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Info My experience with Reptile Basics / Cold Blood Novelties

W

w_johnson

Snake Charmer
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I saw an ad on ks.com advertising 1.0 albino patternless bull snake and contact Frank at Cold Blood Novelties by phone. On the phone I was told the male was bright orange and he had a het patternless albino female, said both were in great condition. We came to a price of $300 shipped and set shipping arrangements.

I was given invalid tracking number and I called several times over the next 6 hours trying to resolve shipping issue. I finally got the correct tracking number and received the snakes asplanned the following day.

On 11/20 When I opened the box I was amazed at how skinny these snakes were. The male was more yellow in color than orange and the female has a obviously kinked tail.

Frank said to ship them back and he'd credit my card. I spoke with him later, about crediting me $60-$70 and me just keeping the snakes. I was willing to keep them because I felt that they were in no condition to be put back in a box an shipped right back. He said he would call me back the next day(would have been 11/22/09) after speaking with Rich at Reptile Basics but never called. Today neither will answer their phones or return my calls.
 
Wes I'm sorry you are not happy, but this is not like either of these guys. I have done business with both Frank and Rich. I have never had any problems ever. Both GOOD GUYS IN MY BOOK. They have to have something really going on for this to happen!

Just my 2cents
Chris
 
did you ask for any pictures of the snakes before they were shipped? Also i think on your part either you want the snakes or you dont. If you do want them then thats it you keep them. Why should they credit your card any amount. If you dont want them, then ship them back...i dont how you guys look at it..but thats just my opinion...
 
forgot my name..

alexestrada17 said:
did you ask for any pictures of the snakes before they were shipped? Also i think on your part either you want the snakes or you dont. If you do want them then thats it you keep them. Why should they credit your card any amount. If you dont want them, then ship them back...i dont how you guys look at it..but thats just my opinion...
Click to expand...

Alejandro Estrada
 
Are Frank and Rich partners? I see that Frank is an authorized distributor for Reptile Basics racks/cages; but unless there is a closer relationship, the two really need to be listed in separate threads
 
I have associated Cold Blooded Novelties ie Frank with Reptile Basics, Inc ie Rich due to the fact that the snakes were shipped from "Rich Goldzung". AND everytime I had a question for Frank he either asked Rich for the answer or couldn't answer it without Rich's input. Either way, my complaint is not specifically against Rich, moreso towards Frank.

Prior to the sale, Frank informed me that he was getting out of snakes because "why would I clean up snake sh*t" when I can sell supplies" Which indicates to me that selling his "supplies" is more important than feeding his animals.

All of our correspondence was done over the phone, therefore I have nothing in "writing" to prove or disprove Frank's statements.

Here is the bottom line: I was misled by Frank to believe that I was purchasing an "orange" colored Albino patternless Male Bull Snake. I was first told by Frank that the female was het for albino, then told she was het for snow. There was no receipt or genetic certificate to prove any of this.

Secondly, the animals arrived thin. I know this because I jkeep a number of colubrids myself. Bull snakes are supposed to a round shape...their spines are not intended to protrude and their skin should not sag while they are laying inside their cage.

Frank finally returned my phone calls today. I informed him that the animals were not in any condition to be shipped across the country again. It would cost me $ 45-$55 to ship them back - AT MY EXPENSE! Why would I send these animals back to someone who doesn't take proper care of them AT MY EXPENSE!

Frank infomed me today that I could ship them back to him or shove them up my a**. I proceeded to tell him what I thought about him as well.

When you no longer care about the condition or quality of the animals you sell, it's time to get out. GET OUT FRANK!

Pics are included.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
We have made several snake rack purchases from Rich at Reptile Basics, Inc - all of which have been positive experiences.

Rich has been helpful and professional throughout all interactions.

We have not dealt with and can not vouch for Frank or Cold Blooded Novelties.
 
Bull snakes

First- I did not sell the snakes. Frank did.

Second- You seems to have trouble getting payment made in time to ship before the end of the week. I was kind enough to run the card.

Third- You had difficulty writing down the tracking number that was given to you on the phone by Frank ( was about 8 feet away) when you made payment. You called back a few minutes later asking why the tracking number was no good. It was explained to you that it would not be any good until UPS picked up the package and scanned it. At that point it was just a label. Apparently that was not good enough for you so you left half a dozen messages on Frank phone threatening to come to NC. Seems you lost your cool pretty quickly? Also seems your box showed up on time and where you wanted it.

