Have any of you ever refused to sell a reptile to a certain person?

[Wh00h0069]

Yes, a guy called me asking if I would trade him a snake for a cell phone. I told him, no cash only. Then he offered drugs... Needless to say, I didn't sell to him.

[KingPythons]

This is me selling one of my het red axanthics, this is his reply lol

"considering a het for anything looks like a normal, that should explain why I ask about paperwork.
I breed all differant types of morphs & can definantly tell what they are.
Hets on the other hand must have paperwork from a reputable breeder to prove what they are."

People are really retarded at times.

[wolfy-hound]

I don't mind ignorance, I can educate people who just don't know "all about" ball pythons or morphs. They don't have to know the latest about every morph to take good care of a snake.

But if I feel it's a bad home, yes, I refuse the sale. I have in the past, will in the future. I have had people contact me multiple times after I said no, and told them outright that I don't feel they would be able to care for one of my babies that I hatched out and raised up. They are my pets, as I bred the adults, I watched over the eggs, hovered over the tiny python heads poking out of the eggs, washed them and coaxed them into eating their first meals... I have more invested in each baby than "Here, $10 and it's yours". That's not who I am, and if I get to that state, I should probably just quit.

I have sold snakes to a middleman before, but I sell to people that I feel make certain it will be a good owner, not to a random store or anyone who wants "wholesale" snakes. I refused to sell to a neighor for nearly 3 years. They wanted anything alive, just becuase it was cool. They kept saying how they wanted one of my monitor hatchlings when I got some. These people were astounded that their ball python(not from me) got OUT of a tank when the "lid" was a blanket laid over top of it! NO! You cannot have a monitor lizard! Do not pass go, do not collect $200, return to jail where you belong.

Sigh.

[PythonChick]

Definitely. I had a guy contact me once asking if A) The baby normal BP would be a good pet for his 3 year old. B) If the baby normal BP had teeth. and C) If the baby normal BP could eat crickets.

I am all about some education, but if you can't do even a little homework yourself then I am not comfortable selling to you.

As for children, I judge that on a case by case basis. One of my normal babies went to a wonderful home for a kids 12 or 13th birthday. Both the kid and the mother were great, asking plenty of (intelligent) husbandry questions and generally making it very clear they were both interested and committed to providing a great home.

In short yes, I have refused to sell to people and will refuse again if I feel the home they are going to is in any way inadequate.

[aldebono]

I am producing far more dart frogs than I am snakes at the moment. And yes. I have refused to sell to someone.

I am the kind of seller that is doing just as much research on an individual as if I were a buyer. Things like, parasites in their collection, "mysterious" deaths, poor housing/husbandry, etc. All of which are very easy to find record of on a public forum.

I have a list of people that I will not buy from or sell to.

[Shadera]

Sure have. I keep a list of people not to deal with based on criteria as in the post above. I want my animals going to decent homes. Yes, it means I have a much smaller pool of people to sell to, but I'm okay with that.

Just refused a sale a couple days ago, matter of fact. Had a guy contact me wanting an animal I have up for sale. I always research my buyers, and I found out this guy has a history of scamming people - taking money and never sending anything. He won't be buying from me.

[angllady2]

Add me to the list. I have before and will again, even though I am very new to the hobby. I had purchased a lot of baby balls that were imported because I thought it was a good idea. Now I know better but that isn't the point.

I sold all of the babies to various people. One couple seemed so sweet, they actually got two babies, one for him and one for her. Things went great for a long time, then they split up. She had to get a new place to live, and he kept the snakes. Within a month he'd managed to kill both of them. She told me so herself, and she was crushed. She blamed herself for the fact that her boyfriend was a complete jerk. Now, if she came to me and wanted another snake, I'd sell one to her, because what happened wasn't her fault. Her boyfriend on the other hand, I've spread the word to everyone I know to steer clear of him.

I also had a group of guys from a dorm come to see the babies. It seems they wanted a dorm pet, and fish or snake were the only option. One of them was a complete idiot, and I really wasn't liking the whole idea, when the quiet guy in the back spoke up. it seems his parents have owned snakes all his life, and he is the one the snake would be staying with. I asked him every question I could think of, from temperature range to feeding to shedding to mites to RI, and this kid knew all the right answers. he pulled out his phone and showed me the picture of the already set-up enclosure for the new baby when it got bigger, as well as the mini setup for it now. I knew then he'd be fine, and I know he was treated like a prince.

There is a certain guy I run into at reptile shows here, and he just rubs me the wrong way. He's always trying to buy a snake from me, usually for about half what I am asking for it. I use every excuse out there on this guy. Sorry, already sold. Just took a deposit on it. Holding it for a friend, etc. Last show I went to, he kept on and kept on about my Yellowbelly male. I must have told him 8 different ways he couldn't buy it. Finally I lost my patience with him and told him bluntly, " Look, there isn't enough money in Fort Knox to make me sell my snake to you! You are rude, you smell, and I don't like you, now please leave me alone!" When he stormed off in a huff, the people at nearby tables cheered for me.

Bottom line, know what you are talking about, be polite and friendly, and you likely won't get told you cannot buy a snake.

Gale

[Jessica Loesch]

you wouldn't believe the amount of research I did before I bought my.first bp... Down to the bulb to mimic 12/12...

Not to derail the thread, but if you did research then you know that you DON'T need this...?

[AK907]

Yup, I refuse people quite often actually. I ask a lot of questions before I sell anything. I will not be one of those shady breeders who sells and flips anything and everything to anybody just to make a quick buck.

[joepythons]

I will not sell anything to anyone under 18.I have refused to sell a burmese python to a guy who wanted a big snake to ride in his truck with him.I told him he was a idiot and dont ever call me again.