Fl.International Reptile Show?

this sounds like sugestions for him!! Lol

I totally agree that the public perception of the reptile industry is under fire from all directions-the few burmese and niles that are in the everglades/cape coral, the few smuggled shipments and Lacey Act violations that recently came to light, the sensationalism of a few thousand reptile bites over that of a half million dog bites per year, and the old stereotypes that we are a bunch of criminal freaks.

However, with the help of the BOI, some truely professional breeders, and concerned and active hobbyists we will get through it all. However, online scammers, scumbags, and junk dealers can only be "run out of town" and an internal uproar is the only way to get them moving.


Thanks
ben cole

So true.

Originally Posted by cocheta

ok your right! i should be thankful for the warning! But isnt there some way to keep things explained so that he new person isnt going "holy crap! why would i want to chance going to any show?"

You shouldn't be reading this thread and saying "holy crap! why would I want to chance going to any show"? But you should give it some extra thought before participating in Tony's events no matter what side of the table you are on.

Just because one promoter is a scumbag ...doesn't mean they all are !

Originally Posted by bcherps

To Cocheta, and Cowboyman.

I do understand how this looks, and I do understand that this may look childish from one side.

However this is a very important issue. I began having issues with Tony in 2002 during my first show in the south(I had been vending for 4 years on the east coast)! I had animals stolen on friday night after setup when tony and the security guard were to only ones inside! I tried to report on his behavior, unproffessionalism and the theft.

Since at that time Tony had a good name in the industry-I was the one who got "flamed" on this very site. Well, I went on my business gave Tony another try and accepted this was the way things were done here. Well, I have been dissappointed, accosted, and scammed by Tony since then on no less than 3 other occasions. It has taken four years for Tony to finally tick off most of the industry to the point we couldn't take it anymore. I am glad that I am not the only one now.

But if you guys think this is childish or should be kept out of public view I ask you one question:

How would you like it if you spend $1000 for a endcap to vend-showed up to a booth covered in coffee cups and cigarette butts-told there was no broom and it was your responsibility to pick it up, were then told you had to move to another spot so one of tony's friends could take your spot becuase it had a better vantage point, then told you hadn't paid for your tables and were only given a partial space, then had over 10k of animals stolen, then when you complained had tony threaten you? The have the show open over 2 hours late becuase tony didn't bother to show up, or becusae he told the fire marshall some four letter expletives.

If you think this is fine for a promoter to do to his vendors then I say to you cowboy man-go to every show and give your money to every scumbag promoter out there so he can continue to scam.

And when you start vending Cocheta and this happens to you-don't you think you should tell others and make it known so it doesn't happen to other people? Or keep it quite so the promoter can continue to sucker people?

The problem in florida is not TOO many shows, it is TOO many half-assed shows.

Thanks
ben cole

I had decided to drop out of the conversation seeing as how this is a business forum and I'm not in the business. How i don't actually have any stake in the matter and cant relate with what yall have going on. But in response i don't believe i ever said it was fine for him to do anything.

Honestly i wished i had never gotten into this debate at all because i really don't care. I must of just been in mood that day. There is a reason i have been here a year with less than 50 posts. Alltough i have entertained the thought of breeding after a year of keeping a moderate collection of corns its just to much like work, with little time for my other hobbies.

So consider this what ever you want. I'm tapping out, i no longer care to debate this. I never said i supported either. I thought i made that clear but i guess not. So to avoid getting corralled into being seen as a supporter for either.

Originally Posted by cowboyman13

I had decided to drop out of the conversation seeing as how this is a business forum and I'm not in the business. How i don't actually have any stake in the matter and cant relate with what yall have going on. But in response i don't believe i ever said it was fine for him to do anything.

Honestly i wished i had never gotten into this debate at all because i really don't care. I must of just been in mood that day. There is a reason i have been here a year with less than 50 posts. Alltough i have entertained the thought of breeding after a year of keeping a moderate collection of corns its just to much like work, with little time for my other hobbies.

So consider this what ever you want. I'm tapping out, i no longer care to debate this. I never said i supported either. I thought i made that clear but i guess not. So to avoid getting corralled into being seen as a supporter for either.

At least you have something in common with Tony...neither one of you care !

Honestly, I'm tired of getting all the emails regarding these posts.
Any one can tell me how to un-subsribe to this thread?
It has just turned into a Tony Bashing Thread. Nothing new is being said.
Seems the only people posting are the bashers, and no one is saying anything postive.
I myslef, only have done one of his shows, Last fall's Tampa Show. I seen nothing wrong with it. But then again, I wasn't running around trying to find wrong doings.
Just trying to sell Acrylics.
Not saying anyone has good points or bad points, just personally, I'm no longer interested in reading all the posts that pop up on this thread..........

You know what i never personally attacked you. I don't know and you don't know me.

It was uncalled for.

Originally Posted by Ron Billingsley

It has just turned into a Tony Bashing Thread. Nothing new is being said.
Seems the only people posting are the bashers, and no one is saying anything postive.

The people posting are the people who got screwed by Tony.
There insint anything positive say. And if there is, I'm not stopping any one from posting it.

Originally Posted by homegrownherps

At least you have something in common with Tony...neither one of you care !

Jim,

This thread is obvioiusly about Tony, not cowboyman13 so let's try to keep it on subject.