Todd Smith (Deal Gone South)

That makes a bit more sense. But, did you guys discuss what would happen were there any problems before you went through with this deal? I hate to beat you up here, as you are the one with a snake you are unhappy with, but cmon man. You're on this board enought to know better. I think the issue that's really causes the most concern in the lack of paperwork on the animal. That gives you more of a leg to stand on than the animal's health, at least in my eyes. Work that angle.

Thank you all for your opinions. Of course I don't feel I should have to take a $250 hit here. If the animal was feeding as represented and I had the appropriate paperwork to verify the het status and the animal's origin there wouldn't be a problem. The fact is the animal is not feeding and I don't have any paperwork besides Todd's assurance they are what he says they are. I'm sending the animal back and hoping to get things settled in a better way than what's been proposed thus far by Todd. I indicated to him that I would bring this to the BOI and I'm hoping that maybe after reading some of these replies he'll come around and understand my perspective better. I don't believe he's a bad guy but I'm not happy with the way he's handled things either.

i dont get it..no papers to verify genetics..thin animal and a 250 hit for not being satisfied with less then what was expected.
wow..sounds expensive to do business with this person.
i would have thought he would be more inclined to give you a 250 dollar break in light of the situation.....reducing the price of the snake versus charging you for its less then satisfactory condition.
amazing.

Well, I wrote Todd and notified him of this thread with the hope that he'd see the light but it appears he's chosen to see red instead. The following was sent to me a short while ago by him. I wasn't aware that the use of this forum was slanderous when all I've printed were the facts. Here's the letter I received:

Subj: Re: BOI Thread
Date: 4/1/2003 10:42:16 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: "Todd Smith" <y_knot@pacbell.net>
To: <MATRIXNINJA70@aol.com>
Reply-To: "Todd Smith" <y_knot@pacbell.net>
Sent from the Internet (Details)


Greg,

After reading what you posted, I have decided to NOT accept the return of the hypo (het for anery) male boa and this transaction is closed. I would like to advise you that slander and liable are criminal acts, which I intend to pursue legally if this slanderous misinformation is not removed within 24 hours of you receiving this message and a public retraction on the same forum.

The allegations that you made on a public forum (link below) are blatant misrepresentations as confirmed by the facts of this situation. First, I sent verification of bloodline authenticity with including photos of both animals. Second, I guaranteed live arrival and in good condition, which you confirmed. I also worked with you to identify causes of the animals alleged current condition...including information which supports that breeding activity causes the symptoms that you described. I offered solutions including mitigating the alleged condition with the use of Flagyl or to return the animal to me for administration, which was not acceptable to you.

Your actions have demonstrated that you are not trustworthy and as a result there will be no further good faith efforts on my part.

Please do NOT ship the animal back to me, as I will not accept it.

Consider this transaction closed.

Regards,

~Todd
----- Original Message -----
From: MATRIXNINJA70@aol.com
To: y_knot@pacbell.net
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 1:53 PM
Subject: BOI Thread


Todd,

I wanted you to make you aware of the thread I started at the Fauna BOI. Here's the link:
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...threadid=16109

I posted only to get feedback from others regarding this situation not to make you out to be a villian. I welcome any comments you care to make there.

