Exotic Pets (Ken Foose)

I recently purchased a male argentine boa from Exotic Pets in Las Vegas. Prior to purchase, I also inquired about his temperament and was told that he was very good and did not bite. The day I received him, Friday, February 27, I noticed that the tip of his tail was missing. I could feel the bone slightly protruding from the tip, a little off center, so I emailed him right away about possible solutions. He said that all he could do was have me return him and that he would refund my money, minus the cost of shipping him back. I didn't want to be out shipping money so I asked him if maybe he could just give me a discount, but he said that he couldn't. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, so I held on to him for a few days. When I went to handle him, he puffed up, hissed like crazy, and would strike the glass (would have struck something else if I didn't close the door). I figured he might be scared so I let him cool off and just started by petting him with a plastic hanger (I don't own a hook yet). Then I began reaching in and trying to pet him, but he would pull away. He obviously did not want me to mess with him. After some consideration, I decided to return him. I shipped him out on Monday, March 9, and he was signed for early on March 10. I then waited for my credit card account to update to see my refund. I was shocked when the refund appeared as only the price of the boa and did not include the original cost of shipping! So now I'm out the original shipping cost AND the cost of shipping him back!
Here's some emails he sent me regarding the possible solutions.

Re: Message about: Baby Argentine Boa
From: ExoticPetsLV@aol.com
To: Horsevaulting@aol.com
Cc:Bccate:Fri, 27 Feb 2009 6:48 pm

As far as I could tell he was perfect. I'm sorry if I missed the tail, I had no idea. All I know is that I fed him every week when he was here, cleaned his cage and showed him to a lot of customers. He's a very aggressive feeder by the way, so you will enjoy that. He's never turned down a meal. Now, as far as the tail goes, there's really nothing I'm able to do about it. I believe you, so no photos are needed. But besides that, he's a perfect, healthy and very nice boa. If by chance you don't want him because of the tail. I'll be more then happy to take him back and give you a full credit for him, including the shipping I charged to send him to you. I'm not able to pay for the shipping back though, sorry. Anyway, just let me know what you'd like to do and we'll go from there.

Thanks, Ken
Exotic Pets LLC
2410 N. Decatur #160
Las Vegas NV 89108
(702) 631-7387
fx (702) 631-7367
www.Exoticpetslv.com

Re: Message about: Baby Argentine Boa
From: ExoticPetsLV@aol.com
To: Horsevaulting@aol.com
Cc:Bccate:Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:45 am

I'm not able to do anything at all except take the snake back and give you a refund for him. Then I'll up the price on him $35 to cover my cost to ship him to you and sell him again. In this economic troubled time it's about the only thing I can do just to stay afloat. He'll more then likely just sell here in the store, as about 95% of my business is walk in traffic. I'm sorry I'm not able to discount him for you, but it's the sign of the times.

Thanks, Ken
Exotic Pets LLC
2410 N. Decatur #160
Las Vegas NV 89108
(702) 631-7387
fx (702) 631-7367
www.Exoticpetslv.com


Thanks for reading!
Jessica Miller

I'm not sure I see the problem...

Spoke too soon, maybe I do.

Jessica, Get a hook! Argentine boa's get large and can be snappy!
Many places on line have hooks.

As far as Ken, I thought he offered you a reasonable solution, yet YOU were willing to keep the snake IF he offered you a refund/discount on the animal. Since he wouldn't give you that, he's a bad guy?
Sheesh! people want something for nothing nowadays!
As far as the c.c. refund, MAYBE he forgot to add the shipping charge that he added to ship the snake to you.

I don't think this warrants a bad guy post, just a mis-understanding, and I'm sure Ken will correct it, IF what your saying is true.

Randal Berry

Hello. First and foremost, I'd like to say that I'm sorry that the customer is not happy with me. Having said that, here's what happened, since she did not include her emails to me about the boa, only my responses to her emails. I have none of her emails saved, by the way. First the tail. It is missing about 1/4 inch of the tail, at the very most. There's no bone protruding, and no other problems with the little guy. She commented on the tail, and I offered to have her return the snake to me. In an email that she wrote to me, she said the tail was really no big deal, she just thought she could get a discount for it (paraphrasing here). I told her no, and that I would refund her purchase price and the shipping to her if she did not want it, and that I could not pay to have the snake shipped back. She said she'd keep the snake and that the tail did not really matter to her. I figured that was that, and that she was happy. However, a day or so later she emailed me and told me the snake was very aggressive and she was "thinking" of returning it. Now, the snake was very mellow here, and never attempted to bite or strike. It eats f/t small adult mice placed in a separate container, and has never refused a meal. I can put my hand in it's enclosure and pick it up with no threat of being bitten. That was the case before I sent it out, and is the case now also. I told her I could refund her money for the snake, but I would not refund the shipping either there or back. No one can really guarantee the disposition of a snake, especially a baby boa. She sent the snake back and I promptly refunded her money for the cost of the boa. The snake was fine, and she had no problem with the tail it seems.
She returned the snake because it was not showing the temperament she wanted at the time. She did not return it because of the tail. I do not refund shipping for buyers remorse, but if I screw up I don't hesitate to give the buyer their money back. I think that about covers it. If anyone has any questions, I'll do my best to respond.

