Dealing with Captive Bred Excellence left a bad taste in my mouth...

I've never had to post a "bad guy" thread here before, and I hope not to have to do so again..

I'll try and keep it short as I am quite upset over losing my scale baby.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater


I bought this baby yesterday and had to hand him back today, and I'm pretty heartbroken about it.

Yesterday I sent money to the seller, captive bred excellence, through Paypal after confirmation from him that it was okay to proceed. I got confirmation multiple times through messenger, Paypal, and on the phone. They confirmed the correct amount was sent, and the snakes were handed off shortly after. My best friend in Las Vegas was picking up for me as I am located in California and she received multiple confirmations from them over the phone and in person as well. I was excited to see my new babies and made sure she sent me lots of pictures. So, done deal! Or so I thought...

The seller, captive bred excellence, then contacted me today wanting more money. For a deal that was already complete! Or they wanted their snakes back saying the male was supposed to be a holdback anyways? Um, okay.

Well, I already overspent what I had budgeted and money doesn't fall from trees around here, sadly. So I let them know that I didn't have any more money to send them. They then told us to drop the snakes back off to them, and they will refund me my money afterwards. That sounded really weird to me. I replied again that I was already out $25 on gas money and time so if they wanted the snakes they sold back I would need the money first and they would have to pick up. This is when they said to never do business with them again, which I assure everyone here will not be a problem, and that they will come pick up if they have to.

So, since I cannot afford the extra money they wanted me to send them after the transaction was already complete, I have to lose my new babies. I am quite heartbroken, and I am out the $25 in gas money that was spent to pick them up in the first place.

Anyone in business knows this is not how you take care of your customers.

I posted on Facebook about how upset I was, I was crying over this, and got floods of responses telling me I should keep the snakes and to post here on the BOI. Well, I already agreed to give the snakes back and I am a woman of my word so back to the seller they go. But I did take their advice and decided to share my situation with you all here in hopes of preventing anything like this from happening again.


My full name is: Elisa Phillips. I am active on many reptile groups on Facebook including "SF bay area: buy, sell, trade reptiles and exotics", "bay area reptile forum (BARF)", "The lizard of oz: a las vegas Nevada reptile discussion group", and so many others I can't list them all. I also work full time at a pet store in the bay area of California.

The link does not work for me...I just get a error page. Before you get five other replies asking, post a screen shot of the money leaving your hands as well as emails/messages showing where the deal went south.

I also have to ask, if you could not afford ~$60 for a return shipping label (whether it was justified or not)...what did you plan on doing if your new arrival had to see a vet? Or you had any other issues arise.

Also, your profile says your surname is different from what you just posted.

My legal name is now phillips, I am looking into getting that changed here that's why I mentioned it in the thread. It was oftedahl when I was in foster care.

And it has nothing to do with not being able to afford it, perhaps I worded things wrongly. It is that it wasn't budgeted for. A smart budget has money set aside for different manners of expenses. If I had to pull money from my "vet expenses budget" to put more money into my "acquire new animals" budget.. Well... I think that explains itself.

Also the snakes were handed off in person in Las Vegas, no shipping involved. Besides why would I pay $60 of shipping to return a normal ball python to a seller? Lol

I can post screenshots if it's needed. The deal was already finished and I was happy. For a day until they went back on their own deal. :/

I am on mobile right now so responses are difficult but I will do my best.

Look I am new to this, not new to keeping constrictors, it seems to me if the transaction was complete and the animals are in your possession then they are yours. That being said you should never take on more than you can afford to maintain properly feed house provide necessary medical attention for if needed etc. If they sold you something they didn't mean to sell it isn't your responsibility to correct the sellers mistake. It doesn't become the purchaser's responsibility when the animal is sold for less than the seller intended, if it was sold to you, and you took possession they are yours.

As it is I did pull the $25 in gas money to drive and pick them up in the first place from my food budget. And see where that got me. ��

Thank you, lotdofwar, yes that is why I decided to post here.

If you have not returned them then I wouldn't that's just my opinion bought and paid for is bought and paid for.

Originally Posted by thehappypet

My legal name is now phillips, I am looking into getting that changed here that's why I mentioned it in the thread. It was oftedahl when I was in foster care.

And it has nothing to do with not being able to afford it, perhaps I worded things wrongly. It is that it wasn't budgeted for. A smart budget has money set aside for different manners of expenses. If I had to pull money from my "vet expenses budget" to put more money into my "acquire new animals" budget.. Well... I think that explains itself.

Also the snakes were handed off in person in Las Vegas, no shipping involved. Besides why would I pay $60 of shipping to return a normal ball python to a seller? Lol

I can post screenshots if it's needed. The deal was already finished and I was happy. For a day until they went back on their own deal. :/

I am on mobile right now so responses are difficult but I will do my best.

Ah, now I see...I did not notice where you mentioned separate budgets. If you post screenshots now, your time in this thread will probably be a lot easier.

Kind of glad Elissa had one of her friends post this. Maybe it will keep sellars away from her. Here are the facts.

I guess you have at least one complaint, but one in over 20 years isn't bad. In regards to the deal that I'm being acused of going back on so the facts are are straight. I run several ads in various places including facebook which this paticular deal happened. I had listed a mohave het albino male and a normal het female for $175. The buyer sent $125 and I didn't catch at first. After I realized I made a mistake I asked her either send an additional $50 or I would be happy to give her a full refund. She's willing to pay the $50 because she felt it was my fault. I normaly would have not said anything but the pair was already reduced from $275 to $175 and I felt I was being fair. Then the buyer (not sure as this shows a name of Sarah Yawattip) the buyers name was Elissa?? , wanted me to refund her money before I received the pair back. I explaned this wasn't normale procedure but wnt ahead and refunded her full amount anyway. I then picked up the pair which were fine and have them back in my collection. At one during out private emails back and forth I was considering just letting her have them for $125, but then she threatened to tarnish out reputation by talking bad about us on all the west coast shows. As I stated then and say again "have at it" we have a great reputation and stand behind our animals.