Reptile shows

[Daypaul]

Ive read mixed reviews on getting animals from these events. I'm attending one in June. I though it would be helpful to start a thread about questions beginners could ask the breeders and sales men/women to better determine if the breeder genuinely cares about the chameleons rather than just making money. Maybe even things to look for that stands out you guys have seen that are no no's in chameleon breeding and sales. I mainly am interested in chameleon info. But if anything comes to mind with different animals feel free to share. Sorry if there is already a thread like this I didn't see one.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[DanSB]

If someone HAS to ask for this advise I would give advice similar to purchasing any Chameleon from anywhere for a beginner, if you know what you are doing all the below is null and void. My check list in order of importance below:

Step 1: Confirm Captive bred and born. If answer is "Long Term Captive is the same" or "I'm not sure" or "No" pass, it isn't worth it.

Step 2: Check all the places that the skin opens for anything weird. Eyes, nose, mouth, nails, and the rear venting. Eyes should be clean, clear and alert, mouth should be clean and aligned properly, nose should be clean, nails should all be intact and everything in the back should be clean. No exceptions, no excuses, not worth the risks.

Step 3: Skin should clear of stuck sheds, parasites, or any weird bumps. Anything other than a vibrant looking skin should be a show stopper.

Step 4: Check cage conditions. Cage should be free of dried fecals / urates. If there are urates they should be snow white and fresh. I just don't trust anyone selling animals they let sit in their waste, it is a bad sign!

Step 5: Know your vendor! Some vendors have a great reputation, some not so much. Bring your smart phone to the show and be prepared to research a vendor. I like Fauna Classifieds BOI for this. Some vendors can have good looking animals but have other issues with after sales support. And do not operate under the false assumption that just because a vendor advertises here they are always good. That mainly means they probably just aren't criminals. Exceptional vendors will have things like entire threads on here devoted to their babies people have bought over time...

Step 6: Trust your gut! If you look at a chameleon, can't find anything wrong but something is telling you not to buy don't! Your subconscious will pick up on things you won't. This may sound crazy but I personally have regretted every time I ignored that feeling...

Step 7: Buy a Chameleon and post pictures here!

Hope that helps at least a little...

 

[JGspecial]

my guy in my avatar was riddled with parasites and had subcutaneous worms, he lasted a year and died. i bought him from a seller in a show and didnt pay close enough attention. beware of people trying to offload their sick chameleons because they know theyll be long gone before you notice or know that there are naive people out there that wont know the animal is sick and will buy it. like dan said, do your research and ask questions. if you dont feel 100% about the transaction save your money, its not worth it. i will say though that from the same show this year i got a baby fischer chameleon that is very healthy and am looking forward to see him progress.

 

[Carlton]

There are questions that vendors will be all primed to answer...but their answer may not be anything better than what they know you want to hear. Examples of these chestnuts include:

Q. Has this cham been treated for parasites?
A. Of course it has!
Sneakier question: What parasites do you test for and when was it last treated?

Q. Is this (uncommon species) cham captive bred or wildcaught?
A. Captive bred of course!
Sneakier question:
Do you have/may I see this cham's proof of origin? Breeder invoice, CITES paperwork?

Q. How long have you had this cham in your care? or How old is this cham?
A. Oh about a year.
Sneakier question: What was this cham's hatch date? Shipping date?

Also, when we say "do your research" we really mean not just on chams in general, but on the species you are interested in...look at photos, review husbandry and setups, so you are less likely to be talked into something you didn't expect to see.

 

[Daypaul]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm not really going to purchase forsure but rather to look around I'm going to be in the same area around the time. But might get a male veiled,still thinking on it. I do research, I was just thinking we could lay out some basic/advanced questions that perhaps some beginners may not have thought of. Thanks again guys

 

[Daypaul]

Carlton this is the stuff I'm looking for things people can ask to "trick" the dishonest sales person, or know the breeder is the real deal.