Reptile & Amphibian Forums

...Big name breeders not updating their sites? The only one that seems to update their site is Kathy. I just checked out a couple other sites and they were updated prior to LAST years breeding season. I just dont get it.
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****Misty****

www.sneakyserpents.com

"The more things change, the more they remain Insane"

i dunno... i know quite a few people i used to buy from have quit corns and thayeri all together... which is sad b/c i wanted to post updates with the breeders... But it seems like ALOT of people are getting into the ball python market. Or maybe its b/c the economy is so bad right now that people dont have time updating websites?? i dunno...
~kin
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~Sober Serpents~
www.freewebs.com/soberserpents
Corns, Creamsicles, A Black Rat, A pair of Leucistic Black Rat X Leucistic Texas Rat Intergrades, Thayeri, Cal Kings, A Jungle Corn, Ball Pythons, Leopard Geckos, Green Anoles, 2 Snapping Turtles, a White Cheeked Mud Turtle, an Eastern Box Turtle, a Bearded Dragon, an Adult Rescue Iguana, and A Baby Iguana

One thing might be the economy-it has gotten so bad that a lot of big breeders I have spoken with are relying on a combination of wholesaling out their animals and the overseas market (but the economies over there are even starting to suffer!).

Almost everyone is saying that domestic retail (internet) sales are a fraction of what they were a year -two years ago.So why bother updating your site if nothing is selling?
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Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....

Sales are definitly down this year. Everybody is putting too much $$ into their gas tanks and there's nothing left to buy snakes with.

I agree with what the others have said but will also mention that the biggest colubrid breeder in the U.S. hasn't updated his site in years, which would indicate that maybe there's no need to.

In addition, I get e-mails all the time from people who obviously haven't looked at my website, because they ask to buy animals that I don't work with. So maybe that has something to do with it too.

Tim

Third Eye

Do you have any "turbo" x cornduran x imperial corns(het for mozaic) for sale by any chance???............just kiddin' of course!..LOL!

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

Many possible reasons. Lack of time is one. Many pay someone else to build their websites and simply do not know how to update their sites without paying someone else. I also know a few who don't because they are doing so many shows this time of year,it is simply to much extra work keeping track of inventory on their site. Last but not least you have those that feel they have better luck selling here in the classifieds than going through the trouble of constantly updating a site. I'm sure there are many other reasons.

You just hit on the two biggest reasons. Some of the "big time breeders" pay others to update their sites and don't know how to do it. However, I imagine the biggest reason is that they are in the heat of battle right now. I know one heavy hitter that is spending approximately 15-18 hours a day working with the snakes. Mon-Wed are definite shipping days and they spend all day pulling orders and then the night feeding and cleaning. Takes alot of time to care for over 2000 babies not to mention the adults.

dc

Everyone's points are all good points.
I hope the market does not drop off too bad with the economy. So far, I have been lucky enough to not feel business dropping.
With the bad economy mentioned, you'd think you would want to use every avenue available to sell. Sure, don't spend tons of time updating pictures of every available snake, but put something new, at least at the beginning of the season.
I would think that the "big Name" people out there have help. I dont think one person is caring for 2000 babies plus adults. I am not saying it impossible, just unlikely. I know how hard it is to care for a lot of animals, and most of us have another (main) job as well.
Now, mind you, I am not trying to offend anyone, step on toes, or tell someone how to do business. Like I said, I can see the validity in all the above reasons. I was just wondering.
I check a lot of these sites on a regular basis and it just gets boring if there is nothing new.
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****Misty****

www.sneakyserpents.com

"The more things change, the more they remain Insane"

No offense taken, of course I am not a big time breeder so how could I have been offended?

In regards to the big guys having help, I know several do not have help and in fact do care for them by themselves. Most do not want outsiders in their snake buildings to see potential new projects and leak info, plus many would not be able to afford paying people and still call their buisness a profit at the end of the year.

One breeder in particular tried hiring a few local kids to help and after several broken necks, clipped tails and such from being scared when a snake popped out at feeding time, that ended that. Doesn't take too many injured high dollar project snakes to get you fired. Sad thing is they rarely told him, they just closed it back and he found it on his own.

dc

Unfortunately, I can easily picture that sort of stuff happening.

~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

wow. That is crazy!!
If I ever had anyone to help, it would be to clean cages only, and when I am present. I have had family help me clean cages before, while I was there. That way I could respond if there were issues.
I couldn't imagine some one killing one of my snakes (and they are not even high end!)
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****Misty****

www.sneakyserpents.com

"The more things change, the more they remain Insane"

I am far from being a big guy.. I don;t want no ones help because I have a lack of trust in most people.. Not there animals, so their hearts are not into it.. Quite frankly, its none of anyones business what I am doing except for the people I include.. We are not big enough to hire people to help, as I anticipate not having more than 200 hatchlings any given year. I don;t even think I break even at any year, because it is what it is to me.. A hobby..

I have never had a good year of sales ever, because after offering good deals, if people don't seem to want them off to wholesale they go, no matter the morph, or I give them to some people I can trust to some degre..

Regards.. Tim of T and J

Well Misty, I can affirm that a lot of breeders DO take care of those kinds of numbers by themselves-my own count for the season is approaching 1200 juvies! And yes, it does get to the point where it seems every waking hour is taken up by some form of reptile care....
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Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....