Question About Visitors In Your Breeding Facility...

[Slim]

I would think that people would like to come and interact with the snake first/see it in person before committing to purchase, especially if they were in the area. We did that with our cats we got from the breeders...

THIS is where I stand on the issue as well.

[reptileexperts]

I'm prone to letting friends and family into the reptile office which is in an apartment separate from the main house. I have allowed fellow keepers who want to see things visit, but only if I can visit their facilities first to ensure their animals were all AOK and mite free. . . I've invited people over for local sales before after communications and phone calls, but mainly if its their first snake. Otherwise if its local I just meet them out somewhere.

When people do come by, we usually don't get the balls out . . . no one is really interested in them except for a family that was just starting to get into snakes, they came by from about 3 hours away to pick up a new hognose for their daughter, they were highly interested in ball pythons since they were smaller, so I let them see a select few. Other than that its hold a 13' snake with me, feed something with 40" tongs (usually a big retic or the big boa), take some pictures, and then they are on their way.

I don't have fear of issues with strangers coming into the house if they are known in the community a bit, or I have associated with them long enough on forums / facebook / reptile shows / etc. In fact, this attitude has given me access to others facilities. So its a nice trade off to see variation and how everyone does there thing.

[satomi325]

I said "No I Do Not, But Am Not 100% Strict About It"

I don't usually let anyone see my animals. I will make exceptions for personal friends and family.
I make everyone who comes over to my house remove their shoes regardless. (Asian thing....)
And I make everyone disinfect their hands when handling my animals.

However, letting friends or family see my animals isn't really a huge deal since most of them don't really want to see my reptiles anyway. As for my reptile friends, if I know their animals are clean, I will let them come over.

Strangers or new buyers: No way. I don't know who these people are or anything about them. If they want to buy an animal, we will meet in a public area. It's for the safety of my home, family, and animals as well as for the buyer. (However, I don't think anyone is going to break into a house that's patrolled by 2 protection trained Doberman Pinschers and a German Shepherd...... >__<;; )

Not to mention that I am paranoid of people bringing in unwanted hitchhikers into my collection.

Maybe if the buyer is a repeat customer or communicates regularly with me, I might let the rule slide.

LOL, I live two hours south of you, and I resemble that remark...

Watch out! It's Shady Slim!

[John1982]

I would think that people would like to come and interact with the snake first/see it in person before committing to purchase, especially if they were in the area. We did that with our cats we got from the breeders...

To be fair, the cat people can't really bring 10 cats in a car to meet you somewhere to interact with them. If transporting 10 cats a short distance were as simple as it is for snakes I bet a lot less cat breeders would let strangers into their home. Also, with cats, you probably wanted to see how they interacted with siblings, parents and strangers in their comfort zone - not something you do with snakes.

[Mephibosheth1]

And thus is why our hobby is full of "weirdos who sell snakes out of their cars at Starbucks"

If the crazy cat people who make you wash your hands before and after petting their $15,000 cat can let you come to their home and "interview" the cat, I don't see why a snake breeder can't either. Even if we know the client can't adequately judge the animal's "Personality" or "Temperament" in one visit, neither can a prospective cat or dog owner at the breeder's house (or the animal shelter for that matter)...

Oh well…each has their own way I guess

[John1982]

And thus is why our hobby is full of "weirdos who sell snakes out of their cars at Starbucks"

If the crazy cat people who make you wash your hands before and after petting their $15,000 cat can let you come to their home and "interview" the cat, I don't see why a snake breeder can't either. Even if we know the client can't adequately judge the animal's "Personality" or "Temperament" in one visit, neither can a prospective cat or dog owner at the breeder's house (or the animal shelter for that matter)...

Oh well…each has their own way I guess

Are you trying to say snakes have personalities and temperaments on par with cats? I did a poor job of making my point in the last post - trying again. A snake is a snake, there is little change from one location to another. A cat is a cat, unless they're accustomed to it, quite a bit is going to change in their behavior when you pull the rug out from under them and switch venues. My whole point was that there is a justifiable reason to visiting the cat in person before making a purchase. Maybe the difference lies is in the type of breeder too; I'm a hobby breeder and not concerned with making sales so much as enjoying myself. I have no pressure to make sales so the choice is purely personal.

[CD CONSTRICTORS]

Too much invested for strangers to come handle a snake they "may" want to purchase. Not taking that chance even if it means a missed sale from someone local.

I have made 75% of my purchases only seeing pics and texting/talking on the phone. A few purchases sight unseen (pics or anything) from breeders I trust. 100% of my sales are forum/internet sales. If you think people are not interested in stealing from your collection, think again.

Numerous cameras on a 1TB DVR system with and a full blown security system with motion detectors, glass break alarms, and welded rebar over the windows are in place (along with an armed owner when at the facility). I do not live in a low rent district, but it is a tourist town. We have about 250K bikers in town right now for Bike Week and a few hundred thousand people a couple weeks ago for the Daytona 500.

My gf does not even have the security code to the alarm system..... I trust no one.

[sorraia]

I don't like complete strangers coming to my house, which is where my snakes are located. When I make a sale, I'll meet in a public place (which is also how I did it when I was breeding pet rats). I have brought aimed I'd my snakes out for education and display purposes, and would do it again.

[Marrissa]

Hopefully getting a reptile room this year. We will have a security system for the house and I'll keep the door to the room locked. I wouldn't invite people over to my place for sales. That's just weird to me. I don't want them to know exactly where I live and especially not the layout of the house. If someone local wanted to see in person I'd meet them somewhere public.

I don't really get the whole point of someone coming over and interacting with the snake before purchasing, especially with ball pythons. I buy for genes and the quality of those genes. I can see that with online pictures. Aside from the boa, every snake I've bought is from seeing one picture and I was never displeased or misrepresented when I got the snake in hand.

I've read too many stories since joining this hobby about theft, and I plan to be extra cautious about it. It makes me really uncomfortable when my roommates have parties. I go lock the T8 doors. I also don't like answering their questions of how much they are/how much I've spent. I trust my roommates and their close friends but not random party people. I like the fact that non snake people don't just how expensive these animals can be.

[MonkeyShuttle]

im sure this is where a lot of common sense plays a huge part in making this decision. i believe there are a bad people out there and they usually have a tell or history so them maybe not so much but just cause someone is a stranger shouldn't be the write off sense you could be the door for them to experience something pretty darn cool and make a new pale