Rick Wells / rwells69 (LIAR and STORY FABRICATOR)

Would like to warn everyone about Rick Wells aka rwells69 out of Nevada...he is a story fabricator and liar and cannot be trusted!

A couple of weeks ago he posted a thread on here calling be a bad guy, after he previously posted a good guy post about me.

Rick and I agreed to make a trade involving a white lipped python that I had acquired in another trade that was originally from Ben Siegel. This python was a LTC of almost a year and was completely healthy from what I could tell. He ate/defecated/shed regularly and had the normal wlp attitude but was gorgeous nonetheless. I spoke to Rick on the phone before we traded. He asked me about the wlp and I told him everything above mentioned. He said he liked having his "breeders" agressive and looked forward to getting him. We both shipped on the same day to arrive the next day.

Well the boas I received from him were fine and as described. He received the WLP and was happy with him. I even called his wife to make sure that the python had arrived and was okay. Rick then emailed me and said that he was in perfect condition and healthy and still warm from the heat packs. He also stated how he struck several times, but again that he liked having his "breeders" be aggressive. Everything went well it seemed...or so I thought.

Then I get an email from Rick 9 days later stating that the WLP had died! I was in shock, I couldn't imagine why he died. The weird thing is that Rick said he died just 4 days after receiving him. I emailed Rick back and said how sorry I was that this had happened and asked why he waited 5 days after the snake died to contact me. (Rick had my email address and phone number). He stated that he was "in shock" from the snake's death. Again I emailed him back and asked him if he knew what caused the death and had he had a necropsy done on the snake. The all of a sudden I see a bad guy post about me on here!

I emailed Rick to ask him what this was about and he said since I didn't offer any compensation for the loss of the WLP that he would post this. He wanted me to give him money for the WLP that I TRADED him! I told him that there was nothing that I could do since live arrival was the only thing guaranteed. And again, he let me know about the snakes supposed death 9 days after he received him and 5 days after the snake actually died. I told Rick this was absurd. I don't know any breeders or an individual who would have a guarantee for more than 24-48 hours yet alone 4-9 days. I don't know what type of setup Rick had the WLP in and I shall not be deemed responsible. I'm not sure if the snake had any internal parasites or not, but he was treated properly and was healthy in captivity for the previous 11 months. I asked Rick to get an necropsy done but apparently he hasn't. And Rick stated that he got burned yet again after being in the business for 25 years...yet nobody I know has ever heard of him or done business with him. And he also said that he has several "unique" and "one-of-kind" species of snakes (leucistic burmese) and also some apparently protected species that he owns, yet they are located around the country at friends houses so that others can't find them or have access to them. He lets his buddies take care of his snakes that he claims are in his care and possession!

Then I get an email from Rick stating that it was actually only 3 days after he had the snake, that the python died. So now he decides to change his story!! I told him how is it that he forgot when the snake died and how come he waited so long to contact me!

Rick stated he thought I was a very nice guy and he didn't even want anything in return for the supposed dead snake, but he just wanted me to offer him compensation and that he wouldn't accept anything!!! Sure, first he wants compensation for him and then suddenly doesn't? And he keeps changing his mind and his story!

Well, of all the people I have dealt with in this business in this hobby, Rick Wells is the only one who has ever complained about my animals or has fabricated such a story! Everyone else who has bought or traded with me, has been 100% satisfied!

I truly believe that Rick has either fabricated this entire story or accidentally killed the snake himself (he told me the humidity and temps he had the WLP at, and they were off considerably)!! I feel I should in no way be responsible for a snake that supposedly died after being in someone else's care for several days!!

Rick Wells is a liar, a story teller and should be avoided at all costs. He is the type of person who can easily tarnish this business/hobby and the names of those who enjoy it!!

This is my complete story and the TRUTH!!!
Thank you for your time and understanding.

Those of you who have done business with me before know my character and the quality of my animals, so I don't feel the need to have to defend that!

Thank you,

Michael Rehker

I'm sorry you feel this way.
I do agree with you, "I WAS WRONG IN POSTING BAD GUY"
I am sorry about that.
Because of your imature attitude, I did not want to explain to you that I rarely ever post here and that the last time i posted, I got a warning because of the format in which I posted.
I thought I had to put good or bad.
Of course you will see this as, " See how he changes his story".
GROW UP

I simply wanted to post what happened and that was all.
You told me the WLP was calmer than most.

I explained to you HOW, the WLP bite over and over in an odd behavior. I am more than aware of their temperments. Mine bite and try to get away and bite.
The one I received bit appx. 3 times in 5 seconds, twisted, bit again, twisted, etc.
This is what I was trying to explain to you. Your right, I told you I don't mind them aggressive as that is thier nature, but you also told me he was calmer than most,.. not.

