Buyers Beware-Michael Nino

These are the last few emails exchanged between last night and this morning, but I won't be responding anymore, don't think there is a need.

Re: trade for salmons
FROM Diana Mason TO 1 recipient Hide Details FromDiana Mason Tomichael nino
It is incredibaly frowned upon to take in "free" animal in order to sell them to make a profit and throughout you're entire long last email never once explained why you lied and misrepresented you're animals to me. I've placed a bad guy report on fauna on you because of this and you are more then welcome to try and defend you're actions there because I'm done with it.



From: michael nino <malestrom22@yahoo.com>
To: Diana Mason <dhm198555@yahoo.com>
Sent: Friday, November 8, 2013 10:19 PM
Subject: Re: trade for salmons



Hello,
Apologies for being harsh. It does however get old explaining to folks what I do after a reply like you sent me. That lizard is fine, he has access to all the food in the world and has been dewormed as are all of my reptiles. The 3 legged one came that way,The ladies husband went into the hospital and she couldnt take care of it, so I took it off her hands. Ive rehomed tons of beardies with digits missing and feet missing, they make great pets, theres nothing wrong with them, most beardies lose a few digits to thier siblings growing up if not separated early. I value the animal so long as it has breath, I have a few that are less than desirable to someone looking for the perfect visual pet but there is nothing wrong with them as far as personalities go they are wonderful. The bump in the dragons tail is a birth defect, out of my hands and everyone elses too, that lizard was not supposed to be included in the pictures i sent as it is my personal pet. Most folks only have 1 or 2 animals to take care of so everything looks perfect, fact is most dragons on the internet are obese, nice looking but obese. All of my animals have access to clean water and fresh food, I pay helpers to come and clean my cages, I wasnt up to setting up a photo shoot background so theres water spots on the glass and dried lettuce from the day before, no big deal, im sorry you felt the need to assault my efforts to improve the lives of animals that were in far worse condition prior to coming here, thus the harsh reply. Few are they who understand what I do to make the lives of these animals better and find some of them homes, I keep the less desirable visual ones for myself.
I have made a trade for a super salmon for the brother to the dragon you said was ill, the one resting on the cinder block, he just finished eating and was basking under a heat element. I wont be doing any trading for salmons now that I have a super salmon, but thanks for responding again.
Michael



On Friday, November 8, 2013 8:39 PM, Diana Mason <dhm198555@yahoo.com> wrote:

There's no need to be harsh hun, I'm only speaking based on the pictures you sent me. I think it's great you take in animals in need, but it's another thing entirely to take in these animals to turn a profit and to offer them for sale before they have even become healthy again. I attached one of the pictures you sent me, do you honestly believe this animal is in good health and that you properly and honestly represented it to me? The animals back and hip bones are sticking out, theres a horrible kink in it's tail, it's dehydrated and it's laying in filth on the bare glass bottom of an aquarium. Nowhere in any of your emails did you mention that any other these lizards were missing legs, or toes, or had a massive kink in its tail either. And again, based on the pictures you sent me, those cages look to have not been cleaned in quite some time.

Also, he mentioned about the ONE dragon that he sent me a picture of that appeared in fair condition and that I didn't post it so here it is. The dragon lokks "okay" but is obviously living in the same filth as the others.

JayBoa - He had told me about getting a super salmon in one of the email and I had a feeling it was you and was planning on warning you, glad you saw my post. If you really want to get into dragons shoot me a message, you're kinda local to me and I can point you in a good direction for some healthy animals that the fellow may want to trade for your salmon.

I can't believe I defended this guy in the other thread. I feel so...dirty.

Malestrom - there is nothing you can say to justify what you are doing here. Whatever you are telling yourself to the contrary is misguided. Some soul-searching may be in order.

If you truly cared for the animals, there would be plenty of help available to you here.

That dragon that you didn't post in the thread until now, STILL looks like crap.

This guy apparently has no clue as to what he is doing, and would rather flip the animals for profit than take care of them himself.

The one on the cinderblock was the one I was going to make the trade for... I honestly give people the benefit of the doubt in that they will be moral and ethical in their business transactions. I spoke to him on the phone 2 times and during those conversations it seemed as if he was a reptile lover more than just a flipper. Honestly, when I received those pictures (the same ones that the OP posted) I thought something was a little funny.

Not knowing dragons I thought ok it's probably not as bad as it seems. He did mention to me that he wasn't offering the one with a missing leg just showing it's colors but said if I did want it he would give her up. As well as the one with the kink in its tail. He just was showing the colors or something of that nature.

When it comes to trades though, myself as well as any other person would want an animal that is as aesthetically perfect as their own is.. That is the issue.

There are no fat pads on any of the dragon's heads. NONE. I don't see how that is keeping them healthy, Michael. There are also indents on the tail of every dragon where there should be roundness because of fat. So you tell me how that's all "Smoke and mirrors" when you took the photos yourself. Did you photoshop them to look as bad as they do, because that would be a "smoke and mirrors" move.

For whatever reason he keeps emailing me to try and defend his actions. I'm starting to think there may be a mental issue going on. I'm not trying to be be, actually serious about that. Anyway, here's the email I just got....again...

