brucestephenson
New member
Mike has a huge amount of guts to come on and answer our questions.
Thank You, Mike!
Thank You, Mike!
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Responding to email notices you receive.
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In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.
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IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed
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Posted 08/15/2025
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Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.
Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."
Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....
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Addendum: 01/10/2026
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Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....
Msherps
- Thread starter Rob @ RK Reptiles
- Start date
Jim O
Careful with that axe...
OK, the trouser snake comment was rude. Mea culpa.
Mike, I think a lot of people justify what they do with the ends. You are entitled to that by all means.
There are many people who have "smuggled" animals for the love of the species. Those people generally have not sold the animals in question but rather kept them, bred them, and established them in captive breeding programs before releasing captive bred offspring.
It sounds like you weren't just doing that. It is clear from what you write that you have a passion for reptiles be it more than a tad misguided, and that you used that passion to make money. When passion and money mix there is often conflict and money often wins. That seems to have been your downfall.
I have a problem with a guy as young as you trying to teach me or anyone else about "life". Trust me when I say that you will understand that better when you are 30. And better still when you are 40.
I stand by my comments as to your humility. And for you to think that you are belies the lack of insight that caused your current predicament. Prison will no doubt force some humility on you and for that is the best place for you to be.
When you get out after having "paid your debt" do the world a favor and pursue your passion for reptiles but do it legally.
Your statements about how people don't understand you and don't have a clue and are pawns and are small fish in a big pond and should read slowly and how you know everyone we could never dream of knowing and three (still unnamed) universities do not do you any good. In fact they expose a narcissistic streak that is most unseemly. One who is truly great has little need to tell the world. The world can see it all by itself.
Think about that.
Mike, I think a lot of people justify what they do with the ends. You are entitled to that by all means.
There are many people who have "smuggled" animals for the love of the species. Those people generally have not sold the animals in question but rather kept them, bred them, and established them in captive breeding programs before releasing captive bred offspring.
It sounds like you weren't just doing that. It is clear from what you write that you have a passion for reptiles be it more than a tad misguided, and that you used that passion to make money. When passion and money mix there is often conflict and money often wins. That seems to have been your downfall.
I have a problem with a guy as young as you trying to teach me or anyone else about "life". Trust me when I say that you will understand that better when you are 30. And better still when you are 40.
I stand by my comments as to your humility. And for you to think that you are belies the lack of insight that caused your current predicament. Prison will no doubt force some humility on you and for that is the best place for you to be.
When you get out after having "paid your debt" do the world a favor and pursue your passion for reptiles but do it legally.
Your statements about how people don't understand you and don't have a clue and are pawns and are small fish in a big pond and should read slowly and how you know everyone we could never dream of knowing and three (still unnamed) universities do not do you any good. In fact they expose a narcissistic streak that is most unseemly. One who is truly great has little need to tell the world. The world can see it all by itself.
Think about that.
C
Chris@TSE
Guest
Yes, Yes he does. I have no problem with Mike, I just dont want to listen to him downplay a serious fault or issue and hype up all he's done for the industry. I also dont want to see someone like MSHERPS associated with this. This was a simple issue a few days ago, but Mike could not help try to get himself involved through NUMEROUS PMS to various members. If anyone was looking to stir up some... well...you know.... It seems to have been Mike.
If your intentions are good, I trust youll make good on them Mike. Good Luck.
If your intentions are good, I trust youll make good on them Mike. Good Luck.
C
Chris@TSE
Guest
And Bruce, this ones for you.........
The force is strong with this one........
The force is strong with this one........
brucestephenson
New member
Wow!
Is that from the Fauna smilies selection? I must have it!
Is that from the Fauna smilies selection? I must have it!
C
Chris@TSE
Guest
LOL, no...
It's on our forums though if you would like to link to it..... Just visit our main page and go from there, I'm sure you'll find it.
I dont want to
It's on our forums though if you would like to link to it..... Just visit our main page and go from there, I'm sure you'll find it.
I dont want to
Jim O
Careful with that axe...
In that case, Chris and Bruce, this one's for you guys.
Dan Scolaro
New member
What the heck is going on here with some of you people. I know of Mike but never bought anything from him and am not here to defend him but this poor guy is on the verge of his last night of freedom and some of you want to kick his arss. What kind of nerve some of you have.
