Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We often (or at the very least, sometimes) complain about some of the rediculous and crazy ads that are posted. But what makes a good ad? What characteristics does an ad have that makes you consider buying? What turns you off?
-----
Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

I have a tendancy to ignore ads without pics, since there are opportunities for error without them. Also, it has to be a snake I am interested in with a great price. That always catches my eye.
-----
-Ohh, what a Lady-

Balls for Life, Baby!

Have seen some pretty ridiculous as well as great ads. Here is my 2 cents:
Don¡¦ts:
- Phrases that might be used in a car add: prices slashed, last chance, labor day sale etc¡K
- Ishes or wannabes: lemon-ish, butter-ish, woma wannabe¡K.
- Blurry photos, on wrinkled floral bed sheets, on dirty floors or Obviously lightened altered (yes we can tell), and remove the turd from the substrate before you shoot the picture.
- We don¡¦t care to know that we are going broke to finance your new cigarette boat.
Do¡¦s
- CLEAR information- morph, age, weight, feed, Cb/Ch/WC, price.
- Grammar & Spelling- type in ¡§Word¡¨ first if necessary and spell check ( I am the worlds worst speller)
- Keep tone positive- most of us are not scammers
- Multiple close up pictures of different views¡Ka belly picture is helpful too (of the ball python that is)
- Give your full name, and location
- It is always confidence inspiring to see that references can be provided upon request.

Good Luck!
-----
"There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness"
COLD BLOOD.........WARM HEART

There is little more annoying than not receiving a reply in a reasonable amount of time. Even Ralph Davis, with the myriad of emails he must receive, responds professionally and promptly.
-----
"There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness"
COLD BLOOD.........WARM HEART

1. If you are "Joe Schmoe" that know one knows, be sure to include your full name and location. I see way to many ads that "Todd in New York" is selling(that was a ficticious name just used it for example)

2. Provide good pictures, not blurry ones that leave ou guessing.

3. How the snake came into your collection i.e. breeding/buying is good to know. I want to know why you are selling it.

4. If the ad says something like "easily make your money back this year", the advertiser really doesn't care what happens once you purchase the snake. This is a ploy used to get people with get rich quick plans in debt.

5. Documentation of what the snakes have been feeding on and how often is a must for the duration that it has been in the advertisers collection, and shed records are topping on the cake.(ths doesn't apply so much to normal/inexpensive snakes as it does to top dollar morphs)

6. The ad should state how the snake will be shipped.

7. Payments accepted should also be posted, I nearly bought a snake out of the classifieds a few months ago but the guy only wanted a M.O. That being said he seemed very legitimate but that's a gamble I don't want to take.

8. No Slang! Take the time to review the ad and check for spelling, if someone is selling a "piebald bald python" it's most likely not a scam, but proper spelling and punctuation makes the ad and advertiser look professional.

Well that's my rant.

Cole Maas

>>
>>5. Documentation of what the snakes have been feeding on and how often is a must for the duration that it has been in the advertisers collection, and shed records are topping on the cake.(ths doesn't apply so much to normal/inexpensive snakes as it does to top dollar morphs)
>>

Shed records? Why?

>>
>>8. No Slang! Take the time to review the ad and check for spelling, if someone is selling a "piebald bald python" it's most likely not a scam, but proper spelling and punctuation makes the ad and advertiser look professional.

Yo dog, u is jus 2 D'mandin!
-----
Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

np
-----
Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Rescued Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Rescued Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Rescued Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
1-1-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-0-1 Rescued Dieting Panda Hamster - Mr. Fluffy
0-1-0 Rescued Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

The advertisement sure would be funny, though! (I bet it would get pulled within five minutes.)

Chris
-----
mean people suck

LOL, give it up Bryan, you can't sell that thang.

Quig

They said they haven't seen it. Same thing UPS said. LOL Besides, I don't breed anything outside of Homo Sapians... well... there was that time I was really drunk...
-----
Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Rescued Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Rescued Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Rescued Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
1-1-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-0-1 Rescued Dieting Panda Hamster - Mr. Fluffy
0-1-0 Rescued Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

There are a few things that I like to look for:

Good pictures with no dirty shavings/paper and ABSOLUTLY no poop in the picture.

Feed cards, background info on the animal.

I like to see references offered, and offers to answer any other questions the buyer may have.

I hate it when the seller states "pay pal customers add 3% on top of the total to cover the pay pal fees"...that's just unprofessional, that's your cost for doing bussiness. Add it in the cost of the animal like all your other expenses. I won't even consider these ads.

Becky
WFReptiles

"I hate it when the seller states "pay pal customers add 3% on top of the total to cover the pay pal fees"...that's just unprofessional, that's your cost for doing bussiness. Add it in the cost of the animal like all your other expenses. I won't even consider these ads."

Yea I don't know how I forgot that one!! NO way, not at all!!

Not only is it unprofessional, it's against there TOS(if I have read right)

I don't want to see a picture of a snake for sale with someone's nasty feet or hairy belly in the picture...short of lingerie models, stay out of the pic..... and I'll second the typing and spelling errors.

-Jason

>>I don't want to see a picture of a snake for sale with someone's nasty feet or hairy belly in the picture...short of lingerie models, stay out of the pic..... and I'll second the typing and spelling errors.
>>
>>-Jason

Me and my hairly legs in lingerie? Not a pretty sight.
-----
Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

"Me and my hairly legs in lingerie? Not a pretty sight."

And I have the photos to prove it! =)

Chris
-----
mean people suck

>>"Me and my hairly legs in lingerie? Not a pretty sight."
>>
>>And I have the photos to prove it! =)
>>
>>
>>Chris
>>-----
>>mean people suck
-----
Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

I don't like ads that list several animals with some of them marked "sold". If the are sold then edit your ad and remove the sold animal.

Also don't like ads where the seller comes off as "I don't care if it sells, I'm happy to keep it" or offers an animal at a price that is only good today. That's just too used car salesman feeling to me.

Aside from that, the ad should be well written with a decent photo and answer the basic question of backgroung, shipping, feeding, sex, age, etc.

Another thing I like that I didnt see mentioned would be pics of parents if the seller has access to them. Not in the ad maybe but a line about having them available to show. Also any documentation relevent to that snake, such as vet records. I have yet to buy any $10,000 dollar snakes but would assume that they would come with a certificate of health from a vet. I know I do this with all my dogs I sell and they only cost 1/10 of that. Also any gaurantees offered. Just my thoughts.
-----
Find a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life -Confucious
3.20 ball pythons
1.1 dumeril boas
0.0.1 pixie frog
1.1 dogs
0.2 cats
more fish than I can list.