I know you are not and this is why I take the time to explain why, if we encourage people to recommend others and show favoritism it will not be long before we start having the opposite threads “who not to buy from” and at this time (and we have talked about it) we prefer not to allow feedbacks (positive or negative), time will tell if something along the line of the FBI or BOI will be implemented here but that a whole other discussion.
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Correct me if I am wrong here. On Morph Market the purchase is verified before you can leave feedback. On the forum you can say things…without the purchase being verified. Not saying people would lie, but better safe than sorry. Imagine being on the receiving end of negative comments from an unverified purchaser. A single misinformed post could damage a breeders reputation.
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At this time the community does not allow any type of feedback (again it may change over time) on the market place a seller shows an animal sold to which enable the ability for each party to leave a feedback/rating, @john will correct me if I am wrong.
I have no intention to offend any breeder. I do look at all info about the breeder form Morphy market to Facebook even youtube if they have that. I was more looking for recommendations, because there are so so many breeders.
@stewart_reptiles’s answers are pretty spot on.
The simple answer as to why we exclude rating-type posts on MRC is because if we allowed positive comments, then it follows that there would be negative feedback too. And moderating all of that is messy and a lot of work to try to dig out the facts of what happened. This is what the FBI was for, although it’s gone now, and we have discussed the possibility of hosting something like that but decided against it for now.
On the market site, inquiries leading to a transaction can be rated. Buyer are still allowed to leave feedback on any inquiry, but those comments are private and seen by MM staff only. Those feedback are taken “with a grain of salt”, but can be useful when a number of different folks are saying the same thing.
I would like to add a feature to the marketplace which lets a user search breeders and filter by rating, location, etc.
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I agree with the others on here. I wouldn’t try to tell you who is a better seller versus another on here just because it could get messy. But as far as this being your first snake just filter them out on morphmarket for your budget and see what catches your eye and just research the seller before you buy. And you say that your budget is between 75-100 but does this include shipping? Because you need to account for that also. It also wouldnt hurt to buy from a local breeder so you dont have to pay for shipping. Sites like craigslist always have listings for reptiles, especially bp’s.
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We’re new to morph market and have bought 2 snakes from 2 different breeders. Both transactions went smoothly and communication was great. The snakes were healthy and ate a day or 2 after arriving. I would like to eventually purchase a bearded dragon.
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I agree with the person above talking about shipping. I have never paid less than $50 for shipping, so if your total budget is $75-$100 you will have to buy locally. Also, at that price you will be getting a normal. I would say you are better off just finding one on Craigslist. There are many people rehoming if you are not concerned about getting a hatchling.
I have purchased from six different breeders on Morphmarket and I have never had a bad experience. Some seem more “friendly” and open to questions than others, but all animals have arrived alive and well. But again, for that price I think your best bet is local.
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In the current climate of breeder “clicks” and high school level gossip that happens quite a bit in the reptile hobby, especially ball pythons, I think it would be hard to recommend a breeder. Because if you open it up to recommendations you could potentially give bad advice based on someone’s popularity, not the best fit for the buyer. In the range of 75-$100 almost any breeder will have value to the customer/new keeper. I think the MM structure is nice because you can look at your budget, and then look with your eyes to see what you want. I’ve purchased animals from “popular” breeders that were a nightmare to deal with and small time breeders that were awesome. Send the breeder a message , and gauge how they respond. Check out ig and /or facebook, and see what people are saying and then make your own decision. Hope this helps.
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@nathan_e Craigslist is the worst place in the universe to buy a pet from. I have seen snakes in the worst conditions on Craigslist. Not to mention the danger factor in going to meet someone you know absolutely nothing about. Stick to a reputable small or large breeder. If you can’t afford $60 for overnight shipping, you can’t afford vet care in the case of an emergency.
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I understand that animals get posted when they are in horrible condition sometimes but then why would you buy that animal? You cant completely put down craigslist because there are good breeders who post their animals to that site. And just like alot of things there are always risk to things, its just up to you to use your best judgement. But i do get where your coming from
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Besides the fact that it’s against Craigslist’s TOS to sell animals ( much like FB), I have yet to see a " good breeder" selling snakes on there. Its usually sick or misrepresented animals from what I’ve seen. No reputable people I know sell their animals on Craigslist
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I agree that it is true that mistreated animals get put on there but there but ive seen a few emaciated animals posted to the market place so not everything is perfect.
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Well no matter what the forum or site, no matter what anybody does, its going to go against some rule. As for no reputable breeders advertise on Craigslist, you’re dead wrong about that. I know two that do. One even has a store on this thing too. While there are scammers, flippers, and people selling animals they have no idea how to take care of. Plus can’t even spell the type of animal either. There are the few legitimate ones. And, as for the names of the two breeders… Its really nobody’s business. So if I don’t tell that. Go ahead and call me a liar then. I don’t really care.
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One of my local breeders posts on Craigslist too, so it’s not super unusual I don’t think.
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It’s not unusual for “Breeders” to be desperate and lower themselves to the craigslist level, usually that tells me everything I need to know about a “breeder”
Craigslist does not speak of professionalism more of desperation and lack of marketing skills as well as lack of pride in your animals and yourself as a breeder.
To me it’s a matter of how you want to project yourself in this industry, personally I would rather stop breeding than lower myself to posting on CL
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Did you ever purchase your ball python?
I’ve given this a lot of thought in the past week or so, and I thought it might be some benefit to you. When I’m looking at a particular snake I like, I’ll save it to my wishlist (so I can come back to it if needed) and then immediately click on the breeds profile/store front - whatever you want to call it.
I’ll look first for the feedback. If they have more than 5 positive reviews within the last 3 months that’s a good sign you’re dealing with someone who knows what their doing. More than 5 positives and I’d have no issue purchasing a snake from them. Now when I see a breeder has 20+ reviews BUT has a 95% or lower reputation I’ll personally go look and see what the neutral/negative comments are.
I’ve come across a few snakes I really like, but the stores are brand new and have zero reputation. When that happens I’ll google the breeder. Sometimes it turns out they are new to morphmarket, but they’ve been in the business for years. If they have a Facebook page I’ll check out what others have reviewed about them. If I see the reviews are turned off or hidden on Facebook that’s my first red flag. However, if I still really like the snake I’ll reach out to the buyer and ask for a veterinarian reference from them. If they hesitate to give it to me, right off the bat, I walk away. It’s just like me asking a German Shepherd breeder for their vet reference and if they hesitate - then something is wrong. No one should be hesitant to give you their veterinarians reference. My mom is a Veterinarian and maybe once a month she’ll have someone call her for a reference on a breeder they plan on purchasing from.
I like to look at breeders social media as well. Do they have an active following? Do they post regularly? Are they posting different snakes, and not the same snake from just different angles. If it’s an active breeder you can tell from their content whether they are truly in the breeding business for profit OR because they have a passion for their animals and what they are doing.
If you’re still looking I’d give it some time. Get your setup ready first, and if you see a snake you REALLY want (but currently out of your price range) ask that specific breeder if they are willing to do a payment plan for you. Don’t just get a snake in your budget that has no value or meaning to you. If you do that you might not end up liking it or appreciating it enough to let it live it’s lifespan with you.
Just my two cents.
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I have sadly put it on pause just due to family stuff(they don’t like snakes) so I will wait till I move out. Your info and tips have greatly helped me. Thank you!!
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