Issue with Buyer, Injured Snake

[user 23122]

Absolutely no refund sounds to me they don't have the faintest idea on how to look after their pet you could offer them another but why bother when it will obviously be either lost or crushed in a handling mishap tell them to get a hermit crab or something easier as a pet until their ready to look after a python properly

 

[yommy]

As a breeder you know your hatchies inside and out 100% before you decide to move them on.
they don't sudden develop a physical deformity a week after sale.
Live and learn Vixen, in no way are you liable imo.

 

[starr9]

Id be asking when they noticed this injury. If it was a few days after you sold it too them, then that to me sounds like it was done after they got it home and had it for a few days. With the amount you say they are getting it out to hold, Im sure they would of see something like that before now. I think the kids may have done something and don't want to tell there father! I dont think you have done anything wrong at all!!!

 

[Morgana]

An experience with selling our Bull Arab pups:-

Our bitch gave birth to 14 healthy pups - her 3rd and last litter.

A young couple came down from Bundaberg, chose a pup, paid and went off into the sunset. Their neighbour's had bought a pup from us the week before, and they loved it and they got our number from them. My (adult) daughter dealt with them, I didn't get to meet them. 2 weeks, later we get a phone call - pup in vet's with mystery illness and requires blood transfusion! We tried to ring the vet but he rudely told us to get lost because of 'privacy laws' protecting the new owners.

We felt terrible and offered the couple another pup for free as it seemed certain they were going to lose the first one. They came down, got pup and left in an awful hurry.

Another phone call. Both pups now in intensive care with mystery illness. They now start demanding we pay vet fees for selling them 'dud' pups. We contact everyone who took pups from the litter already and also people who bought from the second litter. In every instance, all pups in prime condition and happy. The vet involved will of course tell us nothing - even on the premise that we as breeders need to know if the illness is something genetic.

I ring vet again. Vet nurse lets slip the first pup was brought in with hook worm, I told her all our pups were wormed with Drontal regularly, and she said it can still happen because of egg cycles. Vet caught her telling us this on the phone and she was in huge trouble for disclosing info. We never did get the full story.

I told the couple they would be hearing from my lawyer very soon and it could be sorted in court. No more phone calls.

Yesterday (now 2 months since initial problem with couple) we get a call from this couple's neighbour - the one who had first bought a pup and given them our number. He asked if we had any of their details to give the police as his pup had just been stolen, and when he went over to couple's house to see if they'd seen anything - yep.......they were gone. Vanished. Midnight flit. They now have the pup they bought, the free pup we gave them and the pup they've stolen from their neighbour.

Moral to the story. People lie. They cheat. They scam. There are people who are grifters and they are the ones you wouldn't suspect.

My advice: don't sell them anything else. You are not legally required to refund them anything. I am now taking the precaution of putting on sales receipts that animals are in 100 % good health at time of sale. Both myself and any buyer must sign at time of sale.

Hope this sheds some light. Good luck. You are not at fault.

Cheers
Morgana

 

[Wrightpython]

Did he have the same amount of children when he came back or had he lost one of them as well. If he does want another snake give him an elapid by mistake that will sort him out. How is he going to explain to licence people how he lost or killed two snakes in a few weeks.

 

[Nighthawk]

It sounds simple to me. Insist on seeing wriiten record from a good vet who specialises in reptile care (complete with contact details specifically to verify legitimacy - they're not disclosing private info by affirming that they wrote the record), stating definitively whether injuries sustained were the fault of husbandry or breeding technique/genetics before you refund (but not replace).
Bet your bottom dollar you won't hear back.
After all, you need to be certain the you are the one at fault; the lives of all future clutches are at stake if you have a sudden outbreak of genetic skull-dip

 

[Snake_Whisperer]

Yep, vet trip before anything Key. Sounds nothing at all like an illness and entirely like injury by sausage fingers. Insist on the vet report and don't be afraid to be tough. Unless this big flat area was present when you sold it, which of course it wasn't, this idiot is trying to get you to pay for his incompetence. Keep us posted!

 

[Vixen]

Thanks for all the support guys - this whole thing has got me on a bit of a downer so it's really nice to hear from others, and all the suggestions you've given me.