Yes, it did arrive in good condition.
I'm not saying you shipped improperly.
What could have happened?
I DONT KNOW.

I will say it again, I"M SORRY about posting "BAD GUY"
I just wanted to state what had happened. Good or bad.
This is what happened.

When I sell critters, I tell my customers, If for ANY reason you are unhappy with the snake for , please call and I will replace or refund that critter.
I have done this for many persons over the years.
1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month later, I just want happy buyers.

Tanner, 2 mon. later, exchanged juvinile for adult.

Kevin Parducka Kentucky, etc...

Take this how you may, I'm sure you will find the negative in this as I'm sure you will.

Rick

I know what was said and you are entitled to your own opinion. I have in no way been immature about this.

What is done is done...just getting my story and the truth across, that is all!!

Case closed!!


Michael Rehker

So you are saying you are unhappy with the WLP because he is aggressive??? But I thought you were upset because he supposedly died?!

Which is it? His aggressive attitude (which you were told about) or his supposed death? Hmmmmm....

Now, case closed!



Michael Rehker

I NEVER, NEVER SAID I HAD A LUICISTIC BURM.
I'F I HAD A LUICISTIC BURM, DON"T YOU THINK I WOULD BE KNOWN?

This just tells me that you never really listened to our conversation.


END

I suggest getting a necropsy. Perhaps both people involved in the trade could agree on a pathology lab and split the cost. Warning: if you froze the body, a lot of evidence for many kinds of disease processes will be destroyed, so you will get fewer answers. Sorry.

Snakes, especially wild caught imports, may have all sorts of interesting disease processes going on inside their bodies while showing few or no clinical signs. A stressor event (exposure to temperature extremes during shipping) can depress the animal's immune system to the point that it is rapidly overwhelmed by the pathogens that were already present at non harmful levels. What you get in this kind of scenario is a healthy looking animal that drops dead shortly after being stressed.

It is perfectly plausible that both people are telling the truth - yes, the snake appeared healthy and was feeding before shipping, and yes, the snake keeled over and died a few days after shipping of unknown causes. I know neither of these people and am not commenting on what actually happened here. I am stating that it is possible for a reasonably healthy looking and acting snake to actually be a fairly sick animal that will not survive shipping. Snakes evolved to be cryptic, which means they tend to mask their illnesses or weaknesses. By the time they are actually showing any visible symptoms, the situation is likely to be quite serious indeed. This is functional in the wild but not so good in captivity.

Who is at fault in these cases? Both people may have acted in good faith. The shipper sent a snake that appeared for all intents and purposes to be healthy and free of parasites. The receiver got a healthy looking snake that dropped dead. It's hard to determine whose responsibility that is, assuming that both people really did act in good faith.

My feeling is that *all* imported or recently shipped animals are candidates for immediate veterinary support care and diagnostic checkups, whether they appear to need it or not. At a minimum the animal should have been well hydrated and kept firmly in the POTZ for the species (preferred optimum temperature zone) after being received.

Also I now use data log thermometers for shipping which record temperature extremes. They are built into the shipping crate and modified to be tamper proof without taking apart the crate and breaking sticker seals. I require the cargo manager to sign a document acknowledging that he or she has read the temperature log before the shipment is accepted.

Temperature extremes in shipping can play absolute hell with a snake's immune system and clinical disease status. There's not much we can do to protect our animals if they are mishandled in transit, but a data log thermometer can at least document that this is what happened and place responsibility where it belongs.

imo exchanges are a bit easier when the reptile is alive,
aint as fun to exchange a live reptile for a dead one a month later.
unless its proved that the original owner was at fault. but a month later hmmmm dont think id exchange ither unless it was a close friend whom i trust very much. even then if it was that good of a friend they prob wouldent complain after a month??? sounds like one of those deals that sours u from making other trades.

Rick you might have gotten that warning for not posting your full name in each post you make on the BOI, without it there is a good chance your post will be deleted.

Now Rick you say it died how about some info then , how many days after you received the snake did it die ? Were their any symptoms before or did you just find it dead? What have you done with the body? Why did you take so long to notify Mike?

One thing that will help and also keep this more civil is to keep to the facts that pertain to this issue. The thing about phone conversations is that you have no proof to back up what you may or may not of said so tossing out the Luci comment didn't help and has nothing to do with this.

Mike can you post your terms of service as they read when this deal took place.

Rick, what you say you'd do is one thing but the TOS of the seller is what matters here in other words what Mike has written that he will do in this circumstance. If there are no written TOS then who knows.
Randy

This thread is from 2004.

LMAO oh great now I can be added to the moron list lol now I just have to wonder why dallas went that far back to ding the darn thing up..Randy