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Inquiry: Michael Powell- Quality First Pets Of Texas

R

Rescue_Herps

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I have done a search, and am pulling up very mixed reviews about Michael Powell. The older posts, don't sound good at all- but there are more recent posts from 2007 from very pleased customers.

Has anyone dealt with him more recently? (like in 2008) ?

As someone that rarely buys animals, I need a little guideance here.

Thanks
Beth
 
May 2008

Just sent this guy almost $300 for some rat snakes. He sends 1.1 instead of the 1.2 I paid for. Never told me or gave me the option of taking or not taking the pair. Later told the third one was just dead in the cage. No wonder - they all had spirochetes and mites ! A vet bill of $175 later I'm hoping they actually live. Still waiting for my money back on the dead one I never got. I would avoid this dealer in the future.
 
I got 8 ball's from him...
All looked ok when they got here- one was in deep shed and a bit skinny- but not lethargic.
1 died the next day
1 died 4 days after arrival
1 died 8 days after arrival
1 died last nite....

..... we have over 100 snakes in our care here.... only lost about 15 animals in the last 5 years....

I did not file a complaint or anything like that--- the warranty wouldn't have covered them anyway....

Thank god for strict quarantine....

~Beth
 
Death_Viper said:
Just sent this guy almost $300 for some rat snakes. He sends 1.1 instead of the 1.2 I paid for. Never told me or gave me the option of taking or not taking the pair. Later told the third one was just dead in the cage. No wonder - they all had spirochetes and mites ! A vet bill of $175 later I'm hoping they actually live. Still waiting for my money back on the dead one I never got. I would avoid this dealer in the future.
Click to expand...

Ha.....hahahahahahahahahahahaha. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Karma.
 
PYTHONS_ONLINE said:
Michael Powell- Quality First Pets Of Texas ???
Is a Good or Bad Guy :confused:
Click to expand...
That is a good question; if we give credence to what Ms. Skelton & Mr. English have to say I can’t say I would consider him squeaky clean. But then again those are two accusations offered without evidence or information on what steps, if any, were taken to allow Mr. Powell to make things right.

I do know that there is at least one other semi complaint thread with mixed reviews on Mr. Powell. He is also an importer which means you could be purchasing WC animals in poor health to begin with but at a lower price to entice you to take the risk.
 
I have ordered from him 6 or 8 times in the past. Nothing in the last 2 years.
When you order cheap wild caught imports you get what you pay for. I never had 1 complaint on the animal quality (knew what to expect but they were far better than most wholesalers). Including ball pythons I have ordered in excess of 1000 animals from him. My only complaints were in communication and 1 time shipping the wrong animals when I was desperate for the ones I ordered for a show. I still watch his lists and if he had something I needed I would order from him again..
 
John E Dove said:
That is a good question; if we give credence to what Ms. Skelton & Mr. English have to say I can’t say I would consider him squeaky clean. But then again those are two accusations offered without evidence or information on what steps, if any, were taken to allow Mr. Powell to make things right.

I do know that there is at least one other semi complaint thread with mixed reviews on Mr. Powell. He is also an importer which means you could be purchasing WC animals in poor health to begin with but at a lower price to entice you to take the risk.
Click to expand...

Exactly- which is why I didn't get my panties in a knot over it.
I was expecting better results from the snakes --- I've brought snakes back from the dead --- I didn't see that imports would be so unhealthy they would just croak even with a superb setup.... but- I learned- will NEVER- I REPEAT- NEVER do it again....

May have, and could have had the same results from anyone...
My opinion of QFP is neutral-- I'm not out a house payments worth of money- only about 50 bucks-- its incredibly disappointing but there's no point picking a fight over $50.
I know a few breeders that have great CH morphs, and when I decide to buy again--- thats where I'll go....

Good? Bad? --- I say its just another one of the bunch-- If you believe you'll be buying a CH morph for a reasonable price- and YOU feel comfortable- go for it. I personally will stick to the 2 or 3 breeders that I have developed a relationship with in the last several months- and i suggest that others do so too-- ultimately - its your choice.