I just feel bad the the hatchies, I try not to get overly attached to one's i'm going to end up selling anyway but it's always hard to hear of something like this happening to an animal that's been in your care for weeks and weeks.

I don't want to get a bad name around our local area too just because this guys blabs some fibs around.

 

[potato matter]

This is exactly why I hate selling any of my animals to someone I don't know. I have been in a similar situation where i sold 3 stick insects to a family and they were dead in a week.

I hope it all gets resolved for you

 

[CrystalMoon]

It is so hard when selling our Babies(fur,feather or scale) for the most part people are good, just takes those few bad ones to leave a bitter taste. Imo I dont feel you are entitled to give them a refund at all, given your info it would be highly unlikely for there to be some "sudden" genetic neck/head flaw? I agree with the other poster's it sounds like an undisclosed injury caused by the Children, heck maybe even himself did it???? Chin up and try not to let this get you down

 

[FAY]

Kids WILL lie, so they won't get into trouble and of course the kids didn't do anything....sure

 

[Vixen]

I have a photo on my iphone of the snake, is there any way to upload photo's directly from there? I have no idea as I don't usually use it for that.

This is her before she left me though:

 

[Red-Ink]

Thanks for all the support guys - this whole thing has got me on a bit of a downer so it's really nice to hear from others, and all the suggestions you've given me.

I just feel bad the the hatchies, I try not to get overly attached to one's i'm going to end up selling anyway but it's always hard to hear of something like this happening to an animal that's been in your care for weeks and weeks.

I don't want to get a bad name around our local area too just because this guys blabs some fibs around.

Mate it's always hard as a breeder letting go of the hatches, none of us put in all that time and care into breeding them only to have them neglected in somebody else's care. Hardest part about breeding I reckon...

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Yep, too many possibilities here, and all of them point to neglect on the father's part. Animals & children = torment & damage for the animal. Lots of parents buy animals as entertainment for their kids, and have no concern for the welfare of the animal. You owe them nothing more than a polite "no" if they ask anything more of you. We don't breed these things for idiots to sacrifice them.

Jamie

 

[phantomreptiles]

I have a photo on my iphone of the snake, is there any way to upload photo's directly from there? I have no idea as I don't usually use it for that.

This is her before she left me though:

If you have tapatalk you can upload from your iPhone, by opening advanced options then you can get the pic from your album.
Sorry to hear about this jerk

 

[Vixen]

Thank you phantom, I will try that. My partner currently has it at work though so I will try later on this evening.

 

[ForgottenXo]

This is so devistating...

I defiantely think its a handling accident and the kids just dont want to admit they did it.

I would NOT be giving them a refund and be ensuring that they get it to a vet as soon as possible. The sad thing is...people arent prepared for that side of animal owning, the bad with the good. You have to be prepared to pay the bills, especially when stuff can go wrong so quickly!

Chin up Vixen, you will get through it Xo

 

[Wookie]

I would just say sorry, tell them again about the vet then leave it there.

I also wouldn't sell them another, for all you know they killed the first one and don't want to admit it.

Not saying that happened but if it left you healthy then has obvious injuries it'd there fault and not yours, I just feel sorry for the snake

Sorry as in "sorry this has happened" not just sorry. You don't want to admit liability

 

[Jessh88]

Oh no my kids love my 3 snakes but I'm very careful when it comes to them handling them for that exact issue. What If they get scared and drop them or yes Accidently squeeze them to hard. My 2 enclosures are locked up and keys hidden up high


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nighthawk]

Animals & children = torment & damage for the animal.

As with everything else, complacency in parents gives the rest of us a bad name. Do you know how many times I've been looked at askew by other mothers for daring to have snakes around my kids? Particularly when I nonchalantly point out that the locks are more for the snakes collective welfare than the children.
My daughter is very skilled in handling smaller reps, she's fantastic in fact. But she's 5. I am NOT going to have any opportunity for a 5yo to handle our reps without an adult present, all eyes on her. Some parents take what their kids say for granted way too much, and they don't realise that complacency is not only leaving a kid alone with a fragile animal when you know they have the animal out, but leaving the room when you know keys/enclosures are accessable.
Gah, it makes me so mad!