Is it ethical to sell

... a super motley without any mention of probable issues or death?

Just wondering everyones opinion on the matter. I personally would not... But I could see some people defending it as the buyers responsibility to already know that. And there is one up for sale on another forum right now with no info other than a price.

I would say it's up the buyer to know what they are buying... (my opinion)

I say it is both buyer and sellers responsibility.

If you're going to spend that much on an animal you should definitely have done your research first.

Then again there are a lot of people that don't know their genetics very well. As well as people buying animals that are just aesthetically pleasing to them and would never know of the health problems of the snake.

Its not a very common boa so I am sure a lot of people would not know about the potential problems. They see a classified with a picture of a snake that they like that's in their budget and look further into buying it. I think the buyer should mention, or at least ask if they know about the potential risks involved.

I wouldn't post anything about it in the ad...but I would certainly raise the topic with a buyer before payment was made. No need to launch into a major discussion, as long as the person is aware; but I couldn't sell one to a customer that didn't know. That said - knowing the mortality issues, I would be hard pressed to offer such an animal for sale.

Thanks for the input. I think everyone has made very valid points. I just couldn't see myself putting it out there for sale. I especially don't know how anyone could justify asking more than $250 or so to someone who wanted to give the boa a hospice type situation if they really wanted to.

*thats suppssed to say seller should mention not buyer . . .


Take great danes for example. they have a ton of issues and a short life span is one of them. but people still want them, breed them ,and buy them. So if there is a demand for a super motley and people are willing to spend the money on them , breeders will produce them and sell them.

I think it's unethical to produce supermotleys. I know that sometimes they are produced in "freak" litters, but to breed motley to motley at this point is irresponsible imo. Good topic.

Chris

Originally Posted by bear

Thanks for the input. I think everyone has made very valid points. I just couldn't see myself putting it out there for sale. I especially don't know how anyone could justify asking more than $250 or so to someone who wanted to give the boa a hospice type situation if they really wanted to.

Yeah or just trade it among friends or fellow breeders who would like an all black boa in their collection for awhile.

Originally Posted by JCCS

I think it's unethical to produce supermotleys. I know that sometimes they are produced in "freak" litters, but to breed motley to motley at this point is irresponsible imo. Good topic.

Chris

I agree, and also would add super jungles & any other supers with flaws to that list. I have heard a lot of people say they just need to be outcrossed and might be normal after some generations, but we can't effectively outcross if people are doing mot to mot breedings or jungle to jungle breedings. Even the healthy non super litter mates will be inbred and by that theory will put us even further behind in outcrossing the bloodlines.

I haven't heard or seen definitive evidence of problems with super jungles. I've seen super mots and they don't look healthy, every super jungle I've seen looks perfectly normal. Even if they are sterile as many people have said, I wouldn't consider it unethical to produce them as long as the buyer was aware that they were just buying a pet snake. They are beautiful animals and I have considered buying one just to have and to see for my own eyes if rumors about them were true.

Chris