I run a rescue but I also have a large collection of "designer" morphs of various species.
I had a guy fostering for me for the rescue- he bred beardies, and corn snakes.
He was a great foster home- he was disabled and unable to work out of the home but had TONS of time for lizards and snakes.

He fostered close to 40 animals in 3 years.

He was looking for more female beardies for his breeding 'stuff' -- We agreed from the beginning that the females thru the rescue wouldn't be adopted to him to become breeders, or adopted out to other breeders- that was fine.
I had a large citrus dragon that we used in our educational program because she wasn't "just a normal" -- she was awsome. He asked one day if I wanted to raise some more $ for the rescue-- I said of course! He took my female beardie to his house, she became gravid, and layed 12 eggs. We agreed that we would split the babies 50/50. My female was more valuable, he did the work-- I tried to take her home the day after she layed- he said he would keep her a few weeks and get her fattened up real good...

He got a workers comp settlement check and called me up and said he wanted to "buy the female he was fostering" .... ?
I said that I had an application pending on her and it was approved, I was going to call the family that day-- he said "I'm interested in buying and thats what i'm doing"

I told him that I couldn't let him adopt the female b/c she was adopted. I told him that I couldn't do that. I didn't hear from him for 4 days. Then I had $100 in my mail box with a note that says "I am keeping the female she is gravid" --- WTF?!

I called him and said I needed to come get the other fostered animals (2 male beardies, a red tail boa, and 2 corn snakes), as well as the female citrus and the babies from her (that had just hatched a week ago).

I had also spent a good amount of my tax return to buy him some cages (nice cages like animal plastics or vison-- I know what i bought but don't want to violate rules, or give too many details) I spent several hundred on the cages. The cages hadn't shipped yet- the day I found teh $100- I called the cage company and asked if any changes had been made. He had changed the shipping address TO HIS HOUSE INSTEAD OF MINE!!! I said that I was the card holder that paid for the cages and they were to be shipped to my house.
A week later I got a phone call from him asking where "his" cages were. I said that they hadn't been shipped yet but they should get to my house any day.
He said that he had taken care of all these animals and done all the work with the citrus so him keeping the animals and MY cages was his "compensation".... I paid for all food, provided cages (that i didn't get back) --

20 minutes after I got that phone call- teh cage company called me and said that the shipping address had been changed again and I was "banned" from the account. I had to take digital photo's of my bank card and email to them- to prove that I was indeed the card holder. We canceled the order at that time b/c I was afraid he would just come get the cages off my porch anyway...

He then threatened to shoot me if I came on his property, and called the police on me- trying to get other animals from my house... he continues to call animal control- saying I have illegal species-- I now know all the officers and they showed up last week- asked how it was going, walked thru my place and told me to have a nice day... They're tired of it, I'm tired of it, but they have to check....

If you do a breeding loan-- BE SMARTER THAN ME!!! DO NOT TRUST YOUR FRIENDS. As horrible as that sounds- he was a friend- after fostering for 3 years, we developed a friendship, had BBQ's together, my kids played over there, we went to reptile shows together... we were friends... I thought he was helping me, and doing us a favor--- he was screwing me over and he did screw us.

You need to write up an agreement and have it notarized at kinkos, or at a bank....

What our verbal agreement was is that: I KEPT MY FEMALE CITRUS, I got 1/2 the babies- if there was an odd #, I agreed for him to keep it. My female was higher "value" than his male, but he was doing the "work"-- which sounds like it would be the same in your case.

I guess I'm just saying you need to be careful-- I learned my lesson--- and then some... I no longer have foster homes, from fear of loosing more animals. I have no doubt that the animals he has are being cared for wonderfully but thats not the point. I decided that if I wanted to breed my personal animals, it would be better, safer, and "more profitable" if I didn't have to share with someone else...

Just please, PLEASE be careful!
What area do you live in? If you're here near me- I can give you a list of ppl. that are into reptiles that you need to AVOID! lol...

Good luck...

~Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

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