I ordered 2.1 Tylotriton yangi newts from Justin Miller (Blue Pumilio), and he shipped as planned for arrival on June 14th, 2013. What should have been a satisfying conclusion however, was instead a drawn-out ordeal. As promised, they were 2.1, and the order was technically fulfilled. However, the single female was (and is) in a horrible condition. She should not have been shipped, and especially not sold. Attached are the photos taken after opening the shipment.
She is missing and in the process of partially regenerating all the fingers on her left foreleg, with six fingers instead of the usual four in the front, five in the back, missing a finger on her right hindleg with no signs of regenerating, and worst of all, has either a genetic deformity or infection on/in her jaw. In addition, her lackluster orange coloration can of course be due to genetics, but can also be a sign of a newt that is not healthy. The lack of uniform color distribution however, causes me to lean more towards the latter. To put it into perspective, a healthy newt is pictured on his site: http://bluepumilio.com/store/images/Tylo.jpg
I immediately messaged him the details on Facebook, and also an email notifying him of the problem I encountered, hoping that he could do the right thing and either send a replacement or send a partial refund, but neither resolution had been entertained. I initially thought his sending of her was an overlooked mistake due to being busy, but I have yet to receive a response that even comes close to addressing the issue. I have been getting the busy excuse, but it has been 24 days since I first notified him. If he has the time to update his availability and reply to comments on his Facebook, a response to an email is definitely possible.
I am not too upset, since she was only 40 dollars and the two males I received were in good condition. However, palming off unwanted, unhealthy animals to customers should not be acceptable, and whether intentional or not, I feel that sufficient time has been given for at least the beginnings of a resolution, which has not happened. I will not be purchasing from him in the future due to the poor health of the animal, and the abysmal customer service. I also really hope that Justin was actually busy and not stalling in order to sell the remaining T. yangi he had.
Any possible future buyers should definitely look at individual pictures, and be willing to gamble that the animals are fine.
I wish you all the best of luck when purchasing online.
She is missing and in the process of partially regenerating all the fingers on her left foreleg, with six fingers instead of the usual four in the front, five in the back, missing a finger on her right hindleg with no signs of regenerating, and worst of all, has either a genetic deformity or infection on/in her jaw. In addition, her lackluster orange coloration can of course be due to genetics, but can also be a sign of a newt that is not healthy. The lack of uniform color distribution however, causes me to lean more towards the latter. To put it into perspective, a healthy newt is pictured on his site: http://bluepumilio.com/store/images/Tylo.jpg
I immediately messaged him the details on Facebook, and also an email notifying him of the problem I encountered, hoping that he could do the right thing and either send a replacement or send a partial refund, but neither resolution had been entertained. I initially thought his sending of her was an overlooked mistake due to being busy, but I have yet to receive a response that even comes close to addressing the issue. I have been getting the busy excuse, but it has been 24 days since I first notified him. If he has the time to update his availability and reply to comments on his Facebook, a response to an email is definitely possible.
I am not too upset, since she was only 40 dollars and the two males I received were in good condition. However, palming off unwanted, unhealthy animals to customers should not be acceptable, and whether intentional or not, I feel that sufficient time has been given for at least the beginnings of a resolution, which has not happened. I will not be purchasing from him in the future due to the poor health of the animal, and the abysmal customer service. I also really hope that Justin was actually busy and not stalling in order to sell the remaining T. yangi he had.
Any possible future buyers should definitely look at individual pictures, and be willing to gamble that the animals are fine.
I wish you all the best of luck when purchasing online.
