Selling tarantulas in a safe way

[dangerforceidle]

British Columbia is amazing too but i also heard it is just as expensive out there as well.

It is. It's congested and expensive. But it is beautiful here, and there are a lot of reasons why it's a desirable place to live.

 

[Venom1080]

Minors can be great keepers. Lots of morons too, but I've seen the same with adults. I personally don't mind selling to minors as long as they know their husbandry and don't plan on handling.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

@Ultum4Spiderz I agree wholeheartedly. I do want to leave Toronto not just for that but the cost of living is ridiculous, it is congested, people always getting shot up by opps on non gang streets. It is getting too much for me but all the best universities are in the GTA. I heard University of British Columbia is amazing too but i also heard it is just as expensive out there as well.

It’s like the New York of Canada , I don’t think I could handle that big of a city. Just keep looking of the perfect location, we’re is tarantula Canada at? Tho Ts are probably cheaper on here, then big sellers. I wish I could find a job to move out , can never turn my surround sound up too loud in a small room.

 

[MikeofBorg]

Someone had told me you have to ship them Fedex or UPS here in the USA. I was told shipping by US Postal is a not allowed. Is there any truth to this? I have never shipped anything live before. I don’t plan on anytime soon either. Just curious as the OP was about selling Ts safely.

 

[Tearsacid]

I'm just wondering though is it that common that minors even think to buy these types of animals? I always thought minors as in young people would be begging there parents for a dog or something. Haha have your kid come home "mommy, mommy I want an A.mauritanicus can you get it for me pleeaaseee?" Even thinking of some kid doing that sends fear into me because I'm sure some parents out here would buy it not even thinking to research it.

If there are any kids out there who were anything like me as a child... then most definitely yes
I had so many reptiles, exotic animals, birds, bred rabbits, bred sugar gliders, tissue cultured plants when I was 13. I had my own accounts to chemical vendors for lab supplies... Lol my parents knew I researched everything & didn't much worry about my zoo/lab. I wouldn't sell to minors but a kid capable and smart enough to get a specific T is also smart enough to know how to go through their parents.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Minors can be great keepers. Lots of morons too, but I've seen the same with adults. I personally don't mind selling to minors as long as they know their husbandry and don't plan on handling.

Basically yes, what you said is true. After all, only here, we had the pleasure to read certain threads that were 'awesome' (for the wrong reasons) and all of those people were adults. Adults handling, adults clueless about even the basic 101 care/set up etc

The only problem is this... minors are a mediatic 'bomb', when/if everything turns crappy. Who will receive the 'average Joe/average Nancy' mediatic empathy between a minor bitten by a S.calceatum and an adult, tagged by that same spider?

Basically the adult is "... an idiot, that asked for that. Next time, buy a fish!"

while with the minor "... OMG, poor sweety. His/her parents are criminals for permitting that, and those animals should be restricted etc"

 

[Paul1126]

Lol whoever is buying the tarantula should research before hand and find out how potent the venom is etc...

There's no need the babysit everyone, it just gets ridiculous.

 

[StampFan]

Lol whoever is buying the tarantula should research before hand and find out how potent the venom is etc...

There's no need the babysit everyone, it just gets ridiculous.

Unless 1) the jurisdiction in which you live outlaws *every* T you own, and posting here and considering selling puts your entire hobby and collection in jeopardy, and 2) considering selling to a 16 or 17 year old without explicit parental consent is less than 1% of any T business and it shouldn't even be a consideration....

 

[Paul1126]

Unless 1) the jurisdiction in which you live outlaws *every* T you own, and posting here and considering selling puts your entire hobby and collection in jeopardy, and 2) considering selling to a 16 or 17 year old without explicit parental consent is less than 1% of any T business and it shouldn't even be a consideration....

Of course there's exceptions...
Especially when it comes to certain true spiders, you can refuse anyone's custom if you don't think they are experienced enough.

I know here in the UK TSS won't sell anyone "Red Fang Wandering Spider" unless they know they are very experienced.

