Re: Getting screwed

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Posted by John Cherry/Cherryville Farms on February 09, 2000 at 01:09:15:

In Reply to: Re: Getting screwed posted by Rick on February 08, 2000 at 17:01:58:

I have heard the stories about these type of problems
in the past. But for you to paint all vendors and shows
with such a such a broad brush is not fair by any means,
For years we have participated in the expos put on by The
East Texas Herp Society here in Houston and the ones run
by Texas Reptile Expos. Ther I have seen breeders such as
Dave and Tracy Barker, Frank Retes, Don Soderburg and
many others that I consider some of the preeminent breeders
in the Nation.

Yes I have been burned at times by buying from folks I didn't
know, usually it was cheaper to buy from unknowns that I had no
recourse against if I did have a problem. And usually when I
did make that buy I got good animals, but sometimes I did
have problems with some of them.

I think you might consider the following, before you write off the
expos/shows:

1. A lot of times animals become stressed by going to the show and/or
being shipped. They may go off feed or experience othe problems.

2. In the case of a problem it is how it is dealt with by the breeder
that you should be critical of, not that there was a problem to start with.
Evidently at least in the beginning the animals looked good enough for you
to spend your hard earned cash on.

3. Some species just don't do well when subjected to shows, shipping etc.
That is the reason each year we breed a few rubber boas, but I refuse to sell
them to the general public, I can't tell you the times that one of my beautiful
fat, feeding & healthy baby rubbers went home with someone and three months later it was dead.
Was it the fault of the new owner giving improper husbandry or my fault. Well since I have started
only giving them to friends and hand deliverying them to those friends, we have had few problems.

4. There are a lot of good large and small breeders in this hobby, most are reputable. But your best
defense is to have a critical eye and then to be sure and have a way to contact any person you buy from.

5. Because we are dealing with live animals, there are always going to be problems. It is your responsibility and
the owner of any animal to be prepared to recognize and deal with any one of a number of problems. Non - feeding is
just one of them.I can't tell you times I have taken someones non=feeding emaciated animal, changed a few simple things
and got the animal going again. Am I any better than most breeders, proballly not. I just am able through 30+ years experience
able to make the right choices for an animal more often than not.

6. Most of the time you get exactly what you pay for, it seems that everytime I have tried to save money by buying from someone with cheap
prices I ended up screwing myself. A perfect example is several years ago, I wanted some childrens pythons bad. Dave and Tracy Barker had them for
300.00 ea., I found a local breeder and bought some for 200.00 ea. I fought them for two years and eventually was able to get them going well. In
the mean time I paid Daves price a year later. As it ended up all four pairs of childrens ended up breeding for the first time at exactly the same time.
What happened, Daves animals were well started and the others were not. So I got exactly what I paid for. I have since tried to remember that lesson.
It has saved me a lot of heartache and work.

Just some food for thought and my two cents worth.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms

Cherryville Farms

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: I have heard the stories about these type of problems : in the past. But for you to paint all vendors and shows : with such a such a broad brush is not fair by any means, : For years we have participated in the expos put on by The : East Texas Herp Society here in Houston and the ones run : by Texas Reptile Expos. Ther I have seen breeders such as : Dave and Tracy Barker, Frank Retes, Don Soderburg and : many others that I consider some of the preeminent breeders : in the Nation. : Yes I have been burned at times by buying from folks I didn't : know, usually it was cheaper to buy from unknowns that I had no : recourse against if I did have a problem. And usually when I : did make that buy I got good animals, but sometimes I did : have problems with some of them. : I think you might consider the following, before you write off the : expos/shows: : 1. A lot of times animals become stressed by going to the show and/or : being shipped. They may go off feed or experience othe problems. : 2. In the case of a problem it is how it is dealt with by the breeder : that you should be critical of, not that there was a problem to start with. : Evidently at least in the beginning the animals looked good enough for you : to spend your hard earned cash on. : 3. Some species just don't do well when subjected to shows, shipping etc. : That is the reason each year we breed a few rubber boas, but I refuse to sell : them to the general public, I can't tell you the times that one of my beautiful : fat, feeding & healthy baby rubbers went home with someone and three months later it was dead. : Was it the fault of the new owner giving improper husbandry or my fault. Well since I have started : only giving them to friends and hand deliverying them to those friends, we have had few problems. : 4. There are a lot of good large and small breeders in this hobby, most are reputable. But your best : defense is to have a critical eye and then to be sure and have a way to contact any person you buy from. : 5. Because we are dealing with live animals, there are always going to be problems. It is your responsibility and : the owner of any animal to be prepared to recognize and deal with any one of a number of problems. Non - feeding is : just one of them.I can't tell you times I have taken someones non=feeding emaciated animal, changed a few simple things : and got the animal going again. Am I any better than most breeders, proballly not. I just am able through 30+ years experience : able to make the right choices for an animal more often than not. : 6. Most of the time you get exactly what you pay for, it seems that everytime I have tried to save money by buying from someone with cheap : prices I ended up screwing myself. A perfect example is several years ago, I wanted some childrens pythons bad. Dave and Tracy Barker had them for : 300.00 ea., I found a local breeder and bought some for 200.00 ea. I fought them for two years and eventually was able to get them going well. In : the mean time I paid Daves price a year later. As it ended up all four pairs of childrens ended up breeding for the first time at exactly the same time. : What happened, Daves animals were well started and the others were not. So I got exactly what I paid for. I have since tried to remember that lesson. : It has saved me a lot of heartache and work. : : Just some food for thought and my two cents worth. : John Cherry : Cherryville Farms

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