Tony Cueto Bad Guy! (reptile shows)

So i guess adding a JUST a few extra highly infectious and possibly deadly viral or bacterial pathogens is just ok since it is already a sick fest. And yes, when i look at my property tax a huge portion goes to the school system, if you get a child or group of chidlren sick it comes out of my wallet. All so you could blow out some wild gecko for a whopping 20 cent profit.

Got any case histories of human beings in the United States dying from pathenogens that were transmitted second hand from reptiles?

If not... isn't it overdramatic to claim that Brian is spreading deadly bacteria by entering a school building?

Have your taxes been raised because a group of kids got salmonella?

If they have... was it the science lab or the cafeteria that gave it to them?

Since every other statement in the above paragraph is hyperbole or lies, I have to ask... Do you even OWN property to pay taxes on or did the statement just sound like it was a "hard line" so you added it?

Ignoring the original issue for the moment, it's really VERY unacceptable for someone who claims to be a herp keeper to take this kind of non-factual, sensationalistic, overblown, falsified, PETA style "Reptiles are evil and kill you." kind of stance for ANY reason. It's not a valid argument in your debate with Brian, you're making yourself look like a fringe lunatic with your position and you're damaging the entire industry with your statements. Overstating a danger to the degree that you are doing is tantamount to lying. Nobody appreciates liars.

I know a lot of people here have purchased animals from Brian, I've seen it crop up on other threads with great frequency. I'm pretty sure I'm not exactly his favorite person because I disagree with some of his marketing strategies and the terms he uses or proposes using BUT... Every thread that he and I have gotten into it on... People come out of the woodwork to talk about the quality of his animals, the care taken to ensure his imports do not look like junk, the quality of his customer service and his pricing... Accusing him of selling diseases with scales is inappropriate.

My personal sentiments on the thread subject were expressed on page one or two... Stinks that it went down like that Brian, you have my honest sympathies as does Tony. Someone or a group of someones put pressure on a situation in order to get their own way and it worked... This time.

i will post proof of my home ownership when i return. i have no problems answering your questions.

I might sound like a fringe loon, but i would like the opportunity to discuss it in real time when i return. I think that is fair if you are going to proceed with name calling.


The last show i do now is daytona, and i did not have time to walk around this last year to see the problems that have been addressed.

And, i wish there was no property tax here. I am comfortable with my place in the reptile industry.
Until later
Howard

I realized that there is a factor to this discussion that is being completely ignored. And that is... What is the RIGHT thing to do? While there is a lot of discussion on current business practices and the manner in which one has to be expedient from a business scense, I don't see anyone talking about being an HONORABLE business man. Basically, it sounds like Tony is being blackmailed. If he was an honorable businessman he would not cave in to it. Yes, he might lose some money, but I'd rather be living hand-to-mouth than a lot of money without integrity. I can even understand how someone might not like the fact that a vendor has significantly lower prices OR might have more WC's than we like to have represented OR one of many other possible factors. But it was handled all wrong. Not right. Not honorable.
I like to think that eventually what goes around, comes around. Choosing money over integrity often comes back around for a haunting.
Just my .015

Howard, your disease issues are frankly, ridiculous. There is no greater likelyhood of me passing salmonella or E. coli to a student because I handle imported reptiles than there is from me handling c.b. Statiscally speaking there's probably a greater chance of doing so after eating chicken or a med rare hamburger for lunch. That dog just won't hunt.

And if you're so worried about all these diseases what are you doing at the show today? I seriously doubt you're wearing a level 4 bioharzard suit while walking around and seeing your friends. That show is a w.c. allowed show. Careful you might catch ebola!!!!!

And one other thing, there was no smell of death, that's my point! If there had been, do you really think the herp society presidents would have picked my animal to win the "Best Wild Caught Snake" prize? Do you really think Tony would have personally shook my hand, handed me $100, and said, "Congratulations, on your beautiful animals." Do ya Howard?

John, I couldn't agree more. If I had been warned, if I had had dozens of animals pulled from the tables by his vets, if there were tons of complaints coming in, I could see Tony's banning me. It would make sense. But NONE of that has happened. It went from "beautiful animals and Thank you, so much" to you're the scum of the earth, and get out, basically overnight. I'm left wondering what the hell happened.

