Info Richard Kensinger - Ballistic Morphs - Bad experience

[H00blah]

I can understand being upset about the nose rub, even though it likely occurred in transit; but what is the complaint about the shipping? If it is just that it wasn't properly labeled - keep in mind both that there is a lack of agreement on just what the "proper" or required labeling is, and that many breeders/dealers don't do much in the way of labeling. (not saying I agree with that practice, just pointing it out).

Was the purpose of showing the bottom of the box anything other than illustrating that it was a small box?

From the sound of it, you were treated fairly, and appropriately, when you contacted Rich about the problem with the snake...if you were unhappy with his response, please explain.

The nose rub bothered me, but that's not what the complaint is about. The complaint is just about the box had no indication that there is a living breathing animal inside. It's not a matter of agreeing or disagreeing with what "proper" is in this case. There IS a right and a wrong way to ship an animal. Not making it clearly visible that a living animal is inside a package is the wrong way to do it. The fact that it didn't require my signature could have been really bad IF there was a failure in communication in which led me to go to work instead of staying home to pick up the package. I showed the bottom of the box because in the video, I only showed the sides and top, but not the bottom (which would not be a very good place to label it either..). As far as the size of the box is concerned, I wouldn't know. If you find that it was too small, then perhaps it was! My only concern that I felt I should bring up was the fact that it was not properly labeled. The nose rub happens, and I can't prove how it happened, or when it happened, whether it occurred WHILE in his care, or DURING shipping.

I did however inquire on a photo posted in his ad that showed some odd coloration/texture on his nose. I sent an e-mail on Sunday (4/15) at 11:05 AM asking a shipping-related question. I had received no response for a few hours (because he was at an expo), so at 2:46 PM (same day), I sent him this: "Hello. While looking at the photo of the clown closely, I noticed some odd coloration on her nose. Just wondering what that is? Remnants of a nostril infection? Nose rubs? Just curious if she's 100% healthy? Thanks"

The last e-mail I received from him came at 11:07 PM (same day), and it was a reply to the e-mail regarding my shipping-related question. He said he replied to my e-mail about the nose rub, but I didn't answer. I have no e-mails in my inbox, junk, OR deleted folders from him regarding the nose rub. I asked him about this in a phone call, and he told me his computer "crashed or froze" so that could have possibly resulted in me not getting an e-mail. He also told me that he DELETES his e-mails after the transaction is complete... AWFULLY convenient..

When the animal got here with a nose rub, he DID treat me fairly in saying "If you are not happy with the animal you recieved, just put it right back in the box and ship her back." then offered to refund my money in the phone call between us right after I stopped the recording. Although that is not what I would have said, it's not WRONG to offer to refund the money and take the snake back. This is not what this thread is about. It is strictly about the manner in which the snake was shipped, which I firmly believe is WRONG. For the people who are viewing this specific thread, if they agree, they will not buy from him. If they disagree with me, then feel free to buy from him! The girl came well-fed, and she's a sweetheart. Her eyes are dented due to low humidity, but he swears there is no problem with the humidity at his facility. Again, I have no proof, so it's not a complain against HIM.

 

[Amelanistic Orca]

A "Reptile Inside" label is surely going to get the box shook! Just my opinions.. I don't like it! Somebody along the way is gonna wanna hear the box rattle if shook!

 

[H00blah]

What's wrong with asking Rich to come on here and explain his shipping methods? If he stands by his practices, he'll have no worried coming here and letting us know why he does what he does. For the kind of money we're talking about here, and given the value of the animal, I don't think it's too much to ask.

I let him know that some people would like to hear him chime in on the shipping method.

 

[Slim]

A "Reptile Inside" label is surely going to get the box shook! Just my opinions.. I don't like it! Somebody along the way is gonna wanna hear the box rattle if shook!

The label it "Live Harmless Animal" or "Live Harmless Wildlife", but at least label it so it might not get tossed in the bottom of the sorting hopper.

 

[jinx667]

I do not buy the "do not label it fragile, because someone might break it" argument.

 

[Shadera]

I won't comment on the packaging, but I agree with Harald about the nose issues.

I recently picked up a couple animals in person. It was a 3 hour drive home, and one of them was very active in the box, trying to get out of the bag. When I got them home, the active one had rubbed his nose raw like your clown has there, just from repeatedly straining against the cloth snake bag. If you still have the bag, check it and you'll likely see some blood in there somewhere. Your animal had all night to rub itself raw, poor thing. Just because an animal is injured when it gets to you, doesn't always mean the shipper sent it out like that, and some folks are way too quick to jump to conclusions. Your seller did offer to make it right if you're not happy, and that says a lot for him.