Ok I have never posted in BOI but being in Las Vegas and having shopped in his retail establishment I can speak first hand in regards to his animals at his shop. He has a great reptile store, the best in Vegas. Have spoken to him firsthand just recently regarding equipment, he seems like he is always willing to help people with any question. I was asking about flexwatt connectors and aluminum tape to be exact. I mean seriously, he wasnt making money off of me. He was actually just trying to make sure that I was getting the right info on my questions. I personally know that it was Ken because I go into the store once a week to buy worms for my lizards. Like any retail establishment, you do not always have 100% satisfaction rate with customers but I do not think this qualifies Ken as a bad guy. He offered you a full refund minus shipping. What more did you want from him?

Dean Stemple

You're right, I mentioned that the tail would not be a big deal since it is only a cosmetic problem, but that coupled with the fact that he was very aggressive just put too many factors against him. You NEVER told me that you wouldn't refund the original shipping cost. If you had told me that you were going to rip me off for BOTH shipping costs, then I would have just resold him. And I should NOT have to pay anything for a snake that was not as described. "Buyer's remorse" has nothing to do with it. As for me wanting something for nothing, I am not getting anything out of this. I LOST money on this deal. As for me getting a hook, I simply have not had to purchase one yet as my other boas have good temperaments.

First of all.. Ken, I know that you are trying to defend yourself from bad business but you should not lie when the facts are right in front of you because it just makes you look worse. In the e-mail that was posted in the original thread, it clearly states that you told Jessica, "I'll be more than happy to take him back and give you a full credit for him, including the shipping I charged to send him to you. I'm not able to pay for the shipping back though, sorry." BUT in your reply you said that "I told her I could refund her money for the snake, but I would not refund the shipping either there or back." SO the question is who to believe: the one with copies of the e-mails or the one who SUPPOSABLY lost it. To me that just sounds too convenient for you. If you say something like "I will do a refund, including the shipping", then you SHOULD actually do it and not go back on your word. If that is how you do business then I feel bad for ALL your customers!

Another thing... It seems like you knew about the tail no matter the extent of how bad it was and neglected to inform her. I don't think that that is RIGHT! If you would have told her prior to the sale, then things would have been different, but from the information above it shows different. So you should have been able to AT LEAST compensate for the deformity and give a discount or a FULL refund of the snake. And to say "I'm sorry I'm not able to discount him for you, but it's the sign of the times," is just a horrible excuse for HORRIBLE customer service. Your customer service should never change no matter what the times are like.

Originally Posted by superkent121

First of all.. Ken, I know that you are trying to defend yourself from bad business but you should not lie when the facts are right in front of you because it just makes you look worse. In the e-mail that was posted in the original thread, it clearly states that you told Jessica, "I'll be more than happy to take him back and give you a full credit for him, including the shipping I charged to send him to you. I'm not able to pay for the shipping back though, sorry." BUT in your reply you said that "I told her I could refund her money for the snake, but I would not refund the shipping either there or back." SO the question is who to believe: the one with copies of the e-mails or the one who SUPPOSABLY lost it. To me that just sounds too convenient for you. If you say something like "I will do a refund, including the shipping", then you SHOULD actually do it and not go back on your word. If that is how you do business then I feel bad for ALL your customers!

Another thing... It seems like you knew about the tail no matter the extent of how bad it was and neglected to inform her. I don't think that that is RIGHT! If you would have told her prior to the sale, then things would have been different, but from the information above it shows different. So you should have been able to AT LEAST compensate for the deformity and give a discount or a FULL refund of the snake. And to say "I'm sorry I'm not able to discount him for you, but it's the sign of the times," is just a horrible excuse for HORRIBLE customer service. Your customer service should never change no matter what the times are like.

Full names are required on the BOI.
If you would please, tell Jessica that it is required on each post as well (not just one), since the both of you are posting from the same computer.

Superkent, It looks like a few emails are missing anyway so it's hard to say what else was said. He said he was willing to refund shipping, but later when it was returned due to it being "aggressive" he wouldn't refund shipping.

Plus both you and the original poster need to leave your FULL NAMES as required on the BOI.