Ok, so here's the deal. spam_I traded a 7 month old male brb for a "CB" male guyana redtail. spam_My animal is extremely healthy, no problems whatsoever. spam_Matter of fact, here is the classified ad I posted...
My ad
We shipped the same day and agreed that if things did not seem on the up and up on either side, that we would trade back. spam_Well, I received the male guyana just a few minutes ago and it is about the appropriate length for the description (almost 4 feet), but the weight... oh my god. spam_This thing is just tiny. spam_I have a three foot male with about the same girth. spam_The skin is also very dry. spam_The snake seems alert and active (although I only checked it out for just about 30 seconds before placing it in quarantine at a friends house). spam_Anyway, I called the guy up and said that I would like to switch back based on our agreement and he said that he hasn't received my snake yet and that he had something to deal with with his dogs (they were fighting and hurt each other or something like that). spam_Anyway, here are our emails to each other... spam_a few may be out of place b/c you know how emails go, you answer one and you have another waiting and vice versa...
we had a few emails back and forth before this, but it was about him taking pics and they weren't relevant to this inquiry...
---my original trade offer---
oh yeah, would you be interested in a trade for an '01 male brb? spam_here is an ad i placed for him. spam_i can take more pics of him at your request of just direct you to some i already have of him.
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/cgi-bin....;t=6041
later drew,
jonathan
---his reply with pics---
Hi, Jonathan
Here is the picture I promised. The tail has a broken stripe. The skin healing nicely.
He is extremely docile, and about 4' long. Next year supposed to be ready to breed.
---my reply---
hey drew, he is great looking but a few things concern me...
if he is an '01 baby, how is he almost 4' long? spam_i have an '00 female and she is only 4.5' and my oct '01 female isn't even 2.5'. spam_i also have bci's that were born 14 months ago that are just at 3' and bci grow more quickly than bcc. spam_i would think if he is that size, he's probably an '00. spam_or, he has been powerfed? spam_also, the bite on his back, i assume that is b/c the person that you got him from was feeding live rats since you said he was eating f/t.
also, (and sorry for being picky about this), but do you have more pics of him? spam_the two pics (the one in the ad and this one) look very much alike. spam_i'd like to get an idea of his base color up close, his side diamonds, his speckling, and his tail if at all possible. spam_and if you don't mind me asking, who did you receive him from?
thanks drew, looks like this deal could be made soon b/c despite all these questions, it looks like everything is in order.
jonathan
---i also sent this after thinking about it for a second---
hey drew, he's pretty good looking (although the pics make him look dark), but i just don't know about the price of $250. spam_i would be willing to trade straight up for my male brb though. spam_if you aren't interested in the trade, i will have to seriously think about the price... spam_let me know what you think. spam_jonathan
---his reply---
Hi, Jonathan
I bought this male in a group of three, two females and a male, as 01 cb yearlings. The other two looks like early 01 about 3' long. this male is older, possible 00, and a foot longer. I feed him f/t but he was eating live before, I've got him. I try to contact the person who sold the group for me, but so far no luck. I was very pissed, because he forgot to tell about the bite marks, don't look bad but I hate this kind of surprises.
here is a couple of pics you asked for.
---my reply---
i have a few more questions if you don't mind and i need all of them
answered.
is he free of all external parasites?
have you had a fecal exam done? spam_if so, what were the results?
do you guarantee live and healthy arrival?
do you guarantee that he is feeding on f/t rats?
do you guarantee that he has appropriate body weight for his size (can't
tell from the pics, sorry)?
oh, and i still would like to know who you received him from.
and i also just want to make sure that you will be shipping him overnight
for delivery by 10:30 am the next day, correct?
how will you be packaging the box?
forgive me for asking all these questions now, i'm just not used to putting
together deals this quickly, ya know? spam_and i also haven't heard of you
before and i just want to make sure i cover all my bases, i'm sure you
understand.
shipping address is:
XXXXX
i may not be able to ship tomorrow b/c i have a very busy day planned.
class, work, group studying for a final for my summer class. spam_is that ok?
tuesday SHOULD be ok and definitely by wednesday. spam_that would also give me
plenty of time to give the snake a good looking over and approve of him.
speaking of that, would you like to have an agreement that we both have a
certain length of time, say 24 hours, to give a final approval of the trade
after receiving the animals? spam_your male guyana redtail will be quarantined
at a friend of mines house who has no snakes at all as soon as it arrives so
you don't have to worry about me sending the snake back after it may have
been exposed to any other snakes.
oh, got your other email, he doesn't look like he is 4 ft long, that's why i
asked if they were your pics.
please wait for me to give my final approval before you ship, ok?
thanks drew,
jonathan
---he sent this while i was typing the last email and i addressed it in that reply---
Jonathan
Your brb is docile? I don't see a problem with a trade.