Howard Ross (if that is really his or her name) writes like one of those environmentalist/animal rights activists who seems to be popping up on other forums.
It is my opinion that their organizations have decided to do this to disrupt legitimate informational and educational forums such as the BOI using persons such as him (or her.)
We need great guys like Ritchie Luna to look in to these creeps.

Gee! and I thought MY first post was on the edge! Someone thinks WAY to much and needs to lay off the caffine!!!
I asked my husband to read my posts, he told me I was pmsing again! Sorry guys! I get on a rant when I see injustice in the world! When I KNOW the charges are just bs it gets my back up.
I did go to the show today. My husband said that since I had only heard one side of the story (he didn't read Tony's post on page two, so he didn't see what the fuss was about) that maybe I should be cool, so I was cool. I didn't bother Tony with my "personal touch" to the situation. Probably just as well. The security guards would have looked ridiculous hauling my butt out the door!
I ALMOST broke my boycott and bought a sub-adult wc, but since I promised AND since I didn't know the guy, I decided to wait and see what Brian brought to the herp meeting on Tuesday.
I hope the public outcry here causes other promoters to think twice about giving in to pressure. I can go other places besides shows to see/buy animals. Although I LOVE going to the shows and love seeing and handling the different snakes (helps me decide to buy one for sure!) I don't mind buying from someone I trust.
John Q. Public doesn't need the shows as much as the breeders/sellers do. If the breeders/sellers find another avenue to market their product because promoters give in to pressure from whiny vendors where will that leave those who make money off of the shows?
All the points raised here are VERY good. This has been a good discussion (except for the lunatic ranting about schools). I have learned a lot about this board, and its members. SO far, this is one of the best reptile boards I have found.

Yes Lisa I agree,
This has been one of the best topics so far.

And a property owner, of course not in the state of Florida, I'm in that OTHER retiree's paradise: Arizona. I raise reptiles, mice, and rats. Heck, in my classroom I have a rosy boa, a neonate Blotched Kingsnake, and an adult Blotched King. I also have my colony of hairless mice in my classroom. (I'm a math teacher). My hubby has a Ball Python, another of our neonate blotched kings, and our Arizona Mountain King in his classroom. That's six snakes and a cage full of mice that we actually brought into the classroom. I guess the Terror Alert guys better put a target on us and come swarming down!

I don't follow any argument that a taxpayer pays unless we're talking food poisoning. I teach my students Math. Yeah, sure, there might be a snake related micro-organism or two under my fingernails. But I don't TOUCH the kids. I TEACH them. There are probably many more microorganisms on my shoes. Sometimes I wear my shoes into my mouse room. Oh My Gosh. And you know what, this is a farming community. Half of the students in my classroom are out amongst the cows, pigs, goats, sheep, you name it and then in the classroom, and some of them have seriously lacking hygeine.

Every human that walks into a classroom is a walking pathogen. But humans are built to withstand that. Few succumb to the "normal" amount of contamination.

Sounds to me like the guy who has a problem here just doesn't like to support education in any way, and for some reason he thinks that having reptiles and being a teacher is a recipe for increased taxes.

Oh, and you know what? I have at least one student in each of my classes who owns a reptile too. What about their fingernails? Jeepers creepers. And does this guy live in a vacuum?

Sasheena,
You forgot to mention how many of those kids run around home wihtout shoes on! I have a HECK of a time keeping shoes on mine! Gosh, out in the chicken poop, cat poop, dog poop, deer poop, well, you get the idea!
Let's not also forget how many of these kids DON'T wash THEIR hands after touching WILD snakes, lizards, turtles, etc. In a farming community those wild animals are rampant and the kids just LOVE playing "Steve Irwin, the Croc. Hunter" with wc snakes and such!
This guy just needs to get a hobby or something. Maybe needlepoint in a good state institution?

Sasheena, I totally agree with you and am glad you posted.
I too am a home owner, though again not in Florida. My kids handle the animals on a daily basis and they go to school as well. OH NO. I am double doomed, I have also brought my animals to the school to classes to teach the kids about reptiles!
Perhaps another home owner from Florida can come on here to let us know if it is just the Florida reptiles and put at least my mind at ease.