Breeder Loaning?

[rabernet]

How do you handle QT?

Both of my loans last year were 60 days of QT. One loan was a female to a friend, and the other was a dinker male to a friend who had an available female.

Did it turn out well?

Both turned out very well - see below for more of my thoughts on this.

How were the people involved compensated?

Contracts were written and signed by the two parties involved in the breeder loans - and EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING was spelled out - including what my compensation would be if my animal died in their care - as a result of their care.

Who got what out of the clutch?

50/50 splits

How did you decide to do a loaner breeding?

The female that went out - the friend approached me. The dinker, I was talking to another friend and saying I didn't have an available female. They offered their female, and since her female was insanely shy, we felt we'd have better results if the male went to her.

How did you decide who to do it with?

Friends that I trusted

OK - here's my additional thoughts. Breeder loans should not be taken lightly and everything should be CLEARLY spelled out, contracts reviewed by both parties, ammended if needed before both sign on the dotted line.

ESPECIALLY if you're doing a breeder loan with a friend. No friendship is worth losing over a mis-understanding and hard feelings.

The female that went out - my friend kept in constant contact with me, sent me pictures of locks, the clutch, the babies hatching etc. We have decided to do a second loan this year, so my female is still with him for a second year and then she'll come back home after she lays her eggs and the eggs have hatched and get a year off.

The male contract had additional details such as - neither of us can sell the offspring for at least 3 years - since we're trying to prove out the dinker project. We lucked out in that the entire clutch were females, and so we got an even split of the girls. When the girls are breeding weight, they'll be bred back to Dad. We also have agreed that we will not share photos or get opinions on this dinker project from anyone - UNLESS we both agree on who we share it with. That is also in our contract. So - there are a few people aware of our project who are providing us feedback. It is exciting, because the girls - that would be classifieds as normals - ARE different looking - enough that one person we shared with asked me where I got them from and asked if they were a certain subtle morph and agrees that we might have something going on. So - it's exciting to see what will happen long term.

I would not do a breeder loan with someone that I knew casually and didn't know much about their collection (ie, how they keep their animals, how they conduct themselves professionally, etc).

Too many breeder loans go bad - it's best to cover yourself very well if you decide to enter into one - and especially if your animal is out of your possession, especially a male, you have to trust the person you loaned them to - that they won't be breeding to any other females in their collection behind your back and reaping more benefits than you are.

Edit - one other thing - both of my loans, the people with my animals were responsible for any veterinary care required of my animals while in their possesion (sp?) if needed.