Greg

I do not know the seller...............BUT.I do know the buyer. Greg Riso, Greg is the most honest person I've had the pleasure of doing business with.
Flagyl is used to kill parasites................ period. It does NOT, I repeat....does NOT stimulate appetite!!!! Flagy is a high powered Anibiotic that makes the G.I. Tract extremley irritated. The reason I know this is 1) I've been a herper for 14 years 2) I'm also a nurse. Even where I work when giving PT's this medication, it's ALWAY gave with something to coat the stomach. That only cuts down the irritation some...not all of it.
A buyer.anyone. should not have to treat an animal. The animal should have been sold healthy or not at all.
Greg has every right for a refund. If you buy an animal & it's not what you were told it was..............REFUND. Whether it be wrong sex,wrong animal,sick.........ect. Also, No one should be "timed" on how quick they can get a half dead animal to the seller. Seems like it almost as if. " If it dies before it gets here"........" I don't have to pay up!"
Also, calling Greg stupid for trusting someone is very inmature IMO.
Anyone who has EVER dealt with Greg Riso knows he's honest & has quality animals.
Greg also has a great amount of patients (trust me,I know)
Greg came here to the BOI for info & a warning for potiential buyers from this certain seller. What did he get in return?
Incorrect info on medication..................... Trust me,nothing personal to the guy that posted bout the medication, But he is wrong And for the love of Pete.please do not reply back stating otherwise. I've been to med school & work as a trained, licensed nurse. Maybe you were just informed wrong. I only wrote about it before someone tried it to stimulate appetite.............. it does the opposite.
Greg, unfortunitly had someone nice enough to insult his intellegense "stupid"
Greg would never lie to obtain animals. If he wrote and said the snake talked and flew around the room......... I'd beleive him
IMO the seller should give Greg a refund.That's good business. And as far as "good business" Greg Riso has went alot out of his way for me & others. If something is wrong with a snake...Greg will refund you & make it right. I've never met Greg. I wouldn't know him if he walked up & slapped me. I do know that Greg is a super guy and an excellent business reputation! It bothers me a great deal to see someone who really helps out other herpers and is more than true to the business to get treated this way. As far as to what anyone else has to say in this matter................reverse the roles here...........Would YOU want a refund, on YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY? Dave Derrick

Dave, I've got to both agree and disagree with you. Flagyl(metranitazole) is an appitite stimulant. I have used it for several problem feeders I've had over the years after having gotten it from a vet that specializes in Reptiles out here in L.A. It works very well for said stimulation.

However, I do agree with you that Greg should have gotten a full refund.

Wes Pollock

I knew this was comming. From " The Nursing 03 Drug Nursing Handbook:
Metronidazole/ Flagyl- ( A dirct-acting trichomonacide & amebicide that works as both intestinal & extraininal) translation.it kills parasites....does not act as an appetitte stimulate!
ADVERSE REACTIONS.......... and I quote "G.I.- abdominal cramping, or pain.epigastric distress.NAUSEA.VOMITTING,ANOREXIA (as in skinny from NOT eating) Diarrhea "
I wonder why...........
A) A nursing Drug Handbook would print such lies? WOW! Ya know Doctors and nurses use this drug wrong? YOU need to notify the United States Physicians Administration! NOW! Before ALL the DR's & nurses use this drug wrong!
B) Please notify the entire state of TN that ALL of it's nurses don't know that Flagyl is being used wrong. when ya throw up,get skinny & nausiated........it just means your hungry!
I swear...........some people would argue with a stump. Go read this! Look it up! Talk with a M.D. , take Nursing school. THEN.when you know what your talking about, we'll discuss medications. Dave Derrick LPN ( well.thought I was)

I suppose if I looked through enough books I could find one that supported me. It's not worth it. You have a VERY poor attitude. You are entitled to your oh-so-well-informed opinion. You can also take it and your attitude, fold them until they are all corners and shove them where the sun don't shine.

There was no need to get so high handed about it, especially if you "knew it was coming".

The Doctor, not his nurse, that I have been using for the last fifteen years has a different opinion than yours. I will go with his both because I trust his years of good and acurate diagnosis on my animals and because I have seen it work first hand.

If you can, I would be willing to afree to disagree on this with you in a civil manner. I really see no reason for flying off the handle as you did.

Wes Pollock

That should have been agree not afree in the previous post.

Wes Pollock

I guess this is off topic but here goes. Flagyl has both antiprotozoan and mild antibacterial activity. The later probably has a calming effect on the microflora in the gut of stressed herps and results in the appetite stimulation that has been so widely credited to this drug. While this activity probably falls under anecdotal observations, it is well known in herpetoculture and my vet also perscribes it for that purpose and it has worked for me several times. I highly doubt that the Nurses Handbook would address anything close to this topic as it specifically addresses human uses and doses. Unlike here in the United States, Flagyl is a common over the counter medication sold in Mexico for the trots. I doubt it would be so widely used in Mexico if the side effects were that acute. Are you sure the side effects you listed were not attributed to its adverse interaction with alcohol. Flagyl inhibits the metabolism of alcohol and will certainly lead to cramping, nausea, and other effects.

As for the issue at hand, I hope Greg and Todd can work this out as I have had good dealings with both of them.

Rick Staub