FaunaClassifieds - View Single Post - Bad Guy Fluker Farms AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE! Filthy

02-17-2012, 01:09 PM

Sandra, I'm not sure if you have ever posted on the BOI or not before. Please take the following as constructive criticism and advice. In no way am I attempting to sound condescending here.

The BOI is similar to bringing evidence before a jury. Regardless of hurt emotions or how you believe you a wronged, members who come to the BOI are looking for evidence to make their own decision about whether or not they wish to do business with an individual or company.

You brought forward two pieces of evidence:
1. You received dead crickets from Fluker Farms.
2. There were a large number of dermestid beetle larvae in your shipment.

With this evidence, you cannot accuse Fluker Farms of having a filthy facility. Correlation does not imply causation. Unless you have actually been to Fluker Farm's facility, you cannot judge their cleanliness on the basis of one shipment.

Fluker Farms did make two errors:
1. The shipped in very cold temperatures over a weekend where the shipment was probably stored inappropriately by the shipping company.
2. They put a greater than normal proportion of dermestid beetle larvae with your shipment.

You hinted that Fluker Farms did not send you the 3000 crickets you ordered. Without a direct count, we cannot include this accusation as valid. There is an easy way to "block count" large numbers of organisms. Count 100 crickets out, get a visual idea of how large 100 crickets looks, then segment the shipment you received into approximately 100 cricket blocks. You'll probably get an estimate +/- 200-300 crickets this way.

I have ordered crickets from several different suppliers. Almost every shipment had dermestid beetles. I appreciated their presence. Inevitably, a certain proportion of crickets will die in every order and the dermestids keep the cricket tank clean.

I will have the following warning however: dermestid beetles cause no harm to humans, but they are called carpet beetles for a reason. If they escape (which is unlikely unless you accidentally flip the tub, the adults and larvae do not fly or climb) they can damage carpets (I suppose they eat dead skin cells on the carpet?).

All things considered, Fluker Farms did what any reasonable company feeder company should do: they offered to replace your order free of charge and when you found that unsatisfactory, they refunded your order. I understand why you may have initially been impalled to see an insect other than crickets in your shipment (the first time I received crickets from a wholesaler I felt the exact same way until I did a good search to learn what they could possibly be), but making such potentially damaging accusations about Fluker Farm's facilities is simply not valid based upon the evidence you presented.

02-17-2012, 01:09 PM	#36
snowgyre	Sandra, I'm not sure if you have ever posted on the BOI or not before. Please take the following as constructive criticism and advice. In no way am I attempting to sound condescending here. The BOI is similar to bringing evidence before a jury. Regardless of hurt emotions or how you believe you a wronged, members who come to the BOI are looking for evidence to make their own decision about whether or not they wish to do business with an individual or company. You brought forward two pieces of evidence: 1. You received dead crickets from Fluker Farms. 2. There were a large number of dermestid beetle larvae in your shipment. With this evidence, you cannot accuse Fluker Farms of having a filthy facility. Correlation does not imply causation. Unless you have actually been to Fluker Farm's facility, you cannot judge their cleanliness on the basis of one shipment. Fluker Farms did make two errors: 1. The shipped in very cold temperatures over a weekend where the shipment was probably stored inappropriately by the shipping company. 2. They put a greater than normal proportion of dermestid beetle larvae with your shipment. You hinted that Fluker Farms did not send you the 3000 crickets you ordered. Without a direct count, we cannot include this accusation as valid. There is an easy way to "block count" large numbers of organisms. Count 100 crickets out, get a visual idea of how large 100 crickets looks, then segment the shipment you received into approximately 100 cricket blocks. You'll probably get an estimate +/- 200-300 crickets this way. I have ordered crickets from several different suppliers. Almost every shipment had dermestid beetles. I appreciated their presence. Inevitably, a certain proportion of crickets will die in every order and the dermestids keep the cricket tank clean. I will have the following warning however: dermestid beetles cause no harm to humans, but they are called carpet beetles for a reason. If they escape (which is unlikely unless you accidentally flip the tub, the adults and larvae do not fly or climb) they can damage carpets (I suppose they eat dead skin cells on the carpet?). All things considered, Fluker Farms did what any reasonable company feeder company should do: they offered to replace your order free of charge and when you found that unsatisfactory, they refunded your order. I understand why you may have initially been impalled to see an insect other than crickets in your shipment (the first time I received crickets from a wholesaler I felt the exact same way until I did a good search to learn what they could possibly be), but making such potentially damaging accusations about Fluker Farm's facilities is simply not valid based upon the evidence you presented.