We can ship on Monday with Airborne Express, just tell me your address, and
the daytime temperature. Here is about 90 degrees the expected high.
---my reply---
yeah, he's very docile. spam_only struck once and that was b/c i wanted to
measure him so i grabbed him out of his enclosure and stretched him out on
the bed and he wasn't ready to be stretched out yet and i put my hand right
in front of his face. spam_this was over 6 months ago though. spam_i actually will
let him coil around my finger sometimes when it comes time to eat and let
him dangle from above to get the rat. spam_i know, it's a stupid thing to do,
but he's so small that a bite wouldn't hurt even if he wanted to, which he
doesn't. spam_yeah, i've had him almost my (***i should have said HIS whole life, but it was a typo***) whole life and i love him to death.
he's great. spam_very pretty too. spam_should make an outstanding adult!
i've never shipped with airborne, i always use UPS b/c they are guaranteed
the next day by 10:30 (before it gets real hot, which is important with
brb's), is that ok with you? spam_does airborne guarantee delivery by a certain
time? spam_b/c i have summer classes that i'm taking from 11:30-1 every day so
that means i am gone from about 11:10-1:30 and i don't want to miss the
delivery. spam_if not, i would prefer that you use UPS. spam_you can also call UPS
about an hour before you want the package picked up and they will come and
get it. spam_that way, you can call about 5pm and they will be there about 6 and
the package doesn't have to sit on the hot truck all day.
let me know what you think, later drew,
jonathan
---his reply---
Jonathan
UPS is fine. Give me your shipping address, and I will ship him tomorrow.
Drew
followed by this reply...
Those the pics I took this morning, and I don't have any more.
Drew
---a reply of mine---
ok drew, if you will agree to a conditional approval of the deal based on
inspection upon arrival, then lets do this. spam_i have worked out time so that
i can ship tomorrow evening. spam_the rainbow boa will be leaving my place after
5<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>0 pm so that it doesn't sit in the truck through the scorching heat of
the day. spam_I will be using UPS to do this and the package will arrive by
10:30 am the next morning (Tuesday). spam_I would prefer that you do the same
b/c i had one snake sent to me through airborne and they literally threw it
at my front door and UPS hands you the box. spam_I'm sure they go through worse
in the loading docks, but i like to think that UPS is probably more gentle
than airborne throughout the trip of the package just based on that
experience. spam_I will send you the confirmation number as soon as i have it
and i ask the same of you. spam_to get in touch with UPS
Phone: 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877)
tell them that you have a package to be picked up at your place that you
would like to send via UPS next day air - guaranteed by 10:30. spam_also tell
them that you need a next day air label for the box. spam_or, you can drop it
off at a shipping center.
if there is a place for special instructions on the label, tell them that if
the security gate blocks access, to either call 704-547-8800 and i will meet
them at the front of the apartment complex or to use the security call box
and scroll for my name and call me and i will let them in. spam_you could just
write that out on a sheet of paper and use clear tape to tape it to the box
if you would like.
i'm sorry to seem distrusting of this whole situation, but i have just read
a LOT of horror stories related to internet herp deals and i just don't want
to become a statistic. spam_thanks for understanding!
jonathan
---his reply---
Jonathan
He is free of internal parasites, I didn't gave him fecal exam, and yes I
gave life arrival, and health guarantee. He is in good body weight, and I
feed him with F/T rats.
I will ship only the same day when you ship. I always did it this way. You
don't know me, this is goes both way: I don't know you either. If you had
doubt about this trade then we can forget about it. Please let me know, what
do you want, or I will put him back for sale to the Kingsnake website
tonight. No hard feeling either way.
