breeders!

[gartermorphs]

I was wondering does anybody know if scott felzer is a reputable breeder and does anybody know any other good breeders? thanks!

[ConcinusMan]

He's only the best! but there are equally good breeders out there. Scott's snakes are a bit on the spendy side. There's definitely cheaper ways to buy into some of his bloodlines. Don Belnap (sssnakeluvr) sold Amy to me (iowa albino T. radix) for a very good price and the bloodlines are from Scott's stock.

Here's his site: http://www.donsgartersnakes.net/

[MasSalvaje]

I was wondering does anybody know if scott felzer is a reputable breeder and does anybody know any other good breeders? thanks!

I highly recommend Scott. I have made a few purchases with him and they have all been exceptionally represented and gone through with out any problems.

His animals are well worth every penny you spend on them.

I may add that he is one of if not the best option, but there are many others that are very good and safe choices as well. Don has already been mentioned, Shannon (asnakelovingbabe) sends only the best of specimens, Jeff (Jeff B) always has very well started individuals from what I have heard, Tom D (Snakeman) is right up there as well, and I don't know that he does a lot of selling but Steve (Guidofatherof5) puts more love and care than you can imagine into his group of Radix.
(Sorry if I missed anyone!)

You have a lot of good solid choices but you can not find a reputable breeder out there that has not been the benefactor of what Scott has accomplished.

-Thomas

[gartermorphs]

thanks for the help ill definetly be contacting somebody soon!

[bkhuff1s]

Yeah Scott's what you could say is a popular breeder around here, probably the most popular, lol

[infernalis]

Scott is reputable, Don Belnap, Jeff Benfer, Joe Peck, Joana Duby, Shannon Culp, all good people.

You can't go wrong with any of them.

http://www.albinogartersnake.com/

http://www.donsgartersnakes.net/

http://gartersnakemorph.com/

[ConcinusMan]

Will not necessarily go wrong with any others that offer garters for sale and have "verbal" references of endorsement by any of the names above, Right? (must have been just thinking of myself at that moment) :rolleyes:

But seriously, sometimes it's good to let the season wind down(august?) and get better prices on what's left. All fine garters. I waited and I ended up with amy; a fine iowa plains radix from Don Belnap. If you're not in a hurry, keep a close eye on available garter snakes from all the breeders and wait 'till the "frenzy" is winding down.:cool:

[MasSalvaje]

But seriously, sometimes it's good to let the season wind down(august?) and get better prices on what's left. All fine garters. I waited and I ended up with amy; a fine iowa plains radix from Don Belnap. If you're not in a hurry, keep a close eye on available garter snakes from all the breeders and wait 'till the "frenzy" is winding down.:cool:

Or buy them right up front and get an early season discount, it may not be as much as the late season discount but you are almost garanteed to get what you want if you are looking for something imparticular.

-Thomas

[ConcinusMan]

And that's why I call it a "frenzy"

but actually, I was looking for something in particular when I found amy in the off season of Dec, jan 'o9. Wasn't sure what I was looking for until I found her.:D

Oh yeah, available was a key necessity. Albino thamnophis a strong preference, established feeder, reasonable price.... and there she was.

But now I will be looking for "something in particular" (compatible albino male for amy) but several breeders increase my odds and lower my price.

[infernalis]

Seems like every season there are more available than the last.

in just one season I watched the price of an albino parietalis (red sided) drop by almost half.

We are the "minority" in the snake keeping world, so really just how much demand is there for garter snake morphs?

Albino flames and albino erythristic eastern garters are "new" morphs, the prices are high as heck right now, in a few more seasons when they are more common, the prices will drop a lot.

[Jeff B]

Thanks for the recomendations guys, I appreciate it. Scott has been breeding for 10-15 years and has accomplished many, many milestones in that time and there is a desirved reason for his popularity.
Just wanted to give a little perspective from my point of view about some of the market related comments here.
Not trying to argue, be critical, or corrective, just wanted to shed some balance to this post from a breeders perspective.
Last year I was sold out by the second week of July minus a few holdbacks that I parted with after brumation this spring because they didn't fit into my breeding programs.
I personally will give better deals and discounts and am more negotiable at the beginning of the baby season (now) than latter in the season after I have spent much time and effort and they are bigger, because in my mind they are worth more and more the bigger and older they get especially once they are eating unscented pinkies.
Also as far as how big a market there is for garters, it goes way past the die-hard garter addicts, the people like us on the forums. I would say that 90-95% of my sales are people that I have never even seen post on any of the forums once.
But your right the economy is down and availablility may increase, but some snakes should and I believe will retain some value just based on their looks and also the amount of effort that goes into producing them, and there is a whole great big world out there, including non-US markets, that will hold prices too.
We really are blessed with the luxury, in the amount of varieties and types of garters we have to choose from in todays market, and please realize when you talk about prices that it does take an enormous amount of time, caring, and effort to consistantly produce these beautiful animals.
Thanks for reading and thanks for all previous business and future business from anyone reading this, I really, really do appreciate it.

[infernalis]

I for one appreciate the beautiful snakes I got from you last year Jeff. They are vibrant healthy snakes and growing like weeds.

And I appreciate the ones from Scott as well, the ones I got from Don, Shannon, Mojo, etc...

I owe my entire collection (aside from a few WC that I picked up myself) to all of you.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I would say that 90-95% of my sales are people that I have never even seen post on any of the forums once.

I second that!

[bkhuff1s]

I would say that 90-95% of my sales are people that I have never even seen post on any of the forums once.

I didn't know that. Where do you guys sell then?

[ConcinusMan]

I'm pretty sure most of the breeders here advertise at kingsnake.com

Check this out! Florida blues available: http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=6&de=765382

[bkhuff1s]

I've been watching them for a while now, or similar ones. Hard to tell them apart sometimes. Unfortunately I can't have them in MO...