Anyone dealt with Boca Reptiles?

I am not just here to help Neil, as you you can see, I have been a member for almost 2months before now....Sorry you cannot even play a good bluff!!!
Tricia Smith

Originally posted by Brian Oakley

I cannot say there is a bandwagon or not. I cannot remember, going way back, who has had FIRST HAND challenges with Neil and who has not.

I can say as a pseudo-newbe that I perceive there to be a bandwagon. I've gone through the posts about Neil over the last couple of years. Without doing a statistical analysis or anything, it seems like the same dozen people harping on the same half-dozen problems are the root of the majority of the flame wars. Whether it's true in an objective sense or not, that's how I see it. I'll also say that Neil feeds into a lot of that flak to his own detriment.

Neil's more adamant detractors do themselves a disservice by the constant flaming as it raises questions, at least in my mind, about their own credibility. I give much more credibility to the single post that states he's done something good/bad than those who seem to just flame constantly. It's obvious that Neil is responsible for some number of problems. But there's too much name-calling and misinformation on both sides to make a determination between mistakes gone bad and deliberate bad behavior.

I reserve judgement until Tuesday when my animals will arrive.

Tom Kincaid

Tricia,

Your right, standing up for a friend is commendable. To what level you are willing to stand up for someone (help hide the bodies?) is a personal decision. Part of why standing up for someone becomes difficult is the realization that you will be judged guilty by association. The fact that Neil is willing to put himself in that position for one of Sal's moral fiber is his personal decision right or wrong but I believe it gives a snap shot of what he finds acceptable in a friend (most people make friends with others that have similiar values and principles, especially close friends which are the only ones I'd be willing to take this type of grief for).

Bashing. Many of the people posting on this thread witnessed the Upstate/Enclosures by Design fiasco while it unfolded over many months. While a long read, if you are just now catching up on it, there is the perception that this was a single group of instances and that a person can change from that. Instead it was many long drawn out instances. Then when they were settled and they opened the new company (Enclosures By Design) there were people that stood up for them and stated that they were changing the way things were happening. They didn't and many people were taken. So those that have seen this history can not believe that a sane person would recommend that things have changed yet again. So their harshness may be due to how clear cut this issue seems to be.

Bandwagon. The reason there are so many different people on this post that strongly express dismay at the behavior of people like Sal is due to most of us being merchants (large or small) and most of us do our business online. Transactions like the ones shown in Sal's past do us all harm. Each person burned by someone of this caliber rethinks their whole process of buying online from ANYONE. Many of us are doing well at it, and would perfer not to have our livelyhood endangered by someone of such poor business practices, business ethics and business strategy. You stated that you don't want your ability to buy or sell reptiles to be tied to your stance with Neil. The online customer has grouped ALL of us due to the behaviors of liars and cheats like Sal.... including you.

Okay folks, time to steer this one back on topic, lest I lock it tonight and start dishing out warning points for off topic replies.

If you want to discuss Neil's perceived endearing qualities or perceived lack thereof, there exists a plethora of already existing threads on the subject.

Remember kiddies, the topic of this thread is Boca Reptiles/Sal T.

First off i would like to apologize to everyone out there for not responding to your questions sooner due to problems with Adelphia/Powerlink.

My main attention is to Greg Riso. I have never heard of you or your friend named Shannon, nor have i EVER conducted any business with either of you!! Apparently the both of you have me mixed up with someone else, and i would appreciate it if you would provide some proof.

I would like to publicly appologise to Kim Lang. when i spoke to you on the phone back in December ( I believe) you were very understanding to my sitiation. I asked you for a little more time and you were willing to give it to me, you didn't seem to have a problem with it then. Since this thread has begun, you jumped right in and started bashing me just like the rest of them. That's like kicking someone when they are down. I now have made another mistake, that being missjudging your character. Once again i would like to publicly appologise to you, I'm sorry it had to turn out this way.

Next on the list is Wes. I have nothing to say to you, nor will i ever after this. You have got to be the biggest piece of crap on this whole BOI site right off the bat. What you did in the past about my mother, i will NEVER forgive!! One day your mom will pass away, think about that, you heartless bastard!!

I would like to thank Rob from RK for bringing it to my attention that i needed a license to sell out of Florida. As everyone is aware of the fact that you do not need a license in NY to sell reptiles. I was not trying to sell reptiles illegally at all, it was never my intentions to do anything illegal. As soon as you brought it to my attention, i shut down every add that i had, and the same day, i contacted FWC and submitted all of the paperwork needed for a classIII license. I have not sold one animal that i had up for sale. If it comes down to paying for some fines, i guess that's the piper i have to pay for not knowing about needing a license in Florida. Another lesson learned!

Since there are soooo many questions that need to be answered, it will take some time to do so. As all of you know, i always had Alison to type for me and read old threads. Now that i am solo, it takes me alittle more time. But here i am, and i will answer now.

