Taron Langhover of ReptilesEtc

I now know that this is far from the first post on Taron, but I hadn't seen any recent ones so I thought I should share. He has been making quite a showing in the frog community lately and after reading an ad of his I called him to see if would entertain a trade. I offered a pair of snakes (conservatively value of $350) for 4 particular dart frogs (value about $200). He enthusiasticly accepted. I knew he was getting the better end of the deal, but that was fine by me...I had approached him and I was phasing out snakes. I didn't know the half of it.

I packaged up 2 very healthy snakes in a professional manner and sent them off. When the frogs arrived, the packaging was ridiculous. It was winter and there was 1/4 insulation in a tiny box with a heat pack. You might be able to get away with that with snakes, but that's not how you ship frogs. The frogs that arrived where NO WHERE near the age he said they were and very thin. He told me that he had bred them himself, but they were seriously emaciated. They went in a quiet quarantine tank where one promptly died. Within 3 weeks a second one had died. I had some fecals done and they are full of parasites. I am medicating, but don't hold out much hope as they are pretty far gone.

I have not contacted Taron since. After reading his history, I don't see the point. I consider it a lesson learned I suppose. Don't do business with ReptilesEtc.

Jeremy Clarke

PS...not the semi-literate "Jeremy Clark" that ripped off so many people in the community in the 90's. The "Jeremy Clarke" from Northern California. You can imagine the grief I have suffered sharing a name with that guy.

I don't see how you can justify a bad guy post if you never contacted him. You never even gave him the opportunity to make things right. Had he been given the chance to make things better and then not done anything to try to make you happy, then you could do a bad guy thread. Regardless of his history, you never even gave him a chance.

Premature bad-guy post. Why jump the gun and not let him try to fix it?

I say contact him. See what he does.

Fair Enough. I will contact him and see his response. If I have judged him prematurely I will post a full retraction.

I guess you are right...but sometimes it just doesn't seem worth the fight.

Originally Posted by CalRepCo

I now know that this is far from the first post on Taron, but I hadn't seen any recent ones so I thought I should share. He has been making quite a showing in the frog community lately and after reading an ad of his I called him to see if would entertain a trade. I offered a pair of snakes (conservatively value of $350) for 4 particular dart frogs (value about $200). He enthusiasticly accepted. I knew he was getting the better end of the deal, but that was fine by me...I had approached him and I was phasing out snakes. I didn't know the half of it.

I packaged up 2 very healthy snakes in a professional manner and sent them off. When the frogs arrived, the packaging was ridiculous. It was winter and there was 1/4 insulation in a tiny box with a heat pack. You might be able to get away with that with snakes, but that's not how you ship frogs. The frogs that arrived where NO WHERE near the age he said they were and very thin. He told me that he had bred them himself, but they were seriously emaciated. They went in a quiet quarantine tank where one promptly died. Within 3 weeks a second one had died. I had some fecals done and they are full of parasites. I am medicating, but don't hold out much hope as they are pretty far gone.

I have not contacted Taron since. After reading his history, I don't see the point. I consider it a lesson learned I suppose. Don't do business with ReptilesEtc.

Jeremy Clarke

PS...not the semi-literate "Jeremy Clark" that ripped off so many people in the community in the 90's. The "Jeremy Clarke" from Northern California. You can imagine the grief I have suffered sharing a name with that guy.

Jeremy,
You should ALWAYS try to deal with the seller directly first and foremost. One thing about the BOI, once you post, its here to stay. Taron might be hard pressed to even consider making it right with you now that he has a bad guy thread labelled on him now. Also, make sure you know what his TOS is on amphibians as well. I know most people do not warranty them long, if at all.

Originally Posted by StrictlyExotics

Jeremy,
You should ALWAYS try to deal with the seller directly first and foremost. One thing about the BOI, once you post, its here to stay.

I REALLY REALLY wish I had handled this in a more professional manner. I emailed Taron last night and got a reply immediately. Even though some time had passed since the first animals had died, and I never kept him in the loop, AND I didn't keep documentation from the vet visit, he is anxious to resolve this. Taron is NOT a bad guy, and I'm absolutely sick that I drug his name through the mud. He has already offered to go beyond the terms of his TOS, and frankly, beyond what I would on the word of a customer.

Please let this thread die, and hopefully anyone who reads it will get to this post and I get the black eye, not ReptilesETC. I wish I could do more than that.

Please except my sincerest apologies, Taron.

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...ighlight=taron