Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have bought my snakes from breeders online and at shows. Most of the time the breeder did inquire about whether I wanted it as a breeder or a pet, what my set up was, temperatures, if I had the feeders it liked (rats v. mice, etc).

I think this is an essential part to keeping our hobby healthy. Maybe the breeders shouldn't write a book about their customers exactly. However, selling a boa or a python to someone who doesn't know how to care for it is PART (just part) OF how we got into this trouble with the Fish and Wildlife Service in the first place. Of course, someone who is buying the snake should have an idea of how to care for it FIRST, but a little double checking goes a long way.

I understand some people here breed and sell a lot of snakes. Therefore, a lot of customers cross their path and they cannot question all of them in depth. But I do feel that it is at least partially the breeder/seller's responsibility to make sure the animal goes to a reasonably good home.

What are your thoughts on this?
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Lincoln, NE
0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma (hidden gene?), 0.1 Yellowbelly
2.0 Normals, 1.0 Thayeri, 0.1 Thayeri X Alterna, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

I agree to an extent. I would get annoyed if every time I went to buy a snake, they asked me in depth questions about my set-up. But I feel that we should be able to figure out who to ask questions based on how they interact with us. If somebody doesn't seem knowledgable about the hobby, then ask them questions. The people I've bought from (always in person), can usually tell I know what I want and know what to look for so I'm obviously familiar with snakes. But I think it never hurts to ask a couple of questions. Usually at shows or something, I don't have time to go in depth and it's too loud and crowded anyways.
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Teresa
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3.0 Dogs (2.0 Chihuahuas, 1.0 Toy Poodle)
1.5 Cats
1.0 Cockatiel
1.0 Indonesian Blue tongue skink

Ball Pythons
0.1 100% Het Albino (Watson)
1.0 Pastel (Sweets)
0.1 Spider (Daisy)
1.0 Albino

agree with some of the low end Balls but you can be sure someone dropping 1k on a ball python has a pretty good idea of what they are doing and would most likely have several other balls.
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Vince Pramuk []__[]

True. I at least *hope* that would be the case. Though, when you see people grinding the clutch on a '72 Corvette Stingray because they don't know how to drive a manual, it sometimes makes me wonder if price tag does mean the buyer isn't a moron. But, like you said, higher end purchases *usually* go to someone who knows what they are doing.
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Lincoln, NE
0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma (hidden gene?), 0.1 Yellowbelly
2.0 Normals, 1.0 Thayeri, 0.1 Thayeri X Alterna, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

Not true- I've seen a few folks who drop big money on ball python morphs because they think they're pretty and if they're going to do something, might as well go big. Seems to be a mentality that it must be easy if so many people are doing it, go ahead and spend big money on an animal they know nothing about. It's just a snake, they should be able to wing it, right?

I know one couple who bought an albino and I think a pastel (maybe a lesser?) and didn't know anything about them, just that they were pretty. They meant well and eventually were steered in the direction of purchasing adequate setups for each snake, but at first they were trying to feed them pinkies and had them without heat. They'd spent over $1000 on snakes, but less than $30 on the cage and absolutely zero time learning about them.

You know what they say about assuming... it makes an a** out of u and me!
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"We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words."
- Anna Sewell (1820-1878)