Jason Perillo - Protean Terrarium Design

I would like to say that overall I have had a very poor experience with Jason Perillo of Protean Terrarium Design. I would in no way recommend anyone to purchase custom vivariums from this company.

I paid for and ordered 4 22.5x17x24 vivariums with 2 drill holes (one for a drainage bulkhead, one for misting nozzle) and sub door venting from Jason on December 22, 2010. For $600.

Here is a screen shot of the order receipt on Google Checkout:





Jason had assured me several times over the following months that my tanks would be done by the beginning of February. As February came and went Jason continually gave a myriad of excuses as to why my tanks were not done. I won't list all the 'personal' reasons that he gave, there were many.

The only thing that seemed to get Jason's attention was threatening to dispute the credit card charges. My calls were magically answered and text messages responded to.

Jason is very friendly on the phone, we talked often about everything from my military experiences to his pregnant girlfriend. I thought we had a very amicable relationship.

Much of our communication was over the phone, which I prefer, so I only have a few e-mail exchanges.

Here are two e-mails from me to Jason.

Flag this message
Mist & (Fw: Bulkhead Size)
Friday, January 7, 2011 8:20 PM
From:
"S H" <smh3w@yahoo.com>
Add sender to Contacts
To:
jason@proteanterrarium.com
Oh, also I've decided to go with the standard or value nozzles.

Thanks again!

--- On Mon, 1/3/11, S H <smh3w@yahoo.com> wrote:


From: S H <smh3w@yahoo.com>
Subject: Bulkhead Size
To: jason@proteanterrarium.com
Date: Monday, January 3, 2011, 3:17 PM

Jason,

I just ordered 4 of the 1/2in bulkhead's from Jehmco. (item BF1/2K) The website lists the required hole size as 1 1/8in.

Hope the holidays went well for you! If you find out you're having a girl and need clothes (newborn - 3months) we have TONS of extras just let me know.

Thanks!

-Steven

Jason's response.

--- On Sat, 1/8/11, Jason Perillo <jason@proteanterrarium.com> wrote:


From: Jason Perillo <jason@proteanterrarium.com>
Subject: Re: Mist & (Fw: Bulkhead Size)
To: "S H" <smh3w@yahoo.com>
Date: Saturday, January 8, 2011, 11:04 PM

Good to know. I'll add that to the file for them.

-jason.p


> Oh, also I've decided to go with the standard or value nozzles.
>
> Thanks again!
>
> --- On Mon, 1/3/11, S H <smh3w@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> From: S H <smh3w@yahoo.com>
> Subject: Bulkhead Size
> To: jason@proteanterrarium.com
> Date: Monday, January 3, 2011, 3:17 PM
>
> Jason,
>
> I just ordered 4 of the 1/2in bulkhead's from Jehmco. (item BF1/2K) The
> website lists the required hole size as 1 1/8in.
>
> Hope the holidays went well for you! If you find out you're having a girl
> and need clothes (newborn - 3months) we have TONS of extras just let me
> know.
>
> Thanks!
>
> -Steven
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


--
Jason Perillo
Protean Terrarium Design
Protean Imports
Portland, Or 97217
626-808-8500
Their world, in your's...

Here are the last 2 e-mails I sent to Jason. The first is when I was really starting to get mad, the 2nd is the e-mail after I got the broken tanks.

Flag this message
Re: Mist & (Fw: Bulkhead Size)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011 11:31 AM
From:
"S H" <smh3w@yahoo.com>
Add sender to Contacts
To:
jason@proteanterrarium.com
Jason,

You had assured me on Monday over the phone that I would hear from the shipping agency on Tuesday. At the end of that day I still had no e-mail from them or any communication from you. I believe that I have been very patient and understanding to whatever is going on in your personal life. Unfortunately my patience is wearing thin. As of today it has been 68 days since I ordered and paid in full for my tanks.

-Steven Hausman

From:
"S H" <smh3w@yahoo.com>
Add sender to Contacts
To:
jason@proteanterrarium.com
Message contains attachments
5 Files (19 MB) | Download All

* WRONG DRILL 1.JPGWRONG DRILL 1.JPG
* WRONG DRILL 2.JPGWRONG DRILL 2.JPG
* Listing Pallet on Tarp.JPGListing Pallet on Tarp.JPG
* Broken Glass on Lift.JPGBroken Glass on Lift.JPG
* Close Up Broken Vent.JPGClose Up Broken Vent.JPG

Jason,

Based upon my previous experiences, the only way I would order replacement tanks from you EVER was if I paid you after I got the tanks.

Attached are some pictures.


Here is the e-mail exchange you forgot about.

--- On Sat, 1/8/11, Jason Perillo <jason@proteanterrarium.com> wrote:


From: Jason Perillo <jason@proteanterrarium.com>
Subject: Re: Mist & (Fw: Bulkhead Size)
To: "S H" <smh3w@yahoo.com>
Date: Saturday, January 8, 2011, 11:04 PM

Good to know. I'll add that to the file for them.

-jason.p


> Oh, also I've decided to go with the standard or value nozzles.
>
> Thanks again!
>
> --- On Mon, 1/3/11, S H <smh3w@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> From: S H <smh3w@yahoo.com>
> Subject: Bulkhead Size
> To: jason@proteanterrarium.com
> Date: Monday, January 3, 2011, 3:17 PM
>
> Jason,
>
> I just ordered 4 of the 1/2in bulkhead's from Jehmco. (item BF1/2K) The
> website lists the required hole size as 1 1/8in.
>
> Hope the holidays went well for you! If you find out you're having a girl
> and need clothes (newborn - 3months) we have TONS of extras just let me
> know.
>
> Thanks!
>
> -Steven
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


--
Jason Perillo
Protean Terrarium Design
Protean Imports
Portland, Or 97217
626-808-8500
Their world, in your's...

