Tim Lofton. Lofton lizards BAD GUY

Mr. Pecanic,
Did you see this snake?
Can you shed some light on what year this supposedly happened?
Can you perhaps fill us in on why Mr. Cook would be more willing to just kill the snake rather than attempt to get a qualified diagnosis of the actual problem and perhaps treat it?

Originally Posted by Tom Pecanic

You have at least a 50% possibility dealing with T. Lofton you will get death delivered to you.

This is a serious charge, also. Since it is so exact do you have documented proof that half of all animal shipments sent by this seller arrive dead? Where did you get that info? Can you post it?

There are some serious allegations here not backed up by proof.

With all due respect, Mr. Pecanic....

Mr. Cook posted here about a transaction that, by his own words, took place "many years ago". He took the snake to a man who, while knowing and reputable, is NOT a veterinarian. He stated the man (Chris G.) declared then and there the snake had IBD and should be destroyed. At the time of his original post, John said nothing about the Washington vet he later said he contacted.

However, again ... the snake was NOT seen by a vet, no IBD diagnosis was ever officially made. John may well be a very fine keeper and breeder. John may well be a scholar, a gentleman, a perfect family man. I, for one, don't question his character outside this thread, in his personal or professional life. I don't know the man.
I do believe it is foolhardy to claim someone sold a snake with IBD when it has not been definitively diagnosed, when no proof is submitted and when the transaction occurred "many years ago".

I also believe it is foolhardy of you to state publicly, "You have at least a 50% possibility dealing with T. Lofton you will get death delivered to you." Why has no one else posted that Mr. Lofton also sent them sickly, dying snakes (or with IBD)?

I don't know Mr. Lofton, have never bought from him. I do know if I am going to make a public charge of something as serious as IBD, I'm going to have the proof to back me up before I make such a claim.
I also know, as a herper and animal keeper, that I need to actually SEE a vet before I (or any other non-qualified person) make claims of my animal having A, B or C and needs to be destroyed.

I have to agree with you Laura. As you seem to have the most logical answers here in regards to it needing to be seen by a "professional".. It is always better to go with a professional with a reputation than a deal for the dolla... lol.. Mr. Dove, I did not see the boa in question, I am sorry for that.. I woulda been the one all over the seller in question if I were involved at all.. At any rate, I do agree with you too Mr. Dove, seeking a pro is always bestest.. But, in this case (a relatively inexpensive animal) I don't think that it was necessary and I think I woulda wound up in the same boat as Mr. Cook.. I mean wouldn't you anybody.. Why keep problems around.. And with that Mr. Dove, your "Complacency" saying says it all.. If someone ie: most likely T. Lofton would not have been so complacent on his husbandry, well, I don't think this post would be here. lol.. That saying is dead nuts baby. And with that, I guess Laura is/might/could be right as with me making a false claim on the seller in question.. I haven't found anything on him as well for me to make a claim, is he done dealing with reptiles, who knows?, is he selling under a girlfriends or boyfriends name, don't know? So, I guess I'll recant my percentage on having death delivered to you by him.. But, I am kindly telling you that this happened the way John says it did, I know there is two sides, so let us try to locate T. Lofton(good luck).. I can't wait for someone to come through with more info so we could put this baby to rest(good luck), but I don't think that'll happen anytime soon. John mentioned to me that this may have happened almost nine years ago now when Hogg Isl.'s were commanding a higher dollar and quite a bit rarer than today, whatever that is worth to anyone.. John apparently got this one for a "deal" at $125... Well, should a sick snake show up at your door since you bought one for a "deal." Those that know the saying: if it sounds too good to be, it isn't., might not jump for that, BUT DO YOU DESERVE A LESS THAN HEALTHY ANIMAL cuz someone offers it super cheap.. The answer is quite simple, no, but it happens waaaaay to often to innocents... That is all this post was/is trying to do.. Tis all.. So, I took this post, and I think you should take this post for what it was right now and is, pretty much the only thing you have on T. Lofton right now, and it's not good.. Most good transactions never get posted for people, the bad do, I hope.. If anyone wants... Probably not a good idea, but I'll buy something from him right now to see what happens for all us.. Someone locate him if they can.. I think it'd be kinda neat, I do have a busy, tight schedule like all of us, but what the hey, then we'll know.. Mr. Cook, where could we at least begin to search for Tim Lofton, Cali??

Paragraphs are your friend.

Originally Posted by Tom Pecanic

Mr. Dove, I did not see the boa in question, I am sorry for that.. I woulda been the one all over the seller in question if I were involved at all.. At any rate, I do agree with you too Mr. Dove, seeking a pro is always bestest.. But, in this case (a relatively inexpensive animal) I don't think that it was necessary and I think I woulda wound up in the same boat as Mr. Cook.. I mean wouldn't you anybody.. Why keep problems around..

I am sorry Mr. Pecanic but you are talking to the wrong person when you mention not treating or keeping problem animals. I take in rescues we do not want to keep and do not see any animal as disposable. We have spent big bucks rehabilitating 19 dollar Green Iguanas with the hope we could give them away to a good home. Money does not enter into the equation when it come to the animals we care for. All animal deserve a chance regardless of the symptoms they display.
That said I do not understand not getting a proper diagnosis before destroying an animal. To me that says the person does not care about the animal in the first place beyond the dollar signs in their eyes.
In this case you are simply going on the word of your friend that there was a deal since you never saw the snake and have no info on what year this deal even supposedly happened. I suppose it is good to stand by your friend but there could be something else going on here that none of us are aware of. Given the fact that no one else has made such a report about Mr. Lofton, if Mr. Lofton ever even sold any snakes, and no proof has been offered that any deal or snake ever existed I would have to dismiss this Bad Guy report as bogus and likely based on a personal grudge rather than a deal gone bad.
Given that this report has been made I might be inclinde to ask many questions if I ever ran into Mr. Lofton selling anything I wanted but I would be more inclined to avoid selling to the OP due to his questionable care for his animals.