A shed later, my nose-rubber is fine. If you're concerned about it, you can always use a qtip and some chlorhexadine or similar to swab it.

 

[H00blah]

I won't comment on the packaging, but I agree with Harald about the nose issues.

I recently picked up a couple animals in person. It was a 3 hour drive home, and one of them was very active in the box, trying to get out of the bag. When I got them home, the active one had rubbed his nose raw like your clown has there, just from repeatedly straining against the cloth snake bag. If you still have the bag, check it and you'll likely see some blood in there somewhere. Your animal had all night to rub itself raw, poor thing. Just because an animal is injured when it gets to you, doesn't always mean the shipper sent it out like that, and some folks are way too quick to jump to conclusions. Your seller did offer to make it right if you're not happy, and that says a lot for him.

A shed later, my nose-rubber is fine. If you're concerned about it, you can always use a qtip and some chlorhexadine or similar to swab it.

The packaging is the only complaint I'm making about him. The nose rub was unfortunate, but as several have stated here, as well as my home forum, and from the vet, it should go away in a few weeks/sheds. My only problem with the fact that it has a nose rub is that I e-mailed him about it before hand, and never got anything back.

The 2nd and 3rd paragraph in my post on page 3 shows that I noticed some issues with nose rubbing in the photographs that were posted along with the ad for the snake. Obviously something was there before it was even shipped! Also, he explained to me how sometimes, yearling snakes will start to rub their noses along the sides of the enclosures in an attempt to escape. I understand this, but I own several ball pythons that I have raised since they were babies, and they are now 3-4 year old adults that have never rubbed their noses raw. Again, this is NOT the issue that I'm presenting to this forum, however I PERSONALLY do not believe that he replied to my e-mail about the nose rub. Based on what I stated in the section of my post that I referred to above, you can all make up your own mind. I'm merely stating what happened.

 

[deborahbroadus]

The packaging is the only complaint I'm making about him. The nose rub was unfortunate, but as several have stated here, as well as my home forum, and from the vet, it should go away in a few weeks/sheds. My only problem with the fact that it has a nose rub is that I e-mailed him about it before hand, and never got anything back.

The 2nd and 3rd paragraph in my post on page 3 shows that I noticed some issues with nose rubbing in the photographs that were posted along with the ad for the snake. Obviously something was there before it was even shipped! Also, he explained to me how sometimes, yearling snakes will start to rub their noses along the sides of the enclosures in an attempt to escape. I understand this, but I own several ball pythons that I have raised since they were babies, and they are now 3-4 year old adults that have never rubbed their noses raw. Again, this is NOT the issue that I'm presenting to this forum, however I PERSONALLY do not believe that he replied to my e-mail about the nose rub. Based on what I stated in the section of my post that I referred to above, you can all make up your own mind. I'm merely stating what happened.

Can you post the pictures of the ads in question?

 

[Shadera]

Personally, if I saw something in a picture that bothered me, I wouldn't send a dime until I had an answer.

Good luck.

 

[H00blah]

Can you post the pictures of the ads in question?

Yes I can:

I agree, Shadera. Though as you can see in the pictures, it does not look nearly as bad as it did when it got here. I figured it had already healed from a nose rub that occurred months or weeks ago. I didn't really notice it until I zoomed in on the head to post a for-fun "guess what I just bought!" thread.. I thought it looked strange so I decided to e-mail him. I should have sent another e-mail when he only replied to my question about the ship date. Again, the nose rub will be fine.

 

[deborahbroadus]

Yes I can:

I agree, Shadera. Though as you can see in the pictures, it does not look nearly as bad as it did when it got here. I figured it had already healed from a nose rub that occurred months or weeks ago. I didn't really notice it until I zoomed in on the head to post a for-fun "guess what I just bought!" thread.. I thought it looked strange so I decided to e-mail him. I should have sent another e-mail when he only replied to my question about the ship date. Again, the nose rub will be fine.

Pictures look fine, to me. I would have purchased her, too.

I thought it was just stuck shed from looking at the Ad pictures. If those pictures that are in the Ad were taken immediately or soon before shipping, then she COULD and probably did rub her nose while in the bag to remove stuck shed.

