider an air of exclusivity (real word), thus more people wanting to be in on the club.

petitegreeneyes · Mar 22, 2004

I have to disagree with you on the first batch in wasn't as expensive. Yes they were. I got one from the first batch and they were running the same price as they are this time around. They are just expensive due to the fact that they are a newly discovered tarantula and there isn't that many out to produce offspring for selling. Mine was worth every cent that I paid for her. Truely beautiful spider.

Philth · Mar 22, 2004

I believe there going for the same price as the first batch that came in, but there also half the size. The first batch was showing adult colors when they got here. Also P. metallica was first described in 1899, although they seemed to vanish until a couple yeras ago.

petitegreeneyes · Mar 22, 2004

O.K., Philth, I apologize for not knowing the 1899. But you are correct in saying the first batch was bigger than the second batch. Here's an updated pic of my girl, Patience.

PapaSmurf · Mar 23, 2004

I've seen P.metallica as cheap as 300 bucks the normal price rate is 450.00 tho, as soon as people start breeding in the U.S prices will slowly drop, yeah just search back for the post about the P.metallica you will get all the info you need oh and BTW welcome to the boards!!!!!!!!!

xBurntBytheSunx · Mar 23, 2004

i am rather amused that p.metallica cost so much. there has been a lot of buzz about them on the boards lately and i have to think a lot of it has to do with the price. there is just something about humans where we want what we can't have the most.

i'm absolutely not criticizing people for purchasing them though. i'm sure for the serious collector, who likely has intentions of breeding, that they are worth the price...however there are many very handsome tarantulas which don't cost nearly as much. i have to think the desirability comes mostly from the scarcity and price of this species.

heyjeyniceid · Mar 23, 2004

ah, I thought I heard someone remark that the first round wasnt as expensive. My bad.

Bearo · Mar 23, 2004

I still wounder why people dont just ship all p. metallicas to Sweden... everyone knows they belong here (just look at the colours ;P )
but here is only one sling as far as I know..

Why dont you guys buy from europe? ;P
they are not that high priced here, a sling cost 2000 kr here I think (not 100% sure) and thats 262,40 USD
then just add the shiping...

or is that the most common way for you guys to buy them already? :?

rosehaired1979 · Mar 23, 2004

Cheapest I have seen is $299.95

bodc21 · Mar 23, 2004

www.invertepet.com has them advertised at <price edited - classifieds not allowed in the info forums - MrD> but i wont believe it till i hear that someone on these boards purchased one and recieved it also!

Phalagorn · Mar 23, 2004

Bearo said:
I still wounder why people dont just ship all p. metallicas to Sweden... everyone knows they belong here (just look at the colours ;P )
but here is only one sling as far as I know..

Why dont you guys buy from europe? ;P
they are not that high priced here, a sling cost 2000 kr here I think (not 100% sure) and thats 262,40 USD
then just add the shiping...

or is that the most common way for you guys to buy them already? :?

Yo! Bearo - my friend, whats up?...
I would make an little correction, Poecilotheria metallica cost 200 Euro ($ 239,65 USD) in Europe, and thats correct what you said - then just add the shiping!

/Best regards, Stefan "Phalagorn" Bergström...
http://www.zoonen.com/minzoon.asp?oid=22299

MizM · Mar 23, 2004

Bearo said:
I still wounder why people dont just ship all p. metallicas to Sweden... everyone knows they belong here (just look at the colours)

Because there are Swedes HERE who want them too! ME! ;P

metallica · Mar 23, 2004

or just get them at a show and pay no shipping

damn i love europe!

Bearo · Mar 23, 2004

Phalagorn said:
Yo! Bearo - my friend, whats up?...
I would make an little correction, Poecilotheria metallica cost 200 Euro ($ 239,65 USD) in Europe, and thats correct what you said - then just add the shiping!

/Best regards, Stefan "Phalagorn" Bergström...
http://www.zoonen.com/minzoon.asp?oid=22299

aahh ok, but we often count 1€ as 10kr here, sorry

MizM said:
Because there are Swedes HERE who want them too! ME! ;P

ok, dont you live in US?
wright something in Swedish so I belive you

xBurntBytheSunx · Mar 23, 2004

"the fact that it is a stunning BLUE spider from a genus primarily known for shades of grey, with a couple greenish brown members makes it pretty desirable"

i do agree that they are stunning, but as far as i am concerned if sun tigers, green bottle blues, versicolors etc were that rare and expensive people would want them just about as much.

before all the hubub about the gooty ornamentals, columbian lesserbacks were all the rage...and as far as i am concerned that spider (although attractive) doesn't look much more fantastic than a red phase g. rosea. someone posted a few weeks ago that "p. metallica is the crown jewel of the hobby" and i think that statement says a lot.

so although they may be a beautiful spider i think the main aspect of their desirability is the fact that so many people want them and so few can have them.

if anybody has ever read the novel "needful things" stephen king talks about "the pride of posession" and how simply having or owning some certain thing makes people feel better about themselves.

like i said before, i'm most certainly not criticizing people for buying them. i'm sure the more interest in them that there is now, the more available they will be in the hobby for someone like me who may want one, but is willing to wait 5 or 10 years for prices to become more reasonable.

MizM · Mar 23, 2004

ok said:
I don't know a WORD of it! My grandmother and grandfather were born in Norkopping, grandmas name was Hillevi Braug Danielson. I'm stubborn as a Swede and just look at that nose!!

Slide · Mar 23, 2004

I don't know what to think here. I can certainly verify that this T stands out, head-and-shoulders, above the rest in it's beauty. I certainly see the argument that there are many other stunning species of Ts available, but every time I show pictures of Ts to non-hobbyists, many will illicit comments about the attractiveness of various species, but only the P. metallica routinely brings jaw-dropping and awestruck responses. If this were the case from hobbyists, I could see attributing it to the fact that it's a Poecilotheria, or the fact that it's rare, or any of a number of attributes, but the reactions that come from folks who don't know (or care) about it one way or the other and are only reacting to the visage of the spider, without any sort of price/availability/Genus context really testifies to the level on which this T speaks to people.

My significant other, scoffing at the $15 or $25 I've spent on the occasional spiderling in the past, and knowing nothing of Ts other than that I have a few and they eat crickets, immediately suggested I buy (at least) one of these. When I told her they were $450, she replied by stating that as soon as they dropped below $200, I was to order one.

As for me personally -- hell yeah I want one of these! I certainly don't want it because it's expensive (I'm not rich, that's for sure), but it doesn't help that it's: blue, Poecilotheria, rare, and beautiful.

Cheers!

Buspirone · Mar 23, 2004

It may be a LONG time before the price comes down depending on how easily they breed, produce egg sacs and how many of the eggs actually emerge if they do at all. Here's hoping they breed like P. regalis! With the high price tag you can be sure that those who have them with the intention of breeding them will be monitoring their prizes closely and everything that can be done will be done to establish them in the hobby as a staple instead of as a rarity. IMO, This is one species that I would rather see long term hobbyists get who have successful breeding experience with Pokies.

MizM · Mar 23, 2004

I think I'll be able to fly to Gooty, hide one in my pants, and fly home before I can afford one! (Insert ouch smiley here!)

The desire factor for me is just their incredible beauty! I only have one pokie, a regalis, and haven't really drooled over a pokie, but this one is amazing! I fantasize about a terrarium with 6 or 7 of them, living in azure harmony!!

Gooty Ornamental...$450???

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