BenWillyums
New member
I might order a snake , and you have to pay $50 for shipping and handling, but I could drive 5 minutes to the snake store and pay $35 for the snake, where is the benefit on buying it online?
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Buying a snake online
- Thread starter BenWillyums
- Start date
PtDnsr
I like calculus
First I don't know any pet stores that sell corns for $35. Around here (school) and home they're usually a min of $70 for something as simple as an amel, snow or even a normal ("natural" 
). Pet stores generally don't take good care of the snake just because most pet stores are uneducated and don't take the time to train employees. With buying from a reputable breeder you know the lineage, any possible hets, feeding and shedding schedule as well. Most breeders will gladly offer any and all advice they can and answer any questions about your particular snake. This comes in handy - you might not think it but it does. If you get the snake from a breeder you also know that it is feeding well. To me there are many more reasons to buy from a breeder and NOT a pet store. Then again, if you want to save on shipping charges you can always try to find a breeder or herp show near you. We've gotten all of our 8 corns at a herp show (13 if you include my dad's) and the breeders have been wonderful to deal with.
~Katie
). Pet stores generally don't take good care of the snake just because most pet stores are uneducated and don't take the time to train employees. With buying from a reputable breeder you know the lineage, any possible hets, feeding and shedding schedule as well. Most breeders will gladly offer any and all advice they can and answer any questions about your particular snake. This comes in handy - you might not think it but it does. If you get the snake from a breeder you also know that it is feeding well. To me there are many more reasons to buy from a breeder and NOT a pet store. Then again, if you want to save on shipping charges you can always try to find a breeder or herp show near you. We've gotten all of our 8 corns at a herp show (13 if you include my dad's) and the breeders have been wonderful to deal with. ~Katie
BenWillyums
New member
PtDnsr said:First I don't know any pet stores that sell corns for $35. Around here (school) and home they're usually a min of $70 for something as simple as an amel, snow or even a normal ("natural"
I bought a Baby Reverse Okeetee for $35
Drizzt80
Dakota Corns
"Pet stores are bad" is a blanket statement that is not true for all pet stores.
If you have a local pet store that you feel is knowledgeable about the animal you are buying, then yes it's possibly going to be cheaper to buy there. You may not have the selection of morphs you are looking for. One normal or amel locally would more than likely be cheaper, but if you are looking for 6 or 7, with known hets, online with shipping is probably a better idea. Newer morphs are probably not going to be found in pet stores and are typically more expensive, so that $50 shipping charge doesn't 'feel' like such a bit hit.
The pet store I work at PT sells normals for $30, amels and anery's for $40, snows for $50 etc. mainly cause they're mine, and the boss is a nice guy! But yes, you can find reasonable prices for corns at pet stores depending on where/how they get them! Also, living in ND, herps are a bit (not much, but noticeably) less common as a pet.
Buying online is not always infallible, just head over to the BOI . . .
D80
If you have a local pet store that you feel is knowledgeable about the animal you are buying, then yes it's possibly going to be cheaper to buy there. You may not have the selection of morphs you are looking for. One normal or amel locally would more than likely be cheaper, but if you are looking for 6 or 7, with known hets, online with shipping is probably a better idea. Newer morphs are probably not going to be found in pet stores and are typically more expensive, so that $50 shipping charge doesn't 'feel' like such a bit hit.
The pet store I work at PT sells normals for $30, amels and anery's for $40, snows for $50 etc. mainly cause they're mine, and the boss is a nice guy! But yes, you can find reasonable prices for corns at pet stores depending on where/how they get them! Also, living in ND, herps are a bit (not much, but noticeably) less common as a pet.
Buying online is not always infallible, just head over to the BOI . . .
D80
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herp_lover2004
New member
Thats right, not all pet stores are bad. I got a corn offline and it died because it wouldnt eat, I asked the guy serveral times of what he did to get him to eat (he said he was a proven feeder) but nothing worked. so anouther problem I guess would be that you cant see the snake eat but at pet stores you can actualy see the condition its in and see it eat.
