and my side goes something like this !!!
Yes Sal. You are correct. I did leave Christmas Eve and journeyed 10 hours to your house. You wanted to ship these animals, remember. I could not see shipping breeders in the midst of winter, so I took on the expense to do the traveling. You never told me you needed the money so you could move. I knew nothing of this. In fact, you told me you were giving this deal so you could help out a friend. Anyway, I did drive to your house. You claim that your breeders were in a different room. The house you lived in left little to be desired, but that is another story. The rooms with all your reptiles were adjointed. There were no walls or even barriers that would even stop a mite. And furthermore, you are correct in that I didn't notice the mites when we were packing up the snakes. Mind you I had just driven 10 hours and the time was around 1am. I was extemely tired. I should have taken more time to look at the animals. Instead, out of exhaustion, we just bagged them up and I was on my way. It wasn't until I was unpacking them at my house that I noticed the mites. Even at that point, I didn't feel mites were a reason to be disappointed yet. I didn't know what I was in for. Instead, I just purchased 10 cans of Provent-a-Mite and began the treatment process.
And as for my other animals you ask? Well, I only had 8 other boas. The youngest one was three years old and all were in my care since they were neonates. They all came from respected breeders; Pete Kahl, Jamie Quick, and Jeff Ronne. All of these snakes have never even seen a mite. It wasn't until I brought your animals home that I saw the mites. And you question that the mites may have come from my animals. I will take the blame, however, for not checking over the animals before bagging them. I didn't realise then who or what I was dealing with. I was used to dealing with reputable breeders as forementioned.
Then you ask why has it taken 8 months for me to contact you. Did you forget that you left the state? You claim your number was forwarded and so were your emails. I dispute that. Even your website (Upstate Exotics) was shut down. After this ordeal, I drove to NY to find you. You were gone. So you see Sal, I did try to contact you. You left, remember? It wasn't until one day that I tried a google search that I found you. I typed in "Upstate Exotics sick snake". My google searched linked me to this forum from which I contacted you. I was astonished by what I began reading on this thread. It wasn't only me you've taken for a ride.
Furthermore, Sal, I challenge you to research my reputation. I have listed the breeders from which my other animals came from. I urge you to ask them if I have ever made any such claims towards them. I paid top dollar for those animals and they were worth every penny. It wasn't until I bought "bargain animals" from you that I had any problems. As I said before Sal, those animals were in my care for several years, without a single problem. If you didn't know already, I will explain it to you. IBD doesn't last several years. It is a deadly virus that kills quickly. I know. I experienced it first hand. It wasn't until I recieved your animals did this happen to me. I also urge you to call the veterinarian that treated my animals if you have any questions of my integrity. You have his number. Don't take my word for it Sal, ask those that I have listed as to their experience with me. I am confident that the only questionable reputation you will come up with is your own. I think this thread speaks for itself.
And lastlty, I hold no hate towards you. You have taught me a valuable lesson in this industry. I learned that people like you still exist. Not in it for the animals or people. Just in it for the money, even if that means dealing in sick animals. I will remind you Sal. Even after telling you what was wrong with these animals you told me you would have taken them back to resell them. You would have spread this to someone else. I will never to business with the likes of you again. I have learned to research who I do business with to lessen the chance of being burned again. Another lesson I learned is that IBD does exist. I will always quarantine any animals that enter my home. It is you, Sal, that I owe all this to. I will do everything in my power to stop this from happening to me again.
And to the ones reading this thread:
There are dealers out there that you have to be careful of. If you have learned anything from my post or any of the others that have posted on this thread, then my experience wasn't in vain.
I whole heartedly wish Happy Herping to all.
Yes, even you Sal.
Kevin Hood