One more thing i would like to add to everyone out there, as far as the one question about me using other people's money to move, you are ALL WRONG!!! I have sold almost everything i have EVER owned to make this move to be here today. (You gotta enjoy the simple things)

If anyone would like to contact me my email has been up here and on KS from the begining. I know that no one has the nerve to call me and have a one on one conversation, but just for those that would like to call, here is my toll free (yes, i said toll free) number.
1-877-SNAKES-4

Sal Tornambene
Bocareptiles@adelphia.net

First off i would like to apologize to everyone out there for not responding to your questions sooner due to problems with Adelphia/Powerlink.

My main attention is to Greg Riso. I have never heard of you or your friend named Shannon, nor have i EVER conducted any business with either of you!! Apparently the both of you have me mixed up with someone else, and i would appreciate it if you would provide some proof.

I would like to publicly appologise to Kim Lang. when i spoke to you on the phone back in December ( I believe) you were very understanding to my sitiation. I asked you for a little more time and you were willing to give it to me, you didn't seem to have a problem with it then. Since this thread has begun, you jumped right in and started bashing me just like the rest of them. That's like kicking someone when they are down. I now have made another mistake, that being missjudging your character. Once again i would like to publicly appologise to you, I'm sorry it had to turn out this way.

Next on the list is Wes. I have nothing to say to you, nor will i ever after this. You have got to be the biggest piece of crap on this whole BOI site right off the bat. What you did in the past about my mother, i will NEVER forgive!! One day your mom will pass away, think about that, you heartless bastard!!

I would like to thank Rob from RK for bringing it to my attention that i needed a license to sell out of Florida. As everyone is aware of the fact that you do not need a license in NY to sell reptiles. I was not trying to sell reptiles illegally at all, it was never my intentions to do anything illegal. As soon as you brought it to my attention, i shut down every add that i had, and the same day, i contacted FWC and submitted all of the paperwork needed for a classIII license. I have not sold one animal that i had up for sale. If it comes down to paying for some fines, i guess that's the piper i have to pay for not knowing about needing a license in Florida. Another lesson learned!

Since there are soooo many questions that need to be answered, it will take some time to do so. As all of you know, i always had Alison to type for me and read old threads. Now that i am solo, it takes me alittle more time. But here i am, and i will answer now.

One more thing i would like to add to everyone out there, as far as the one question about me using other people's money to move, you are ALL WRONG!!! I have sold almost everything i have EVER owned to make this move to be here today. (You gotta enjoy the simple things)

If anyone would like to contact me my email has been up here and on KS from the begining. I know that no one has the nerve to call me and have a one on one conversation, but just for those that would like to call, here is my toll free (yes, i said toll free) number.
1-877-SNAKES-4

Sal Tornambene
Bocareptiles@adelphia.net

I would like to publicly appologise to Kim Lang. when i spoke to you on the phone back in December ( I believe) you were very understanding to my sitiation. I asked you for a little more time and you were willing to give it to me, you didn't seem to have a problem with it then. Since this thread has begun, you jumped right in and started bashing me just like the rest of them. That's like kicking someone when they are down. I now have made another mistake, that being missjudging your character. Once again i would like to publicly appologise to you, I'm sorry it had to turn out this way.

You have got to be kidding me! You last spoke to her in December...it's now almost March and you are upset that she bashed you on the BOI???? This is after you made the declaration that all the customers you stole from have been satisfied.
...and then you have the nerve to question her character?

It's called fraud Sal, she should have pressed charges against you. You should be kissing her a*s right now for not having your sorry butt locked up! I would have in a second.

Actually I confused Kim with Shannon on the fraud issue. It's getting difficult to keep track of all the people you stole from.

So Kim sent you money for a cage...you kept her money and never sent her cage...and she has questionable character for being upset with you and seeking a refund through her credit card company?
Nothing like an apology laced with insults for a customer that you stole from.

I don't know you personally - I only know what I've heard, read, etc...and besides the 5-6 times you contacted me via email about some animals I had available, gathered my contact/payment information, said "consider them sold" or "checks in the mail" or the ole' "I'll Paypal you the money tonight" only to never hear back from you, I have never done business with you. So in all honesty, I think an organized Q & A is in order here. It may be easier for you to answer one or two a time, and it just might help us to listen to what you have to say.

I'll start, and I have two for you...my first question for you is this:

Approx how many people do you think you've had bad transactions with that involved a death of an animal, the condition of an animal, product quality, etc. and and an estimated total dollar amount over the past say five years???

Second...

Do you plan on making good to every single person involved and how soon??

Thanks in advance for your reply. I hope the smoke can clear for awhile, and we can all discuss this in greater detail.

And to you Neil, I know this was a million pages ago, but was that whole "animals for money" speech directed towards me??? I thought I was actually being open-minded, and complementary to you and your efforts to make good on a few bad transactions that Sal had on his record (however, I did not know at the time one of those bad deals were ran through your account...it just read like you were ticked off.