Mike B. is not even the source of this thread. And I saw those MS Herp ads weeks ago and it took a nanosecond to figure they were from some new novice dealer and no one was robbed a ball python or hogg island boa. This guy Mike B. is perhaps the most intelligent and dedicated young man I ever seen in the business and he got caught doing something perhaps any of us would have done if we were not able to pay our bills on time and had to work through college.
Hell, half if not more than half those people advertising on kingsnake.com are convicted felons. All you who have kicked him should be ashamed of yourselves for knocking him when he is down. Pick him. Help him. Man, this post started when Rob asked a silly question and look what it turned into. And he started to be crucified when he only was helping his friend.
And Jim, I am over 40 and lived around the world in several different countries and seen stuff I wished I could forget, and this guy Mike B. is here to stay and will make an impact on our industry in the future if not already.
OK, I vented.
Mike B. is not even the source of this thread. And I saw those MS Herp ads weeks ago and it took a nanosecond to figure they were from some new novice dealer and no one was robbed a ball python or hogg island boa. This guy Mike B. is perhaps the most intelligent and dedicated young man I ever seen in the business and he got caught doing something perhaps any of us would have done if we were not able to pay our bills on time and had to work through college.
Hell, half if not more than half those people advertising on kingsnake.com are convicted felons. All you who have kicked him should be ashamed of yourselves for knocking him when he is down. Pick him. Help him. Man, this post started when Rob asked a silly question and look what it turned into. And he started to be crucified when he only was helping his friend.
And Jim, I am over 40 and lived around the world in several different countries and seen stuff I wished I could forget, and this guy Mike B. is here to stay and will make an impact on our industry in the future if not already.
OK, I vented.
C
Chris@TSE
Guest
then he should be spending his time doing something constructive rather than sending people private messages regarding a thread he has nothing to do with in turn involving himself......... jmo
but good vent nonetheless dan! a+
but good vent nonetheless dan! a+
Jim O
Careful with that axe...
So we should all coddle the poor admitted felon? I would feel better about that if he didn't carry a 2 x 4 on his shoulder. Did you read what he wrote? I have a brief capsule of some of the choice expressions that he used in an effort to "defend" his buddy a few posts up.Dan Scolaro said:
I have no problem learning from anyone, but when a person who is barely drinking age lectures about life I do take some issue no matter what impact he had made (legal or otherwise) in the past or will in the future.
You're over 40. Do you think you knew at 20 what you know now? Dumb question, I know. But it made my point.
To send me an unsolicited Private Message me and say
was plain rude. But will I feel sorry for him because he knowingly broke the law in an effort to make financial gains and got caught? No, I won't. For his family perhaps. But not for him. Two years of being in a penitentiary can only do him some good.miamirep said:
C
Chris@TSE
Guest
sounds harsh, but i do agree 110%
perhaps you should read these posts Dan....... just a thought.
perhaps you should read these posts Dan....... just a thought.
Dan Scolaro
New member
Chris:
Well that is exactly what I mean. He was perhaps sending people private messages to help a friend because almost anyone who comes on this forum typically leaves a broken man or women with a craked off rod sticking out of their butt. I mean it's his last night of freedom and he is helping someone and got caught up defending someone he pointed out was a novice. And I think I even know this novice guy and he is also young and did not and would not rip anyone off.
The man is very helpful believe me. He is kind and generous and does not even for one second deserve this flack and having to explain this mess he made to the open public. I mean, if you fell short of money and you did something foolish and then had to go on an open forum and explain to the world what happened, how would you feel? Heck, I cannot believe he held together so well to explain it. For his age, he has some guts.
And I do not know him personally, however there are a several big name people who I do know that do know Mike B. and they always speak very highly about him and say is the the best of the best.
Well that is exactly what I mean. He was perhaps sending people private messages to help a friend because almost anyone who comes on this forum typically leaves a broken man or women with a craked off rod sticking out of their butt. I mean it's his last night of freedom and he is helping someone and got caught up defending someone he pointed out was a novice. And I think I even know this novice guy and he is also young and did not and would not rip anyone off.
