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Casey Ritch from Norman, OK; any input?

minor status should not be an insult...

southernstylereptile said:
Just because I am a minor doesn't mean I can't back up a buddy.
Click to expand...

I fully agree. I really dislike when people use things like economic status, age or anything else to try and discredit someone in any field. Obviously when someone's age and claims do not fit (a 14 year old claiming they have been breeding snakes for 10 years is a little farfetched) but other than that, a person shows their level of maturity and their mental age rather than a physical age when they post on the internet. The only thing an older herper may have on a younger herper is experience and that only if they have been doing it for more years total than the younger person.
Although some of those other happy customers may want to post a brief run down of their experiences if they feel that the breeder is worth taking a little risk for. I don't want to make judgements about their motivations, but I would be willing to stand up and share my experience with any breeder or seller I have bought from if it came up on this forum, whether or not it would do any good.
Anyways Serafim, if you could post the shipping label, it could be helpful to those who are weighing their options.
 
e1.jpg


Box with only marking as to content no live animals no scientific name nothing... I ship mealworms clearly marked better than that and they are just bugs


e2.jpg


This was the container the snake was crunched into hard to see but there was one small airhole in the side the rest were closed off with tape The snake was coated in fecal matter.. In an email from Casey he stated the snake had passed a stool previous to shipment so my guess is it either stayed in the container for awhile or its enclosure is disgusting as fecal matter is still present in the pictures and it was not fresh it was hard on his skin and he just smelled horrible

e3.jpg



The actual box the snake was laid in on the top...

Now as for my not taking pictures here is the way this went.. I sent an email to him saying I didn't have a pastel.. I was angry and at this point I was going to hand the snake over to a breeder or a person with more experience I really am that new.. His first response was calling me a loser an idiot and telling me to do what I needed to do.. His concern was that I was questioning him or calling him a liar. He never responded to the shipping methods or anything else.. So I knew then I was going to get no satisfaction.. His next action was to go to the reptile auctions and call me the stupidist person alive publically.. Now these are not the practices of a reputable breeder or someone who is concerned with repeat business... My first concern was getting the snake clean check for parasites heat his body up and get some fluids in him. I might add he finished off a large portion of water dipping his head in the bowl and drinking for quite sometime.. I assure you as a person who cares for animals I would have never thought pictures before health issues.. I am sorry that is the way I am...

Now a question for a veteran breeder is it not customary to inform the customer of his arrival date send tacking # etc... And require a signature on an animal. No less clearly Identify the shipment as a live animal. There was no way I could have pinpointed the animals exact arrival. Should precautions have not been taken.. How am i to blame for his shipping agents screw up. I ship feeder insects clearly labled as such with a return reciept showing it was signed for and hey Im just a newbie idiot.. Not the big time breeder... And do I not have the right to say my piece when treated unfairly as i see it.. That was my whole thing I wanted to say my piece as i saw it.. Others are viewing this and i am not involving them at this point but they view it as getting treated unfairly...
 
As things progress here you will see that caleb is also grasping at straws he just said that Casey doesn't ship for him but earlier he was quoted as saying the above in quotation
Click to expand...
Like I said before, I have spent loads of money with him and countless trades and have not been disappointed yet. I have had him ship dozens of snakes for me both venomous and non-venomous to my customers and nobody has ever had a problem with him or the way he ships.
Click to expand...
Serafim, Sir, if you have read my posts I never stated that he didn't ship for me. The fact is he has done it for me many times. BUT as I said before he never used any of his shipping accounts when shipping for me. There for a while I had some snakes at his place that he was housing for me until I could pick them up and I sold some before I got them picked up so he did send them out for me. I sent him MY account info and he used MY shipping accounts, NOT his accounts. I am not grasping for straws, you just are not reading my posts right.
 
thats not what i shipped in idiot stop bad mouthing me your just proving your ignorence!!!!!!!!!!
 
As requested here is the shipping lable.... I was told ups originally but they are a disaster on wheels.. I was pleased he chose DHL.. He said nextday DHL said two day how can I plan on being home two days in a row. He never cleared it up. The snake was just sitting outside at 68 degrees with no heat on my front porch..... You may say its alot of fuss but its this type thing that ruins fair business paractices and allows people to get burned in the reptile trade.. So what I am inexperienced and maybe an idiot to others but I know I can sleep at night.. One last note here. I never purchased this snake from Casey according to Paypal I bought it from someone named kaylin now who is that and why cannot he have his own account.... These are fishy business practices along with not placing a name just an address on the box so who knows where the snake came from actually.. he has asked me to send the snake back but without a DHL account I cannot so any suggestions here would help.. Out of spite I am willing to make this thing get even worse until he restores my name on the Auctions


e4.jpg
 
OMG Dude you are So tasteless its got your address and your account on the box you are way out to lunch
 
