Kansas City Reptile Show?

[Suzy]

Hello, everybody. I'm just inquiring about my local herp show that comes around every 2 months here in Kansas City. I've known of them for about a year, and still haven't gone, so i'd like to know some feedback from some of you if you've been. Some of their vendors include Jay Sommers, Go Lizards, Xotic Pets, Schnabel Reptiles, and more. (The full list is here: Click!)
I sent a breeder (not affiliated with them in any way) an e-mail about a posting on Craigslist, and he responded to me about the price of a ball python. He also told me that it was an adult, and I responded that i'd be more interested in getting a hatchling/yearling. He told me that a buyer had just backed out on him, and he'd sell me the hatchling (that was gone before) for $150. I told him thanks, but no thanks, and that i'd be going to the reptile show to look. He told me that the KC reptile show was full of "con artists" who have imported snakes and said, "make sure you get a written, signed guarantee stating that the animals will eat on their own". I don't know if he was upset because I told him that I wasn't interested, or if that's really the case. He has sent me approximately 6 e-mails within the past 2 hours (and i've responded to 2; 3 if you want to count the initial question) and I feel like he's trying to pressure me into buying a snake from him.
I did make another post on here regarding questions about balls, and several people advised me against going through Craigslist, and I agreed that there are some people on there that are untrustworthy, so I decided to go through a breeder at a reptile show where I can see and handle the snake in question.
If you guys could help me, i'd really appreciate it. Thank you very much.

[Brett89]

It's a great show. Small, but there a lot of good knowledgable breeders there.

[slartibartfast]

I've bought several snakes from GoLizards here at the Tulsa show, and they've all been clean and eaten well. Sounds like a bit of proffessional jealousy maybe?

I can't see selling a hatchling normal for $150 unless it was just really exceptional.

[Chase13]

Good show. I'm not gonna say its a GREAT show but every once in awhile they have a speaker and its sorta fun. I go and I drive from 4 hours out.

[Suzy]

Great, thank you very much for your input. I didn't expect it to be that big, considering of all the people I know in the area, there's 1 that has a snake. lol - there's not many that i've met that are as into herps as I am (and I don't even have one yet! lol) in my area.

It's a great show. Small, but there a lot of good knowledgable breeders there.

[Suzy]

That's great to know. Thank you. Were the prices reasonable? And what did you buy - i'm looking at getting a normal ball, so i'm curious about the prices if you might know.
I really do think so. He told me it was a Woma Tiger ball if i'm not mistaken. Either way, as far as i'm concerned a reputable breeder (he says 10+ years, by the way) would not be posting on Craigslist. It would be Kingsnake, here, or his own website. I just wish there was a way for me to block him. lol

I've bought several snakes from GoLizards here at the Tulsa show, and they've all been clean and eaten well. Sounds like a bit of proffessional jealousy maybe?

I can't see selling a hatchling normal for $150 unless it was just really exceptional.

[Suzy]

Hey, as long as they're good that's all that matters to me.
Wow - you must love herps or KC to drive that far. lol - by the way, have you bought from them? Was anything that that guy said even remotely close to the truth? I don't imagine so, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask you.
Thank you for your input. I do appreciate it.

Good show. I'm not gonna say its a GREAT show but every once in awhile they have a speaker and its sorta fun. I go and I drive from 4 hours out.

[joepythons]

That's great to know. Thank you. Were the prices reasonable? And what did you buy - i'm looking at getting a normal ball, so i'm curious about the prices if you might know.
I really do think so. He told me it was a Woma Tiger ball if i'm not mistaken. Either way, as far as i'm concerned a reputable breeder (he says 10+ years, by the way) would not be posting on Craigslist. It would be Kingsnake, here, or his own website. I just wish there was a way for me to block him. lol

Well you never know he might be a small breeder.I would never pay $150 for a normal hatchling unless it was some morph lol.If you want to block his emails next time just checked his message and spam block him .Sounds like he wants to take advantage of you anyway

[Suzy]

Well, the only other place I saw him online was on ReptileGeeks.com - and he's got listings there too. But I didn't see anything on KS or Fauna or anything like that.
I didn't want to either - lol. I might be a newbie to this whole thing, but I do know that $150 is way too much for a normal. Like I said he told me his was a tiger/woma ball python, and i've never heard of that morph or anything. I looked it up, and the website I saw said the genetics of the woma are unknown. Not only that, but on KS they had them listed for around $700 each, so I don't know if this guy is really cheap, or the snakes themselves really aren't woma/tigers.
Yeah, I haven't gotten anything back from him yet today. Hopefully he'll get the hint, but if not i'll either have to put him in his place or block him. it's kind of entertaining, though.
Thanks!

Well you never know he might be a small breeder.I would never pay $150 for a normal hatchling unless it was some morph lol.If you want to block his emails next time just checked his message and spam block him .Sounds like he wants to take advantage of you anyway

[joepythons]

Well, the only other place I saw him online was on ReptileGeeks.com - and he's got listings there too. But I didn't see anything on KS or Fauna or anything like that.
I didn't want to either - lol. I might be a newbie to this whole thing, but I do know that $150 is way too much for a normal. Like I said he told me his was a tiger/woma ball python, and i've never heard of that morph or anything. I looked it up, and the website I saw said the genetics of the woma are unknown. Not only that, but on KS they had them listed for around $700 each, so I don't know if this guy is really cheap, or the snakes themselves really aren't woma/tigers.
Yeah, I haven't gotten anything back from him yet today. Hopefully he'll get the hint, but if not i'll either have to put him in his place or block him. it's kind of entertaining, though.
Thanks!

Could you post a link to one of his ads? I bet he is selling a woma looking type .I am not saying he is a crook but sometimes people will "throw in" these special words to confuse the buyers .