I have enjoyed posting regularly on Joe's tree boa forum for some time and, while it has it's flaws, overall it is a pretty good, informative forum. I have a high respect For moderator Mike H. and I think anyone who reads his Boakingdom website could tell he is a concientious snake keeper who promotes good husbandry, etc. In my one personal buying experience(a baby tree boa) with Joe Polanco a couple of years ago I didn't really have any problems. Although I found his personality during the deal to be somewhat arrogant and cynical -- But hey!, I'm sure he probably doesn't care for hanging out with me as well. Probably thinks of me as a dullard *LOL*(inside joke!<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='
'>* Anyway, I try to get a "feel" for the persons I deal with and with Joe, it caused me to be somewhat cautious about any further dealings with him.
While I have my own personal reasons for not dealing with Joe, I don't think he is really purposely and knowingly selling alot of puking emeralds. Perhaps he is somewhat "in denial" about the regugitation problems within his own collection. I don't know. With Emerald Regurgitation Syndrome (ERS) that is a very easy pit to fall into as I have been guilty of denial myself in years past with regurgitating emeralds. After all, what do we really know about this sickness?? It is a very sneaky affliction. I do surmise from his postings that Joe has bought and recieved over 40 or so emeralds in the last couple of years and, with that many animals, a few bad apples are very likely to pop up and perhaps spoil the barrel. However, I think he was honest and straightforward about the 14 regurgitating emeralds he offered for anyone to take off his hands before freezing. Why anyone other than a concerned vet or lab would want those emeralds is beyond me, but at least Joe was not misrepresenting them. And I do not fault him for the thoughts of freezing emeralds with ERS. Destroying those animals is probably a wise decision rather than having them infect more of anyone's valuable collection. I recall Joe saying that the sick snakes had been kept and cared for by a friend, so at least, hopefully he hasn't had them in his facility.
On the forum, I can attest to the many recent post deletions and I do have some problems with his sly actions of trying to discredit other dealers who won't bend to his will (Ben and Matt in particular). From postings on the forum and in brief conversations with Matt, it seems Joe feels he has so much power and clout in the world of emeralds as to be able to dictate to these honest dealers (such as Matt and Ben Siegel) what he wants to pay for their animals and also expects unlimited guarantees in return. Then, if he doesn't get what he wants, he proceeds to try and discredit these dealers on his forum. He is very careful of course not to mention their specific names! Then, when these dealers come forward and answer the accusations, Joe says something like "hey, I never really mentioned your name specifically!" ...yet anyone who has been reading the forum and has any kind of brain knows who Joe was referring to...
Innocent little ol' Joe!*LOL* Is this immature behavior or what? Personally, if I were one of those dealers, I would be insulted.
I believe dealers such as Ben and Matt provide a good service in the herp world in having the knowledge and the eye for seeking out and cherry picking excellent specimens for snake collectors such as myself and I personally don't mind paying them for their efforts. Hey, it's cheaper and less time consuming than driving or flying to sunny Florida to try pick them myself!...that is, if I could possibly know when to arrive at just the right time, on the day when the shipments were coming in, before everyone else picked through them,etc.,etc.!!
Now, getting back to the ERS controversy. I recall Joe once posted that he never saw any evidence of ERS ever being transferred from emeralds in one cage to another in an adjacent cage...that he felt horror stories of one emerald puking causing others in the same room to suddenly start puking were very questionable, as that had never been his experience. Yet, he did a complete turn around in Tim Bowle's case. Tim had mentioned (on the forum) that the emerald he bought from Joe caused the two wildcaughts (which had been feeding well and doing fine for 6 months or so) to suddenly start puking in his quarantine room. Joe then turned on Tim, saying he was a fool for keeping his (Joe's) excellent animal in the same room with two junky wildcaughts ...that THEY must have been the cause of starting HIS animal to puke. I guess this must have been a case where cage to cage transferrence was not just an old wive's tale! But seriously and unfortunately, I don't think anybody really knows what ERS really is or how it is transferred. I wouldn't wish that disease on anyone's collection. It's an awful thing.
Again, these are all just my observations of postings(and deletions) I have observed on the forum. I have not seen any of the regurgitating (or accused regurging emeralds) in question. However, I have a pretty good memory for things and it does seem that Joe has a kind of double standard in such matters. There are other examples that come to mind, but I've gone on way too long as it is...
John Hedger
Side Note: Tom Burns, man I don't recall you ever saying ANY bad things about Joe or giving him a hard time on the forum. Hmm?? And Matt, be careful what you say bud! I'm pretty close to Ohio, and I'm not so sure sunny Forida is such an exciting place to live!!!*LOL*I just might have to look you up at one of these herp shows and confront you about this matter man!!!...Er, uh, maybe over a beer*LOL*
John
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