And now it is my turn to add more to this thread and bring it alive AGAIN!
I purchased a coral snake and a hatchling moccasin from Dan Scolaro, DTS Herps, October
1, 2009. I provide indigenous Florida venomous snake displays for education and I needed a coral snake. The moccasin, being in juvie coloration, was a second thought because it would be a good display to offer next to and adult dark colored moccasin. I paid $240 or so with shipping and of course, Dan guaranteed both were eating. Neither snakes ate even once. I offered snakes, skinks, mouse pinks, rat pinks and fish over time to no avail. The coral died and I released the moccasin to give it half a chance (in a sping-fed 73 degree river). In December I emailed Dan requesting he send me his license number because I needed to include it on my renewal info for my Florida venomous permit inventory. A new thing for us now, we have to include license number of anyone we bought from or sold to during the past six months. Dan never responded with his license number.
Recently, when I saw the same ad Dan posted on KS for "coral snake, $125, feeding on snakes or skinks", I sent him this email>
Dan,
Just wanted to let you know that the coral and the hatchling moccasin I
bought from you last October 1st ($240 down the drain) never did eat once,
neither of them. The coral died and I released the moccasin. Guess that's
why you have such a bad name on Fauna...you are just not honest.
Oh and by the way, that recent request I made to you asking you to provide me
with your venomous permit number for renewal of my permits (for the new
inventory report) that went completely ignored by you, will be reported to
FFWCC when they come to inspect me. Maybe they need to come and inspect You!
Susan Sentman
Dan responded later that afternoon with the following:
Subject: Re: Message about: Eastern Coral Snake: $125
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010 1:56 PM
Susan:
How old are you? You did say you had a permit so you must be at least
over 18 correct? Your email looks like a 8 year old wrote it.
Regardless, it's sad to hear that you failed with two great snakes. Since
both ate great here and were in perfect health when reported as received,
it can only be determined that you did not provide proper care and
obviously did not seek me out for advice (which is part of their proper care). I
ship the best of the best animals for repeat business. To think otherwise
is counter to good sales and business relations and anyone who would think
that way is either stupid or daft so I hope you made a mistake in your
judgement this time.
I would strongly suggest for the future that should you find it difficult
to feed any animal that you should contact the seller immediately for some
experienced advice verses allowing any animal to suffer from starvation.
Not trying to be harsh, but I feel bad for the animals and not you as they
obviously suffered from your improper care. And its not legal or good to
release snakes so that was not a good idea either to let it go. All of these
cottons ate runt hopper sized mice and they never skipped a single meal
and all are doing great. The advice given before and now was to ensure their
feeder rodent had hair on it as pinks did not work. Had you any issues
reported with the one I sent you, I would of been happy to give some tips or
send a replacement for free. But how am I to know you are failing if you
do not tell me? And then you have the gall to email 4 months later with
some childish words about complaining. How old did you say you were? Why
did you never contact me? Sounds all too suspect. And if something stinks
like a fish, then its a fish. All of these ate great but only ate runt
sized hoppers in a six inch deli cups left overnight. It was often good to tap
the cotton with the hopper so it would bite it and then leave it there and
they ate it hours later or overnight. I sent others to zoos and
educational facilities and can provide names if you wish to check as theirs are ALL
doing great. Call Eric at the Charleston Aquarium received a great one
just last week and it is doing just fine.
And as you know, there has never been any legitimate complaint registered
with my account on kingsnake.com. And the herp world knows that fauna is a
joke in itself so if you are trolling there then that is not saying much
for yourself as the place is nothing but idiots and morons who do nothing
less than jump to bad conclusions without reading the facts. And any bogus
thread on my name clearly reads/shows how I was sweet and kind to extend the
guarantee above and beyond the term of sale for great customer
satisfaction. So its all great for business and I've sold more stuff based on those
so called bad threads then perhaps advertising elsewhere. Free
advertisement is great right? LOL. I've had several thousands of great sales and a
very few illegitimate complaints (like yours), and I am quite content to keep
working hard for repeat business and expand my great collection of rare
reptiles to maintain the best collection of herps in the world. I have
transacted several thousands of sales and had less than 10 bogus complaints and
that is the best track record of any company. Yes, I am the best of the
best and work hard at it because I love the animals and come down hard on
folks who abuse or neglect animals so forgive me if I am coming down hard on
you because I can only suspect that the animals starved and suffered.
As to your other bogus complaint about the permit, why look worse yourself
and be childish and complain now when you obviously did not telephone or
make any attempts to obtain a copy of my permit? I do not recall your email
as I go through 2-300 emails a day. And you obviously did not follow up
or did not telephone etc, so if you still require a copy then write me a
letter asking for it as your email will be blocked after this response. And
the state can look up my number as its under my name so just give them my
name and that will suffice to abide by the law.
Sadly for you, I do not trust your skills are worth risking on doing future
business as your care techniques seem to lack experience as does your
communications skills lack tact and experience. The only real concern here is
that you are allowed to possess a permit and I do not think you are
qualified.
Again, I feel sad that the animals suffered and would strongly recommend
you hone your keeper skills before taking on any new animals. And to think
I offered you a dozen or so other cottons for free if you could find them
good homes etc and this is the gratitude I receive from you.
It appears that you treat people like dirt and it's only a testament about
how you obviously treat animals.
Perhaps you should wash your attitude out with soap among other things.
And think before you vote.
Dan
This is the classic immature response to a criticism. The subject conjures up all kinds of negative comments, insults and defects in character of a person that he has never even met to show that it is THAT PERSON'S fault and not his. The classic blame it on somebody else escape route. We will never get an honest response out of a person like Dan Scolaro...he will continue to collect wild-caught animals and offer them for sale claiming they are feeding well.
Best advice is not to buy from him!
Anyways, the answer was easy and it was one, just one 
I believe there may have been a better way to have dealt with the non-eating issue such as posting in the Venomous discussion forum asking for advice.