I'm going to try to cover everything I made note of to reply. I have chosen to defend myself from wrong judgment by some and for the amusement and knowledge of others. First it never ceases to amaze me how people pass judgment hearing half of a biased story.
Deborahbroadus I think you clarified your own brightness. Hopefully the only herp you care for is the one transmitted.
Ed Clark the gecko was not DOA not sure where you read that
? and FYI Long Term Captive means I bought the gecko as a fresh import several months ago and she has been in my care for that duration of time, while purchasing a recently caught animal from the wild is called a Fresh Import, just to clarify those terms for you. Now think (rationally) are sikorae being imported during this time of year? If so I'm not seeing any fresh imports available for sale. I sold her only to pay a vet bill which I should have found another means of paying it. Lotusracer paid 150 for the animal shipped. Not 100 for the gecko and 50 for shipping so no I didn't just pocket a few extra bucks.
Akonitony your perception on it being a cat fight is exactly right and my last name is hyphenated because back when I was born in Florida, babies had to take the father's last name. Also guess who cousin Vinny calls when he has a problem
(Only some of you will appreciate that joke).
Anyway to summarize this "I kid you not" story first, if which is possible, the girl was getting pummeled by my gf because first was told to stop putting her hand down the pants of my gf's best friend's bf who was passed out on his couch and was also this girl's boss. Then second she was asked to leave and repeatedly refused. Third she purposely made a pass at me in front of my gf and that's when words were exchanged and a cat fight broke out. Her vendetta with me was I took away the mace and every other weapon she tried using while I tried to hold back my gf. Not the easiest thing to do and needless to say I am not dating that troublesome girl anymore. Going to the news paper was her way of retaliation because she knew I played football. I never got charged with anything just wrongly accused. Btw months after it happened she apologized when she saw I was the door guy at the newest club in town but proceeded to tell me off when I refused her entry. People that know me actually laughed when they read the story.
Now if your wondering why I am playing college football at my age I quit a well paying job to walk on the football team and play with my two brothers. Another reason I quit my job was to get a degree in animal science since I need a piece of paper to verify knowledge I've learned back in grade school on my own. I used to volunteer at the St. Louis Zoo after high school (an amazing zoo and I recommend everyone should check it out) in the Entomology and Herpetology department. But aside from the head curator and a few specialists, the other few employees knew nothing of the animals they were working with but I couldn't get on payroll because I didn't have a BS degree.
Alright back to the main issue here.
What I did to ensure her a safe trip.
I packaged her in a well-insulated box.
She was shipped out for overnight delivery and hold for pickup.
Fragile and Live were placed on the box. (The people at USPS aren't idiots to where they are going to leave a box that says Live and Fragile sit out in the cold)
Being she was not DOA or deceased a day or two even after given the situation I fulfilled my obligation as the seller.
Now the buyer claims the 100% reason the sikorae died was because of the shipping delay in cold weather, (implying it sat out in the cold) but being it died several days later and being a LTC I was fully aware of her health and my experience with shipping the species involving heat packs (has lead to deaths from extreme heat spikes) and receiving the species shipped to me in cold weather without heat packs when really a well insulated box does the trick (having Live and Fragile written on the box), I had reason to believe and now have better proof thanks to lotusracer himself, there are other (more likely) possibilities such as being caused too much stress or the stress of a new living environment is what caused the demise of my beautiful sikorae which now I regret selling to someone who was careless (in my opinion) with the well being of the gecko herself.
I have used USPS many times without a problem, this is the first. I've noticed when shipping reptiles people are many times over careful (like the first baby syndrome) and think animals have to be shipped overnight or otherwise the animal will for sure die or soon there after. Not true actually contrary to popular belief. I have wondered this myself and have shipped to friends and received shipping from friends using 2 day shipping without any trouble and the geckos, anoles and even lil tropical frogs have thrived many days after shipping in temperatures in the 40's and 50's (many black Friday deals) but they are hold for pickup, not delivered to my house, apartment or secret laboratory. Some animals did show more signs of stress than others but all bounced back to full active health. Also I have shipped animals using USPS to areas in the 40's and 50's and a well insulated box was used after I got confirmation of DOA (from a heat pack doing the exact same methods as I've read other people do who claim to have had success in the exact same size box) and it worked just fine.
I cannot guarantee factors out of my control such as stress done to the animal done buy the buyer which is obvious now since the buyer decided he was going to force an already stressed animal into an even more stressful situation of taking pictures the day of delivery, not in a natural setting, but against a white background. Anyone who are even the most remotely familiar with the species knows how sikorae don't sit still very easily outside of it's environment and bright flashes of light only induces more stress to a stressful change of environment. Now I'm sure lotusracer was giddy like we all are when we receive a new animal but given the situation he should have tried to lessen, not heighten the stress level and taking photos is stressful to any animal that gets stressed easily especially after shipping. Now knowing he has impaired judgement by making one bad decision, could he have made another bad decision? Yes, he had to handle her in order to get her to sit still to take a photo when again anyone familiar with sikorae knows they don't particularity like being handled. Handling a stressed sikorae can quickly lead to death. Whenever I receive a sikorae or any animal of that matter, I inspect it, DO NOT HANDLE IT, and place it in it's new environment with dim lighting, especially sikorae. I DO NOT take pictures of it right away! Granted this may have worked in the past without problems with all lotusracers other sikorae but he even said she seemed stressed and chose to ignore the fact she was stressed and took photos of her that day.
Another factor that can be added to the stress level of the animal people are overlooking is sikorae need to feel comfortable in the environment they are living in and moving into a new home can also be very stressful. A sikorae that particularly likes a certain perch or size and look of it's environment can get extremely stressed out if anyone of those factors changes especially a sikorae that has become comfortable with its surroundings such as a LTC. I have noticed this with my sikorae if I completely change the look of their environment they don't like it too well, but if I gradually change it they seem to accept it better.
People like answers to be clear cut and for many it is hard to accept or realize that there can be a multitude of reasons applied together that can result in a not so clear answer. Mr. lotusracer needs hold himself accountable for his poor choice of actions after he received her, but instead he is painting a picture to gain sympathy because he can't accept or realize he took part in her death and has warned everybody of how TERRIBLE I am. Yes people I am TERRIBLE for not guaranteeing an amateurs mistakes, regardless of the many successful transactions I have made through USPS without a problem.
In conclusion, if you are not an experienced keeper in any reptile, amphibian or insect you see offered for sale by me in the future please do not buy from me. Let someone else make the purchase who knows and regards proper care.
