*BEWARE* Jim Stelpflug-Questionable Ethics

Nobody got booted from any FB groups, Jim. I left on my own accord, ask the admins. I have no personal grudges here, like I said: I barely know you, and honestly had never heard of you before I joined that FB group (Noobs in the Industry To Avoid, a secret group where the members mostly just screen shot new keepers and make fun of them amongst themselves).

Jim doesn't have a completely perfect record, from my research. Looks like he owes $400 to this customer from 2014 when he didn't know the difference between a Yellowbelly Ball and a Spectre:

I did a trade with Jim Stelpflug of SW Reptiles several years ago, and it did not go as planned. I sent a Mojave Het Axanthic male to Jim, in trade for a Spectre male. Both were valued at approximately $1500 at the time of the trade. When I received the "Spectre" male, I asked Jim if he was sure it was a Spectre, as it looked identical to my female YB. He assured me it was. I actually asked a few different times, because I was convinced it was just a YB. He got annoyed and passed me off to the actual breeder who produced the snake. The breeder told me if he did not prove out, he would send me a trio of spectres. I produced an Ivory with the supposed Spectre, which proved it was just a $50 YB male. I talked to the breeder who said he would send me a trio of Spectres, and after a little back and forth, he made good on his promise. Unfortunately, there is probably a $400 or more gap between the value of the trio I got from the breeder, not from Jim, but from the guy Jim passed me off to, and the snake I sent Jim. So, I am having to wait another year for the new Spectre male to get up to breeding size, so no Super Stripes for me until maybe this year.

Mistakes happen, and the breeder followed through with what he said he would do, Jim passed me off, and now will not return my emails regarding the $400 which I feel is still owed to me. I would not do business with Jim again.
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Dark Continent Constrictors

The post can be viewed here:

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...d.php?t=128974

So apparently, his decisions to support known criminals in the hobby and give them his business IS indicative of his own ability to make ethical decisions. That was my point. I have no vendetta towards a person I barely know. I just want people to KNOW who they're dealing with, and the company you keep says a lot about a person.

Originally Posted by Fangthane

Well, for all the apparently positive aspects of the subject, this thread also points out a negative for people to consider. If you're purchasing from the known dregs of the hobby, you are playing a tangible part in keeping them around to screw others. I can easily understand how some could choose to see that financial support as defending/condoning their shadiness - it's certainly not taking any kind of stand against it.

I doubt I'd really be able to bring myself to post a thread just to point out who someone chooses to associate with, but I don't really have any problem with David's choice to do so. If someone feels good about willingly sending their dollars to someone who's known to steal them from others, I also find myself in the camp that believes that's saying very unflattering things about such a person.

If name recognition compels you to defend someone who's choosing to financially support scammers, maybe that's saying something about you that you may want to seriously think about. Doesn't it seem counterproductive - bordering on hypocritical - to actively participate on a forum dedicated, in part, to outing the scammers, just to turn a blind eye on those who - actively, knowingly - help perpetuate their existence?

Couldn't have said it any better, Dan. You pretty much nailed it.

[quote=DavidBeard;1994493]Nobody got booted from any FB groups, Jim. I left on my own accord, ask the admins. I have no personal grudges here, like I said: I barely know you, and honestly had never heard of you before I joined that FB group (Noobs in the Industry To Avoid, a secret group where the members mostly just screen shot new keepers and make fun of them amongst themselves).

Real nice. I'd be very curious to see who is in this secret FB group, so I know who to avoid now (and I'm not referring to the Noobs).

I guess if we need to talk about #11 of ten years ago roughly. I had a Spector male that belonged to Brock Wagner here. A long with a few others animals that we were working together in joint ventures. So yes I did turn the matter over to Brock. He did handle the matter as I remember it in a professional manner as well. Though like I said it was sometime in the past.

I plainly see the the David and Dan witch hunt will continue no matter for what reasons.
Simply you two feel you need to warn people, because I received some boas in payment for a past debt?

I believe I am in 40 Facebook groups. Which I don't remember asking to join one ball python group ever. I get added lol

[quote=MomofDnNnD;1994500]

Originally Posted by DavidBeard

Nobody got booted from any FB groups, Jim. I left on my own accord, ask the admins. I have no personal grudges here, like I said: I barely know you, and honestly had never heard of you before I joined that FB group (Noobs in the Industry To Avoid, a secret group where the members mostly just screen shot new keepers and make fun of them amongst themselves).

