Hi Jenlouise,
I don't know the rules as regards countries outside the UK, from what you say, they are different in Australia and your breeder is sensible to use her own judgement.
My post was referring to the rules as laid down by the registration body here in the UK, the GCCF. These rules have to be adhered to by breeders registering their kittens with them, and they are very strict about when kittens can go to their new homes and 13–14 weeks is what they consider to be the optimum age.
Here is a link to their advice on buying a pedigree kitten.
http://www.gccfcats.org/buying.html
Annie

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http://www.bengalcat-ziggianshowcats.co.uk

Apologies, I was just providing an example of different rules in other countries, but I'm not sure how to remove posts from a thread!

Hi Jenlouise.
No need to remove it as its really interesting to see how the rules change from country to country - however, I really do think that the UK has it just about right!!
Annie

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http://www.bengalcat-ziggianshowcats.co.uk

So where else can i look for a bengal kitten other than free ads/pets4homes e.t.c ?
Whats the price from a breeder vs 'backyard breeder'

If you are buying a bengal for a pet would it matter if your getting it from a registered breeder or BYB ? i mean if the kittens healthy and is good looking then whats the difference ?

If you do not want ripped off or a substandard cat then you need to equip yourself with as much knowledge about the breed that you can, so you can ask the right questions and know what are the right answers.
Too many go gung-ho and visit a breeder, see the "wonderful" cats and the "wonderful" breeder and buy the first kitten they see.
Too many get caught up in the thrill of the "choice" and are blind to everything else.
Once it is home they realise the kitten is ill, it is at high risk of genetic disease, it is not a great specimen of the breed, etc.
Better to know about the breed, decide what sort of kitten you really want. Know a bit about how kitten patterns will develop, know about the health issues in the breed ie PK defic. HCM and TF in particular and choose your breeder very carefully.
Remember that most breeders are very good at marketing. They are there to sell you their kitten, so take a step back, make sure this is the kitten you really want and not the one the breeder wants to sell you.

But where do i find a reputable dealer ? some of the dealer sites I've been on look very very old and out dated, with no prices listed

You don't want a dealer you want a breeder.
Are you in the UK?
If you are then:-
http://www.bengalkittenlist.co.uk/kittenlist.htm

Yes sorry, i have been looking at cars to so thats why i had dealer in my head!

That site is a prime example of what i mean, they all look like good breeders, i especially like the family tree that some of the adds have, but i can't see a price on any single add, and phoning up all of them will be a long and tedious task, it makes it very hard to buy from these breeders.

Maybe a section for the breeders on this forum would be a good idea?

Re cars - excellent analogy Elaine!!

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http://www.bengalcat-ziggianshowcats.co.uk

I don't understand either why they don't put prices on their websites. It does make me suspicious rightly or wrongly as I assume they don't put the prices on because they are overcharging.

Pets4homes also seem to have reputable breeders on their too that do quote their prices which are usually higher than people who are selling their pets kittens for example.

I know it can be a false economy though as many of these kittens are not inoculated, chipped etc. I would also avoid any that are selling their kittens far too young. It makes me sad when I see kittens for sale at 8 weeks or "any colour and lots of litters to choose from' which really rang alarm bells with me.

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Oscar and Jasper (or one ear and two ears as dh calls them) black rescue mogges

RIP my sweet baby Dexter, Snow Bengal 19/5/14 to 5/3/15 and my lovely dear old friend Muskey, Brown Burmese put to rest aged 15 on 14/11/15.

Debbie

Now, I've just wondered in and read a few posts, but the whole pricing thing caught my eye.

I did see a breeder website somewhere, where the breeder broke down the costs of breeding, I'll have a look around for it again, but in short, it's not a get rich quick scheme, there's not a lot of profit in it as most of the cost id taken up by inoculations, micro-chipping, vets bills etc.

The standard fee for a 'Breeder' kitten appears to be £500 or from £350 if going for a quick sale.

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Oscar and Jasper (or one ear and two ears as dh calls them) black rescue mogges

RIP my sweet baby Dexter, Snow Bengal 19/5/14 to 5/3/15 and my lovely dear old friend Muskey, Brown Burmese put to rest aged 15 on 14/11/15.

Debbie

I breed, though not bengals. I don't have prices on my website as I don't need to. Most people who enquire know the price of a pedigree kitten anyhow. I also don't want a price to sway people from looking at my site and kittens. If price is the most important factor for a buyer then that is not what I want for my kittens, though I appreciate price is important and will disclose to people when asked directly.

My price is not set until I have worked out my normal expenses per litter. For example, this current litter I had were £25. More than last years litter. This is because my outgoings have gone up, stud fee and vet charges for vaccinations and neutering. I also pay the GCCF fee for transferring ownership on their registration document once full payment has been received.

The vast majority of breeders will not display their prices on their website. A simple email would allow you to find out though. As a breeder I would rather people chose one of my kittens based on what I do with my breeding, my ethics etc... Rather than the fact that I might be a few pound more or less than a competitor.

I also think in not displaying your price for all to see it minimises the chances of breeders pricing other breeders out of the competition.... If you see what I mean.

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Lollo

£350 for a registered Bengal is quite cheap.... £750 for a pet Bengal is slightly on the higher side of normal... But I would pay that if the parents were health screened including HCM etc.... To me you can't put a price on good breeding ethics.

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Lollo