Buying hets

[ebrithil000]

garrick is the man id trust anything he sold you and honestly if he says something is 100% and turns out it isnt he would probably replace it with another one

[J.Vandegrift]

IMO, Paperwork is a total waste of time. Anyone can write up paperwork. If the seller is a scammer you will never get your money back no matter what the paper says. One of the biggest scammers ever (Top Shelf Exotics) were one of the first breeders offer paperwork with the captive hatched "Hets" he was selling. That said if someone buying a snake from me requests paperwork I write up and laminate the paperwork with a pic of the snake.

[plsbh]

Was looking at buying out a collection for a very good deal (20+ snakes) many vision racks. Enough that I could of sold off everything and gotten my money back and kept what I wanted out of it.

Then I started looking at old listing from the same person talking about sickness in their animals and their hets they bought but could not 100% guarantee them. This is after they told me who they got them from (contradicting stories). I am going to pass on it.

I of course like everyone else would trust reputable person or persons but if it was a not well known person then I am going to pass. (unless I get them at a normals price and then maybe it would be worth the risk) But no matter who I got them from I would want paperwork though for if I ever did let them go I want proof.

[RobNJ]

I don't think any of the hets I have came with paperwork, other than a 66% poss het hypo male I bought. I researched and trusted the info I was able to find on the others I bought from. Paper work matters very little to me. I don't think fake hets are as prevalent as many others seem to believe, but I'm sure there are a few people here and there that have no issue misrepresenting genetics...and I think that most instances where genetics are not as they are sold are probably a result of ignorance/not understanding rather than intent to deceive.

[satomi325]

I would like to have some kind of proof that my snake is 100% het, but isn't necessary. I try not to buy animals that I'd sell in the future anyway.
My pastel het clown girl didn't come with a photograph, but I copied and matched up the snake with the breeder site photographs and it matched perfectly.
And while there wasn't any actual paper work, the snake came with a receipt that stated what she was. And I have email correspondences from the breeder that states what she is too.

Either way, the most important thing is to buy from a reputable source.

[Jabberwocky Dragons]

Something I haven't seen mentioned yet is that paperwork even from a trusted and well known breeder can be worthless if you are not buying direct. There was a thread here recently where the seller offered NERD paperwork on hets that he purportedly bought from them. If I remember correctly, the buyer felt the deal was a little off but trusted the "NERD" paperwork and went through with the sale. Turns out the paperwork was never sent with the "hets" and the picture of the paperwork was revealed as fraudulent.

[1nstinct]

Thanks everyone for your answers.
Dragon- I remember that post, it sucks for that guy.
It is true that the Gaureentee is only worth what paper it is printed on, glad that's why I will only buy animals from breeders I trust that are selling me the correct anImal.
Tom

[Vasiliki]

Something I haven't seen mentioned yet is that paperwork even from a trusted and well known breeder can be worthless if you are not buying direct. There was a thread here recently where the seller offered NERD paperwork on hets that he purportedly bought from them. If I remember correctly, the buyer felt the deal was a little off but trusted the "NERD" paperwork and went through with the sale. Turns out the paperwork was never sent with the "hets" and the picture of the paperwork was revealed as fraudulent.

The paperwork that was forged, in that case, did not have photographs of the animal and was not the legitimate NERD paperwork. Not even close. A little bit of research would have yielded that it was not the correct paperwork. Then buyer then found a thread started by the seller after the fact, contradicting where he purchased them from.

In that case, I think it's unfortunate for the buyer, but again, research is key here. A little digging and asking a few questions can go a LONG way in this industry.

On the matter of hets, paperwork would be a requirement of mine if purchased from anyone but the breeder (with confirmation of the paperwork's authenticity by a quick e-mail to said breeder), or no paperwork if I'm buying from someone I know and trust.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Hets is all about a trust, if there is any doubt in your mind then dont do it.
I do not have a plan for any hets I produce yet but I kow I wont blow smoke up anyones hind end because I value my word and honesty more than anything

[Jabberwocky Dragons]

The paperwork that was forged, in that case, did not have photographs of the animal and was not the legitimate NERD paperwork. Not even close. A little bit of research would have yielded that it was not the correct paperwork. Then buyer then found a thread started by the seller after the fact, contradicting where he purchased them from.

In that case, I think it's unfortunate for the buyer, but again, research is key here. A little digging and asking a few questions can go a LONG way in this industry.

On the matter of hets, paperwork would be a requirement of mine if purchased from anyone but the breeder (with confirmation of the paperwork's authenticity by a quick e-mail to said breeder), or no paperwork if I'm buying from someone I know and trust.

Even assuming it was legitimate paperwork, it would be relatively easy to Photoshop a new pic of a fake het in so I still would not trust correct paperwork with pictures from a third party seller. Someone could buy a het with paperwork from respected breeder, and then sell a hundred normal "hets" all with real actual het paperwork just with different pictures. You would have to contact the actual breeder for the het status, assuming they keep records with pictures of every snake and then have them compare the pictures. Better to just buy from the breeder in the first place if trust is an issue. If trust is there, then paperwork is just a nice extra.

The last two hets I bought came with digital PDF paperwork emailed to me which I thought was great. I don't know if PDF paperwork is common practice now but it should be. I'm sure PDF's can be doctored as well but it's probably a little harder and most importantly, there's the orignal email record.