reputable breeder?????

[Sheri]

So, I was pretty stealthy and got the e-mail of a local breeder from a pet store price list I was looking at. I contacted him wanting to buy direct to which he replied; "I have 80 species but will not sell all of them". So, I asked why and he said; "I won't sell the deadly ones". Of course, I e-mailed back that I wasn't aware that ANY T's were deadly, but that pokes were thought to possible have venom that could cause systematic damage.
He never answered that, but did give me some prices. As far as I know, this is the only local breeder. Now, why would he say that? If he has 80 species surely he knows what I know.... so what other motivation would he have to make such a claim?
I was inquiring about tarantulas, and not spiders, and what would the chances be that he would be carrying a recluse or widow anyway?
So much for having a professional to deal with!

 

[burnpile]

Personal responsibility maybe?
I recently sold off a complete collection of hot snakes. While it's legal for me to sell to anyone over 18 (in my state, YMMV) I was very selective to who I sold the 'hot hotts" to. (Cobras, Crotalids, and various adders).

Not my fault if they get bit and die, and I certainly wouldn't be responsible in the eyes of the government, but it made me feel better about the situation. Maybe this guy just doesn't feel right selling mean, nasty spiders to just any Joe Blow. Or maybe he doesn't like his name getting around as a wholesaler

 

[Sheri]

I guess the confusion is that there are NO deadly T's... whereas I know nothing about snakes, so if you do have potentially deadly snakes you would not making a mistatement. In his case, he is.

 

[Code Monkey]

To be honest, if he's a large scale breeder but also somehow outside of the hobby loop there's no guarantee what he does or doesn't know. He may very well treat some of his specimens as deadly regardless of objective reality. Ts don't breed or not breed because of their reputation with their keeper.

Of course, I suspect I smell BS on top of possible ignorance. Breeding 80 different species enough to have them for sale at all/most times is a gigantic effort. I think you'd be looking at maintaining at least 400 sub adults and adults and several thousand spiderlings and juveniles at any given time - seems unlikely ( though not impossible). That would be a seriously large scale operation that would be unlikely to sell direct to a personal buyer regardless of perceived deadliness.

 

[Sheri]

Cm, I know what you mean. It does seem pretty large scale. Perhaps hwne he says he has 80 species, he may have just that, but only breed 15 or so...
He was willing to sell to me direct though, I was arranging for a B. Smithi and some others. B Smithis' retail for between $159 and $199 here.
It is confusing to try and figure out if he is a BS'er, ingnorant, or something else.
But disappointing, as it looks as though I know why the pet stores here know very little as well.
So, if there are any other T breeders in the Winnipeg vincinity, please let me know!

 

[Brak]

If he is local why don't you just go over and look at what he has? What was the price he was quoting for the B smithi? Better than the retail prices? Investigate a bit and let's hear the follow up.

John

 

[Sheri]

Price for a B Smithi unsexed was $80. Would not let me come and look, but offered to meet me to pick up a T when he came into the city. I agreed to buy the B Smithi for $80, but never heard a response back from my e-mails. I was told by one pet store that he does not like to deal with the public. That's all the information I have. If he ever does respond I will let everyone know.

 

[Wade]

It's quite possible that he doesn't want it to get around that he's selling directly to the public. His pet store customers might be a little peeved that he's underselling them, part of his business arrangement with them might be that he DOESN"T compete with them in the local market.

Wade

 

[wayneo]

Originally posted by sheri
Would not let me come and look, but offered to meet me to pick up a T when he came into the city.

A lot of reptile breeders would rather meet someone at a predisclosed place or ship their stock . They do this incase the buyer is just casing the place out for a future burglary. I can understand that senttiment I think it was Bob Clark who had some expensive snake stolen several years ago. More recently some breeder in North Carolina or possibly South Carolina had several Piebald Ball pythons and several other high dollar herps stolen.

I would meet him, and if you do so several times you may make a impression and someday get invited to his place and view his stock.

Wayne H

 

[Sheri]

I will bake him a batch of tarantula cookies like I do for my son at daycare! They always go over well! How could he not invite me over after that???
thanks for the tip, I think I could understand the security risk.