adoption vs. buying from a breeder

[mommanessy247]

im planning on buying a ball python in a few months. i was planning on buying a female cinnamon for $300 from a breeder, but found a few normals at a shelter for an adoption fee of $40 ea.
lets do the pros and cons...

breeder-
pros-
all the snakes are captive bred
all the snakes are well adjusted to feeding & handling
cons-
high price tag
looking at a 3 hour drive to get to them

shelter-
pros-
lower price tag
cons-
they are not cinnamons like i really want
unknown reason as to why they are at the shelter
unknown health issues
unknown if they are good feeders & tolerate handling
possible 4-5 hour drive

im really at a loss here.
i feel so sorry for the snakes in the shelter & i feel an urge to "save" them but am afraid they may require extensive (& expensive) veterinary care. i have alot of what ifs.
but i want to buy from the breeder cuz i have spoken with him a few times and feel confident that he will do what he promised in making sure i get a snake that is friendly & is a good feeder.

should i "save" the snakes in need or just buy the snake i really want for the steeper price tag? either way im gonna feel bad for something in the end.
if i save the snakes in need i will regret not getting the cinnamon i want.
if i buy from the breeder i will regret not saving the ones in the shelter.

i certainly cannot buy them all, lol. that would be stupid.

[shaunyboy]

hello,what you have to decide is what you will be happy with a year from now.you must buy whats right for you and from where i'm standing it looks like your heart is set on getting a cinnamon.lets face it until you seen the rescues you would never have considered chasing a normal.although it is a noble gesture recuing the normals.the fact is they have already been rescued.they are in a nice place with knowledgable people who have only the snakes best interest at heart.someone will come along and give them a good home.you seem to be thinking with your heart instead of your head.imo it would be different if you were rescuing the normals from a bad place but as stated they are in a rescue centre getting proper care.imo you should get the cinnamon you've been thinking so much about buying.its not a life or death situation for the others so your concious should be clear.its better than sitting a few years from now regretting you didnt get the snake you deep down really,really wanted.if you went about rescuing everything you felt sorry for then pretty soon you would have no room for your own bed.please forgive me if i sound harsh,but you have to buy what you feel you really want most and what best suits your plans.the normals will be re homed with or without you pal.
cheers shaun

[mommanessy247]

thank you shaunyboy

[siz]

On the flip side, you never know WHO will adopt a $40 snake.
I'm not sure what I would do but here is what I think. If you have your heart set on a cinny, I'd probably go for it. I've bought "compromise" animals before and regretted it (to a point...I love all my animals). You don't want to end up selling the normal BP later on down the line because you aren't happy with it. It is also mostly an aesthetic reason you'd be going after the cinny, aside from the obvious points of knowing where your snake came from. You would however be able to get in touch with the shelter and ask about the snake's medical history and they will tell you what they know. I dunno...it's very respectable to adopt an animal from a shelter.

There's nothing wrong with having two BPs you know; ;)

[mommanessy247]

siz thanks for your reply. it may seem stupid that ive fallen in love with the ballk python's cinnamon coloration & am pursuing that...[shrugs] i mean a snake is a snake right? i know...
& theres 2 snakes at the shelter, not just 1, so i'd end up with 3 snakes, lol. not good for someone just starting out on reptiles.
ive looked at my pros/cons list as well as my budget & a compromised snake, as you put it, would not get the care it so desperately needs.
as much as that truth breaks my heart i have to accept it.
i just simply would not be able to take care of a snake that requires more veterinary care then an average healthy one.

[mommanessy247]

oh & not to mention, the 2 snakes at the shelter are being kept together so theres the chance that they are already a "pair".

[Will0W783]

Are they male and female? IMO, it is really up to you. You need to listen to your gut and get what you feel you are better off getting. I have snakes that I have purchased from breeders and also many I have adopted and/or rescued. I love all my snakes, regardless of where they came from. You will get as much personality and enjoyment from a $30 normal BP as from a several hundred dollar morph, but if the morph is really what you want, then you should get it. You cannot rescue every animal that needs a better home, but if you have the space and resources, why not adopt a normal of the opposite gender of whatever cinnamon you buy? That way you can both get the snake you really want and rescue an animal in need, and in the future you could possibly breed them and make morphs of your own! That is what I would do. Honestly the cost of two ball pythons over one is not much beyond the initial purchase. Adult ball pythons can live comfortably in a 30-gallon breeder tank or a 3' x 2' x 1' cage. With BPs, more space is not better. As long as the length plus width of the cage is equal to the length of the snake, you're fine. BPs feel more secure in smaller cages.

[siz]

What I meant by a "compromise" was you really want one thing but end up getting a "lesser version" of what you originally wanted (Not trying to materialize the snakes in any way of course). The shelter snakes might not need any veterinary care.

[Aaron_S]

oh & not to mention, the 2 snakes at the shelter are being kept together so theres the chance that they are already a "pair".

I wouldn't take any one from the "rescue" based on the above quote. You don't really rescue an animal if you place it in another stressful situation.

If you're new to snakes, and snake keeping I recommend the breeder route. Solely, based on the fact that you're getting what you want and if the breeder is a solid guy/girl then you'll have someone to go back to with any problems. In the long run, $300 isn't a lot to spend on an animal you're expecting to get 15+ years of enjoyment from. That's literally the cost of $20 a year!!

[mommanessy247]

willow -- its said that theres a female & a male (assuming they had them sexed by an experienced vet.) i know i cant rescue every animal but that doesnt stop the urge. thats gone now though, as i have made my decision... im getting the cinnamon.
i have absolutley NO plans to breed anything.
i feel that that would be an unwise decision for me cuz i just dont have the budget to suit an activity like that. good idea though, but what if no one bought them from me then i'd be left with alot of snakes and no homes for them.
i think thats how ppl end up hording & collecting, then end up with more then they bargained for.
sorry i gotta think with a clear head here & my head says 1 snake is good enough.

[bradxwx]

Also if you were to get a snake from the shelter that cinnamon python could be sold to some tool who doesn't take care of it well and vice versa. Unfortunately ya can't help all the people and animals in need in the world.

[shaunyboy]

now we're all waiting on pic's of your new cinnamon,hint,hint

[mommanessy247]

i will take pics when i get the snake, i promise. but this wont be until august. i gotta get all the supplies first. i plan on spending the next few months or so buying stuff for the snake, since my finances will not allow buying everything all at once.

[infernalis]

Just hope you can make it clear that if a vet visit should be needed, saving up for it may not be an option......

I can understand moderating spending, but I must say, if money is going to be tight, then save up a fund for the vet bills ahead of time, just in case.

Like health insurance for your snake.

[shaunyboy]

Just hope you can make it clear that if a vet visit should be needed, saving up for it may not be an option......

I can understand moderating spending, but I must say, if money is going to be tight, then save up a fund for the vet bills ahead of time, just in case.

Like health insurance for your snake.

thats a fair point mate.i have a jaguar carpet thaty has just went through as follows.
1 month course of baytril £26
2month course of injections £47
3month course of baytril £32
waiting for key hole surgery to be performed on his lung.

my vet thinks all his R.I.'s have been secondary symptoms of an abcess on his lung.my vet is a really good guy,he has a passion for reptiles since he grew up in africa.he is ONLY CHARGING for the anaesthetic.everything else he will do in his own time for free.i was looking at a bill of £500 that has come down to around £75.it does pay to have a rainy day fund for your reptiles.
cheers shaun