Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok...Here's the deal. Someone (who I will not name) wanted a rare snake that I have that is not available on the market. After repeadedly asking I told him to make an offer.

As a curtesy I let him have the snake pending on a trade. The reason being was the snake had developed a case of mouth rot while loaned out.(which was cured) and I wanted him to be assured the snake was again healthy before he commited to a deal.

Since then he has flip-floped back and forth for over a week. First saying that my snake was worth far less than it is, so I should accept a lower price in sale or trade.

Then several times he has said that he will return my snake-only to come back and offer yet another low deal. It is very obvious that he is trying to pressure me into accepting his terms.

He has informed me that he has the snake I want in trade (which he said, "I don't see why anyone would want this, it looks like an ugly bullsnake." Yet, he will not part with the one he has.

He later admitted that he would gladly trade me if he could get another of that species for $100 - His estimated value of my animal.

Then he came back and tried to get me to accept cash-his price based on what he said was a reptile shop's asking price.

I spent an entire day waiting as he said first he would show up with my snake and then - when he changed his plans he denied he made them. When I sent one of his Emails back to him showing what he said, he stopped communicating.

I even suggested he return the items to a third party.

At present I have sent several Emails (which have been unanswered) demanding the return of my snake (and also a book I lent him).

The questions that come from this are.

Should the person your dealing with, set the value of your animal?

If a person is holding your stuff despite several requests to return it, what actions can be taken to compell it's return?

This is in Florida.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

>>Should the person your dealing with, set the value of your animal?

Most definitely not! This is one thing that really irks me sometimes when I'm trying to sell an animal. There are some people out there who are so headstrong that they will take any situation at all, regardless of whether it's your animal they're asking about, and try to turn it around so that they are in control of the terms, quality of the animal, price, etc. These are the people I stop returning the calls or e-mails of personally.

>>If a person is holding your stuff despite several requests to return it, what actions can be taken to compell it's return?

This one's a bit more tricky. I'm assuming you didn't enter into a signed, written contract with him? If not, the best it will be is your word against his if it goes to any legal grounds. FL seems have a strong network of keepers, so maybe you could use that to your advantage.

Sorry to hear about this. It sounds like a really crappy deal all around. Good luck!
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Chance Duncan
www.rivervalleyexotics.com

Thanks Chance,

Finally got an Email from him. He says he is returning my stuff to the third party I suggested.

Will post if he does.

Then he had the gaul to tell me that I was wrong for getting upset when he asked to meet me and failed to tell me he wasn't showing up.

I have done everything in my power to accomodate him. I think your right. Time to sever all relations.

It really is deplorable what passes for manners sometimes. As it is he owes me a hatchling from an up coming litter. I doubt I'll see that either.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Final chapter (I hope).

Snake was returned but with the infection started back up. last word from this guy was that the snake was in his opinion, not worth forty bucks.

Talk about sour grapes...

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

Some people just seem to be that way. The only response in my opinion is to say "never mind" at the first sign of this behavior and make it clear you have no intention of negotiating. Even if you might get your original price, it's just not worth the headache...

"If a person is holding your stuff despite several requests to return it, what actions can be taken to compell it's return?"

This lowlife scumbag you speak of is obviously taking advantage of your generous nature. You have to be careful who you do business with. Don't do transactions online or by phone, you gotta be able to see and size up the fellow in person. You can tell if their evil by shining a flashlight into their eyes. If their pupils don't quickly dilate, it means their ruthless criminals who won't think twice about cheating and stealing. I'd recomend that next time you speak to him you nonchalantly bring up the fact that you have a sizable collection of firearms or that your cousin who just got let out on probabtion for assaulting a priest is your new business partner. You need to bluff this rotten pig into folding, as he sounds like a lowlife swindler to me. If he continues to keep up with this nonsense, I'd agree to whatever deal he offers you, lull him into a completely unprepared and overly confident state, arrange a meeting, and then when he arrives, ambush him and beat him senseless with the book that you so kindly let him borrow. Don't forget to call the police immediately after the assault and explain that he attacked you and threatened your mothers life. You may wanna rough up your hair and tear your clothes a bit, this way it doesn't look like a onesided beating. Good luck with this low life, people like this guy make me sick. No ethics whatsover.

Thankyou both. Psych-I like the way you think.

I have seen this person face to face and he comes across at first as a nice guy. Till you find out he's only nice if everything is his way.

The problem is he thinks everyone is being unfair to him. Tottaly clueless. To make matters worse, twice in the last month or so he has been in trouble and in both cases I and my wife helped him out.

Like I said, he will undoubtably never pay me what he owes me (the hatchling) but this seems to be his M O anyway.

Done with this loser.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

And I have no intention of becoming involved in it other than to tell those of you who jumped on the band wagon that there is ABSOLUTELY another side to this tale. Cheers/Dick

I find that fascinating, since you have no knowlege really except for what the other party told you.

Still, I do admire someone standing up for a friend.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."