....since i have owned and run a shop.

Alot of people i deal with seem to have (in my opinion) a bit of a dissapointing outlook on the hobby.
I deal with many people who buy for the sake of it, who end up bringing that animal back to me and wanting to exchange and swap it just because they are bored of it.
Obviously, i vet each and every customer who walks out of my door with animals. I have turned down a fair amount of customers because i honestly saw the animal they wished to purchase ending up on my doorstep in a few months time.
But yet, i still get buyers who will come in a month or two later after having bought an animal, and wanting trades or money back just because it's boring, or because their mate's mate's grandma's niece bought something and they think it's way cooler.

I understand there are alot of breeders out there, and alot of people who collect certain species.
It's just a shame that reptiles STILL aren't exactly seen as 'pets' yet in everybodys eyes.
More like something you can have for a little bit then discard, form no attatchment to and forget about, just move on to something else.

For example, i have a customer who, for their own reasons, has bought numerous ball pythons, a decent sized tegu, and countless other things only to keep on bringing them back to me wishing to do deals and swap stuff over, because he genuinely is 'bored' of the animal.
Needless to say, i have stoppped selling this person whatever they just feel like grabbing for the sake of grabbing.

People don't do this kind of thing with dogs or cats, so why is it more acceptable with reptiles?

Obviously, no offence was meant with this post, it's just mearly an observation i have made that is quite disheartening.

Your thoughts?

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CANTERBURY EXOTICS
01227 786033
Open 10-6 Mon-Sat
11-5 Sun

I agree. There are alot of people who see them as something to have and easily be discarded when they get bored. But alot of people also see the money that COULD be involved in breeding reptiles.

Granted i have a few reptiles. But i handle each of them (except for the stenos) and give them all the care they deserve. Some people don't.

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Trice..

My Reptiles
0.1.0 Amel Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata guttata)
1.0.0 Snow Corn Snake(Elaphe guttata guttata)
0.1.0 Colombian Rainbow Boa(Epicrates cenchria maurus)
0.1.0 Honduras Boa
0.1.0 Hypo Leopard Gecko(Eublepharis Macularius)
0.1.0 Blizzard Leopard Gecko(Eublepharis Macularius)
1.1.0 Dwarf Sand Gecko (Stendoactylus Sthenodactylus)
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons (Adults)(Pogona vitticeps)
0.0.1 Bearded Dragons (Hatchlings)(Pogona vitticeps)
0.0.1 Horsfield Tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii)


I am super noodles.

I agree with you.

However, I don't think you can form an emotional bond with a reptile tbh, they just don't think like that. So maybe it's OK to sell/swap reptiles as long as they're getting the correct care in their new home. As they wouldn't be too fussed whether it was one persons home or another.

But, I don't think it's these kind of people your referring too, so I'll shh now lol

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I think that dogs and cats are more pets than reptiles in some peoples eyes but at the end of the day they are both animals and people shouldnt buy out of impulse they shud learn about it think it over and make a commitment to keep it. Not to just bring it back when they get bored or think its hard work etc.

I think its part of the hobby thats always been there, our local shop will buy back at a fraction of the price it sells at, whether you see that as a good or bad thing........

Im guilty of it myself, not through boredom, but through changes with breeding plans

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MY SNAKES AND INVERTSLAVENDER 1.1BUTTER 1.0ABBOTTS OKEETEE 2.1BLOODRED 1.1STRAWBERRY SNOW 0.1ULTRAMEL HET CARAMEL 0.1STRIPED HOUSE SNAKE 0.1CAPE HOUSE SNAKE 0.1.1AMEL CAPE HOUSE SNAKE 1.1ROYAL PYTHON 0.1MEXICAN RED KNEE 0.0.3BRAZILLIAN WHITE KNEE 0.0.2GIANT SPINEY STICK INSECTS 2.3

I agree with the OP. When I got my first corn I started looking more into forums and the internet etc. and was amazed that people were like this. My reptiles are my pets. I have as much of an emotional bond with them as I ever had with my cats and definately more than my evil hamster.
It also confuses me why people have a reptile 'collection', if I had loads of cats I wouldn't call it a cat collection. It kind of reduces them to the kind of same as antiques IMO, something valuable to have for the sake of it. I know that people make a living from breeding their reps etc. but people do that with dogs too and I'm sure they name their dogs and treat them as part of the family. Why isn't this the case for reptiles?
I'm not having a dig at anyone, I'm just curious. How do you not get emotionally attached to your pets? How can anyone get 'bored' of their pet? Maybe I'm just a soppy over emotional girl..........

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1.0.0 Normal corn - Sneaky Pete
0.1.0 Ghost corn - Blink
0.1.0 Anery corn - Heidi
0.0.2 Crested geckos - Pixie & Pogo
0.0.1 Blue tongued skink - Doug
0.1.0 Hogg Island Boa - Audrey
0.0.1 Royal Python - Elliott

i think that changes in breeding projects is fair enough, because you'd obviously set out to buy those animals for that specific purpose.

It's people that buy for the sake of buying it.

I have a few animals in my shop right now that i call boomerang, because they have been back and forth from a few differant homes, through no fault of their own but because the people just got bored.

Obviously you don't get the same affection back from say, a ball python than you do a cat or dog, but that animal (regardless of what it is) is still under your care and in my opinion should be treated with the same respect, not like a collectable toy which is easy to trade away.

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CANTERBURY EXOTICS
01227 786033
Open 10-6 Mon-Sat
11-5 Sun

I agree too. Admittedly we passed on our sthenos because someone else wanted some and we had no plans on breeding them. I almost sold 2 of m leopard geckos to clear some space for a dofferent breeding project but couldnt in the end because I love them too much. My reps are just as much a part of the family as our dogs. OK.. they dont give you unfaultering affection in return like a dog but they all have their own funny little quirks that can make you laugh or frustrate you.

All my geckos have names, as do my snakes and so i feel they are family.

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Too many animals to list. Feel free to ask though.

<- Please click my eggs

well i treat mine as pets there treated exactly the same as our cats and we believe they like it if my snakes see me they come straight up to the glass and if i open the door there straight out onto my hand i spend quality time with my snakes and i feel they feel the same may sound daft to sum of you but thats how it is so basicly i agree with the original post all animals should be treated alike

i agree........ a reptile is for life not just for xmas

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FOR SALE:mini moto scramblercard making bitspm me for info
SNAKES:0.0.1 06 Dwarf great plains rat snake1.0.0 05 snow motley1.0.0 07 strawberry snow0.1.0 07 snow1.0.0 07 normal1.0.0 04 anery x rat0.1.0 04 hypo x rat1.0.0 06 bloodred het pewter (serpenco)1.0.0 07 butter0.1.0 07 anery0.1.0 07 motley0.1.0 07 creamsicle [option]1.2.0 07 amels1.0.0 06 miami0.1.0 03 anery
NEARLY HOME:07 female butter cornCOOKING14 hybrid corn/rat eggs
MY NAME IS JAMIE AND IM AN ADDICT