Fine Green Tree Pythons | TERMS OF SALE

Terms of Sale

Our goal is to provide you with the best animals and service possible. The terms below have been worked out over years of doing business and are designed to make the buying experience a positive one for both parties. Your complete satisfaction is our goal!

The first section of this page explains what you can expect from us. The second section addresses customer responsibilities.

Buying from Fine Green Tree Pythons

We guarantee our animals to be honestly represented, healthy, feeding aggressively on frozen-thawed rodents, and free of any parasites. Your satisfaction and long-term relationship is our goal. All of our Green Tree Python babies and yearlings come with pedigrees tracing family bloodlines back to founder stock in the wild (when available) and data cards. General husbandry of adults is kept as well, so the occasional sale of one of our permanent animals will include this information. All available data, including bloodline pedigrees, will be provided for such adults from as long as they have been a member here at Fine Green Tree Pythons. We will always be glad to answer your questions about any animal being offered, before or after any sale.

Our animals and facility are clean all of the time, not just when visitors are expected. GTP fans and customers are always welcome to visit our facilities by appointment. We strongly encourage new customers to make the effort, if at all possible, to visit and see the animals and facility in person.

We make full disclosures about any past health issues that any of our animals may have experienced, when discussing a sale. We will not release any chondro that isn't 100% healthy to our knowledge, and we do not consider slow starters or slow growers to be inferior. Most chondros end up about the same size and weight by the time they are young adults regardless of how quickly they are started.

We set our prices for clutches and individual animals based on bloodlines (which will include past results from the parents when available), the appearance of the parents, the colors and traits of individual babies, and the market forces of supply and demand for individual bloodlines and morphs. In most cases we will post a price estimate for babies from specific clutches, subject to change. Individual babies may be priced according to appearance. Most of the time all of the babies (of like baby color) from the same clutch will sell for the same price.

We believe that the honesty, documentation, service, and quality that we offer make our pythons an excellent value. Clutches from parents with proven track records are priced accordingly. We strive to offer animals at all price levels within the range of what is appropriate for quality captive bred animals.

Reservations and Deposits

Deposits for specific babies will be accepted only after viable eggs are laid. We will announce when deposits for specific clutches will be made available on the Current Pairings page, which is accessed through the Breeding Updates topics list. A deposit of 10% of the estimated cost of any baby you wish to reserve will be required to make a reservation. Deposits and subsequent payments are non-refundable unless we are unable to provide you with a healthy, feeding baby. Placement on a reservation list will be made in the order that we receive e-mails, notifications, and payment from you. We will hold your place on the list while your payment is being processed. Customers who fail to send deposits within 14 days of notification will forfeit their reservation. Deposits may be paid via cash, check, money order, or through Paypal.

Baby Selection

Customers will select their babies in turn, based on the order of the reservation list. Selections usually begin once the babies are established and ready to ship. Selections will be made using high quality individual photographs of each baby. Customers are always free to select babies in person, but must do so in the order of the reservation list. We will always be willing to provide information and suggestions when customers are making their selections.

It usually takes 12-18 weeks to establish babies. We want to have at least a dozen meals and two or more sheds on the records before we release any babies. Full payment is expected at shipping time unless other arrangements have been made, and customers should take advantage of the lengthy establishment period to get their funds in order.

All selections are made after we have chosen keepers. Some of the keepers will be offered as sexed yearlings and some will be added to our breeding colony.

Sexing Policy

In order to best serve the well-being of the animals, we do not probe any chondro under one year of age. If you desire to purchase only pythons of known gender then sexed yearlings are the best choice for you. This gives you the added advantage of having a very good idea of the python's adult appearance.

Sexed yearlings are occasionally offered. In case in the event that one of our chondros is sexed incorrectly, a one-time $500 credit will be issued. The probability of error, if one is made, is to sex a male as a female. This is possible if the probe can't be inserted into the inverted hemipenes, such as if they are blocked by sperm plugs.

Shipping and Delivery

Animals may be purchased directly from us in Florida, where you are welcome to see our set up and animals. We strongly encourage customers to make the extra effort to pick up animals directly from us and to avoid the risks and stress of shipping. You may also pick up or purchase snakes directly from us at any reptile show we are visiting. Announcements of any shows being visited will be posted on the Home page in the scrolling news bar.

I do ship anywhere in the US using an overnight carrier. Delivery will generally be made to the home or work address you specify by 10:30 AM. When an animal is ready to ship, send us your address and we will provided you with a shipping price quote. Live arrival is guaranteed only if you are present to accept the package. We will provide full details and carefully coordinate the shipment with you. Shipping always entails some degree of risk and places stress on the animals, and is not a procedure to be undertaken casually.

Shipments are made based on the existing weather conditions in Florida and at the destination. We reserve the right to postpone shipping until conditions are deemed safe. Generally, we require overnight temperatures in Florida and the destination city to be in the mid 40's or warmer to safely ship. Heat packs are used when necessary.

Full payment is expected when your animal is ready and that includes shipping prices. Since it often takes four months or more from the time reservations are accepted until the eggs hatch and the babies are established, this should not be a problem.

All of our animals are available for International shipping. For all International shipments, a port usage fee of $251 will be charged as well as the overall air cargo price which will be calculated prior to the shipping date.

Disclaimers

We cannot make guarantees about factors that are beyond our control. These include the adult colors of any baby chondro, the sex of any unprobed animal, the breeding ability of any chondro, and future health issues beyond live and healthy arrival. See details about health claims below.