Real nice. I'd be very curious to see who is in this secret FB group, so I know who to avoid now (and I'm not referring to the Noobs).

To be perfectly honest I did not recognize 99% of the people in the secret group, but it is run by Tom Pecanic, and its most comprised of self-righteous trolls who do nothing but flap their gums about other people behind their backs. Its very high-school-esque and I was not part of the group for long.

Originally Posted by SW reptiles

I guess if we need to talk about #11 of ten years ago roughly. I had a Spector male that belonged to Brock Wagner here. A long with a few others animals that we were working together in joint ventures. So yes I did turn the matter over to Brock. He did handle the matter as I remember it in a professional manner as well. Though like I said it was sometime in the past.

I plainly see the the David and Dan witch hunt will continue no matter for what reasons.
Simply you two feel you need to warn people, because I received some boas in payment for a past debt?

Length of time does not absolve you of wrong doing, Jim. You dropped the ball. You passed the buck on an animal that YOU sold. Something that a person of such high esteemed reputation would not do, if they were truly of such quality character.

You're missing my point entirely, which is not surprising given your stance on doing business with known criminals and scam artists. Your hyperbolic verbiage ("witch hunt") is a poor attempt at playing some kind of victim, when in reality you're probably not too thrilled that people can see your unscrupulous nature out in the open. You have no problems dealing with folks who rip others off......and coincidentally you have shown in the past the ability to conduct business in a less-than-honest manner, as evident from the Spectre situation.

If you sell an animal as having a certain genetic background, a certain sex, a certain detail that makes it more valuable to prospective buyers, then it is indeed YOUR responsibility to follow through on those details and make amends if a mistake is made. You did no do so, and left the guy to deal with the breeder. I thought you were adamantly opposed to "flippers", based on your posts in the Noobs In The Industry To Avoid group?

David I did not own the animal. I did not sell the animal you are talking about. It was in possession, and I shipped the animal. If the animal was was sick, it in poor appearance. Which it was not. Then it was on me. I turned the matter over to Brock. In which I was involved through the process myself. The matter was handled by the snakes owner. I realize you just am getting started with a couple of corns, and a albino ball. I wish you the best, but because I collected a debt in snakes I am at fault?
I guess I didn't realize the the snake group was some secret group deal. Seems as many people talk a lot of this group, and a few others. I don't think it is to secret

Originally Posted by DavidBeard

If you sell an animal as having a certain genetic background, a certain sex, a certain detail that makes it more valuable to prospective buyers, then it is indeed YOUR responsibility to follow through on those details and make amends if a mistake is made.

There is no time limit on amends. Perhaps the issue could be revisited and the issue put right?

Originally Posted by SW reptiles

David I did not own the animal. I did not sell the animal you are talking about. It was in possession, and I shipped the animal. If the animal was was sick, it in poor appearance. Which it was not. Then it was on me. I turned the matter over to Brock. In which I was involved through the process myself. The matter was handled by the snakes owner. I realize you just am getting started with a couple of corns, and a albino ball. I wish you the best, but because I collected a debt in snakes I am at fault?
I guess I didn't realize the the snake group was some secret group deal. Seems as many people talk a lot of this group, and a few others. I don't think it is to secret

Now it seems that you're being purposely vague and obtuse in order to try and maintain some kind of distance from responsibility. The person did not trade with the owner, they traded with YOU. It was in your possession, YOU mitigated the trade and YOU sent one of your animals in return for the other.....why were you offering your own animals up in exchange for an animal you didn't own (allegedly)? Do you have any kind of evidence to back up your claims? I'm going to wager that the answer is no and you will only continue to make dismissive posts regarding the subject......another example of your lack of character.

By "secret" group, I meant that the group can not be found or viewed by people who are not already in the group. There are ways of editing who can view groups on FB, and that group is definitely "off the radar" as much as possible.

Not sure what you meant by me "just getting started", a quick search on my history on this site alone lets you know this isn't my first rodeo. I've been keeping reptiles seriously for close to 20 years. I vended my first reptile show as a teenager in the late 90's. I have a small collection these days because of time/work constraints. That was a nice *attempt* at an underhanded comment, though....you do get an "a" for effort.