Okay so on March 2nd of this year I was in a huge financial hole. After recently losing my job at Hostess Brands and getting stuck with a dead end, minimum wage job at my local BJ's Wholesale Club, I decided it would be in my best interest and in the interest of all my animals that I would off a snake. I posted my 1100 gram (at the time) female clown for sale on FaunaClassifieds for $2,500. I immediately was getting responses left and right from potential buyers. After about an hour later she was sold with an agreement of a 20% non-refundable down payment with three months to pay it off.

I get the down payment of $700 (which was an extra $200) and immediately pay off some bills, stock up on frozen rats, cat and ferret food. After about a month he sends me another $500. Great more bill money and food for my animals. Flash forward two hard months and no other money has been sent to me, the remaining balance on her is $1,300.

I text him and ask him whats up he informs me that he can no longer afford to pay (completely understandable considering the current economic times). Still needing money desperately I inform him I will put her back up for sale and send him his $700 back and keep the deposit (which is what we agreed upon). Now the clown female is weighing in at just under 1200 grams completely empty. I put her back up for sale and I keep getting lowball and trade offers (couldn't take trades at that time).

So about two weeks go buy with no sale. I get a phone call from a job and after the interview I was immediately hired. No longer needing money now I ask him if he has any trades he would like to do for the remaining $1300 (hoping we could both make out good with this deal). Now its present day, he sent me pictures of animals he would like to trade me for her but I'm not really interested in trading him for any of his animals he showed me. They just don't fit into my breeding plans/can make my own if I wanted too.

Heres where I need opinions. He is getting some type of refund no matter what (if we can't work out a trade), I'm not into taking people's money that they work hard for to get. What would be the right and honest thing to do? Refund him just the $700 and keep the deposit because he couldn't pay her in the time frame when other potential buyers probably could have? Or refund him all of the $1200 he sent me including the deposit? Has this happened to anyone before? Did you keep the deposit or refund it? I know most breeders who do payment plans say non-refundable but do they really go through with it?

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.