Beyond that I have not participated in any of this. I have ignored your two messages because I do not have time for your fun and games and threats.
 
I too have dealt with Frank and Rich and purchased an Albino Applegate Gopher in August and picked up at the Daytona show a few weeks later. I have nothing but good things to say in their communication was excellent, and the animal was in perfect health. Just my opinion that they are excellent.
Alanna Cohen
 
I have never threatened to go to NC.

I am keeping these animals because obviously they were not being taken care of - or they wouldn't have shown up in such terrible shape.

This is not fun and I don't play games. When I ask for something specific and pay for it - then I expect to get it.

Pictures don't lie. The skin folds are unmistakeable in both animals. The tail kink in the female is unexcusable and should have been disclosed prior to shipping. No excuses.

Rich, no hard feelings. I will not do business with someone who can't take care of their snakes or anyone such as yourself associated with them.
 
So, you are saying you won't send them back.

Every once in awhile I come in contact with someone who is simply not happy no matter what. Snake I saw go into the box did not have any such kink. Albino is in shed. Take a decent picture. You say otherwise. Fine.

Lets save some time. Lets assume that all of this is true for a moment. Send them back. I can assure you your money will be refunded as soon as those two animals show up in a box. While none of the rest of this is under my control, that is. If you say no then I can only assume you want the animals. Now come the excuses as to why they are not coming back-right?

I just listened to a saved message of yours from the tracking number confusion you seemed to be experiencing Thursday. To be clear, in that message you did not specifically say you were coming to NC- my mistake- you are right. You said you would "get back at him", used examples of past history "getting back" at people and used about all the unprintable language you could fit into the message as well. How should that be interpreted exactly? Did that help your situation out any or make it worse? Why won't anybody talk to you when you call?

Sounds like you were a bit frustrated that you were not getting an immediate response. I would point out that you are a couple of hours behind us and not everyone on the east coast sits by their phone waiting for your call at 9pm. A little patience can go a long way. My understanding is he did contact you that night and got you squared away on your tracking #, is this not correct? In fact, every time you have had to talk to him you have been responded to? Am I wrong? I guess it is just not fast enough for you.

Did you provide an email address for the UPS tracking number to be automatically emailed to you to avoid the possible confusion caused by a long string of mixed numbers and letters? I heard you did not have access to a computer to receive the email? Is this true? I heard that conversation.

By the way- Frank spent much of the weekend in AL at the Birmingham show. Might have influenced his response time along with your abusive messages from the previous day.

I know as soon as I heard that crap on his phone the next morning my reaction was simple- Wes who? If you left that on my phone there would be no further discussion of anything at any time for any reason. Just no reason for it and no amount of discussion would advance the conversation with you anyhow. Once it degrades to that why waste time with it. Delete.

The little bit of your messages I listened to on my phone seemed pretty polite. But I was not going to waste my time with you due to your tracking messages. Delete.

So now you have all kinds of problems. Who would have guessed?

What Frank does with this is up to him. I doubt you will hear from him here or anywhere else. I would not bother with you either. If your tone changed and you stopped with the " I want them, then I want $50 off, then I don't want them but won't send them back" routine you might get a satisfactory response.

You dragged me into this- otherwise I would not have much to say to you either. Here or any where else. Again- how will talking to you advance this when you will not send them back? Maybe it is the NY'er in me- I just don't get it.
 
i have dealt with frank. never rich. i can only post my own experience.
with all due respect to chris brown from BA reptiles, he is as good as they come.
I contacted frank (back earlier this year) about some snakes he had for sale, his ads always state, phone calls get priority, so i called. he told me that he was at a show and he could not tell me what he would have available after the show.....even though i said i would paypal him for what i wanted immediately (sight unseen). the following weekend he was travelling to the columbus ohio show saturday, and on to cleveland sunday for a show. after the show he was attending i called to see if he had the animals i still wanted, his response was i am way to busy to see how many animals i have left, when i get there you can see what i have.......
i went to the columbus show, bought one snake from him......did not mention that i had talked to him previously, and have no respect for him. came across as very arrogant. not surprised that he screwed somebody, doesn't have the testicles to defend himself, but somebody named rich is here to defend him........frank, grow a set......rich you try to divorce yourself from this situation, but obviously you have been a part of the entire deal, you were there for all the phone calls, shipped from you, what the heck????????
i have no respect for frank from cold blooded novelties.
mike mcmullen
why can't frank defend himself?
 
