Richard Hume
New member
As some of you may know, I worked out a partnership deal with Joe Pierce last year where he would sell my 2007 hatchlings. It is with great reluctance and regret that I am writing to you today to let the corn snake community know that our partnership has turned out badly. I know this is probably surprising to you. Believe me when I say that it was to me also, given what I perceived as Joe’s good reputation within the herp community and my own good relationship with him (multiple purchases, trades and breeding loans) over the past several years. Let me take a few moments of your time to explain how this sequence of events transpired.
I sent a large shipment of hatchlings to Joe in the beginning of September. He advertised on his 2007 price list that he would be selling my snakes (see his post copied below). We even met – for the first time, in person – in Hamm, Germany in October while we were both coincidentally attending the same show. He sent me an initial partial payment in October for animals he had sold up to that date. Everything seemed to be going fine. I then sent him a second shipment of hatchlings, plus an adult for a 2008 breeding loan, on October 31st. I emailed on November 1st asking if the shipment arrived – no response. At that point I did not hear from him for 5 months, despite countless emails and many phone messages left by me, all unreturned. Initially, I thought something might have happened to Joe. But I subsequently found out that he was fine, yet he would not respond to my inquiries, all of which were simply asking what was going on, and was he all right.
Finally, at the end of March, I saw that Joe was back to posting on forums, so I realized that he was simply ignoring me. At that point, I decided to go somewhat public by emailing a number of people in the corn snake community, advising them of what was transpiring with Joe. Then, and only then, did I finally hear from him. He told me he had problems with shipments of snakes to Europe, and said he intended to honor his agreement with me. He returned the adult on breeding loan, and around 15 remaining hatchlings that were left – all of which, incidentally, were barely larger than new-borns, so he obviously didn’t feed them much. I have asked him how he intended to settle our account, but he is again back to ignoring my attempts at communication. Maybe he thinks that by ignoring me this will all go away.
So in summary Joe is not giving me a complete accounting of what he sold, not sending me the money for my share of those sales, and is not paying me for animals that he kept back to add to his breeding stock. In the long run, I don’t know what his intentions are, but this complete lack of any communication makes me suspect the worst.
Let me conclude by stating the obvious - if this can happen to me, it can also happen to any of you. Our relationships with each other are built on trust, and if that trust is violated by someone who we all perceive to be a solid individual and a major player in the corn snake world, and who then turns out to be unscrupulous, then everyone suffers and our hobby/business is diminished as that trust erodes away. In fact, anyone who is a major player in the business (which Joe is) should have an even higher standard of business practices, not sink to this level. This whole experience has been a tremendous disappointment to me, because I always operate on the premise that other people that I deal with basically have good intentions. So to be burned by trusting someone like Joe is quite deflating – by the betrayal, beyond the money and the snakes.
And yes, in answer to the obvious question, I have basically pleaded with Joe to simply contact me so I didn't have to take this step. Airing this unpleasantness to all of you is not something I want to do.
Thanks for your time.
Rich Hume
Copied from Joe’s 2007 price list post:
When I think of Striped Bloods, I think of Rich Hume. Rich was the first to produced the morph, and to prove out his stock to actually be “Striped” Bloods. Rich is one of the most respected breeders in our business and has the highest quality stock available.
I am very please to announce that Rich and I have came to an agreement for Corn Snakes A live to offer his stock for sale. I will guarantee all stock sold with the same guarantee as my own. In addition to Rich’s Striped Bloods, all other stock produced by Rich will be available from Corn Snakes Alive! I know I will be holding some of his stock back for myself.
I sent a large shipment of hatchlings to Joe in the beginning of September. He advertised on his 2007 price list that he would be selling my snakes (see his post copied below). We even met – for the first time, in person – in Hamm, Germany in October while we were both coincidentally attending the same show. He sent me an initial partial payment in October for animals he had sold up to that date. Everything seemed to be going fine. I then sent him a second shipment of hatchlings, plus an adult for a 2008 breeding loan, on October 31st. I emailed on November 1st asking if the shipment arrived – no response. At that point I did not hear from him for 5 months, despite countless emails and many phone messages left by me, all unreturned. Initially, I thought something might have happened to Joe. But I subsequently found out that he was fine, yet he would not respond to my inquiries, all of which were simply asking what was going on, and was he all right.
Finally, at the end of March, I saw that Joe was back to posting on forums, so I realized that he was simply ignoring me. At that point, I decided to go somewhat public by emailing a number of people in the corn snake community, advising them of what was transpiring with Joe. Then, and only then, did I finally hear from him. He told me he had problems with shipments of snakes to Europe, and said he intended to honor his agreement with me. He returned the adult on breeding loan, and around 15 remaining hatchlings that were left – all of which, incidentally, were barely larger than new-borns, so he obviously didn’t feed them much. I have asked him how he intended to settle our account, but he is again back to ignoring my attempts at communication. Maybe he thinks that by ignoring me this will all go away.
So in summary Joe is not giving me a complete accounting of what he sold, not sending me the money for my share of those sales, and is not paying me for animals that he kept back to add to his breeding stock. In the long run, I don’t know what his intentions are, but this complete lack of any communication makes me suspect the worst.
Let me conclude by stating the obvious - if this can happen to me, it can also happen to any of you. Our relationships with each other are built on trust, and if that trust is violated by someone who we all perceive to be a solid individual and a major player in the corn snake world, and who then turns out to be unscrupulous, then everyone suffers and our hobby/business is diminished as that trust erodes away. In fact, anyone who is a major player in the business (which Joe is) should have an even higher standard of business practices, not sink to this level. This whole experience has been a tremendous disappointment to me, because I always operate on the premise that other people that I deal with basically have good intentions. So to be burned by trusting someone like Joe is quite deflating – by the betrayal, beyond the money and the snakes.
And yes, in answer to the obvious question, I have basically pleaded with Joe to simply contact me so I didn't have to take this step. Airing this unpleasantness to all of you is not something I want to do.
Thanks for your time.
Rich Hume
Copied from Joe’s 2007 price list post:
When I think of Striped Bloods, I think of Rich Hume. Rich was the first to produced the morph, and to prove out his stock to actually be “Striped” Bloods. Rich is one of the most respected breeders in our business and has the highest quality stock available.
I am very please to announce that Rich and I have came to an agreement for Corn Snakes A live to offer his stock for sale. I will guarantee all stock sold with the same guarantee as my own. In addition to Rich’s Striped Bloods, all other stock produced by Rich will be available from Corn Snakes Alive! I know I will be holding some of his stock back for myself.