Sisuitl
I dig'em!
I like buying off the internet or at shows. Pet stores are generally too expensive for me, and they don't have many of the morphs I'm interested in. Anyway, the $50 shipping isn't bad at all, especially since you can ship a whole bunch for that price. What I sometimes do is buy a couple of extra inexpensive female hets, and then raise them for a year or two. After that I can either sell them for a lot more than what I payed for them (recouping the cost of shipping and feeding for a couple of years) or I can breed them when they are old enough, and sell the offspring.
Edit: Oh yeah, and the ones that I buy online are sexed much more reliably than the ones at pet shops.
Edit: Oh yeah, and the ones that I buy online are sexed much more reliably than the ones at pet shops.
PtDnsr
I like calculus
:headbang: I'm sorry guys - I didn't mean to imply that every pet store is bad no matter what. In general I believe (and in my experience) the pet stores out there that take the time to research how animals are kept are few and far between. Yes, they exist. There's a very small store near here that sells snakes, alligators, fish and birds and do it very well. Maybe I'm biased because there aren't the smaller stores around here where people care a lot. I guess the stores I go to are either just expensive or really getting ripped off and passing that to the customer. (I do go to stores other than chain pet stores by the way.) So to sum up my original intention: pet stores usually don't know as much about care and the history of the snakes and usually charge more than a breeder. I personally haven't bought online (my boyfriend bought my girl online as a Christmas present) and all of my other snakes I've gotten at shows. I like the shows if for a few reasons including that the breeders know what they're talking about and you avoid shipping charges.
~Katie
~Katie
WingedWolf
New member
Advantages to buying online:
Known genetics. More reliable sexing. Able to contact breeder at any time to retrieve all information they have kept on date of hatching, parentage, feeding history, etc.
Price dives dramatically when you buy multiple animals from one person.
Chances of parasite infestation or health problems dramatically reduced.
Taken from a low-stress environment, and shipped directly to you (to be hopefully placed in another low-stress environment).
Disadvantages:
Cost of shipping.
Danger of loss of animals in transit.
Small danger of being defrauded by unscrupulous seller.
Unable to inpect animal in person before purchase.
Advantages to buying from pet store:
Local convenience.
Price may be lower than cost of online animal + shipping, for single purchases.
Able to inspect animal in person.
Able to request to see animal eat before purchase.
Disadvantages to buying from a pet store:
Stress from shipping and display may debilitate the animal.
Animal may have had contact with other animals or with dirty cage, and contracted parasites or disease.
Unknown parentage.
Unable to gather information on snake's genetic or health history.
Sexing may not be available, or may not be reliable.
No quantity discount.
Actually, the best place to purchase a reptile is probably in person from a local breeder, or at a reptile expo. That has both the advantages of buying online, and the advantages of buying from a pet store, without the most of the disadvantages of either.
Known genetics. More reliable sexing. Able to contact breeder at any time to retrieve all information they have kept on date of hatching, parentage, feeding history, etc.
Price dives dramatically when you buy multiple animals from one person.
Chances of parasite infestation or health problems dramatically reduced.
Taken from a low-stress environment, and shipped directly to you (to be hopefully placed in another low-stress environment).
Disadvantages:
Cost of shipping.
Danger of loss of animals in transit.
Small danger of being defrauded by unscrupulous seller.
Unable to inpect animal in person before purchase.
Advantages to buying from pet store:
Local convenience.
Price may be lower than cost of online animal + shipping, for single purchases.
Able to inspect animal in person.
Able to request to see animal eat before purchase.
Disadvantages to buying from a pet store:
Stress from shipping and display may debilitate the animal.
Animal may have had contact with other animals or with dirty cage, and contracted parasites or disease.
Unknown parentage.
Unable to gather information on snake's genetic or health history.
Sexing may not be available, or may not be reliable.
