A Trade Gone Awry ~ Need Advice

Hey folks, I'm new to this website in that I've been lurking forever, but I thought this would be the right place to ask my question, seeing as how the BOI is right around the corner, so to speak.

I entered into a deal with a local person. I would supply him with 2.8 Swiss/ICR hybrid mice, and 10.30 pure swiss webster mice. I didn't have them yet, but expected to get them as I'd purchased the starter mice to develop a thriving swiss webster colony. While he was waiting for those mice I gave him a hundred or so frozen feeders, and later whacked another hundrend fifty mice for him, and in return for the live and frozen mice he was to build me a 20-cage mouse rack, including pans.

He brought the rack (it had 5 pans) and received 5.9 Swiss/ICR hybrid mice. Later I dropped off another 3.6 pure swiss mice.

I switched to a rodent-chow that turned all my breeders into cannabals. And I lost the group of baby mice that I was raising up for him. I sent him an email detailing my loss, and told him that I was setting up five breeding colonies, three @ 1.2, and two at 1.1 and that he could have those mice when they were all pregnant, if he wanted, or he could wait and I would provide him with the remainder I owed him later. I did not hear back from him. Those mice got pregnant, had litters, raised their litters, and have even had a second group of mice that have reached maturity. I've emailed this person several times, and phoned him and left messages but have not been able to get in touch with him. Now at this point in time I owe him the mice, as he mostly came through on what he promised... HOWEVER, these mice are consuming food and are not useful for me. I've already got adults from the original breeding groups, and plan on keeping those breeding groups, but I really need to either finish my deal with this individual, or make a new deal with someone else.

I guess my question is, if I can't get any response from this person, am I justified in trying to find someone else to buy these swiss websters? As I have about 7 breeding groups of swissies I expect that I can raise up the necessary for him given enough notice (My snake eggs are hatching and so I'm going to be needing pinkies from the swissies).

anyway, any thoughts on this "deal gone awry" would be appreciated.

Let me make certain I understand what you are saying:

1) You owe the guy some mice

2) However, you cannot get him to respond to you so that you can close the deal

3) You need to get rid of the mice you owe him

4) If you made the deal with someone else to clear them out, you could fill his order later

Is that right?

Assuming so, I would send him another message (preferrably in writing), stating what you intend to do in another deal, give him a day or two to respond to you, then go ahead and make the other deal. That way, if it is a problem for him, he can speak up now. If it becomes a problem later, at least you would have some documentation showing what you tried to do. If the guy is reasonable, he will allow you to fill his order with new breedings, if he is not, there won't be much you can do to please him either way.

That's how I see it anyway. Hope this helps!

Darin, Thanks for your response.

In answer to your questions:

1) You owe the guy some mice Yes, 7.21, or 7.24 depending on how you calculate it.

2) However, you cannot get him to respond to you so that you can close the deal Exactly, I've emailed him several times over several MONTHS regarding this deal with no response.

3) You need to get rid of the mice you owe him Yes, because they eat a lot and are consuming vast amounts of food and using vast amounts of bedding. In other words they are costing me time and money right now.

4) If you made the deal with someone else to clear them out, you could fill his order later Indeed. I have about twelve swissies due to pop any day, and that's a LOT of swissies on the way. But of course this would also mean that if he suddenly decided he needed the mice this weekend, I wouldn't have any for him for another three weeks minimum.


I emailed him several days ago telling him the mice needed to go, left a message on his answering machine Friday night, and finally emailed him this morning with the following:

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Tim,

I need to know if you want these mice. I'm going to have to sell them if you do not want them. Please let me know today. If you can't take them now, I'll always have more. I owe you 7.21 swiss websters, and you'll get them, but I've got tons of mice that all need to be elsewhere as they are eating me out of house and home, and I'm going to be selling them tomorrow if you don't need them right now. (phone number deleted)

~Sasheena
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After I sent this email I thought it would be good to ask advice, so that I'm "on record"... I don't like to be in a position of owing someone something, and I want to fulfill my obligation. The rack I got from this guy works (mostly--12 of the 20 spaces work perfectly, 7 of the others work if I'm very careful putting the mouse bin in, otherwise it falls out and the mice run away, and one of the 20 spaces on the rack doesn't work at all, and I had to purchase 15 tubs since it only came with five instead of the agreed 20) It hasn't been the best or most lucrative deal I've made, but regardless, I owe him the mice, I want him to TAKE the mice, and to have the whole thing done with.

IMO, since you have been trying to close this deal for months, as you have said, you have all your bases covered. I think you have done a satisfactory job of trying to reach the other party, and have explained that a failure on their part to contact you would result in the mice in question being sold elsewhere and that if at a later date he comes calling for his balance, it may not be deliverable in a timely fashion. (What a run on.) I'd give him a few days after the last contact attempt, and then I wouldn't worry about it. I would still try to contact him every so often, though.

Well I'm very glad I asked for everyone's advice on here. I sold some of the mice, fed some off, and still have some I'm trying to sell, but I did it with an easier heart. The person I made this deal with finally contacted me. Seems he has been at his father's side in hospital for some time, AND has computer crashing issues. He has stated that he considers the trade fully completed with no obligation on either side. He did mention some interest in some hairless or siamese mice later on when things get easier, and I told him that I would perhaps be able to breed him some of the above mentioned later in the year which would make me feel that I have not gotten "something for nothing". But the email I received helped me to feel good. Since I found this place (fauna) I have come to realize how fragile a good reputation can be! I certainly would not like to ruin that by making a mistake over some silly mice. Thanks again everyone, for your help!