What is the Proper Way of Providing a Genetic Guarantee for Het?

Hello all,

We are getting into at least one recessive project in 2014. I often times see breeders say that there hets come with proof that they are het. What is the proper protocal for providing this information? Is it just providing a picture of an albino male with a normal female, then providing a photo of the eggs being dropped, or is it more in depth then that?

Thanks,

Unfortunately, all someone really has to go on is the word of the breeder. Photos can be manipulated, people lie...here's what *I* would do:

• Picture of the lock
• Picture of mom on eggs
• Whole clutch picture showing visuals and hets if available
• Whole body picture of the animal (essentially for identification purposes)

Beyond that...it's really your word.

I don't really think all of those pictures are necessary. If someone were to scam you, they could just get any pictures of their morphs, locks, etc. and give you a normal. I provide a picture of the snake being sold on a signed document describing the heritage, sex, and date of hatch. I'm not sure if it's legally binding, but it really comes down to reputation and whether or not you trust the breeder.

anything can be faked.

it comes down to the word of the breeder.

but you should get a picture of the snake and of both parent snakes. pictures of siblings and information on the genetics of the grandparents is also nice to have. that all helps to see what genetics went into the snake and helps to avoid inbreeding.

but in the end, you just have to trust that the breeder is honest. Breeders with a good reputation can back up what they say with their good reputation, but thats all. After a few breeding seasons someone can have a huge quantity of unpublished pictures showing lockups, eggs, snakes on eggs, snakes hatching from eggs, enough material to forge photo documentation.

but then, most breeders are honest and take it seriously. Reputable breeders just dont lie about their snakes. Breeders provide snakes to other breeders, if someone makes stuff up it will be found out when other breeders actually breed these snakes. So you have something like a network of mutual trust among breeders.

When other people that have done business with breeder XY say you can trust breeder XY, then i trust breeder XY and thats it. Pictures are nice, but i think judging breeders by their reputation is actually more reliable.

These are all valid points.

Pictures can show anything at all, so can paperwork. With minimal effort, anyone can make it look like they have het anything they want, even when they don't.

Showing a photograph of the entire clutch showing hets and visuals does help. Especially if the picture is clear enough to see specific markings on a particular snake. Of course, even that isn't proof, anyone can throw together newly hatched normals with newly hatched morphs if they are sincere about scamming. But it is less likely a casual scammer will go to the trouble.

Talking to the breeder helps. Especially for ones that are too new to have a big reputation like myself. Ask questions about the genetics, many casual scammers will say something to give their deception away. It also helps if the breeder is local to you. Then if the supposed het does not prove, you can at least hopefully get back in touch with the breeder and maybe work something out. But then again, if you buy a het female and wait 3 years, by then the breeder might be long gone. You can usually get a sense of someone by talking to them for a while. If you get a bad vibe, pass on the animal. I've done that.

I took a chance 4 years ago when I bought a 100% het pied from someone I did not know at a reptile show. We talked and she seemed knowledgeable and kind, and I felt good about her, so I bought the snake. It took 4 years to breed her, but she proved for me last year. Now, I have no idea what became of that lady, so if she wasn't a het I'd bought an expensive normal, but I trusted my gut feeling and it worked out.

Any time you purchase a het it's a gamble. The bottom line for you, just as it is for me, is be honest and sincere to your potential buyers. Some people won't buy from you because you don't have a reputation yet, but some people will if you treat them right. After time goes by, you'll start building a reputation and then it will get easier. I have found spending time at my local shows, even if it is only to talk to vendors and breeders there, goes a long way. If a big breeder knows you on sight and talks to you regularly, that will impress people and help you get going. Especially if you know what you are talking about.

Gale