No quantity discount.
Actually, the best place to purchase a reptile is probably in person from a local breeder, or at a reptile expo. That has both the advantages of buying online, and the advantages of buying from a pet store, without the most of the disadvantages of either.
KatieL
Sienna, Trogdor & Melony
I think everyone has pretty much covered all the important points, but I just thought I should add that my first corn (Sienna) was bought at a pet shop, and unfortunately came home with a case of mites. However, after her treating her for mites, and completely eliminating them she is now my most healthy and robust snake. My other two beauties are doing very well too though, and they were bought from a reputable breeder online and shipped across the county. They arrived in prime condition and are doing fabulously as well.
I guess my point is that if the proper precautions are taken, either way of procuring a snake can yield positive results. Just be choosy (is that even a word?) if you buy from a petshop, and make sure you research the breeder if you are buying online.
Good luck!
I guess my point is that if the proper precautions are taken, either way of procuring a snake can yield positive results. Just be choosy (is that even a word?) if you buy from a petshop, and make sure you research the breeder if you are buying online.
Good luck!
Drizzt80
Dakota Corns
Great way to lay it out WW! I would just add that those concerned about genetics and sex would find greater benefit in online purchases even at the increased cost with shipping. Those that are just looking for a single pet, and therefore don't necessarily need the genetics and sex information, the shipping could be cost prohibitive. As always do your research! There are good and bad business everywhere, not just the pet industry.
D80
D80
Had1nowwant1
New member
In my area there are some good local petstores. The store i got my Okeetee hatchling($40) seems very good(only had the snake for 5 days). The owner knows alot about snakes and sells many different kinds that you wouldnt normally see in a pet shop(nicaraguan boa, white water rosy boas). She owns a Rainbow Boa, (not sure if that proves anything but I'm just saying she keeps reptiles). She fed the snake i bought in front of me and it ate 3 pinkies. She also gets the corns from a local breeder. I may be getting a candy cane corn($75) at a pet store that also seems good with herps. They breed normals and have an adult female normal. The cages look clean and the snake seems healthy. If i can i may check out the breeder that my okeetee came to the pet store from.
On a different note, there is a local pet shop that has filthy cages. They dont sell snakes but the leopard gecko cage is disgusting.
On a different note, there is a local pet shop that has filthy cages. They dont sell snakes but the leopard gecko cage is disgusting.
BenWillyums
New member
Thanks for the feedback, my exotic pet stores are legit, and I will most likely be ordering over the internet just for quality. Any top breaders that come to mind in midwest area besides cornsnakes.net?
JTGoff69
New member
South Wisconsin Reptiles. www.swreptile.com. If you look in the photo gallery a few pages back under "coral snow male" or "coral snow trio", those were produced by SWR.
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jazzgeek
The Rule Of Thirds.
JTGoff69 said:
I get nothing but a "GoDaddy Parked Domain" with that link. Odd that I've never heard of 'em, considering that I live in southern 'Sconsin (insert your obligatory "ya dere hey" here). As for "midwest" breeders, well, it's all in what your definition of "midwest" is. Depending on who I talk to, I'm either in the "midwest" or "great lakes" states.
WingedWolf summed up the pros and cons quite well - kudos. The only thing I can add is as a pet store manager, I wouldn't hesitate to get a corn from my store, as I know the conditions and husbandry practices......however, I've purchased all my snakes from expos/breeders, primarily for genetics background.
It all depends on the local store - there's a place I know of in my neck of the woods that sells ANY normal hatchling as an "Okeetee", since that label moves 'em through the door at a better rate. A pox on them.
regards,
jazz
JTGoff69
New member
jazzgeek said:
Maybe that's because it's reptile, not reptiles. My bad! Try this one www.swreptile.com :wavey:
herp_lover2004
New member
I went to my first animel expo in march and in september I finaly get my corn.I love the expo now, they have so many cute animels, not just snakes.