Beware Kelly Sharp

Around the 20th of July of this year I saw an add on ks for 100% het albino boas. After a few emails I sent kelly sharp a money order for 300.00 for a 100% het albino female boa.

The snake arrived in good condition, a little smaller than I was expecting for a year old snake, but not so small that I was mad about it. However she did NOT come with any paperwork to prove she was indeed a het.

kelly said she had just moved from Salt Lake City to Portland Oregon and couldn't find it but she would "guarentee" that the snake was in fact a het for albino. I explained that I did believe that she did believe it was a het but, I did not want to go through the expense and time to raise an animal that I was not postive about. She said she would look through her boxes which had not been unpacked yet.

Then she got called out of town.
Then she couldn't find it.

Then, almost three weeks later I get an invoice that simply has a somewhat scribbled name that I think is Mark Wallace, it says it is for a het albino boa. That's it. No address, no phone number, no nothing to verify.

I had asked her for verification, pictures of the adults, number of the breeder, even the name of the show she got it at so I could try to track him down through a vendors list.

Nothing. And then more nothing. Last night she said that she is sorry that I am not happy with the invoice she sent me, that it was all she had, and that there was nothing she could do for me.

I AM NOT PLEASED. The snake is fine and healthy. I won't know until next year or possibly the year after whether or not it is a het for a fact.

I offered her a couple of options- to refund me my money and take the snake back or to refund me 200.00 and if the snake proved out I would send her back 200.00 and a free het for her trouble.

She did have several other 100% hets for sale when I made my deal with her. If she hasn't sold them, and you are thinking of buying them, get your proof of genetics BEFORE you send her money.

Wes Pollock

Thanks for the heads up!! Greg Holland

I've dealt with Kelly a couple years ago and have corresponded with her off & on ever since...she's definitely a "good guy" in my book!

To be honest, I'd take her word for it if she say's your snake is definite het albino... that's how much I trust her

She may have been dooped as well, that's the reason Wes wanted some legit paperwork. I really hope she proves out but I would think that if Kelly was buying 100% hets she would require some sort of piece of mind as to the real genetics, ie paperwork, pictures of the parents and/or a guarantee from the Originator.
Good luck Wes.

Mike, I got a good vibe from Kelly too, however, I am now in the position of having to raise, at some expense, this boa, then breed her to my albino male, and I figure he's good for three females at best, then hope she is indeed a het. If not I will be out anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Perhaps you and Kelly will be willing to split it with eachother if this girl does not prove out.

As much as I like this snake, this was a BUSINESS investment for me. And let's be honest, hets are worth less than a good true redtail. That will be even more true next season if she goes and like I said she was somewhat small for her age.

I'm glad you're taking up for Kelly, and I truly hope this is just paranoia on my part. But.........

Wes Pollock

At the very least she should be willing to supply contact info for the breeder who produced the animal. Bottom line is that if she can't produce proper documentation, she has no business selling any hets she did not produce herself.

I never thought I'd say this but I agree with Mike H.

I've dealt with Kelly a few times and don't think she's the type to purposely mislead someone at all...if the snake is not a 100% het I'd bank on the fact that Kelly got duped and not that she would misrepresent an animal on purpose, not her style.

Have you been in contact with Kelly now that she's settled in from her move to ask her for details? Perhaps she can contact the original vendor.

I understand your frustration Wes and you are entitled to what you paid for. I hope the snake proves out for you and your investment is worth while.

Hey Danny,

Like I said in my original post, I do think she thinks it's a het. However, she wouldn't or couldn't provide me with the show she got it at and the invoice is less than acceptable.

I did not post this as a bad guy post because I am inclined to think that if the snake is NOT a het, Kelly didn't know. But, I have trusted in the past and gotten burned, so now I want some proof. If she can't provide it, I think one of my options should be given. I think they are more than fair given the time that's gone by and how long it took to get what I did, which, once again, is unacceptable.

I posted an inquiry about Mark Wallace, which I think is the guy's name on the invoice, and not one person had anything to say about him. I called Jeremy Stone in Salt Lake City and he didn't know of anyone working with albinos by that name either. So I want a little more proof.

Wes Pollock

Wes Pollock

Wes,
Your absolutely right...if the animal is what it is, then it should be relatively easy to prove. I just wanted to point out that my past experiences dictate that Kelly is a top notch person.

Good luck man, I hope you either get written proof or lots of little pink & white beauties!

I would have to think that regardless if the snake came from a "big" breeder or not, anyone purchasing a Het. for anything would want in writing that the particular animal is what the breeder claims it to be, its almost absurd not to ask for documentation.

A het. animal is only as good as the guarantee and documented proof a breeder accompanies it with.

Who's to say when Wes breeds her and produces NO albinos, that he didnt actually buy a normal. Where would he be then with no documents or guarantees of genetics ???

I just cant imagine purchasing a het. and not getting documentation with it.

I hate to play devils advocate....but how many times have we heard of stories where someone purchased a het. and it did not produce, then when the seller was confronted....they always wanted to drop the ball in the lap of the person whom they purchased it from ???

Not good Wes, I would send it back and get a refund or at least get a guarantee of some sort from Kelly stating that if it didnt produce, then she would buy it back plus the cost of keeping.