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Bad Guy Kyle Hiner--sold me a deformed leachie

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Hello, just wanted to share my experience with Kyle Hiner of Winter Haven FL. I saw his ad for a pine leachie on this forum in the classifieds section. I contacted him and ended up buying the animal.

I first noticed the miniature deformed front right leg. The deformity continues up the neck and through the skull and the mandible. She can't even turn her head to the left?!? I have extensive experience (raised 30+ leachies) and I know this is a case of secondary parahyperparathyroidism (MBD) I know the breeder who produced the animal in question and have contacted her. It was sold in perfect condition as a baby. I also have other healthy animals from the same dam and sire that produced the animal in question. Kyle claims that it there is nothing wrong with the animal, and accuses me of trying to scam him. Here are the emails:

Quote:

Sent: Wed, Jun 23, 2010 10:30 am
Subject: RE: Pine leachie?


just got the little one...was she deformed when you got her? her front right leg is about half as big as it should be, and the deformity is even evident through her neck, skull and mandible??? I'm trying to figure out if the problem is nutritional, or husbandry related or genetic??? to me, it looks like she has been fed baby food and/or kept too dry...just trying to figure out what to do with her. She can't even turn her head to the left. Since I can't ever breed her...I'd like at least a partial refund.

Talk with you soon,

Brian Grussing

and his response:

Quote:

Subject: Re: Pine leachie?
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:35:10 -0400
Hey sorry Im getting back so late had to pull a double today, That is my first leachie, and I did get it from vikki, and it looked perfectly fine to me when I sent it out, ive done numerous deals in the reptile world so I always take the time to look at my animals before I send them out. I have never done anyone in the reptile community wrong and im not trying to do you wrong its just that I looked at that gecko yesterday and didnt notice the deformities you are mentioning nor am I seeing them in any of the numerous pics I have of her.................Sorry.......................Ky le

my response:

Sent: Thu, Jun 24, 2010 9:44 am
Subject: RE: Pine leachie?


Quote:

Take a closer look...I included some shots of my Pine from the same parents, that is the same size--so you could see what she would look like if she wasn't deformed--no twisted bone structure, no miniature limb. Their front feet are supposed to be almost as big as their back feet, and their legs are supposed to be symmetrical...

the first 6 pics are of my healthy Pine from the same parents (Vicki), the rest are of the animal you just sent me...we need to talk

Brian Grussing

his response:

Quote:

Sent: Thu 6/24/10 11:20 AM
Sorry I dont see the deformities you are talking about. I took good care of this gecko and I will not be screwed over again, I have had people send me back screwed up animals after I sent them a perfectly healthy gecko, how do I know you didnt just take pics of one of the deformed geckos you got from another breeder, or your could just photo shop to make them look uneven, go ahead and post on the BOI and I will post my response and the 30 some odd people ive done transactions with in the last year...................Thanks...................Ky le

I can't help but worry about any other animals Kyle may be "taking care" of...maybe he just doesn't understand, but this is a serious deal breaker, if an animal isn't in perfect health and condition, then it is a "rescue", not a sellable animal...

it's now 4 yrs later, she passed away as a result of organ displacement due to the spinal deformity. She had a comfortable life as long as a had her. Kyle never returned another email or a penny of my money.
 
These are the pics from his ad...
 

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No, nothing on paper. I was going to school to become a vet tech at the time, & couldn't afford a necropsy. I had the best reptile veterinarian in the state take a look at her, & he said it was most likely due to organ displacement from the deformities. I definately wasn't a calcium crash. As she grew, the deformities got worse & worse, even with calcium glubionate supplementation. When she passed, her pelvis was almost perpendicular to her body, her head was stuck looking to the right. I fed her on CGD, young fresh molt dubia once a week, & Phoenix worms once a month-they were/are expensive. Just saw that the thread was tossed because I didn't know I had to put his name in the subject line.
 
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This is her the day she passed. I always kept her like my other babies & juvies, in a shoebox tub, paper towel substrate with a cork slab & a small coconut hide. She always had a dry hiding place so she could regulate her skin moistness, & was kept at 73F ambient with a small belly heat spot of 78F. She always crawled over to the belly heat after eating, like most juvie leachies.
 

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I posted it back then, after he didn't resolve or admit to it. I just now got back on Fauna & realized that the original post was deleted because I forgot to put his name in the title.
 
At this point, the only thing I'm sorry for is that poor gecko. I know the woman who produced it very well & she would never sell an animal that wasn't flourishing & in perfect health...
 
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