The man is very helpful believe me. He is kind and generous and does not even for one second deserve this flack and having to explain this mess he made to the open public. I mean, if you fell short of money and you did something foolish and then had to go on an open forum and explain to the world what happened, how would you feel? Heck, I cannot believe he held together so well to explain it. For his age, he has some guts.
And I do not know him personally, however there are a several big name people who I do know that do know Mike B. and they always speak very highly about him and say is the the best of the best.
Dan Scolaro
New member
Jim:
Obviously your deserving of respect and I understand where your coming from and please understand the dynamics involved here. The guy is facing a big change in life. Of course if he was in the same room with you perhaps he could communicate better but after all, I think he deserves more credit for not getting foul and attacking then someone else would have easily done. I did not say to coddle him, I meant to convey to understand the nature of the beast of this entire situation. Yea, he smarted off to you and after reading the first several pages of attacks on him and his friend, I was very surprised he kept as calm as he did to defend himself as he is highly regarded by many in the industry.
Obviously your deserving of respect and I understand where your coming from and please understand the dynamics involved here. The guy is facing a big change in life. Of course if he was in the same room with you perhaps he could communicate better but after all, I think he deserves more credit for not getting foul and attacking then someone else would have easily done. I did not say to coddle him, I meant to convey to understand the nature of the beast of this entire situation. Yea, he smarted off to you and after reading the first several pages of attacks on him and his friend, I was very surprised he kept as calm as he did to defend himself as he is highly regarded by many in the industry.
C
Chris@TSE
Guest
I hear ya dan, but before posting a vent such as yours, you shouldh ave read what he was sending people here...... for such a good guy, he could have chosen a different route. Either way, I dont like hearing felons preach to me and downplay thier roles in crimes to justify current statements. there are plenty of people doing good things without resorting to felonies to further the hobby. what he did was out of desire for personal materialistic gain. (ie. specimens\money)
he didnt smuggle for the good of anyone but himself. dont tell me otherwise.
he may be a good guy, and he may have learned from his mistakes, who knows. but im not here to comfort a felon becuase he may be hours away from the pen. his fault, not mine.
he didnt smuggle for the good of anyone but himself. dont tell me otherwise.
he may be a good guy, and he may have learned from his mistakes, who knows. but im not here to comfort a felon becuase he may be hours away from the pen. his fault, not mine.
C
Chris@TSE
Guest
and as for pestering people he did not agree with thru pms, thats just plain silly.......
I mean, really, cmon! *sigh*
I mean, really, cmon! *sigh*
Dan Scolaro
New member
Chris:
Well, almost half the congressman and senators that lead our country preach to us and they have committed worse offenses and knew someone to get out of it. Oh well, I guess it was not directed at me and I cannot see it as such, but I would step aside and give Mike B. the leverage to he needs and lend a helping hand at this point. And by leverage I do not mean comfort. I mean to perhaps leave the guy alone as its obvious he has suffered enough and will do what is right to overcome this by leaps and bounds.
Well, almost half the congressman and senators that lead our country preach to us and they have committed worse offenses and knew someone to get out of it. Oh well, I guess it was not directed at me and I cannot see it as such, but I would step aside and give Mike B. the leverage to he needs and lend a helping hand at this point. And by leverage I do not mean comfort. I mean to perhaps leave the guy alone as its obvious he has suffered enough and will do what is right to overcome this by leaps and bounds.
Jim O
Careful with that axe...
I sincerely hope that he does. He is young enough to learn and change his ways.Dan Scolaro said:
Well this is my last post on Fauna for a short while , lol.
I want to thank everyone who knows me and called me about this thread and showed support.
Like I have always said, I admit what I did was wrong, but its a tiny little fleck in a horrific world where rapists get off on lesser time.
But I am not here to complain and moan, I am taking it very well, and am ready for Club fed, maybe my golfing will get better?
I was never loking from sympathy from the board members, simply was trying to defend a friend who commited a "felony" by Fauna standards for advertising with novice misinformation.
Now by going to pm someone about it to let them know the true side of things, and having it posted like it was all wrong and I am sticking up for something that doesnt exist, well I had to argue. You get nowhere without arguing, sadly none of them saw the way things actually were.