Sincerely,
Drew
---at this point, we both said ok to shipping UPS and this is what followed---
Jonathan
The UPS tracking# J129 743 362 5
They will pick up et 5 pm. will bee in your place tomorrow before 10:30 am
Drew
---my reply---
hey drew, i just called and scheduled my pick up. spam_i will send you the
tracking number as soon as i get it. spam_they will be here some time after 5:30
and it should be at your place before 10:30am.
thanks man,
jonathan
---another email sent by me---
well, the UPS guy was a little early. spam_snake just left - tracking number is:
J122 533 872 0
it may not show up on their tracking site for a little while, but it will be
there.
guess i'll be in touch tomorrow after the guyana arrives!
thanks again drew,
jonathan
---his reply---
Jonathan
Tomorrow when he arrives, put him to a cage with a big enough water bowl to
submerge the whole body in it. He is just before shed, and a little edgy.
Possibly hungry too, he didn't eat last week, because the moving, the I
didn't want to ship him, after feeding. Keep using Neo Sporin on his wounds,
ones a day to heal without scaring. He is docile but he still a snake, don't
move your hand to fast inside the striking distance and watch out for the
neck. If he got the "S" going gently from the side rub the back, and he will
ease, and will extend the neck. But I'm sure you know how to handle a snake
this size.
Do you have any pointers with the BRB when did you feed him, f/t, or live,
how many and what size of rats he takes? I dont want him to feel to much of a
change, the shipping usually stressful enough.
Happy herping.
Drew
---my reply---
hey drew, thanks for the advice. spam_i've got some extremely humid hides prepared for him already. spam_is he a soaker? spam_i've never had one that is. spam_even my brb, he just stays inside of his humid hides all the time. spam_i've taken a pic of his enclosure and of the inside of one of this hides b/c it's easier to do that than describe it all.
***i sent two pics of his enclosure that aren't relevant to this***
i kept him on paper towels (use the thickest kind you can find, i have bounty's thickest and they work great!)that were kept damp. spam_just put them in there, grab his water dish and tip it over and let some of the water run out. spam_he had a heat pad set on low run through a dimmer switch set on half (so, half of the low setting) and it stayed at 85 degrees on the warm side (which, i don't know if you have ever worked with brb's before, but don't give them heat over 90 for any long period of time or they WILL die). spam_cool side would drop as low as 70 degrees and he was perfectly fine. spam_matter of fact, i kept him with no heat at all for a while, just at room temp of about 76 degrees and he did just fine. spam_humidity in the hides is always near 100% with the wet cypress mulch and the enclosure humidity was always at least 80%, usually higher (that's why he was in a sterilite box, they hold humidity extremely well, don't know if you can see the holes around the rim of the box, but i have 20 holes drilled around for ventilation). spam_never soaked him while in shed and he always did just fine b/c of the humidity and he never soaked himself. spam_i fed him 2 f/t fuzzy rats (barely any hair) every 7-14 days just depending on how he did with digestion. spam_it's been almost 2 weeks since he last ate so he's probably ready for some food once he settles in, i was going to feed him tonight. spam_he has an excellent temperment but i have seen some of the most docile snakes get pretty nasty after being shipped, so let him calm down for a few days before you try to handle him. spam_he just shed a week and a half ago or so and he just had a small bm today. spam_oh, when i fed him, sometimes i would hold the fuzzy rat by the back half of it's body and put the nose of it next to his snout and he would just sit there looking at it with it touching his mouth and then he would open up and take it. spam_other times, he would just approach it on his own and do the same thing. spam_he had a history of being a little finicky when eating, but he has done very very well the last 4-5 months. spam_may have just been the winter season, who knows? spam_i only fed him live one time and he nailed that mouse like no snake i have ever seen! spam_oh, if you have never seen a rainbow boa in the sunlight... get ready man, it's absolutely amazing! spam_his electric blue/purple is just astonishing. spam_trust me drew, you are getting an awesome animal and i'm actually sad to see him go (first time out of all the animals i have sold), it better be worth it or i'm hunting you down!! spam_haha. spam_just kiddin ya. spam_i'll be happy to answer any more questions you may have, just let me know, ok?
later man,
jonathan
-------that's it other than the phone call i just made and told you about above-------
now, what should i do? spam_do i have him pay for shipping in return for both animals b/c he misrepresented the male guyana to me?
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Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">and health guarantee. He is in good body weight</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
i could use some advice on this, any help you can provide would be appreciated! spam_this is a first time situation for me and i'm not entirely sure what to do. spam_if you need any more info, i'll do my best, but this is everything i know.
thanks so much and sorry this was so long.
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