Ethical Question

[bcr229]

Perhaps I shouldn't let this kind of thing bother me but it does, especially in transactions involving animals.

Like most other herpers I peruse ads daily in the reptile forums and Facebook groups. I'd say 99.9% don't raise an eyebrow, even those on Craigslist.

Occasionally I'll see one that makes me shake my head or roll my eyes... but then there is that one among thousands where I really want to say something because I see a future trainwreck, with a lot of heartache and no good outcome for the buyer.

An example would be something like an adult desert female ball python being advertised as a great addition to a breeding program.

So, do you say something, or do you just figure it's buyer beware, grit your teeth, and not comment?

The particular ad I read recently did not involve a desert female ball python, but it is a morph with documented issues, not one I would ever try to produce, and if I inadvertently did I certainly wouldn't sell it.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Well in the case of the hypothetical female desert, selling a desert female is fine but saying it is a great addition for a breeding project is false advertisement, and no better than mislabeling a morph. and I would call it out, not because I like to stir the pot but because there are more and more new people coming to this hobby each day and they do not have the info that some of us who have been in it for years have.

Now if you want to tell me about the specific real case you can PM me.

[Asherah]

Well I have to ask what morph are we talking here? I assume the issues aren't like the spider wobble.

[bcr229]

PM sent, it's not an ad on this site.

ETA: Interesting, someone else put a warning on the ad.

No, it wasn't me.

[MarkS]

There are more and more ball python morphs that seem to have issues/defects that affect them like wobbles, duck bills, potential for kinked spines, breeding problems etc. Years ago I got rid of all of my champagnes, sables, spiders etc because I didn't want to deal with the neurological issues. I know that most of these aren't that bad and many people think they're 'cute' and 'adorable' with their little quirks but I've had spiders that really were complete train wrecks and they kind of ruined it for me. But just because I don't like spiders does that mean I should warn others away from them?

I guess as long as people know the risks, I think it's fine. If people DON'T know the risks, I'd have to ask why they aren't doing their research first before buying the animal.



(I don't like bulldogs either, I think they have so many health problems that I don't understand why anyone would intentionally produce them. Yet, they command high prices and have a large following. )

[AbsoluteApril]

The super motley boa, correct?

IMO - it's up to the buyer to research and know what they are buying.
As a seller, I would disclose known issues. In this particular case where the super is known to have longevity issues*, I wouldn't even sell it (wouldn't do the breeding that produced it either) but obviously this specific seller doesn't share that viewpoint.

*most die within the first two years, I do know someone that had one live over 5 but I don't know what ended up happening with him, I assume he passed.

For example, I was interested in picking up a mimosa. After further research I decided to pass since finding out champs can wobble. No one discloses that in the ads. It's up to the buyer to research.

Posting a warning on someone else's ad is in rather poor taste imo as helpful as the person is trying to be. But again, I also think the ad itself is in poor taste.

[bcr229]

The snake in question is a super motley boa constrictor and they're well known for dying before reaching maturity. The defect goes beyond spider wobble or even female deserts; it would be like selling a super champagne.

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...d.php?t=561457

[bcr229]

The super motley boa, correct?

Yeah. Looks like the mods need to do some clean-up on the thread, it's getting ugly.

[AbsoluteApril]

Ahh okay I logged off to come over here, I'll go back now.

edit - seller deleted it

[OhhWatALoser]

Personally I believe it is a buyer responsibility to be educated on what they are buying in the end. As long as a seller doesn't lie, I don't see anything ethically wrong. However, I see it as a win/win to make sure a customer is aware of morph problems. People who do know gain respect for you and people who don't know may stop themselves from making a purchase that will be a headache for you later.