I dot think frank needs to defend himself in anyway. If we'd wants the snakes then he keeps them. End of story. If he doesn't want them then he should simply ship them back.
Frank said he would refund the money if the snakes were returned. And it seems to me Wes never asked for pictures...that's te first thing most people do when they buy reptiles online..
 
Alejandro,
I agree, if you do not ask for pictures you should expect to be sent crap.......i did not come here to help somebody else, just to explain my dealings with frank. obviously you agree with the theory that people should expect to get unhealthy snakes that do arrive as described if they do not recieve pics in advance.
mike
 
.....rich you try to divorce yourself from this situation, but obviously you have been a part of the entire deal, you were there for all the phone calls, shipped from you, what the heck????????
Click to expand...

Fair enough- He helps here a few hours a week on various things. Much of the time he is well within hearing distance and gets to hear quite a few of my phone conversations as well. That day he was picking up various items to bring to Birmingham and was answering emails on my computer when he took the payment phone call. I was waiting to use my computer as is often the case :). I also have a daily pickup at about 5pm everyday, last stop before the truck goes to the terminal everyday. About as good as it gets for shipping so why not use it? Not an uncommon practice and I have offered that up to a few others over the years. Problem?

CC was a matter of convenience to help expedite a deal which is also how I can back up the guarantee Wes will get refunded if the animals come back. In retrospect no good deed goes unpunished. I should know better and yes, I am more involved than I would like to be. But here we are with a guy who likes to leave threats on the phone because he can't figure out a tracking number, does not have a computer handy to receive tracking info or pics but is buying over the net and posting here and also has not accepted about the best possible solution anyone can be offered- the whole thing never happened.

I heard one half of a few phone conversations on Thursday and a few phone messages left Thursday evening-the evening the animals where shipped. I saw the animals sitting in a cup before they were packed. I did not ask to be dragged into this, have never spoken to nor emailed with Wes to the best of my knowledge on any topic. I have offered my assurance that if the animals find their way back here I will make sure he is refunded (because I know he will be anyhow) - same offer Frank made to him by his own account. Thought maybe if I backed it up??? But as is often the case we seem to have only problems, no solutions.
 
Was any offer made by the seller to refund the purchase price plus return shipping? Not seeing pictures before purchasing does not negate the fact that he received a sub-par animal (the kink - I can't see much in the photo of the other one). Their are several breeders that do not offer individual photos of animals because their reputation alone does not require they do so. I wouldn't find returning animals because that were not as described and having to pay return shipping a satisfactory resolution. If I was going to be on the losing end by having to fork out money to ship them back, I would find that unacceptable.
 
rich, i was not trying to drag you into this, it seems that you were already here. i just wanted to make everyone aware of my personal dealings with frank of cold blooded novelties. life goes on....i purchased an awesome animal from frank that is thriving and locked up with my albino male as we speak. i just do not understand why he has nothing to say in his own defense????????
wes, i hope you work this out with frank/rich to your satisfaction.
thanks to the BOI,
mike mcmullen
 
What Frank does is up to him. I for one am finished unless something new comes up to advance the ball. To debate this endlessly has no purpose. I avoid forums like the plague.

I KNOW FOR A FACT that the best possible offer has been made to make Wes happy. He turned it down. No- "who pays shipping", discussion or anything else as far as I can tell. Once his initial messages were listened to he lost all credibility with me and I would guess with Frank. So whats the point in continuing the debate? What is there to defend? Wes's own post says he was offered that deal. I think the animal with the kink had some type of "accident" after the fact and now we want a better price myself or we are trying to build a case for a refund. Otherwise why not return them? They are more than healthy enough for a return trip.

Honestly, if Wes was told to screw off after his tracking number messages I would not have a lot of argument with it but that's my opinion and very likely what I would be doing......

Sorry you didn't hit it off with Frank and I am glad the animal you got from him is doing well which is the most telling thing I think. He was a NY cop for 20 years- many of them don't hit it off with everyone all the time :) I have the same problem- I spent half my life around NY city cops and firemen and many people do not hit it off with me either :) I should have taken the test when I was 19..............
 
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