All in all, if you would never do business with me, so be it, I have thosuands of other customers to please, and if you never want to talk to me, so be it, it really dosent matter to me...I got better things to do.
I simply states the facts on two subjects MS Herps was accused of, which were true but had totally logical innocent excuses, and have him labeled as a thief, a con artist, etc, was just B.S., 90% of the industry should learn from him on how he does business.
He has not gone through all the experiences teh majority have in terms of this biz, but he is getting there, some people learn teh hard way, others have it pampered for them, for those that have it pampered, I ahve no respect for them, as they never worked for anything....atleast MS Herps is trying.
I imported illegal animals for myself to begin with, then saw tha potential of establishing colonies of certain animals, and selling them, all the while making good money....was it worth it? yes and no.....you figure that one out.
See ya all later, I will be more than likely waking up, drinking some coffee, eating some good breakfast, and heading out.....may not come back to check on this....
For those that will be flabergasted that I will still have posts on Kingsnake, well I sold my company to a buddy of mine so he can make the extra cash for himself........so dont ASSUME I am still out, or posting from camp, as I will not be.
I donated alot of my animals to local and national zoos...the ones that would do better in a zoo enviroment....like the non fertile animals...lol.
The others were given away all over the country to private individuals who would actually do something with them
Please fight the PETA oppresions, and the like and also the ridiculous laws trying to be passed, in the end we all have to stick together to enjoy the freedom we all love....Herps.
I want to thank everyone who knows me and called me about this thread and showed support.
Like I have always said, I admit what I did was wrong, but its a tiny little fleck in a horrific world where rapists get off on lesser time.
But I am not here to complain and moan, I am taking it very well, and am ready for Club fed, maybe my golfing will get better?
I was never loking from sympathy from the board members, simply was trying to defend a friend who commited a "felony" by Fauna standards for advertising with novice misinformation.
Now by going to pm someone about it to let them know the true side of things, and having it posted like it was all wrong and I am sticking up for something that doesnt exist, well I had to argue. You get nowhere without arguing, sadly none of them saw the way things actually were.
All in all, if you would never do business with me, so be it, I have thosuands of other customers to please, and if you never want to talk to me, so be it, it really dosent matter to me...I got better things to do.
I simply states the facts on two subjects MS Herps was accused of, which were true but had totally logical innocent excuses, and have him labeled as a thief, a con artist, etc, was just B.S., 90% of the industry should learn from him on how he does business.
He has not gone through all the experiences teh majority have in terms of this biz, but he is getting there, some people learn teh hard way, others have it pampered for them, for those that have it pampered, I ahve no respect for them, as they never worked for anything....atleast MS Herps is trying.
I imported illegal animals for myself to begin with, then saw tha potential of establishing colonies of certain animals, and selling them, all the while making good money....was it worth it? yes and no.....you figure that one out.
See ya all later, I will be more than likely waking up, drinking some coffee, eating some good breakfast, and heading out.....may not come back to check on this....
For those that will be flabergasted that I will still have posts on Kingsnake, well I sold my company to a buddy of mine so he can make the extra cash for himself........so dont ASSUME I am still out, or posting from camp, as I will not be.
I donated alot of my animals to local and national zoos...the ones that would do better in a zoo enviroment....like the non fertile animals...lol.
The others were given away all over the country to private individuals who would actually do something with them
Please fight the PETA oppresions, and the like and also the ridiculous laws trying to be passed, in the end we all have to stick together to enjoy the freedom we all love....Herps.
C
Chris@TSE
Guest
I understand what you're saying, and I do believe we suffered a miscomunication. Your firs PM recieved was rather uncalled for, it was basically a mic of an attack and a "i am holier than thou" speech. If you wanted to defend a friend, you could have done so without the extra hipocracies. I have no issues with you, just believe that someone in your position should be a bit more humble rather than preaching his or her contributions to an industry you let down. I wish you luck, you seem like a decent individual and I understand your "intentions". My issue with your friend was simply based on facts, and many could probably agree this entire ordeal was blown way out of proportion. Live and learn.... Good Luck.
Wilomn
New member
wah wah wah, I did it but it's not my fault and some of you would have and do but haven't been caught and other worse guys are out there doing worse things.