Originally Posted by littleindiangirl
I must have missed that post...
To comment on the original question, ruling out the option of having a snake shipped to you is going to SEVERELY limit your options. Some of the best breeders in the business are scattered around the country, and do a lot of business online, shipping via fedex. If you're not willing to buy online and have the snake shipped to you, your best bet is going to be to look for a reptile show or expo near you so you can go physically see the animal before you buy. You could look at pet stores also, but by buying from a pet store, you are very likely to end up with a snake with mites, RI, or other illnesses.
If you are just skeptical about buying online, there are several top notch breeders that post on this site. Take a look at some of their websites, send some emails or make some phone calls until you find someone you feel comfortable doing business with. And you can always post up here asking opinions about a specific breeder. The people on this site will be more than happy to share their experiences and opinions.
That being said, a couple I would recommend taking a look at before ruling out online purchases would be:
NERD
8BallPythons
BHB
Ralph Davis Reptiles
J Kobylka Reptiles
These are just the first few that come to mind. I haven't personally done business with any of the breeders I listed, however based on what I have seen and testimonials I have heard, I wouldn't hesitate to buy online from any one of these breeders.
I hope this post helps. I hate to see people miss out on some of the best quality animals available because they're unsure about purchasing an animal they have not physically seen...
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