Stephen Braithwaite -North Jersey Craigslist Users Beware

As sad as this situation is, once you sell an animal, the animal no longer belongs to you and, unless there is some sort of contract, you have no say on what the buyer can, or cannot do, with the animal.
The police will not become involved because #1 It would be a civil matter (~If~ you were owed money, etc.) unless "person" committed a theft (robbery, burglary, etc.). #2 (most importantly) You, willingly, sold the animal to "person" (so, it is no longer yours and all rights are lost).
As for animal cruelty, you would need to contact the local humane, or animal control, agency. If you contact law enforcement, they would just pass it off, to that agency, anyway. Well, unless none are available. In which case, law enforcement will go to investigate. However, unless it is a dire situation, they may not do so very quickly (meanwhile, they would still try to contact a humane/animal control officer, if there is one, to handle the matter).
All that said, I am sorry to hear what has happened. Also feel so bad for the Boa. Hope someone, that will take great care of her, got the Boa out of this guy's hands.

Originally Posted by KKropat

hearing she was being housed in a cardboard box with no heat

This to me is a pivotal point. The buying and selling prices are one thing, but how the critter was kept is very important. Can you get Greg to come on here and maybe post the texts that say the snake was housed that way?

This should teach everyone a lesson about Craigslist. There are too many scammers and people looking to make a fast buck. If you really care more about where your animals are going rather than getting some money, advertise them on fauna or in the local herp society newsletter. There is a much better chance your animal will go to someone who really wants it. Are there scammers here too? Sure! But the chances are much better. I recently adopted out a red-tailed boa to a local guy I found on Fauna who was very happy to get her and did not turn around and sell her. Not blaming the OP, just using this opportunity to point out some things about Craigslist.

I really don't see the issue here. The OP agreed to a deal (granted, not a good one) for whatever reason. Payment was made and ownership transferred. It's now the "bad guy's" choice to do what he wants with the animal. Keep it, breed it, trade it for something else (ok, not to turn it lose in the bushes). As far as CraigsList and flipping, this is a website (which I use- some deals have been good, some not so good and some have been downright stinkers) which welcomes fraudulent transactions through its own policies of allowing "small rehoming fees," and not enforcing them.
As far as flipping, I really don't see the problem in making a quick profit.
Maybe I am missing something here?

Originally Posted by Herps Alive!

As far as flipping, I really don't see the problem in making a quick profit.
Maybe I am missing something here?

My take:
The first ad: Well, the guy's a jerk, but at this point it's his snake to resell.
The second ad: using another breeder's photo of one animal when advertising a different animal, is copyright infringement and fraudulent.
The third ad: stating the animal is a sunglow when it's not, is fraudulent.

Originally Posted by bcr229

My take:
The first ad: Well, the guy's a jerk, but at this point it's his snake to resell.
The second ad: using another breeder's photo of one animal when advertising a different animal, is copyright infringement and fraudulent.
The third ad: stating the animal is a sunglow when it's not, is fraudulent.

Fair points on two and three.
If ever Caveat Emptor was appropriate, it is CraigsList. so is the phrase Caveat Venditor.

I think the seller can also take exception to the crap the buyer slung about how much they wanted the snake for their personal collection, and the insulting lowballing, only to have them turn around and resell it for 3x the price. Just because it's not illegal doesn't mean it's not unethical.

These posts are insane, and completely false.

Originally Posted by msconcept1on

These posts are insane, and completely false.

Why would you resurrect a 3 year old thread? You are not the one named in it.

I know this person and the add comes up in a google search it is harming him.