Hahaaha I guess you're right! Their site was very educational and filled with so much information I just felt the most comfortable with them being legitimate. If I had discovered this site earlier, I definitely would have looked at all the other options available as I feel you all provide a great network for support.
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Hi Everyone! New F3 Savannah Owner to Be! =)
- Thread starter Gersh310
- Start date
Hahaaha I guess you're right! Their site was very educational and filled with so much information I just felt the most comfortable with them being legitimate. If I had discovered this site earlier, I definitely would have looked at all the other options available as I feel you all provide a great network for support.
I am surprised that you did not get good communication before handing over your money...generally speaking breeders that are huge businesses like Select Exotics know to at least communicate to get the money. After they have the money is generally when things get more difficult, as already said above! SE is usually good about replacement kittens, and has always been responsive to Savannah Rescue with the many cats from them we have been contacted about.
As to the pricing, while theoretically it SHOULD be that the kittens closer to the breed standard have higher prices, for Select Exotics because they market and sell their kittens so very young, there is NO way that the breed type is a big factor in this. Their cattery seems more focused on size and dramatic pattern (even when that pattern is more Bengal in origin than Savannah), so the larger kitten with the flashier paint job is the one that usually has the premium price. Now when choosing a pet, you should go with the one that attracts you most...as a pet owner many are not as concerned with their Serval resemblance in shape as they are wanting a large spotted cat. I also feel a huge draw of this cattery is the size of the operation as it allows for kittens to be freely available, so when the need is great and you cannot bear to wait for a litter to be born, they already have kittens available!
Congratulations on the new kitten and I hope all goes great!
As to the pricing, while theoretically it SHOULD be that the kittens closer to the breed standard have higher prices, for Select Exotics because they market and sell their kittens so very young, there is NO way that the breed type is a big factor in this. Their cattery seems more focused on size and dramatic pattern (even when that pattern is more Bengal in origin than Savannah), so the larger kitten with the flashier paint job is the one that usually has the premium price. Now when choosing a pet, you should go with the one that attracts you most...as a pet owner many are not as concerned with their Serval resemblance in shape as they are wanting a large spotted cat. I also feel a huge draw of this cattery is the size of the operation as it allows for kittens to be freely available, so when the need is great and you cannot bear to wait for a litter to be born, they already have kittens available!
Congratulations on the new kitten and I hope all goes great!
Ummmm, no. Savannahs do not nurse longer for being "wild". Not all cats will self-wean their kittens...of all breeds of cat. Hence either a breeder decides to let the queen continue to nurse and still teach the kittens to eat solids and have their vaccinations and then the kittens leave while still nursing, or they do as I do and physically separate them at 9-10 weeks of age. I feel it too hard for kittens to be taken from their home as well as be weaned so break that up a little. My mama cats would keep them forever if I let them.He is precious.
I also am a new F3 SV Mum to be. Bought my handsome man Jambi, born July 25th and he should be coming home anytime now. This forum is great, it is amazing and reassuring to know that their are other crazy cat people out there like me.
Best advice I can give you is patience. Jambi was suppose to arrive the 11th of October but is still nursing. Unlike regular domestic cats that are over being a mama cat at 8 weeks, the wildness in the F3 and up have traits of a more and unfortunately for eager me, a longer bonding and nursing period for her little cubs. I purchased Jambi though WildTafari and Kelli is amazing and I just know her compassion and experience with these breeds assure that she knows best.
It is a waiting game. So be patient.
Good Luck and Congrats
Savannahs have kittens not cubs. An F3 is over 80% domestic cat lineage. And funnily enough, Servals raised domestically are pulled at 2 weeks of age to ensure bonding with humans.
I hope that the kittens are getting a lot of handling and new situations if staying with mama cat all that time. One of the benefits I have seen in pulling them at 9-10 weeks is that then other cats are easily introduced to them (without mama cat being protective) and meeting people etc. How long before you might be expecting to get this kitten? What happens if mama cat is like mine and never weans them? Are you going to wait years for this kitten? LOL!
Congrats on your new kitten - he is gorgeous!
