Imaginary Morphs

**ozziepythons** · 09-Jul-12, 09:32 AM

I've seen a few advertisements over time from people selling reptiles in their collection they believe to be a morph or rare varient and wish to sell for big $$$$$. Often when opening the link to a pic up comes a photo of a very ordinary looking specimen of the type or just a pretty coloured example that is no way a morph or anything slightly unusual. Are these type of sellers not particularly educated.... in reptile genetics or morphology, or just scammers hoping to make extra money out of someone impulse buying at tax time? Anyone else noticed this before?

**saximus** · 09-Jul-12, 10:10 AM

I think a lot of people think the word "possible" gives them free licence to make up whatever they want. It's a shame when you see these ads but hopefully the more experienced herpers will know that it's BS and avoid them and the newcomers will do a bit of research before buying something unnecessarily over-priced

**Rocket** · 09-Jul-12, 10:21 AM

ozziepythons, you are correct 100%.

You should get on the Facebook gecko groups - its RIDICULOUS!

**Nighthawk** · 09-Jul-12, 10:40 AM

You can hardly blame people when there is a barrage of misinformation available on the internet from backyard geneticists. It's easy to get excited when you see something unusually coloured in your collection, or similarly coloured to morphs already advertised. No one can say that they have never jumped the gun before or made a mistake.
In saying that, there are also plenty of people willing to charge higher prices to people with more cash than sense for a pretty fluke as well. It just depends on who is willing to fork out the funds.
Yes, you can argue that it just takes time to research and patience to prove a line, but patience is a fast failing virtue in these days of instant gratification. Just my observation, anyway.

**ozziepythons** · 09-Jul-12, 06:20 PM

There is an ordinary looking carpet for sale on another website that the asking price is for thousands of $$, the seller clearly has a head full of fairy dust and when I saw it advertised again it kind of bugged me, more so if the thing sells for the asking price.
That said, I have personally obtained some absolute stunning python and monitor varients before that were either cheap or free just because luck came my way, so sometimes the opposite can actually happen.

**Vixen** · 09-Jul-12, 06:32 PM

If any of this happens to be aimed at the Freckle Bredli I have for sale, I know for a fact this is genetic as the mother of the him looked exactly the same, and a few of his siblings also had the same trait. I was offered quite a large sum of money on here last year (think over the 4k mark) by a well known breeder - but at that point I wasn't planning on selling him. So if a well known breeder is willing to offer than much money for him, they must think it has potential down the track.

I'm not trying to rip ANYBODY off, i'm not like that at all and anyone who's ever dealt with me would know that.

As for all the 'possibles' being thrown around lately, I am guilty of that too for some coastals I am selling. But it IS possible they are het. axanthic, they are direct siblings to the animals bred by Steve Brooks that are now owned by Larks, both can confirm that.

This is the reason I have decided to keep the entire clutch back until I can hopefully prove the parents this season.

**moussaka** · 09-Jul-12, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Vixen

If any of this happens to be aimed at the Freckle Bredli I have for sale, I know for a fact this is genetic as the mother of the him looked exactly the same, and a few of his siblings also had the same trait. I was offered quite a large sum of money on here last year (think over the 4k mark) by a well known breeder - but at that point I wasn't planning on selling him. So if a well known breeder is willing to offer than much money for him, they must think it has potential down the track.

I'm not trying to rip ANYBODY off, i'm not like that at all and anyone who's ever dealt with me would know that.

As for all the 'possibles' being thrown around lately, I am guilty of that too for some coastals I am selling. But it IS possible they are het. axanthic, they are direct siblings to the animals bred by Steve Brooks that are now owned by Larks, both can confirm that.

Personally, I think your freckles (and all your other stock too, actually!) are just exquisite, and of absolutely top-notch quality.

**ozziepythons** · 09-Jul-12, 06:39 PM

Hey Vixen, could you post some pics of your freckle bredli? We'd like to see your genetic varient of M.s.bredli, as the hypos can be stunners.

**Vixen** · 09-Jul-12, 06:45 PM

Thank you moussaka, that means alot. =)

Ozziepythons, there's some more pictures of him on my sale thread, but here's one of them.

**Darlyn** · 09-Jul-12, 06:57 PM

I'm amazed at the various "names" given to BHP's because of the colours on their belly.
My BHP has awesome colours on his belly. That's cos he is a BHP, I thought that was normal?

**ozziepythons** · 09-Jul-12, 07:01 PM

Nice looking bredli Vixen, but you seem to think your being made an example of in the category of 'imaginary morphs'. I haven't specifically indicated the website, date of advertisement, specific price, species (carpets are taxonomically split), state or seller, so if you want to put your expensive bredli morph under the microscope for scrutiny that is of your own choosing. For the record it was an ordinary coastal carpet that someone was selling as a 'rare' morph that bugged me.

**Vixen** · 09-Jul-12, 07:10 PM

I understand, I just wanted to clear up the history for anyone that felt that way about my animals - i've had a few nasty PM's so far and was suspicious as this thread popped up tonight when I listed him for sale yesterday.

No offence taken.

**ghosts** · 09-Jul-12, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by Vixen

I understand, I just wanted to clear up the history for anyone that felt that way about my animals - i've had a few nasty PM's so far and was suspicious as this thread popped up tonight when I listed him for sale yesterday.

No offence taken.

i dont know why people would send nasty pm's you were very upfront with the information