Pre-purchase Information Requests

[SmoothScales]

When looking at a snake for potential purchase, I always ask a lot of questions. Some of this information is for my own records post-purchase, and some are simply information that is good to have. I keep a list of these questions and generally just copy/paste in written communication. The answers (or lack of) affect my decision to purchase or not. I was wondering if any one else keeps a similar list of must-ask questions when communicating about a potential purchase? What questions are on your list? Which questions would be a deal breaker for you if the seller can't or refuses to answer? What single question do you think would be most important to teach a newcomer to the hobby to ask?

I'll share mine as an example.

1. Are you the breeder?
2. When did it hatch?
3. What is the parentage?
4. How much does it weigh?
5. Is it a good eater?
6. Has it been getting live or f/t?
7. Rats or mice?
8. Has it been handled regularly?
9. Is it nippy?
10. What type of enclosure has the snake been living in?
11. How was sex checked?
12. Has the snake shown any signs of illness?
13. Do you offer a health/sex/genetics guarantee?
14. Could you provide a picture of it (Head, Belly, and Tail)?
15. When did the snake last breed (If applicable)?
16. If selling as a proven breeder, can you provide a picture of the snake on viable eggs for female and locked for male (If applicable)?
17. If selling as a Het or PH, can you provide pictures of the parents (If applicable)?

[Megg]

I'll ask 1-7 if that info isn't listed on the website, and to see a few more photos.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

[wolfy-hound]

I generally would condense that down.
1. What is the age and weight?
2. What is it eating?
3. What do you guarantee?

If it's a breeder female, I will ask when it last laid eggs.
If it is a het/phet, I ask for paperwork with photo ID.

Truly, I only buy from people I trust, but I don't worry about the snake being "nippy". Anyone I'd be buying from is likely using a rack system, so I might ask if it was on newspaper or substrate.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Honestly with that many questions I would move on to the next client.

1 weight
2 sex
3 food source

Het or PH is a little different understandably.

[kriwu]

I generally ask 2, 4-6, 8 and 12, the rest seem redundant. 13 should be an answer they already provide on whatever website they sell from.

And really, if that's too many questions for a seller to answer, or they can't/won't answer one of them - take your business elsewhere.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Some questions should definitely be asked others while they can be asked does not mean it should weight to heavily one your decision.

8. Has it been handled regularly?

If you buy an hatchling this will be irrelevant, if you buy from someone (breeder) who know what they are doing, handling will be down to a minimum (such as maintenance), reason being a young BP under 200 grams should be handled to a minimum. When it comes to adults they do not have to be handled, this is a not a species that need to be worked with on a regular basis to make a great pet even if the animal was handled to a minimum.

14. Could you provide a picture of it (Head, Belly, and Tail)?

Head and Tail? I am curious, why requesting a pic of head and tail in particular if you have a body shot.

16. If selling as a proven breeder, can you provide a picture of the snake on viable eggs for female and locked for male (If applicable)?

Females on eggs yes it's pretty common however many people don't catch locks nor do they care to disturb their animals while breeding just to take a picture if they get lucky to catch a lock. If a male is a proven breeder it obviously means offsprings were sired. I have males that have sired offsprings and I never caught a lock.

17. If selling as a Het or PH, can you provide pictures of the parents (If applicable)?

If they are PH both parents will look normal, in other words pictures won't really matter.

Personally I ask very little when buying from a breeder, I ask pic (body shot) of the animal purchased, weight, hatch date, prey type.

If I buy a proven breeder female I ask for the number of eggs laid in the last clutch, weight prior to breeding and current weight after laying (this gives be an idea on where the animal should be before breeding again.

[tacticalveterinarian]

Thanks for reminding me why I don't sell directly to the public. Joking aside, I think it's important to ask questions and my best advice is to leave your telelphone # so the seller can call. Not only does it show someone is a serious buyer, but a 10-15 minute phone call can answer all your questions and more. Plus, it builds a better relationship between both parties in today's age of emails, texting and social media.

When looking at a snake for potential purchase, I always ask a lot of questions. Some of this information is for my own records post-purchase, and some are simply information that is good to have. I keep a list of these questions and generally just copy/paste in written communication. The answers (or lack of) affect my decision to purchase or not. I was wondering if any one else keeps a similar list of must-ask questions when communicating about a potential purchase? What questions are on your list? Which questions would be a deal breaker for you if the seller can't or refuses to answer? What single question do you think would be most important to teach a newcomer to the hobby to ask?

I'll share mine as an example.

1. Are you the breeder?
2. When did it hatch?
3. What is the parentage?
4. How much does it weigh?
5. Is it a good eater?
6. Has it been getting live or f/t?
7. Rats or mice?
8. Has it been handled regularly?
9. Is it nippy?
10. What type of enclosure has the snake been living in?
11. How was sex checked?
12. Has the snake shown any signs of illness?
13. Do you offer a health/sex/genetics guarantee?
14. Could you provide a picture of it (Head, Belly, and Tail)?
15. When did the snake last breed (If applicable)?
16. If selling as a proven breeder, can you provide a picture of the snake on viable eggs for female and locked for male (If applicable)?
17. If selling as a Het or PH, can you provide pictures of the parents (If applicable)?