I see nothing wrong with using newspaper as insulation. I use newspaper all the time with no problems at all. Newspaper acctually insulates the box better then styrofoam. You can go to a hardware store and ask them this if you would like to ask an expert. Crumbled newspaper is used to insulate houses so why can't it be used to insulate a box with a snake in it? Its cheaper and cuts down on box charges for the customer and all sorts of other stuff. And as long as it works whats the big deal? It is still technically insulated as he stated. As for the Fragile Sticker, I see nothing wrong with that either. It is still alerting the carrier that they need to be careful with the package and that is the main thing. Life is a Fragile thing so he isn't lieing there either. If this guy has much business online he would know that a lot of breeders use fragil stickers and never let anyone know that a reptile is in the box. They do this for a reason. The controversy over shipping reptiles is such a headache it is much easier to just put fragile on the box and never mention snake. If the word snake comes up in a conversation with someone at DHL, Ups or FedEx it usually causes problems and can delay shipping. All Casey was doing was getting you, the customer, your product asap. Has anyone else ever recieved a snake or shipped a snake that even though has had a bowel movement before shipping still had a b.m. durring shipping? I know I have recieved Ball Pythons that have done that. At least you know they are healthy. If a Ball Python doesn't have a b.m. then you have to worry. The wet paper towel is used to help keep the snake hydrated. I use this method when shipping babies. If you disagree with anything in this post then you can let me know but as for shipping I saw nothing wrong with the way he shipped. Oh by the way Serafin, I thought you didn't have any pics? How do we know you didn't just through this box together, or tamper with the box before you posted the pics? You said yourself you didn't have them so you could have taken any box and done all this with. Just a thought for everyone to think about.
 
Hey caleb because the box is clearly maked with his address as well as an address of one of his suppliers or customers.. So Like I said the snake was covered in fecal matter why call me a liar... And again your involved how again??? And I don't have pictures of the snake read the posts This is just you wanting to continue something You have no business in...
 
um..

Serafim said:
I assure you as a person who cares for animals I would have never thought pictures before health issues.. I am sorry that is the way I am...
Click to expand...

That is completely understandable. In the future, i would advise having a digital camera handy when expecting shipments in case you need a refund, but I can hardly blame you for wanting to care for an ill animal first. Good luck with the Snake, and please, for the love of God and all things holy, do not send the snake back to the man who sent it to you if you don't plan on keeping it. If you do keep it, best of luck, I'm sure you will do just fine with him, and good luck getting into any morphs, they are great snakes.

RITCHSREPTILES said:
thats not what i shipped in idiot stop bad mouthing me your just proving your ignorence!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

WOW Caleb, I REALLY want to buy something from you now! Real mature.

Even if I though Serafim was lying and trying to scam you, which he really has nothing to gain from doing, I would still never buy from someone who debases his customers so viley, no matter how much of a liar they are.
From your explosive reactions, and from what you are calling Serafim in your two completely unhelpful and self-daming posts, the fact that you do not care to explain what you actually did ship the snake in, and your own lack of pictures of the animal in good condition, I can conclude that even if you are a decent breeder, you are not a person i would recommend anyone to send money to. You are behaving childishly, and I'm afraid your friend southernstylereptile, who is still a minor, seems to have more self control and reason than you do. Considering the circumstances, I will be avoiding you and recommending others to do the same.
Congratulations for using your own rope, sir, consider yourself hung.
 
southernstylereptile said:
I If the word snake comes up in a conversation with someone at DHL, Ups or FedEx it usually causes problems and can delay shipping.
Click to expand...
Not with Fed Ex. I ship ALL my snakes with "live harmlesss reptile" marked on the box along with the common name and scientific name. There is no question as to what is in the box.
You just need to go thru the proper steps and get verified as a live reptile shipper.

southernstylereptile said:
The wet paper towel is used to help keep the snake hydrated. I use this method when shipping babies. If you disagree with anything in this post then you can let me know but as for shipping I saw nothing wrong with the way he shipped.
Click to expand...
Why would you ship a snake with wet paper towels? There is no need to do that to keep them hydrated if they are healthy and hydrated BEFORE they are shipped. There is no support on the box. You cannot just use newspaper. You need to make sure the box is sturdy. That is also one of the requirements of Fed Ex. You need to submit your packaging for testing. Newspaper is fine if there is styro reinforcing the box. The deli cup needs more than one airhole. I disagree with the way he packaged it and that he did not notify the buyer of the tracking info AND that he is calling his customer an idiot.
 
SPJ said:
Not with Fed Ex. I ship ALL my snakes with "live harmlesss reptile" marked on the box along with the common name and scientific name. There is no question as to what is in the box.
You just need to go thru the proper steps and get verified as a live reptile shipper.


