Opinions on price

[BennyBTamachi]

Hi guys
Currently negotiating the price of a juvenile male A.chalcodes I plan to purchase (7cm / 2.75inc legspan) with a local breeder. Price being at around 20usd equivalent, I wanted to have your opinion on this, if expensive or cheap? Please note that prices can vary greatly in China compare to american or european markets, but wanted to have your views on this to see if I try to bring it down a little bit. (Even though I'm French I have no experience in the European market).

Thanks a lot!
Cheers

 

[Paul1126]

If its female I would buy it, most of these are WC though. Personally I would not buy a WC specimen

 

[BennyBTamachi]

If its female I would buy it, most of these are WC though. Personally I would not buy a WC specimen

Thanks for sharing your view Paul! How much is usual price for male of this size in UK?
You mean that most of the A.chalcodes specimens available from local/individual breeders in China market are WC?

 

[Paul1126]

Thanks for sharing your view Paul! How much is usual price for male of this size in UK?
You mean that most of the A.chalcodes specimens available from local/individual breeders in China market are WC?

In the UK I would expect to pay about £10-20 for this size.
Not sure over in China, they could be importing WC I guess. In the UK we get a lot of WC imports

 

[BennyBTamachi]

In the UK I would expect to pay about £10-20 for this size.
Not sure over in China, they could be importing WC I guess. In the UK we get a lot of WC imports

Well for the guy I'm planning to buy from, I see every week his pictures of Ts mating, egg-sacs and freshly borned slings of a lot of different species, so I would assume that he is selling mostly captived bred, but indeed that would be better to confirm with him

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Anything other than slings will likely be WC, nobody can be arsed to breed or grow them on when you can easily get WC specimens, it's why G. rosea/porteri are so hard to come by since Chile shut the door on WC exports (nobody was breeding them because you couldn't give the slings away, suddenly everyone wants them and there are none to be found).

Adult female chalcodes will run you about £65 (3 years ago I doubt you'd pay more than £45 for one)
Unsexed subadults/adults around £50 (3 years ago they were £35)
Unsexed juvies were at least £20-25 the last time I saw them for sale but I can't remember how much exactly (probably would have run you £15 about 3 years ago).

 

[Tuisto]

Ask him, you never really know.. though i doubt it but the fact its male makes sense for the cheapness.

 

[Hoxter]

Hey @BennyBTamachi , I think this price is pretty fine considering how difficult is to get them in China, for the past 8months I don't think I've seen even one of them. Where did you find it?

Oh, and are you sure it's exactly A. chalcodes? I know there's another tarantula with the same chinese name. I think it's B. albiceps.

 

[Tenebrarius]

I don't advocate for the purchase of WC specimen.
also if you get a male it'll just become mature and die instantly (basically). but aphonopelma isn't exactly a fast growing species.

 

[cold blood]

I don't advocate for the purchase of WC specimen.

Its not the purchase you shouldn't advocate...its already there, it needs a home after all and not a death sentence for being caught.....rather its the wild collection of them you should have the issue with....the collectors.

if you get a male it'll just become mature and die instantly (basically)

Males do not die instantly. A juvie chalcodes male could have 5-8 years before maturing.....a sub adult could still be a long wait...then after maturing, it may live another 2-3 years.....so basically a juvie or even sub adult male chalcodes could still outlive many large breed dogs....hardly a flash in the pan.

 

[BennyBTamachi]

also if you get a male it'll just become mature and die instantly (basically). but aphonopelma isn't exactly a fast growing species.

Thanks for your input mate! I already had this in mind concerning males. I, so far, only have females, and I'm more than ok with juvenile male for the next one, even if it's not going to last ages. When it has matured, I will give/lend it back to the seller or another keeper for mating.

Hey @BennyBTamachi , I think this price is pretty fine considering how difficult is to get them in China, for the past 8months I don't think I've seen even one of them. Where did you find it?

Oh, and are you sure it's exactly A. chalcodes? I know there's another tarantula with the same chinese name. I think it's B. albiceps.

Hey Hoxter!
Hehe, it is actually the name I sent you last time you can PM me if you want more detail, but with him I don't go through his online store, I directly talk to him/go to his place. That is also why I trust him for english scientifique names, but you right, I have not seen any A.chalcodes here before, it's worth double-checking!
Cheers
Ben

Edit: wrong memory, I actually remember seeing some individuals selling couples of A.chalcodes here on a chinese website I cannot remember the name... Couldn't manage to understand how to place an order at that time...

 

[Hoxter]

@BennyBTamachi Oh, I see! I'll have to check for myself what he has in his offer. Thanks for the information!