 

[Vinny2915]

@Ultum4Spiderz I will keep looking haha. And yeah I am the same way big cities just get to me the congestion and all that. The benefit is usually good bus/subway system so that saves on gas, car, insurance etc. Plus I can't drive I'm just scared of killing someone by accident if they come out in the road or something. And Tcanada is in Quebec I'm pretty sure.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Basically yes, what you said is true. After all, only here, we had the pleasure to read certain threads that were 'awesome' (for the wrong reasons) and all of those people were adults. Adults handling, adults clueless about even the basic 101 care/set up etc

The only problem is this... minors are a mediatic 'bomb', when/if everything turns crappy. Who will receive the 'average Joe/average Nancy' mediatic empathy between a minor bitten by a S.calceatum and an adult, tagged by that same spider?

Basically the adult is "... an idiot, that asked for that. Next time, buy a fish!"

while with the minor "... OMG, poor sweety. His/her parents are criminals for permitting that, and those animals should be restricted etc"

Not to mention the litigation risk. Though I suppose that including a "No sale to minors, check this box of you are over the age of 18" (or whatever legal age might be) would help mitigate that risk. If the purchaser lies, it would not be on you. Well, it might be, for some things you have to provide proof before placing an order, I think.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

We don’t have mass transit we’re i live . Just sarta wich is slow and that time inefficient. My cars exhaust is shot won’t be able to drive it much longer. Mass exodus from my state our job market dried up . Elites shipped high paying entry level jobs to foreign nations, sad times . We are Doing just as bad as Detroit Michigan.

 

[sschind]

Not to mention the litigation risk. Though I suppose that including a "No sale to minors, check this box of you are over the age of 18" (or whatever legal age might be) would help mitigate that risk. If the purchaser lies, it would not be on you. Well, it might be, for some things you have to provide proof before placing an order, I think.

Disclaimers are not all they are cracked up to be. Sometimes they do not offer the protection we think they do. In the case of a "Check if you are over the age of 18" you may still be on the hook even if the minor lies. (You mentioned this) Ever go to a garage sale or other event on private property and see those "not responsible for accidents" signs on private property? Worthless in many cases. Even with those signs you may very well be responsible. By holding the event you are inviting people onto your property thus making you liable for accidents.

A purely selfish reason not to sell to minors...refunds. This is my understanding of the law as it pertains to most retail sales. You agree to sell and the buyer agrees to purchase. It is essentially a verbal contract. If the buyer wants to back out you as the seller are under no obligation to refund his money (provided you didn't misrepresent anything) Since minors, under most instances can not enter into contracts, if the parent of a minor decides the minor can't have the item you are obligated to return the money.

Now for many of us that isn't a problem since many hobbyists will happily give refunds upon buyer remorse but its not practical in every case, especially if you are trying to run a business. If I am selling at a show and an adult buys from me and they come back later and say they changed their mind in most instances I will give them their money back. I might keep a small restocking fee on principal but in general it's not worth the bad rep I might get if I refuse but on occasion I have refused. If I were to sell to a minor however and the parent came back and said the child was not allowed I would have no choice but to refund the money.

I will even think twice about selling to an adult if I know it will be going to a minor without having the legal guardians approval. A man wanted to buy his grandson a snake and I told him I wouldn't sell him one unless the boy's mom or dad came in and gave their approval.

Disclaimer . I am not a lawyer and I don't even play one on TV so anything I just said should be taken with a grain of salt as I am not liable for damages that may be incurred when following said advice.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Interesting and useful info.

Not spider related, but perhaps relevant...I use an e-cig, and a while back the laws began to require that on-line vendors confirm a customers age to avoid sales of those and related products to minors. which I can understand, But at that time I found the methods to be used to be a bit intrusive, some of which involved using your social security card. I haven't checked, they may have devised a better way by now.
Naturally, there was no way I was gonna share that info just to be able to purchase something, particularly on-line. That's just asking for identity theft. Not necessarily committed by the seller, but the risk that they could get hacked was more of a concern to me. So yeah, a mere disclaimer is essentially worthless in the legal sense, I agree.

PS-It's good to know that I'm not the only one who sometimes uses the "I'm not a <insert occupation>, nor do I play one on TV" reference. I'm sure that leaves a few folks scratching their heads.