Breeder Vs. Pet store BP

I hope this doesnt flare up tempers but I am in a position where i need to be educated on this.

I am going to be purchasing a ball python in the very near future and i wanted to ask you guys the pros and cons of buying from a breeder and also the pros and cons of buying from a pet store, I have handled BP's in the past and our local pet store has one that seems very friendly. I held him yesterday and he seemed ok! but i lack the jedi knowledge that some of you members have so ill bring the topic to you.....im assuming this topic has been done about a million times so go go gadget monotony!

I have been browsing breeder in the delta area(B.C.) and he has some very very nice snakes for very good prices and just as you guys said! pie balds for a fraction of the price my local pet store is charging. My concern and please shed some light on this for me is that i would have to order the snake and have it shipped to my house, is this good for the snake?

Enlighten me!

If possible, a breeder or a local pet store (not a big chain) is usually going to be a better choice. Chain stores bring in animals to move them out and charge prices that people in the hobby know are obscene and the ones in my area tend to not care so much about the health of the animals. This may not be the case everywhere, of course, but a reputable breeder is going to be the better bet much more often than not.

As for shipping, it doesn't bother the snake much if at all. 3 of mine were shipped to me and they're all happy and healthy. The others I have came from reptile shows or local breeders. If you aren't comfortable with shipping live reptiles, a reptile show is a very good option and a quick google search will tell you when and where the nearest one to you will be.

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Originally Posted by Daigga

If possible, a breeder or a local pet store (not a big chain) is usually going to be a better choice. Chain stores bring in animals to move them out and charge prices that people in the hobby know are obscene and the ones in my area tend to not care so much about the health of the animals. This may not be the case everywhere, of course, but a reputable breeder is going to be the better bet much more often than not.

As for shipping, it doesn't bother the snake much if at all. 3 of mine were shipped to me and they're all happy and healthy. The others I have came from reptile shows or local breeders. If you aren't comfortable with shipping live reptiles, a reptile show is a very good option and a quick google search will tell you when and where the nearest one to you will be.

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thanks for the reply

there is a reptile expo in calgary AB beginning of may and i am not scheduled to work those days, although its roughly a 3-4 hour drive i may have to venture to it.

There is no pro from buying from a store such as Petsmart. So I would immediately scratch that off the list.

My advice is either buy from a reputable breeder directly OR if that's not something that you want to do... then buy from your local reputable reptile store. The only pro of buying at a store vs a breeder is you can see the animal in person. But a good breeder will send you all the pics you need and disclose everything about the snake. I think you should go straight to the source (the breeder) for the animal. And when I say breeder, I mean the person who actually bred the snake, not a flipper, who buys snakes wholesale and tries to let people believe he bred them.

Breeder. Ordering online makes it easy. Or go to a reptile show.