Michelle, although I understand what you are thinking, I'd like to point out the reality of the world. I'm a retailer. I own a little pet store that specializes in reptiles. I breed a lot of my own snakes and lizards, but I can't do it all. So I buy from wholesalers. Many of them. Why? First, like I said, I can't possibly produce all the types of animals I sell, although I do try. Second, most wholesalers, because of the nature of the business buy in large quantities at low prices. They lay out huge sums of money, money I can't spend. Why? Because I don't have the facilities to hold 200 iguanas at a time. I can hold 6 at a time. Wholesalers buy from breeders, in huge lots. In turn, they get a much better price then I do for these animals because my storage capacity is small. So I get better prices from wholesalers then I can if I buy directly from the breeder........sometimes anyway. I can then pass these better prices on to you, the consumer.
Imports are part of the business. I imported 100 Rankin's Dragons because I got them at a low price. By the time I paid for them, shipping, and broker fees, I still made out pretty good. But housing 100 baby Rankin's dragons (captive bred, by the way) was a huge chore, and one that I don't look forward to doing again. I'd rather go to a wholesaler and buy 10 at a time. When I run out I can buy 10 more.
Without wholesalers there would not be any pet stores that sell animals. This is just what USHS and PETA want. They want to kill off my source of animals that I can sell to people like you. Most ball pythons, morphs included, come from wholesalers that buy in large groups from US breeders. Kill off the wholesalers, and there goes a major source of ball pythons. Sure, I can buy directly from the breeder, usually at a higher price, and I can and pass that higher price to you. This will of course mean my sales will drop, making things harder on pet stores to stay in the black. Plus the pain in the butt of buying from dozens of sources every week, instead of 5 or 6. Shipping alone will jack up prices. Pet stores, no matter what you believe, don't make a ton of money. We're not in it for the money. If I was, I'd be doing something much more profitable. I was a jeweler at one time, and I can tell you I was much better off financially then I am now. Jewelry doesn't die, nor does it need food and water and staff to keep it clean. Jewelry doesn't mind if it's not shipped overnight. Most pet stores make little or nothing off the animals they sell (at least reptiles). By the time you pay for the overhead to keep them alive and thriving, you're lucky to break even. It's the stuff you sell with the animals that makes profit, tanks, cages, heaters, bowls, bedding, food, etc. But without the animals, no one's going to buy the supplies. Don't fall for the animals rights bull
. They want to take away my livelihood, and after they're done with me, they will be at your door, taking every living animal you own.
Anyway, sorry for the ramble, but I thought you'd like to know.
That would be a start.