Well, there are so many unknowledgeable people out there, even now--a breeder is a safer choice for someone who has to give up a pet. They can be reasonably sure that a breeder actually knows how to care for the animals, or they wouldn't be able to breed them. I was given a normal female for this reason too--I was up front about the fact that I will be breeding her. She came with stuck eyecaps with fluid buildup under them, but we cleared that up no problem. She wasn't up to size this season, but will be for next.