Anything for a sale

So yesterday was the white plains expo and over all I had a great time talking with some breeders and fellow reptile lovers but there was one thing that drove me a little crazy. I was looking at one table and overheard a customer asking basic questions to the seller and the answers were just ridiculous. The customer asked about housing the snake he was currently buying which was a male pastel about 300grams and his current snake a female normal who was "about 2 years old" His reasoning to the seller was that he didnt want to have to go out and buy another 40 gallon tank. So the seller says "yea shouldn't be a problem with a tank that big and it may even help them breed for you" So my jaw hit the floor and I walked away from the table because I would never buy anything from a vendor who tries to sell that way. After the guy bought the snake I walked over to him and just politely told him that there is a great forum bp.net and that he should go there with any questions and concerns. Plus I gave him my .02 about housing the animals. Hope to see him around here he seemed like a nice guy who just wanted to do what was best for the snake.

I'm not the type of person to blast an entire business online not knowing if the person making the comment was the owner of the company or just a friend helping out that day but come on man stop lying to get sales. Rant over just needed to get that off my chest.

I wouldn't have bought from that person either.

We tend to think that because someone has bred these guys and has babies, they know what they are doing. Unfortunately, balls are fairly easy to breed and just because they got lucky doesn't mean they know diddly.

I used to run into people like that all the time when I bred birds. They thought just because they put a male and female together and got a few babies that made them experts.:rolleyes:

What it made them was lucky morons who undoubtedly killed who knows how many birds by spreading their "knowledge" around. I heard one fool tell a nice lady who had just purchased a parakeet that she didn't need a second cage, she could house it just fine with her african grey parrot! :O

So no, I don't believe what I hear from someone just because they happen to have a few baby snakes. I listen politely, remember what was said, then come here for more opinions. When I bought my pastel male, who was already at 1100 grams, I was told he'd never breed because he was too fat and that is why the breeder sold him. Apparently he never got the memo, because he's a breeding machine.

Gale

People are going to house their animals however they want. If they ask me, will explain why I do not house my animals together. However, I do not tell them that they are wrong. You have to remember, just because someone does something differently than you does not mean that they are doing it wrong.

Some species do better than others when housed together. Anytime animals are housed together, however, the owner should watch them more carefully for signs of sickness or stress.

I have sold to people that house their snakes together. I always tell them my thoughts on the matter, and let them make their own decision.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by angllady2

Apparently he never got the memo, because he's a breeding machine.

Gale

---

Too funny! My Bumblebee male is ~1300g, so I guess he's breaking the rules, too!

To the OP - That's great that you tried to educate the new owner without making a public scene with the seller. I know it can be difficult to maintain tact when someone is THAT wrong.

@whoohoo I would agree that after someone buys an animal it is up to them how to house that animal however without the proper information regarding husbandry of any species by the breeder/seller its all downhill from there. That buyer now might go on to possibly spread that useless information with others and back it up with "but i heard it from a breeder"

Thanks for the responses. I just couldn't get over the total lack of care for an animal over just getting a sale and needed to vent. For the animals sake I hope he takes my advice and comes here and joins up or at least stays in the shadows and just reads the care guide and advice we have here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HerpIsAhobby

@whoohoo I would agree that after someone buys an animal it is up to them how to house that animal however without the proper information regarding husbandry of any species by the breeder/seller its all downhill from there. That buyer now might go on to possibly spread that useless information with others and back it up with "but i heard it from a breeder"

Thanks for the responses. I just couldn't get over the total lack of care for an animal over just getting a sale and needed to vent. For the animals sake I hope he takes my advice and comes here and joins up or at least stays in the shadows and just reads the care guide and advice we have here.

---

I do agree that the seller should have informed the buyer about the possible issues with housing them together.

I think Eddie hit the nail on the head... just because he does something differently than you doesn't mean it's wrong. Who's to say that breeder hasn't been successfully cohabiting his ball pythons for the past twenty years?

I try to tell people I sell to to get a proper rack or cage,but they dont listen sold a guy my proven albino male called me back 2 months later & said he dont eat? he was one of my best eatrers,long story short he kept all 6 of his Bps in a 100 gallon aqurium:confused:,tried to explain housing them he just hung up on me unbelivable.Thats the only thing about selling animals.

I think telling someone with little experience and apparently resources (ie. can't afford another tank) that housing them together is fine, is wrong. I don't think this is a "just because they do it different doesn't make it wrong" kind of situation. It is absolutely wrong to give someone that new and that limited that kind of advice, period. Is it always wrong to house them together? Absolutely not, I personally wouldn't, but I've heard advice from very experienced and knowledgeable people who have successfully. But, giving that kind of nonchalant info to a "newb" is wrong...

That would go up my butt sideways too if I was there for that, and I think you handled it well by approaching that person and letting them know how you felt about it without being pushy. Kudos.

Housing snakes together isn't the worst thing in the world. I have two that are housed together (don't try to bash me, they had separate tanks till my fiancée broke one..) but to be honest they do BETTER together. It was horrible trying to get the pastel to eat, and now he's a eating machine. The one I got from petsmart was also a little annoying at feeding time but now eats every 5 days. Do I watch and monitor them all the time? Yes. Do I understand the risk, yes. I heard the same while.in tinley, the breeder I got the juvenile pastel from told.me, "I keep my younger ones together in groups of two's or three's until they're either 500 grams or a year old. And the trouble eaters seem to eat better this way" I could go on and on.. I would say I talked to this Guy for maybe 45 minutes? But he knew what worked for him and it's working for me with these two trouble eaters. Now, do.I think 6 snakes in a 100 gallon Aquarium is wrong, yes.. two of the same age and same size in a 20 or 40? No, as long as they have room and are okay together. To be honest, since I put them together about a month ago, the more scared pastel has calmed down seeing his "tankmate" being held. am I saying house all snakes together, no. But IN MY OPINION.. some snakes can do well together. And yes, around the start of the year or at tax time they're going to be separated as I am investing in a rank. :P