Customer Responsibilities

Please read the following section carefully, and feel free to ask us any questions you may have. We will be more than willing to clarify any issue you may not understand. Our primary goal is to provide you with a healthy animal and an easy, smooth transaction. Making a reservation or purchasing an animal from us represents that you have read this section and agree to the terms and stipulations.

Making Reservations

Please see the information above regarding our policy for waiting lists and reservations. To make a reservation, please wait until we open the list for the clutch you are interested in. This will be published on the Current Pairings page when viable eggs are incubating. Once this takes place, send us an e-mail with your request, and specify your payment method. A non-refundable deposit of 10% of the estimated price of the hatchling is required to make a reservation. Your reservation will be held while your payment is being processed. If others are waiting to make reservations, we must receive your deposit within 14 days or your place will be passed to the next person. Please understand that making a reservation for one of our animals constitutes a commitment on both of our parts.

Payments

Reservations and balance payments may be made using PayPal or by sending a check or money order. Cash is always accepted! Setting up a PayPal account is free and easy; log on to www.paypal.com and follow the instructions.

Payment plans are offered at our discretion to customers. Contact us to work out the exact details, but in general we ask for the purchase to be paid for in three to four months. Very expensive animals may qualify for extended terms. We will work with you as best we can. Partial or full payments may be sent for babies that are being established following hatching.

Full payment, including shipping charges, must be made prior to pickup or shipping. If you are paying using a personal check, the check must clear your bank before the animal will be released. Unless prior arrangements have been made, prompt payment is expected when you are notified that your animal is ready to ship. Since it often takes four months or more from the time reservations are accepted until the eggs hatch and the babies are established, this should not be a problem. Please don't wait until shipping time arrives to begin figuring out your payment details.

Customers who fail to respond within 14 days of shipping notification will forfeit their deposit and any payments made, and their place on the reservation list. We will make three attempts via e-mail and/or phone to contact customers. It is your responsibility to notify us of any changes in your contact information. We cannot refund deposits or subsequent payments. Under certain circumstances we may apply your payments to a future purchase. Such circumstances do not include simply changing your mind or fund availability.

Receiving Shipments

Once we make the shipping arrangements for an overnight delivery, it is important that you clear your schedule for the delivery time window and be attentive to watch and listen for the delivery. Most shipments will be guaranteed for delivery by 10:30 AM. Since we have no control over the conditions or temperature of the holding facility, live and healthy arrival cannot be guaranteed if no one is present to receive the package on the morning of the first delivery attempt. In the unusual event of a problem with delivery, you may be required to accept the responsibility of tracking down the driver and/or package. This is simply due to the fact that you are there and we am not.

Health Claims

The sale of all live animals is final. We guarantee live arrival, pending compliance with the terms of shipping detailed above. Any health issues must be made within 48 hours of shipment arrival. Although we cannot warranty any live animal beyond the 48 hour period, we will do our best to help you with any health or husbandry issues that may arise. You assume complete responsibility for the animal from the moment you open the shipping box and verify live and healthy arrival. Again, this is due to the fact that you are there and we are not, and we have no control over the care and handling of the animal once it leaves our possession.

Due to the fragile nature of chondros, especially babies, we cannot warranty any animal against heat stress, kinks, prolapse, respiratory infections, spinal trauma including "cigar back syndrome", sudden death, or any other health issues once you verify healthy delivery. Please keep in mind that when we send your animal, it will have been thriving under our care for at least three months and often longer. We send out perfect and healthy animals, based on every possible criteria. We are understandably hesitant to accept responsibility for claims of ill health beyond the 48 hour window.

If you feel you have a legitimate claim for a pre-existing health condition, the first step is to take the animal to a qualified veterinarian. We both must agree on who is qualified and we may ask to speak with your vet over the phone. Our vet, Dr. Bruce Bogoslavsky, who is excellent and handles all of our personal GTP health issues, will be available to consult or examine the animal, at your expense. If this option is used, we will rely heavily on his opinion.

We have a history of standing behind our animals. We will do everything we reasonably can to help you in the event of a health issue with one of our animals. Our goal, if at all possible, is to resolve any problems in a way we both are satisfied with.

We assume that anyone purchasing one of our animals is representing that they have the experience, skills, and expertise to receive, set up, feed, and maintain chondros in good health. While we guarantee that our animals are feeding easily for us at the time of sale, we cannot guarantee that they will eat for you. There are multiple factors involved when chondros of any age go off feed, and it is up to the owner to accept responsibility for getting new animals established and feeding in their own facility. There is a knack to feeding even well-established chondros of any age, and many first time owners have some difficulty. We will give you all of the help we can.

We fully encourage all of our customers to purchase a copy of Greg Maxwell’s book, the More Complete Chondro, to help maintain their animals according to the principles and guidelines outlined in it. This is not an attempt to pressure customers into buying books, but rather to ensure that they have the sound information they need to maintain the animals properly. The information in the book will provide the basis for resolving husbandry and related health issues. We will provide all the follow-up assistance you need in order for your animals to thrive, but ultimately you must accept responsibility for your own skills and the well-being of your chondros. These animals must be met on their own terms, and expecting them to meet you on yours is a recipe for failure.

Conflict Resolution

We pride ourselves on the quality of our animals and the level of customer care we provide. Conflicts are rare, but they can happen. We will make every good-faith effort to resolve any conflict that may arise. We are confident that any conflict can be resolved to the satisfaction of both parties, as long as both parties adhere to the Terms of Sale on this page.

Trades and Breeding Loans

In general, we do not make trades or engage in breeding loans. We will consider a trade and/ or loan for extreme chondros.

Thank you for taking the time to read this page. Our goal is a pleasurable and smooth business experience for both parties. Please contact us with any questions you may have. We appreciate your business!

Quality is Contagious!