Dudley you make good points. At this point, though, it is an actual offer on the table, and the difference between the pet shop price quoted and other local sources may not be as dramatic as the difference between pet store prices and the prices most of us are familiar with from frozen rodent companies.
So while it is possible they are overpriced, conceivably they are accurate, and squabbling about the possible $100 or so difference right now might make the difference between deal and no deal. If one of the snakes really could be sold for $500, then Alex can sell one and make back the boarding fees.
I have no horse in this race. I think Kruger has exhibited some very poor behaviors and has lied. I am only trying to point out that as of this moment the parties are very close to ending this standoff. And in a way that does not risk the funds in question because of third party escrow.
Perhaps Alex should be a little flexible because he initially caused this mess.
If you had wanted the original deal, it seems to me that you would have sent the jag as soon as you found that you had 'forgotten' to put it in the shipment. You have proposed multiple solutions, some that do not include guns at all. Right now, Kruger has two offers on the table, and if you ignore them, they will go away.