Responsible Buyers

[kpritch17]

So, at some point in the future, I would like to start breeding chameleons-panthers to be specific. I was just wondering how you experienced breeders go about making sure that the people you sell your babies to are knowledgeable to make sure they have the best chance of survival? I know many people put in care sheets and their phone number saying call if you need anything, but do people really look at it?

I don't know what else could be done, I'm just wondering. Also, I was thinking about people selling babies at reptile shows. Do you only sell babies to people who have already bought enclosures at the show? Do you make the sale and then wait for them to have their set up complete until you give them the baby to insure less stress? I just want to know the best ways to sell to make sure my babies will have safe and healthy homes from day 1!

 

[jannb]

Sell to Chameleon Forum members. When they inquire about buying if you don't know them go to their profile and see how long they have been a member and then read the threads they have started and the post they have made to see if this is they kind of person you want your baby to go to.

 

[joshua n janet]

Sell to Chameleon Forum members. When they inquire about buying if you don't know them go to their profile and see how long they have been a member and then read the threads they have started and the post they have made to see if this is they kind of person you want your baby to go to.

thats a really good idea

 

[hondataeg6]

Sell to Chameleon Forum members. When they inquire about buying if you don't know them go to their profile and see how long they have been a member and then read the threads they have started and the post they have made to see if this is they kind of person you want your baby to go to.

So thats why you ignored my inquiry about youre baby veileds... J/K

 

[sandrachameleon]

I was just wondering how you experienced breeders go about making sure that the people you sell your babies to are knowledgeable to make sure they have the best chance of survival?

I give them a test. I ask them ten questions, and if they dont answer 9 or 10 out of 10 in the manner I believe to be correct I dont sell to them. If they get 9 out of ten right, I correct the one error, provide a care document, recommend a few books, give them my contact info, and try to stay connected. I encourage them to join this forum and a local reptile keepers club.

I am also biased against teens - I will usually not sell to young people in high school, as I feel they are not mature enough or fiscially stable enough to support having a chameleon (there are exceptions). A teens priorities are (rightly) elsewhere (school, dating, partying, travelling, growing, sports, starting first careers, etc).

This of course is a terrible business practise, since I screen out plenty of willing buyers with money. And for the "right" buyer, I will even reduce prices. Happily, I've never had any intention of making money. Im happy if I break even, but even that isnt a goal.

 

[Dez]

Im going to tell you right off the bat that chameleon breeding is very stressful..and Im not talking about on the chameleon..... on YOU

You stress over your female when she is gravid.. if she is going to lay ok with no complications.. and if you have been supplementing her enough...

Then after the eggs are layed you stress while they are in incubation hoping nothing goes wrong for 9 months.. that the humidty is just right.. not too wet or not too dry

Then when they hatch they are so tiny and fragile.. you stress that they will eat on their own and they will be healthy and thrive through their fragile stage.

Then as they grow and thrive to 3 months old (besides eating you out of house and home) Its time to sell some.. because, lord knows, you would like to keep them all but there is just no room.

SO then you sell one to someone in other state and have to ship them. and you stress about them from the time you put them in the box until they arrive at their destination the next morning. I have shipped many many chameleons without a problem but I still worry about them each and every time

Then you hope they are ok and live long happy lives with their new owners.

Its good to sell to forum members because you can 'keep tabs' on your kids. See pictures as they grow.

But I have sold to non forum members. I had one person send me the plans to a cage he was building to ask if it was alright. and I made sure he finished it before I would send him the chameleon.

Feel free to give buyers a 'Chameleon Quiz' and let them know exactly how to take care of them. Ask if they ever had one in the past.. and if they did what happened to it. You can use "we reserve the right to deny sale to anyone for any reason"

I am constantly answering questions from newbe chameleon owners (mostly through youtube) I am saddened about how much misinformation is out there. I usually direct them to the forum

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

What Tiki Tiki does on the phone or at shows. A lot of keepers on this forum have purchased from us at shows. Some became new Cham forum members after. We can't screen everyone but we can educate.

1. We are willing to talk to you if you are going to buy or not. We spend up to an hour sometimes answering questions to buyers and the curious alike.

2. Sell everything that would be needed to keep a chameleon. (Cage Kits)

3. Have a cage with items setup to help explain and show them what they will need to do .

4. Provide a care sheet

5. Direct them to this forum and offer to answer any questions that we can regardless if the animal came from us or not.

6. Have faith that you passed on the best information and that they heard at least 50 % of it.

 

[kpritch17]

SO then you sell one to someone in other state and have to ship them. and you stress about them from the time you put them in the box until they arrive at their destination the next morning. I have shipped many many chameleons without a problem but I still worry about them each and every time

I plan on being worried through every stage

I just watched the video on shipyourreptiles.com and I know I will be so nervous and worried when I ship the little babies..especially the first!

I was thinking of doing a quiz type thing for potential buyers.

 

[Seeco]

1. Sell weird chameleons that newbies don't want

2. Quiz buyers without insulting:

Are you buying this animal to impress girls? (joke)

Do you have other chameleons? Breed them?

Do you have other reptiles? Breed them?

 

[chams1]

I agree with Ryan and what he said is exactly what I practice. All of my cages at shows are "unplug and bring with me" so that people can see exactly how I keep them and not just a "show cage" (and having said that, I realize that I just got some baby show cages that are not meant to "properly" house them...). I can't tell you how many countless hours I have spent with people on chams and their care whether they end up purchasing from me or not. I find, however, that the more time you are willing to spend with someone and teach them the proper way to go about things, they are likely to come back to you. I also strive to give my customers continued care, help and instruction, even if it means making house calls (and I'm pretty sure there are a few of you on here that can vouch for me on this one...). I don't spend countless hours with people because I want them to come back and purchase from me necessarily, but mostly because I care about the health and vitality of the cham, no matter where they purchase it from.

 

[xanthoman]

i think the majority of keepers are on this forum, although there are a fair number (both responsible and irresponsible), who are not on this forum. if you are dealing with somebody from cf, then you can simply view all posts by that person, that gives you a good sense of their mindset and their husbandry practices. even those keepers who are not on this forum, are often keepers of other reptiles, snakes, turtles, bearded dragons, geckos etc and can often be found on other forums, so try to get a user name. i think most people who have had notoriously bad dealings or keeping/shipping practices, probably have stuff floating around on the internet or on one of the forums, you can also check fauna classifieds board of inquiry

 

[laurie]

I love hearing others are as anal as I am about babies. I know I lose money but chameleons are my recreation and we all pay for our recreational activities right? Nothing makes me smile like taking care of my baby quads. I will admit several people on this forum are most likely not happy with me as I would not even discuss selling them one of my babies.

A pm I got that said " I have had my panther for 2 months and decided to get a second chameleon so I want to but a quad form you" ( that is close as I can remember - short version) Not no but h**l no!!! People like that are wasting their time and mine.