All I will say about SE is that their prices are higher because their overhead is tremendous - their kittens/cats are no better than any other breeder. I'm sure there are other reasons they have for overpricing their kittens, but only they know the reason
That's what surprised me the most, at first I thought she didn't want me to adopt any of her kittens. Even more surprisingly, she hasn't cashed my check yet since receiving it 10 days ago but has still emailed me updated photos of the kitty. I just figured that's how she does business. I have no idea, I didn't want to haggle her since I'm still 40 days out from when the kitty is scheduled to be available.
Maybe she's just super-busy right now and hasn't gotten to processing the sales related to that particular litter. I can only imagine how much work all of that might be when you have multiple litters at a time! Holly has to be highly organized but there's probably limits to that.
karenlynn79
Site Supporter
Welcome! He really is a cutie. We too are waiting for our new F3 male, from Savvy Paws in Canada. I've looked on SE's site but haven't had any dealings with them. What I will add is to make sure you have a gut feeling about the kitten being "the one", as well as being confident & comfortable with the breeder. Long story, we have a two year old F5 as well and I went through many breeders then and now. When it was "right" we just kind of knew it. My other criteria was the kittens personality, though obviously with new kittens that info might take a while as they grow. But good breeders should be able to give you a sense of each kittens "place" in the litter. Now we just have to wait, and wait!
Jambi_wild
Savannah Super Cat
Wow. Being put in place.
I can see that maybe I should be more serious.
A. These cats are part wild
B. The are cross and hybrid and mother nature would have never naturally made these cats
So call it what you want but they are wild.
I have had lots and LOTS of cats in my life, an excessive amount, mainly because my mother had a cat "collection" issue, normal mama cats, the sooner they can leave their young, the better.
Jambi is about to be 12 weeks .. that's old for a kitten to normal paletes. Some Savannahs come home 12-14 weeks, because of the bond time mama cats wants with t
First post on this forum
Anyway congratulations on your new meow meow, sure he will be amazing
Haha no i waited long enough. But that was also my thought. What if he doesn't take me as a mother and always will be a cat mama's boy? Guess I am going to have to get on all fours in a spotted onesy to get his attention.
But the breeder says hopefully next Tuesday. THAT'S 13 WEEKS!
He's basically a man now. Lol
Rafiki
Site Supporter
A. These cats are part wild
B. The are cross and hybrid and mother nature would have never naturally made these cats
So call it what you want but they are wild.
The first Savannah was not a forced mating. Someone had a male serval and was breeding Siamese cats. Well, nature took its course and along came a litter of spotted cats.
Please be aware that some people don't think that these cats (or Bengals or Chausies) should be allowed to exist. They troll public media for ammunition and twist everything. Groups like PETA, Big Cat Rescue and HSUS have managed to ban Savannahs from several states. We successfully fought them in California just last year. To protect our pets, we need to educate everyone that these are domestic cats, not wild cats that will "stalk grandma and try to take down your German Shepherd". They have kittens, not cubs. Only the big cats like lions and tigers have cubs. We are not trying to be nasty or put anyone in their place - we are trying to ensure that we can all continue to live with these amazing cats. Peace.
B. The are cross and hybrid and mother nature would have never naturally made these cats
So call it what you want but they are wild.
The first Savannah was not a forced mating. Someone had a male serval and was breeding Siamese cats. Well, nature took its course and along came a litter of spotted cats.
Please be aware that some people don't think that these cats (or Bengals or Chausies) should be allowed to exist. They troll public media for ammunition and twist everything. Groups like PETA, Big Cat Rescue and HSUS have managed to ban Savannahs from several states. We successfully fought them in California just last year. To protect our pets, we need to educate everyone that these are domestic cats, not wild cats that will "stalk grandma and try to take down your German Shepherd". They have kittens, not cubs. Only the big cats like lions and tigers have cubs. We are not trying to be nasty or put anyone in their place - we are trying to ensure that we can all continue to live with these amazing cats. Peace.
VERY well said Linda!!
I couldn't agree more!
Jambi_wild
Savannah Super Cat
Haha I had too many glasses of wine last night. My bad.
I love animals but PETA just way over exaggerates everything.
I've heard some things even from my breeder that these cats can have wild tendencies, especially when given the opportunity to explore them.
Pretty sure Jambi is part cheetah, he is something fierce of nature. Very excited for our adventures even if he is just a cat.
Thanks for the input, posting photos upon arrival next week.