William Gangemi (at repticon)

Originally Posted by Gangemiw

I have offered replacement animals to both parties. That’s more then fair. I have dealt with huge numbers of skinks and believe me I would never have an emaciated blue tongue on my table not to mention I have only ever even encountered but one skinny blue tongue. They basically are fat garbage disposals. That being said someone taking there animal to a vet them giving it injections and worming medicine and god only knows what else makes me not interested in replacing the animal. That essentially sounds like “voiding” it’s warranty. Because as we all know most quack vets will dose reptiles with baytril and causes kidney failure. Last but not least, all animals at the show are vet checked. If any seem sick or lethargic they are not allowed to be sold and are not cleared by the vet. Thanks, sorry for all this but this is the reality of this situation.

William, using a defense that the skinks were vet checked is ridicules, or maybe not? please post the paperwork from the vet who examined your skinks.

Lydia and Dickson ... if you guys are new to herps do yourselves a big favor and in the future seek out a breeder of the animal you're interested in. Buying a captive bred animal will eliminate 90% of the problems you'd have with a WC one. Instead of buying from someone who deals in everything from everywhere, find someone with animals they produced themselves or at least were captive bred. It will take a little longer to get what you want but avoiding impulse buys of WC animals at shows can often blow up in your face.

If there was a problem, a serious breeder would be more than willing to fix a problem since most are more into the animals and customer service than just making a profit.

Originally Posted by Gangemiw

I have offered replacement animals to both parties. That’s more then fair. I have dealt with huge numbers of skinks and believe me I would never have an emaciated blue tongue on my table not to mention I have only ever even encountered but one skinny blue tongue. They basically are fat garbage disposals. That being said someone taking there animal to a vet them giving it injections and worming medicine and god only knows what else makes me not interested in replacing the animal. That essentially sounds like “voiding” it’s warranty. Because as we all know most quack vets will dose reptiles with baytril and causes kidney failure. Last but not least, all animals at the show are vet checked. If any seem sick or lethargic they are not allowed to be sold and are not cleared by the vet. Thanks, sorry for all this but this is the reality of this situation.

That is hilarious! Taking a sick animal to the vet voids any warranty.

Also, I've vended in Atlanta, the vet check you speak of is a joke. The vet basically scans the tables and if nothing is obviously dead, you get a pass.
So, that is not a defense for selling 2 BTS at the same show that have died or supposedly have died.

Two people two dead skinks from one show. Doesn't look good.

Being a blue tongue "guy" I can tell you that hundreds of wild caught ones come in from the south pacific islands. Some are in great shape others, not so much.
Last year I know of a pet store animal purchased in Southern California that was "chubby". Two weeks later she had 8 babies. That was a good buy.

Buying at shows is good if you know the right questions to ask.
Who bred it? Where did it come from? How long have you had it? What if it dies?

A reptile show is similar to a swap meet. Not a place I would expect to find deal on a real "Coach" handbag. But you can buy hand made products made by local artisans that may be of good quality. Buy from breeders not wholesalers....

I know theres a lot of people complaining about quack vets killing reptiles but I've been able to find tons of reptile vets that know what they're doing. I always question them first just to make sure they know their stuff but every reptile vet that I've stumbled upon in my area has been amazing. Believe it or not reptile vets do study reptiles before they start practicing on them lol And it seems that since competition in the vet field has gone up theres more and more exotic vets that are actually good. I take in so many rescues that have such advanced problems they have to see vets and without those guys knowledge some of those animals wouldn't have made it. So "voiding a warranty" by seeing a vet is complete bull.

Originally Posted by Vithaxton

I know theres a lot of people complaining about quack vets killing reptiles but I've been able to find tons of reptile vets that know what they're doing. I always question them first just to make sure they know their stuff but every reptile vet that I've stumbled upon in my area has been amazing. Believe it or not reptile vets do study reptiles before they start practicing on them lol And it seems that since competition in the vet field has gone up theres more and more exotic vets that are actually good. I take in so many rescues that have such advanced problems they have to see vets and without those guys knowledge some of those animals wouldn't have made it. So "voiding a warranty" by seeing a vet is complete bull.

And I did say REPTILE vet not regular vet. There is a difference. Normal vets usually take one look at a reptile and either put them on antibiotics or ivermectin and both can be fatal. Especially if they don't know how to does them properly. Reptile and Exotic vets know their stuff.

Originally Posted by Vithaxton

And I did say REPTILE vet not regular vet. There is a difference. Normal vets usually take one look at a reptile and either put them on antibiotics or ivermectin and both can be fatal. Especially if they don't know how to does them properly. Reptile and Exotic vets know their stuff.

Exactly!
I have my vets for my Bengal and Savannah cats and then I have my vet for my snakes, I would definitely not cross the pair with animals...lol.

I trust both of them with the lives of my animals but you could never mix them up at all, or woe betide you for sure.

I thought I had heard most of the bs excuses until I read that "taking your animal to a vet voids any warranty" WTH??

Still be nice to see some actual proof from the two buyers of the skinks that died though

Finding good reptile vets in the rural south, where many of this company's shows are located is a bit harder than you guys might realize. I was lucky enough to have a couple good ones in my time, but yeah, even "reptile" vets down here are suspect until proven otherwise. And as mentioned, the "vet check" done at shows is a complete joke and waste of time done as a formality. They do not inspect animals any further than glancing at them.

The two people being merged into one thread is a little confusing. Are the facts that two separate people bought skinks which quickly died from William at the same reptile show?

I ask because one skink dying here and another dying at a different time would be far less of an implication of pre-existing disease than two dying on two separate people who purchased at the same show.

Even still, I would not label it as a bad guy post. Living animals sometimes seem fine, then die and the stress of changing conditions could certainly increase those odds. If this had happened to me, I probably would have asked for store credit and called it a day.