Why would you ship a snake with wet paper towels? There is no need to do that to keep them hydrated if they are healthy and hydrated BEFORE they are shipped. There is no support on the box. You cannot just use newspaper. You need to make sure the box is sturdy. That is also one of the requirements of Fed Ex. You need to submit your packaging for testing. Newspaper is fine if there is styro reinforcing the box. The deli cup needs more than one airhole. I disagree with the way he packaged it and that he did not notify the buyer of the tracking info AND that he is calling his customer an idiot.
Click to expand...

I agree on all points. Plenty of breeders manage to do things legally AND safely. Every snake I have recieved was boxed twice, once in the cardboard box, another in the styrofoam box that would be filled with newspaper to cushion the snake in its deli cup or snake bag. One hole in the cup is not sufficient for insects being shipped, much less a snake.
 
In my opinion paper can be used to cushion but its insulation properties don't measure up to very well to those of Styrofoam. I prefer to hold hot coffee in a Syrofoam cup than in a paper cup. ;)
 
I got screwed by FedEx once before when I had an account and now they are refusing to give me a reptile shipping account. I am still trying though but not everyone can get it. When I ship I do support the box and if done right newspaper can be used to do this, I can provide pics of how I do this, About the wet paper towel, every baby snake I have recieved (most of my snakes have been bought as adults except for some corns and balls) was sent to me like this since I was 13 so I just picked it up. I am not saying you have to do it. I don't us a soaked paper towel. I wet it, squeeze all the water out, let it dry out for a couple mins. so its not too wet. I see it as a way to relax them as they can lap that the towelet during shipping and get some liquids. I will see if I can get some pics up soon of how I package snakes
 
All I am saying is if properly done, newspaper works great, anyone ever done business with Wild Side Reptiles in Tampa, Fl? He isn't in the business any more but he is the one that showed me this method. When I ship I will use styrofoam if the customer wants me to but if they don't care I use newspaper to cut costs
 
So let me ask you something where you the seller of this snake?? I mean you have really gotten fired up over something that really isn't your problem.. I only asked cause you said you were with him very recently I think you said yesterday Or something to that effect in your first post and the snake was shipped Yesterday using your methods
 
I did not ship the snake if that is what you are getting at. I was at his house about 8am yesterday picking up some rats. My grandfather lives in Anadarko, Ok and I was visiting him because he is dying of lung cancer and stopped off at Casey's house on the way home, I left my Grandparents house about 7am got to Casey's about 8am and left Casey's at about 8:05 drove 6 hrs home and was at home at about 3pm. You can contact my grandparents, my mom, Casey, My grandma in amarillo which insidentally was put in the hospital 2days ago and just came out of a coma yesterday about 2:30pm. As I also said in previous posts, Casey is like a brother to me that is why I am all fired up. If someone was doggin your family member, whether your family member was right or wrong, wouldn't you still be fired up and standing behind the 100%. I am sick of you accusing me of stuff, and basically saying I am too young to know what I am talking about. Its not me you have the problem with so why are you acting like it is. As I just said I will be happy to give you numbers to people you can call and verify that I was at these places at these times. I can even give you the number to North West Texas Hospital here in Amarillo, Tx to prove that I was at the hospital checking on a family member at roughly 3:15pm.
 
These aren't good pics but they will give you an idea. Unless it is extremely hot I use newspaper with holes punched in it about the same thickness of styrofoam but this will give you an idea on how I ship with newspaper.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k59/caleb_046/100_1222.jpg

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k59/caleb_046/100_1223.jpg

Please note that the newspaper is usually around 1/2-1in thick. This is just a quick snap shot of what it looks like with a box that I had laying around.
 
Caleb really I was just asking a question. I have no real beef with you other than the heated words past between posts.. If you feel other wise than I am sorry for that. I am willing to admit that i was wrong to demean you if I did.. I was simply trying to make my point earlier and you were so quick to assume that I was lying.. I have nothing to gain here at all.. Well besides the satisfaction of knowing Someone else may not have to deal with this in the future... That was it I have never spoken a word on these forums before this day.. You must understand from my point of view.. I do sell on the autions from time to time but I go out of my way to ensure I give the buyer exactly what they want.. I should have done my homework better.. Yes you are correct but I am telling you I never recieved a photo other than The Sire and the miscorrectly labled pastel sibling which was a gorgeous snake.. So I was kinda misled.. When I made contact It got ugly quick including embarrassing me in the Auctions not that its a big deal but still.. Its the principal here.. I wish you much succees in your business.. tho I must admit I would never do business with a minor because its not a legal binding contract.. Thats law every state.. But best of Luck and again I harbor no ill feeling towards you
 
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