Re: trade for salmons
FROM michael nino TO You Show Details Frommichael nino ToDiana Mason

If I dont take an animal sent my way to help rehome or restore to health what are the owners options?
1- a sickly pet store
2- set it free and they do
I help anyone asking for help though a network of rescues i use and sometimes i keep the animals myself for pets
The source of my animals is of no consequence, a pet can be given by a friend dropped off by a desperate person or bought from a breeder, if i chose to make them available after that quarentine and 6 months with me what business is it of anyone where it came from, did i ask the source of your animal? no you said it was yours, fine. its yours to me I dont need to know any more than that.
Michael
represented just fine



On Saturday, November 9, 2013 10:29 AM, Diana Mason <dhm198555@yahoo.com> wrote:

It is incredibaly frowned upon to take in "free" animal in order to sell them to make a profit and throughout you're entire long last email never once explained why you lied and misrepresented you're animals to me. I've placed a bad guy report on fauna on you because of this and you are more then welcome to try and defend you're actions there because I'm done with it.

Originally Posted by dhm1985

For whatever reason he keeps emailing me to try and defend his actions. I'm starting to think there may be a mental issue going on. I'm not trying to be be, actually serious about that. Anyway, here's the email I just got....again...

Re: trade for salmons
FROM michael nino TO You Show Details Frommichael nino ToDiana Mason

If I dont take an animal sent my way to help rehome or restore to health what are the owners options?
1- a sickly pet store
2- set it free and they do
I help anyone asking for help though a network of rescues i use and sometimes i keep the animals myself for pets
The source of my animals is of no consequence, a pet can be given by a friend dropped off by a desperate person or bought from a breeder, if i chose to make them available after that quarentine and 6 months with me what business is it of anyone where it came from, did i ask the source of your animal? no you said it was yours, fine. its yours to me I dont need to know any more than that.
Michael
represented just fine



On Saturday, November 9, 2013 10:29 AM, Diana Mason <dhm198555@yahoo.com> wrote:

It is incredibaly frowned upon to take in "free" animal in order to sell them to make a profit and throughout you're entire long last email never once explained why you lied and misrepresented you're animals to me. I've placed a bad guy report on fauna on you because of this and you are more then welcome to try and defend you're actions there because I'm done with it.

Diana,

Considering he flat out said (in writing) that he was no longer going to take in critters and rehome them, and he seems to be still doing so, anything he writes in the way of excuses or rationalizations or explanations are to me, suspect. While it is possible that this may be a mental issue, to me it has more of a greedy money-comes-first flipper flavor.

I know and you're much more then likely right, it just seems the more emails I get from him the more it seems there may be an underlying condition contributing to all this.

It is very obviously greed driving all his reptile transactions but he really seems to "believe" he's in some way improving these animals lives too. I've never personally encountered such an incredibly self righteous individual before. Really weird and sad stuff, every email leaves my mouth gaping and eyebrows up.

I really don't have to go on about how this guy keeps his animals, I'm on the same page with everyone else.

I do have to point out that the cement block he has in the tank is a bad idea. Cement is made of sand, portland cement and lime. Cement absorbs moisture, even absorbs moisture from the skin. That all equals a bad idea!

This is just my 2cents

Originally Posted by Malestrom

Dried walnut shells and a couple pieces of lettuce from the day before and water spots on the glass do not mean a cage is filthy,
Im willing to bet none of you have taken in sick animals in number to help them, if you had youd understand not all come around and not all pictures accurately depict the entire scenario
please find another hobby!!!!
Im not a rescue but i do take sick animals when people call me for help, what kind of person would i be if I turned them away?
The small dragon with the lump in its tail has a birth defect, not my fault, and its also a pet it wasnt suppossed to be included in the photos as its not for sale or trade, the brother to it is in perfect condition and health, I dont see him included lol, selective posting.... he was the one up for trade and in 100% perfect condition.

Actually, I do take in sick animals as I run a small reptile rescue so please keep that in mind as I respond.

YOU are what's wrong with people "rescuing" reptiles and what makes it difficult for those of us who do so responsibly and with the animals' best interests at heart.

If you take in a sick animal it is your responsibility to nurse that animal back to health. That often means vet visits, medications, and a lot of rehabilitation. This is expensive and time consuming. "Rescuing" an animal doesn't mean taking it from one bad situation and putting it into another and it certainly doesn't mean flipping the animal for profit especially when you have done nothing to get the animal into better condition. These pictures show animals that desperately need to be rescued from you and if you honestly cared you'd be finding trustworthy people or an organization to take them in FREE to get the care and attention they need.

And if you want to "rescue" these animals from poor conditions you may want to take some time to actually research their care. Crushed Walnut is one of the worst substrates for bearded dragons as it tends to hold parasites and can cause impaction never mind the fact these animals are living in filth and are clearly dehydrated and emaciated.

Next time someone asks you to take in a sick animal do the animal a favor and refer them to someone else. Your treatment of these animals is abuse in my opinion and they deserve so much more.