In the end after waiting 85 days, my tanks were 38 days late, broken, and drilled wrong.

Here is how Jason loaded a pallet with 300lbs of glass to travel from Portland, OR to Murfreesboro, TN (over 2,000 miles). He tied my box of tanks to the pallet with that pallet shrink wrap stuff.

No wonder the shipping company before this one refused the pickup.

Still on the ramp, I asked the guy to stop so we could take pictures the whole way.

I also took the day off from college to make sure I was home to get these tanks.



Another angle.



Broken Glass everywhere.





The bottom two tanks suffered the most of the damage.



Broken Vent Arch, almost the same break on both of the top tanks. As well as pictures showing the wrong holes. 2 misting nozzle holes instead of 1, and no bulkhead hole.









Even before the box of tanks was on the lift gate, I called the shipping agent to let him know it was damaged. I opened up the box in the hopes that the top 2 tanks were not damaged. I signed for the tanks as damaged and returned and am currently in the process of filing a claim with the shipping company.

I also called Jason after getting the broken tanks. When I told him that he had drilled the tanks wrong all he had to say was "Oh...shit." Right. Also, I told him that I would not be requesting replacement tanks from him because of the overall bad experience. He tried to assure me that he could have replacement tanks out to me in 2 weeks. I of course, have stopped believing this guy.

-Steven Hausman

Wow there is no excuse for the shipping job. I can't imagine it all the shipping companies fault since Jason took forever to complete the order and when he did, he did them wrong!!

Good luck in getting some money back!!

Usually you can secure pallets with the shrink wrap stuff really well but definitely NOT in that way. I think their are two other BOI's on him...Is he aware of this thread?

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...ad.php?t=95235
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...ad.php?t=99459

I do not think that he is aware of it.

From the PTD facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Protea...n/209325149676

Protean Terrarium Design
estes is no good for shipping pallets of cages. 1 pallet is dead because of them. saia and oak harbor don't break cages...

rebuilding them next week.

I had already told him over the phone that I was going to take my business elsewhere and the other e-mail I sent him is listed above.

After I sent him a text message yesterday notifying him that I had sent the e-mail he sent me a test message saying "Thanks. I will give you a call on friday"

The only way that I will pay him again from the shipping company's refund is I pay him after I get them, as stated in my e-mail to him.


I did see the other threads on BOI after I had already ordered from him. I have talked to several other people and they either had a good experience or a bad one.

I'm not a shipping pro, but it looks like it would have been safer laid on it's side rather than standing up like that... or at least divided on two different pallets.

Originally Posted by Focal X

I'm not a shipping pro, but it looks like it would have been safer laid on it's side rather than standing up like that... or at least divided on two different pallets.

Well Obviously he cut corners since it's so expensive to ship freight, so he wanted to minimize the hurt on his wallet. Just a sign of a seller who doesn't know how to research before he commits to a sale.

poor packaging job. Those boxes are not strong enough to support the weight and height of the stack; should have used boxes with a stronger crush test, probably double walled boxes would have made a world of difference. Also should have turned it around so it matches the length of the pallet and also 4 way strapped it (with actual strapping, not length of stretch wrap). The other thing they might have considered was using a pallet that matched the footprint of the item more closely. I could not tell what if any insulation was used to help absorb the shock it would go through in transit.. but we usually pack glass objects in foam.

(I work for a packaging company, only reason I bring this stuff up)

Are you going to make him aware of the thread? It sounds like he is going to be calling you today? I hope you both can come to a good resolution.

Somewhat in Jason's defense, I did not specify the way in which I wanted the tanks to be shipped. I left that decision up to his judgment.

Since I was going to pay nearly $300 just to have these tanks shipped to me, I would have been willing to pay a little more to have my tanks securely packaged.

At first I thought to myself that maybe he ships all his tanks like this and that this incident was just an unfortunate accident. That is, until I ran into this thread:
http://www.chameleonforums.com/new-c...rariums-36915/

Just to reiterate, these are not my tanks or my pictures. This is just an example I found of how he has shipped tanks in the past





I find these pictures to be an example of the shipping knowledge and skill that Jason has, which he unfortunately did not seem to apply to my shipment.

If Jason actually calls me today I will make him aware of this thread on the BOI.

IMPORTANT UPDATE

I just got off the phone with the shipping agent. He tells me that the pallet pictured above was not even the original pallet that Jason packed the tanks on. Jeremy (the shipping agent) said Jason packed the tanks on a pallet and secured the box to the pallet with ratchet straps and the box was on top of foam.

I believe this because of the obvious skill Jason shows for packaging tanks in the pictures above. As well as from what other people who have gotten tanks from him have said about how he ships.

In one of the pictures above, in my first post, you can see a black smear across the top of the box. This could be an indication that the box was dropped or hit by something.

Apparently, the tanks being broken is now most definitely the shipping company's fault.

The extremely late arrival and incorrect drilling are not the shippers fault though.

This is endemic with Jason. If you read some of the other threads concerning Jason and his twisted methods of doing business I find it amazing that he can attract buyers... And that brings me to Mr. Housman ! Put a time limit on drgood purchases out of town. Stick to it,. I would strongly suggest 2 things. 1. contact your credit card company immediately and institute a chargeback.....save your emails as photos WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AS PROOF. Secondly, never accept a shipment like that. Always REFUSE IT otherwise, you are willing to accept responsibility and its intimated that the carrier has fulfilled his obligation... You may be stuck with the freight... For sure our buddy Jason is not going to reimburse you on that ! JERRY