| Author | Subject: Mile High Reptiles (Bad) |
| Joe Dembinski | Posted At 23:00:40 06/08/2001
Well, this is the run down. Im sure these people have had plenty of happy customers, but in this situation, its not working out that way. I have saved emails, pictures and paperwork to verifiy. Im only giving my recent account with these people in hopes that 1 of 2 things happen. They will make good on their animals or if not, then you can be the judge if youd like to deal with them. Im NOT looking for flame war here, i just want to state the facts and hear your input. Any advice is welcomed. This is a BREIF summary of what has transpired. 1) We agreed to do a trade. The trade was for my Het. Albino Ball Pythons, GTP and other Boids for 4 C.B. HEALTHY baby Gila's. 2) On Sunday May 20th, i was informed that they were being shipped. They didnt make the flight until the following morning May 21st. After i got them in, i noticed what appeared to smell like regurge. In 2 bags it just looked like a 90% digested meal, so i made no big deal of it. 3 Baby Gilas were VERY thin and one was VERY sluggish. I informed them THAT day (when i gave them the shipping info. for my stuff). They said they would make good if anything happened and that they were only thin because they hadnt ate in awhile. I gave them the benefit of the doubt. 3) Tuesday May 22end. The sluggish one died. I quickly took pics and informed them. I will give them credit, they did send me back some of my stuff and made right. 4) Weds. May 23rd. I got my stuff in. I emailed them that i got my stuff, but yet another thin Gila was declining. They basically emailed me in disbelief. 5) Thursday May 24th. The second Gila dies (less than 4 days upon arrivial). I informed them of this. I get a email stating that they want a Neocropsy. I told them that was fine and id freeze it, but felt i should be compensated first. As i know they may need the Neocropsy to go back on who they got them from (If it was a defect). Either way, considering they came in this way, i felt i shouldnt have to wait to see if they get compensated first. I sent several emails and left several phone messages asking that this be taking care of asap. I got NO response. Feeling i was being avoided, i decided to take the loss and move on. 6) I offered the 2 remaining Gilas pinkies (the first offered meal to any of them). Both ate, so i felt maybe the 3rd skinny Gila would pull threw. 7) Friday June 1st. (less than 10 days upon arrvial).After 3-4 small meals, the 3rd skinny Gila regurges and dies during the night. The regurge was the same as what was in the bag when i got them in. That was the straw that broke my back. 8) I finally was in contact with the owner on Sunday. He informed me that he would need a Neocropsy done so he could go back on the breeder, before he would do anything for me. He said he would make things right and have this resolved ASAP. Though, i didnt feel that is was right that i should have to wait, i agreed. I felt he called in "good faith" and was still willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. 9) Monday. He asks me to call the dealer and explain what happened. This seemed unethical to me considering my problem didnt concern them. But i agreed. I was told they had these for well over a month and and the dealer wouldnt do anything (a point i understood) and he sent them fat, healthy babies. He also felt something was wrong if they were skinny and something should be worked out. 10) I emailed Mile High and informed them of the conversation. I agreed to eat the loss of the 3rd Gila, just so things could be over with. I also, told them that if they wanted to keep my stuff, that was cool. Let me know what you have available. They again give me the run around about how their PC was down and that they were looking to retrieve emails of our transactions. Now what does that have to do with making things right ? I felt to this point, ive been VERY patient, willing to eat a $1,400 loss, gave them the option of keeping my stuff and yet they still do nothing. I will meet with a lawyer next week to see what options are available, as i dont plan to eat a $2,800 loss. I HOPE they make things right and im hoping this forum can help me do just that. If they do make things right, i will recant my posts. For those of you who made offers on the Gilas, this is why i refused your offers. There's many more minor details left out, but this is the main points. Best wishes and ill keep you all posted. |
| Gary Schiavino |
Re: Mile High Reptiles (Bad)