I saw nothing wrong with the shipping other than not labeling the box without prior agreement on both sides (a big no-no because it involves the customer unknowingly in an illegality).

 

[H00blah]

Pictures look fine, to me. I would have purchased her, too.

I thought it was just stuck shed from looking at the Ad pictures. If those pictures that are in the Ad were taken immediately or soon before shipping, then she COULD and probably did rub her nose while in the bag to remove stuck shed.

I saw nothing wrong with the shipping other than not labeling the box without prior agreement on both sides (a big no-no because it involves the customer unknowingly in an illegality).

Right. To me it looked like either it's beginner stages of nose rubbing, or freshly healed nose rubbing. I imagined that she needed to remove stuck sheds (as there are cracks in her eyes that I attributed to low humidity), but he assured me that she shed completely, and when he checked, she had also shed off her eye caps.

 

[deborahbroadus]

Right. To me it looked like either it's beginner stages of nose rubbing, or freshly healed nose rubbing. I imagined that she needed to remove stuck sheds (as there are cracks in her eyes that I attributed to low humidity), but he assured me that she shed completely, and when he checked, she had also shed off her eye caps.

If you are making a formal complaint, post the emails. Otherwise, the animal is gorgeous and no, you can't keep her and get your money back.

 

[H00blah]

If you are making a formal complaint, post the emails. Otherwise, the animal is gorgeous and no, you can't keep her and get your money back.

I'm not making a formal complaint about her nose or eyes. The complaint was about the package missing a label. I was definitely not expecting to get her for free lol! People are just asking questions, and I'm answering them. Unfortunately I brought up all my problems in a phone call, not in e-mails because I wanted to quickly get to the bottom of everything, and not have to wait a day and a half for a reply, especially since I needed to get to work. The only information I have in e-mails is regarding the shipping date, and then my question about the possibility of a nose rub that I never got a response to.

I've answered all the necessary questions and explained my side. I've e-mailed him already telling him that I started a thread in the BOI about his shipping method, and some people wanted to hear his side, but he hasn't replied to that e-mail yet.

 

[Willow]

I think everyone is forgetting this in an info thread....

 

[H00blah]

I think everyone is forgetting this in an info thread....

Thanks. I'm glad somebody noticed .

 

[hhmoore]

Info thread or not - the title states "bad experience". If all it takes to make a bad experience is somebody not conforming to your idea of proper labeling, I'll pass (even though I label my PLAIN BROWN boxes appropriately).

 

[Chris Kennard]

The label it "Live Harmless Animal" or "Live Harmless Wildlife", but at least label it so it might not get tossed in the bottom of the sorting hopper.

I agree. Some sort of label would have been appropriate. In my opinion, stress is usually the main culprit leading to snakes rubbing their noses raw. Don't know if that is the case here, but it looks like it healed from a previous nose rub. I'm sure BP lovers will enjoy seeing pics of that one after it heals. Nice animal. Good luck.

 

[H00blah]

Info thread or not - the title states "bad experience". If all it takes to make a bad experience is somebody not conforming to your idea of proper labeling, I'll pass (even though I label my PLAIN BROWN boxes appropriately).

As far as the bad experience is concerned, I consider opening a box to find a snake with some blood on the nose looking at me a bad experience. As I stated earlier, I don't believe that he really replied to the e-mail I sent when I asked about the odd scales around the nose, and the answers he gave me when I asked about shipping led me to believe he was just trying to save money on shipping costs which could have been very bad for the animal! If someone wants to cut corners that could keep the snake safe during the journey to another state in order to save a few bucks on shipping, then I personally will just do my best to avoid that kind of business in the future.

I hope I'm not coming off as being argumentative, but I'm curious as to who else ships live animals without labeling them as such? Is that a common practice? I ask only because the packages I received in the past required a signature and they were all marked "live harmless reptile". Is it okay to NOT indicate somewhere on the box that there is indeed a living animal inside the box? I definitely plan to use some form of indication in the future, but I hope it's not something that is optional!

 

[Chris Kennard]

Info thread or not - the title states "bad experience". If all it takes to make a bad experience is somebody not conforming to your idea of proper labeling, I'll pass (even though I label my PLAIN BROWN boxes appropriately).

I'm sure that alot of people viewing this thread may not view it as a bad experience. But recieving a 1500 dollar snake with a raw nose in an unlabled box, in my opinion, is not a good experience either. I think alot of delivery people would handle a "live animal" labled box with more care than an unlabled box. I know I would. A signature should be required as well.