Need Your Opinion!!!

[SnowThickness]

ok well yesterday I went to the local pet store to get feeders and I have a bad habit of looking around while they are getting the rats. They have some babies with PRETTY coloring and white highlights. Their color is just outstanding, the gold on them is almost the color of a ring. I wanted to buy on right on the spot but I like have the cage setup before I bring a new one home. They said they are het for something they just dont know what. Anyway make a long story short they want 80 buck for one. Do you think thats a little high for a baby and dont know what it het for?

[CrystalRose]

I think it's a little high yes considering they don't know what it is het for. If you want to get one I would buy it as a pretty normal and not really expect it to be het for anything. It would be hard to pair it anyway if they don't know what it is het for.

[JMinILM]

Odds are it is a male. Male hets are barely more valuable then a normal male. Very few people breed het males for the recessives that are common. Visuals are too reasonably priced now to make breeding het males worth it. And that is when you know what it is het for. Zero breeding value if you don't know what it is het for.

[200xth]

Do you think thats a little high for a baby and dont know what it het for?

Without knowing what it's het for, you have no idea what to pair it with. You'd have to buy a male or female of each recessive and test out a clutch with each of them til you hit something. There's not even a guarantee is actually het for anything. Time consuming and expensive..

If you had the money, time and inclination to do all that testing out, I think you'd be better off to just buy a known het or visual and start breeding what you want rather than buying an $80 lottery ticket and then having to spend thousands to find out what it's het for (if anything).

[Rickys_Reptiles]

Forget this gibberish!

If you think it's stunning, then 80.00 is the right price! I say GO FOR IT!!

[Annarose15]

On the off chance that this store is the one I'm thinking of, they are all males. Although pretty, they also haven't eaten yet. Then again, it could be a different store. Feel free to PM me if you want to compare notes.

[Ronin]

Aside from them not knowing the het., $80 is a bit steep for a normal. You should be able to get a normal for half that. Are all the normals at this store about $80, or are they bumping it up because they think it might be het. for something?

[NH93]

I would say it completely depends on the quality of the store. If you believe it is an outstanding store with fantastic service and knowledgable staff, plus excellent living conditions for the animal, I'd say yayQ
...However, if it is like most pet stores people talk about with medeocre quality, unknowledged staff, and dirty/inappropriate living quarters for the animal, I'd say nay.

I'm not against all pet store animal purchases, but for snakes I am personally. Especially when I see other species not being properly cared for. Even dead fish floating in tanks is very discouraging for me.

[jwill226]

IMHO if the pet store bought it as a het to sell as a het then they would know what it is. If they don't know what it is then it is just a normal. Even if it really is het there is som much work you will have to do to try and prove it. Whats the het percentage? It could be het for a new morph but if its only 5% het what are the odds you will ever pull that morph out of it?

Even if it is a het no one can prove it at the time of sale so I would only pay normal prices. But if you like the way it looks and are good with the possibility of never proving it out then buy it

[Archimedes]

If we're just talking value, 80 is high for a normal. And if it's het for anything, chances are it's not advertised anyway, because anyone who doesn't have a firm grasp of genetics would even know what that meant. But, as always, if you love the snake, go for it! No one can tell you what it's worth to you except yourself. I paid 80 for my own pet store brat because I had to have him. Just the likelihood of you being able to wiggle a gene out of it is unlikely without the absolute perfect pairing, and of course even then no guarantees.

Also, it should be noted that I am personally against breeding animals that don't have a lineage history. Magnus is a pet and will only ever be a pet. I believe breeders should be the suppliers for breeding stock because they already have a good idea of any health issues the animal may have hidden under its scales. With a pet store animal you don't get that guarantee, because unless it's a stellar mom and pop store they probably don't even know where their babies come from.
Sent from my cool hide