Do you have an estimate of the cost of the product per rodent spared you can share? This could help set a lower bound on the potential cost-effectiveness, where in the roughly worst case, donors, grantmakers or impact investors buy or subsidize the product for snake owners, similar to SWP buying stunners for shrimp producers.
The current feeder market ranges widely in price — from $3.99 for a single adult mouse at Petco/​PetSmart to roughly $0.40 each for newborn pinkies bought in bulk from the largest online suppliers. We’ll be able to undercut the lowest-price offering for each equivalent size.
This is not exactly like the shrimp-stunner situation. Snake keepers and breeders have to feed their animals, and if our product becomes viewed as a viable, reputable alternative, being cost-competitive and more convenient gives us a real chance to become the new default; they don’t need to pay a premium for this option. Philanthropic funding can help early on by providing subsidized or free product to induce trial and accelerate conversion; the marginal cost for that purpose is around $0.16–0.80 per mouse-equivalent unit depending on size.
Once enough keepers view this as a normal, credible option, the transition can become self-reinforcing. If enough snakes transition, we can achieve healthy margins and have a self-sustaining, profitable business.
At this early stage, we believe expert validation from respected animal nutritionists and veterinarians is central. That’s been a major focus, and it’s also why one of the concrete marginal funding uses is a university-run feeding study that will result in a published paper by an academic veterinarian.
Sounds exciting!
Do you have an estimate of the cost of the product per rodent spared you can share? This could help set a lower bound on the potential cost-effectiveness, where in the roughly worst case, donors, grantmakers or impact investors buy or subsidize the product for snake owners, similar to SWP buying stunners for shrimp producers.
The current feeder market ranges widely in price — from $3.99 for a single adult mouse at Petco/​PetSmart to roughly $0.40 each for newborn pinkies bought in bulk from the largest online suppliers. We’ll be able to undercut the lowest-price offering for each equivalent size.
This is not exactly like the shrimp-stunner situation. Snake keepers and breeders have to feed their animals, and if our product becomes viewed as a viable, reputable alternative, being cost-competitive and more convenient gives us a real chance to become the new default; they don’t need to pay a premium for this option. Philanthropic funding can help early on by providing subsidized or free product to induce trial and accelerate conversion; the marginal cost for that purpose is around $0.16–0.80 per mouse-equivalent unit depending on size.
Once enough keepers view this as a normal, credible option, the transition can become self-reinforcing. If enough snakes transition, we can achieve healthy margins and have a self-sustaining, profitable business.
At this early stage, we believe expert validation from respected animal nutritionists and veterinarians is central. That’s been a major focus, and it’s also why one of the concrete marginal funding uses is a university-run feeding study that will result in a published paper by an academic veterinarian.