~Beth
 
My story

I sent Mr. Powell money for snakes. It was to be 1.2 He decided to only ship 1.1 cause one was "just found dead in the cage". Here is his first mistake...had he bothered to call and tell me this I would have had the option of declining the other pair for several reasons - most of which would have been bad health. Snakes do not just die in their cages without some preliminary cause. If he would have assured the health of the other two - I'd have taken them. If not, I'd have declined and asked for a full refund. I get them and they are labeled incorrectly and both appear to be female which because they are hets are of no value without a male ! Being very small, I could not get either to pop as a male. They both fed readily, but both feces were jelly-like and smelly. After $175 vet bill and discovering they both had rod and spirochete infestation, not to mention mites, it is a crap shoot if they will make it. In addition, I am owed a refund of $75 which I was told was sent on 06/23/08. As of today it is still not here. The pony express could have gotten it here by now, so it obviously was never sent.

What it comes down to is that this dealer is a crook ! He bought three snakes at a show. One died in the cage shortly thereafter. He knew there was a problem. Rather than call the buyer he sold them to, he shipped anyway so he would not take the loss. Since it took more than the 24 hour warranty he gives to discover the infestation, he is covered. Buyer losses.

Michael Powell of Quality first Pets is a crook. DO NOT deal with this guy ever.
 
In addition

Numerous e-mail and phone calls have gone unanswered and not replied to.
 
my experience with michael powell dba QFP

recently i did a search on michael as i was interested in some woma balls he had advertised,after reading the above post i was a bit leery but deceided to give him a call yesterday.

he was very professional and answered all my questions promptly.when i mentioned this thread he responded with a quite different account than the fined and suspended poster gave,guess there's two sides on every coin.

then he blew me away by saying if i wanted the woma BP he would send it today (tue.) without receiving payment first, (open account) keep in mind this was the first time we had ever communicated.

the woma arrived this AM as promised and is a real knock out,he was advertised as 150 grams but weights 224 grams.so i ended up with a killer animal (produced by one of the leading BP breeders in the country) at a killer price on a open account as a first time buyer from michael.to say the least i'm impressed.

i'm not posting to defend or speak for michael but only giving a factual account of my first time buying experience from michael for future referance for readers of this thread.i'm sure michael and i will do business again.

TIMOTHY W. HURKMANS
 
For what it's worth, I bought a N.A. Wood Turtle from QFP in January '08 and the animal arrived in great health, lively, alert, and already eating out of my hand within hours.
 
PYTHONS_ONLINE said:
Can you post the picture for the woma BP
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here ya go
 

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A couple months ago, Michael had an ad on Kingsnake about some scrub pythons that he had for sale. I talked to him on the phone when I placed my order and he seemed really nice. Anyway, I had ordered an Tanimbar python, and what I received wasn't a Tanimbar. I had emailed and tried calling, and finally got a hold of Michael to explain the situation. He told me if I wasn't happy I could go ahead and return the snake. Well, I would have to pay shipping for his mistake. I didn't think that was fair since what I paid for wasn't what I got. While on the phone, I could tell he was just trying to blow me off. I'm sure he was busy, but he said that he "runs a million dollar business, and doesn't have time for a $150 purchase." He was very short with me, and basically just hung up. I wasn't too disappointed because what I received was a Mollucan scrub at a decent price. Pics of what I received was posted on Moreliapython.com. I thought I'd just share my experience with them.

Yeah, they have good prices, but they should know what they are selling. Also, it was confirmed that he only had one Tanimbar and that was sold before selling me a supposed Tan. I found that out after I got the wrong snake. Maybe if you order a ball python, they can get that right.
 
TIMOTHY W. HURKMANS Thanks for the pictures :thumbsup:, Now I think I will call Him to buy some Ball python Thanks again!!!!
 
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