4324.html Posted At 06:52:24 06/09/2001 Joe Dembenski is truly one of the "class acts" dealing in herps today. I personally have had many dealings with him, and have been more than satisfied on every occasion. I have heard many horror stories about "MILE HIGH REPTILES" and would advise all to avoid them like the plague. These guys represent everything that is wrong with reptile dealing today. What happened to Joe is very unfortunate, and we have had several discussions about this disturbing incident. Please read this warning, and let us all send a strong message to this so called "MILE HIGH REPTILES". Let's never give them another dime of our hard earned money again. |
| cindy kuhn |
Re: Mile High Reptiles (Bad)
4335.html Posted At 17:05:43 06/09/2001 Greetings. I have had no personal dealings with MileHigh reptiles but have had several folks from my area purchase reptiles there. Some were very pleased, some however were not. Being the only pet retail store in this town they came to me for advice and help. Of the four who had problems zero got their money back. The fact that they had you speak with the breeder and then wanted you to wait untill they were refunded is bad business. If I were you I would take back my offer to "eat" any loss at all and hold them totally responsible. Believe me, in this neck of the woods they are thought of as "THE" place to purchase reptiles but that may be comming to an end if they continue with this kind of business. |
| John Hedger |
Re: Mile High Reptiles (Bad)
4360.html Posted At 14:51:56 06/10/2001 Joe, I don't know alot about gilas, but I don't recall seeing many thin ones! Sounds like definitely a bad deal in this case! I'm tired of hearing about dealers and brokers rushing into selling animals they have not recieved yet(from the breeders) and know nothing about (healthwise,etc.)! Or, perhaps Mile High had these critters awhile and didn't feed them or care for them properly. We all know even seemingly the most hardy CB babies are delicate creatures and can go down rather quickly if not properly cared for. I agree with Cindy that you are being way too kind. However I understand as that is usually my demeanor as well. I have eaten many mediocre deals myself just trying to understand and give the other party the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, it seems that the longer we keep a bad,dying animal in our dealings,etc., the harder it is to recieve just compensation from the other party. It always can be turned around as if maybe it was your fault the animal died. I would think that healthy CB gilas should be easy to care for and trouble free. Perhaps you should have just shipped them back immediately. This kind of deal really angers me. Those were some valuable animals involved there! But, valuable animals or not,that's a shame. John Hedger |
| Dembinski Reptiles |
Re: Mile High Reptiles (Bad)
4362.html Posted At 16:02:56 06/10/2001 Hi John, Yea, i agree with you. I always try too put myself in the other persons shoe first, then mine. Even after all this, i STILL want to give them a chance to make right, and i was hoping this might encourage them to do so. So far, NOTHING. As for why i didnt send them back, well i was told when i got them in, that they just hadnt fed in a awhile and to offer them pinkies dipped in egg white to fatten them back up. I still was giving them the benefit of the doubt and was so EXCITED to get them, if that was the case. I guess it wasnt. After speaking now to well over half a dozen keepers and breeders of this species, it was made VERY clear to me, that in NO way should a Gila come in like that. I took pics upon arrivial, Bags with the stained regurge and pics of the 3 deceased Gilas. Ive been breeding, buying, selling and trading reptiles for over 10 years now, and this by far is the worst deal i have ever had. I have befriended many of you, and thats just one of the joys i get out of this. I sure hope this hobby doesnt turn into a "Good guys finish last" thing, as you, me and many other good people might leave. I will update, if anything is done, but at this point im screwed. |
| Jerry Detwiler |
Re: Mile High Reptiles (Bad)
4797.html Posted At 21:45:03 06/22/2001 Buyer Beware! I have knowen Joe for years. He offered one of those Mile High Gilas to me. I was really considering it but didn't have the extra$$$ at the time. The ironic thing is that if I would have taken it and it died, even though they didn't actually come from Joe!!! He would have been man enough to make it 100% right. Perhaps for the mentally impaired that went over their heads! I SAID 100% RIGHT!! I guess now that we know whats up and a majority of the herping community knows and loves Joe, Mile High must not be planning on doing any shows! JERRY DETWILER |