Chris Applegate=Beware!

David, I honestly think it's lack of thinking. People look out for number one all the time, and they don't think ahead. Yeah I make a deal with Joe, then Billy offers me cheaper. Is it worth losing Joe as a friend for one cheap buy? To me know, to many others I guess a true friend isn't worth much. but man they are hard to find....

I have made two transactions with Chris in the past month. I did not know Chris and found nothing either positive or negative in regards to him on the BOI. Since i could meet with him in person, i went ahead with the transaction, purchasing several WILD CAUGHT african house snakes. He was straight forward letting me know the animals were imports. He has checked on the animals via e-mail twice in the past month. I met Chris face to face a second time in which we traded a couple of snakes, again everything went well. He has checked again via e-mail to make sure I am satisfied with both of our transactions. My transactions went very well, enough so that i passed his info on to a fellow herper that i traded with yesterday.
As far as bringing mites home from a show, people go from table to table handling snakes usually, not always, but usually without sanitizing their hands.EVERY animal that I get from anyone, especially a show, gets treated for external parasites and quaranteened. I would think this would be common practice for everyone with even just a little experience.
I will do business with Chris in the future if he has anything that I want.

Chris had asked to buy an animal from me at a KY show. I did finally agree to bring it to the show and sell it to him.
I had the animal on my table on display and there were several people that asked about buying it. I told them all the animal was sold.
I had asked Chris when we first got to the show if he still wanted the animal and he said "yes" and he would bring the money back to me a little later in the show.
So it's comming near the end of the show everyone is packing up and he had still not brought me the money. I finally go and ask him if he is going to take the animal and find out that after I turned all those buyers away and the one that was still there had already spent the last of their money minutes before,,that no he was not going to buy the animal. So not only did I not sell the animal, I was out the $25.00 for the Ky travel permit I had to buy to bring it to the show.

That sucks you had that happen. I'm relatively new to the KY herp scene in general, and I do pre-order from time to time. But I make sure I show up and get what I ask to be held. I'll opt not to name anyone I've done business with, as it is more their place to vouch for me as for me to toss their name out, but I'm trying to bvuild up a good reputation as a buyer for myself. I also like to talk a lot, as David can tell you from an email conversation lol.

we never hold animals without a deposit full stop and it continuosly amazes me that people do!

IF a buyer is serious, and actually intends to follow through then they shouldn't baulk at dropping a 10-20% deposit. No deposit = animal still for sale, first come first served.

It's dead simple and avoids all these problems with timewasters.

Well, Richard...I had held animals for him before and he made good on his word.....I assumed (yes, I know, how silly of me) that he would do the same again.

As a result of this, I no longer hold animals for anyone unless paid for in full.

Strange as it may sound I would still like to try to do business with people the old fashion way. Where I try to believe a persons word is good. Most of the time people in the Ky group are as good as their word with a very few exceptions.
In this case my crystal ball had already told me this person was a bit "sneaky", however I listened when other people told me I was being an over reacting about something that was likely a misunderstanding. So to give him the benefit of the doubt. I gave him the inch and he took plenty enough to hang himself. I do not however feel I should hang others with his rope.

I know several people feel that way. But Mr Beard and I have a few mutual friends in the business. All of them will vouch that I do indeed show up for anything I ask to be held. I personally believe in honor, and I'll give a chance to anyone. You mess it up however, and second chances are slim with me. Like I'd hold something for David if he asked, and I would any of you unless you stood me up. I prefer to set up exacts though, a time limit on when you'll be there etc.

Originally Posted by DavidBeard

Well, Richard...I had held animals for him before and he made good on his word.....I assumed (yes, I know, how silly of me) that he would do the same again.

As a result of this, I no longer hold animals for anyone unless paid for in full.

We used to be the same. Then you get one too many timewasters..

i have also had experiences with chris and his mom on multiple ocasions telling me they were going to buy gators and retics off of me and had them never buy them or call to say they changed there mind. i have seen a few times where they had snakes covered in mites and respiratory infections bad ,and told them and they just blew it off like they did not care. they have been banned from the ohio shows completely . i do not know how there home conditions are they may be grate , who knows. i recently offered chris a trade for an albino ball he has he turned me down, no big deal probably better for me lol. as for all of you who held animals for him with out a deposit we all live and learn no matter who they are get a deposit before you hold an animal or agree to drive to meet some one . Chris is not a bad guy i just think they are in reptiles for the money not the animals hence half of there out ragous prices . Hopefully chris and his mom will either get a passion for these animals or just step out of the business. i guess my best advice for dealing with them or anyone else is check out what you are buying closely because once you take possession its now yours . Mike Schofield