dprince
New member
I am working on posting my side of the story here, including ALL emails sent by both Toni and myself. The picture it paints is a little different than the one presented here. I'm going as fast as I can, sorry for the delay.
Story is pretty easy to follow
1. Three snakes shipped
2. Buyer contacted seller the day of arrival to let them know they arrived safely
3. Later that day buyer realizes one of them has problems and contacts seller by email and phone.
4. Seller says "it's just shipping stress it will go away"
5. After a few days of believing seller and the "shipping stress" does not go away buyer contacts a few breeders who tell her that is not "shipping stress" and snake needs to see a vet asap.
6. Buyer takes questionable snake to vet at earliest appointment.
7. Vet confirms there is something seriously wrong with the snake.
Seller will not stand behind the health of the animal - stating that it arrived alive and that is all she guaranteed.
Seller lied about it being "shipping stress that would go away"
Seller will not assume responsibility and either knowingly shipping out a sick snake or poor shipping procedures that have harmed the snake.
Seller did not care that she could have IBD in her collection or that she could be shipping it out in all the snakes she flipped.
Did I miss anything?
Refund for the cost of snake and vet bill compensation.

Story is pretty easy to follow
Seller did not care that she could have IBD in her collection or that she could be shipping it out in all the snakes she flipped.
Yes the snake with the problem is the caramel albino .
The other 2 are a pr of caramel glow hets susposedly from BHB .
They are in qt and will remain so .
She flipped them .
Story is pretty easy to follow
1. Three snakes shipped
2. Buyer contacted seller the day of arrival to let them know they arrived safely
3. Later that day buyer realizes one of them has problems and contacts seller by email and phone.
4. Seller says "it's just shipping stress it will go away"
5. After a few days of believing seller and the "shipping stress" does not go away buyer contacts a few breeders who tell her that is not "shipping stress" and snake needs to see a vet asap.
6. Buyer takes questionable snake to vet at earliest appointment.
7. Vet confirms there is something seriously wrong with the snake.
Seller will not stand behind the health of the animal - stating that it arrived alive and that is all she guaranteed.
Seller lied about it being "shipping stress that would go away"
Seller will not assume responsibility and either knowingly shipping out a sick snake or poor shipping procedures that have harmed the snake.
Seller did not care that she could have IBD in her collection or that she could be shipping it out in all the snakes she flipped.
Did I miss anything?
OK, what the heck is all the "flipped" business? Are you trying to say that Debbie bought these animals with the sole intention of reselling them for more money? I highly, highly doubt that. She probably purchased the snakes for her personal collection and then as many of us do changed her mind or needed the cash and decided to sell them. So now any time one of us buys a reptile from someone else and decides to sell it shortly thereafter are we to be known as "flippers"?!?
I've known Debbie for a few years now and have done business with her more than once. Each transaction we had was problem free, and I have been extremely happy with every animal I have ever received from her. I'm interested to hear Debbie's side of this.
Thanks Harold for the heads up on this thread.
Here's my side of the story.
I am also posting all the emails between us, so you can see for yourselves what was said, and what was not. I'll fill in the blanks and correct inaccuracies between emails.
* I had ordered 3/4 foam inch boxes from Superior on 2/5 through their new website, but didn't receive the boxes until 2/19. (I'd had to call them because there was some mess up on the website, but that is another issue.) To avoid further delay, I opted to use a used shipping box that was lined with foil bubble wrap for extra protection from the cold. Each snake was individually bagged and placed in a 12 x 9 x 6 box. I added styrofoam peanuts for extra insulation, and a 40 hour heat pack taped to the top. I shipped these on 2/18 to a FedEx for pick up. They were picked up by Toni at 10:27 am per FedEx.
*On 2/19, I was away from home almost all day. I received a call from Toni stating that something was wrong with the snake (it was about 5:30 PST) She was saying that the snake wasn't acting right. I told her I didn't know what was wrong with the snake, maybe it was stressed from shipping, maybe something happened during shipping, I had no idea what was wrong. At this point, Toni asks if it's OK to give her Caro Syrup, as that is something to give puppies and kittens (I can't remember the justification). I told her I didn't think that was a good idea.
### I emailed you as soon as I got home at 11:34. You have the email . Remeber you sent it back to me .
As for the Kayro syrup...I called you frantically and said is there anything I can do fo rthis animal...we breed kittens andpups and when they are stressed we put less than adrop of kayro on our finger and rub it on the gums of the kitten or pup...I asked you if there was anything I could do for the snake if indeed it was stressed from shipping as you suggested . I did not give kayro syrup t the snake. Thats reaching Debbie.
You said you thought there was some sort of reptile rescue but you didnt know what it was . We agreed to let her rest in her tub and you said she probably just thought shipping sucked and sorry but that was all you knew to do.
*I* suggested that she take the snake to the vet. Toni mentions that she'll take the snake to a vet, then that she won't because she doesn't want to spend money to find out what's wrong, and that there are none close to her.
###You are a bold faced liar .
*Toni mentions that she is upset as this was her daughter's scholarship money
###Debbie my daughter used part of her scholarship money to make the last pymt on the snake because she wanted it here . I would think you would be ashamed to admit that . Its her snake . I allowed her to do so under the agreement that I have reimbursed her .
*Toni called me from the vet on 2/27 stating she was at the vet's office, and that the vet thought the snake might have IBD. I told Toni that no snake in my collection is sick. This is still true - not even a respiratory infection. All are eating regularly, acting normally. I've added no new snakes since Oct. of 08.
### You told me that it couldnt be IBD becasue you had a fellow breeder friend come over and check all your snakes to make sure you didnt have IBd .Anyone who knows about IBD knows this is ridiculous . The last thing you should do if a customer or their vet says the snake they just recieved from you looks like it may have IBD is to bring in a fellow breeder to handle all your animals to give them a clearance . Thats just not wise . We even stopped going to our rodent supplier til this is settled out of respect for his collection .
*I NEVER recommended that she euthanize the snake, but that if she chose to do so, that was her choice and had no bearing on whether or not I would replace the snake.
###you told me that in an email as second thought the next day after the vet call .The night I called from the vet yes you told me to throw it in the freezer . You didnt have IBD becaus eyour friend said so from looking at your snakes.
She mentioned that she didn't want to spend anymore money; I told that if she went ahead with her decision to euthanize the snake and didn't pay the vet to do it, she could put it in the freezer as an option (this was during the phone conversation on 2/27.)
### Debbie that is another lie . I called you to tell you we were going to do the biopsies as the vet advised . The call wasnt about money . I was telling you because you sent me the snake . I called to ask you to take alll three animals back as this was what I was advised to do . You denied having any IBD and denied any damages and told me as far as you were concerned I could throw it in the freezer . this was while I was crying, my daughter was crying because it hurt us to see the animal suffering. I sure wasnt crying about money. I may have said the vet was giving the option of live biopsie which he estimated at 600 but the snake would not survive that that he would have to contact Jacobsen to see the bast way to go about it would be.
*I have offered to replace the snake with one of equal value when one becomes available, which is one of the options Toni offered.
####We do not want another animal from you .Not going through this again . We want a refund .
*Because of the delay in the timing of the vet visit, and because I am unsure of the husbandry provided the snake (ie: did she give the snake caro syrup as she suggested and it aspirated some?) and I am unsure of what the snake was exposed to in her collection, I cannot take the snake back. In the interest of trying to make Toni happy, I've offered a replacement, though I firmly believe this is something that happened when the snake was out of my care.
####Debbie that is a ridiculous accusation . Our snakes are not writing in knots..with pinpoint pupils .yours is .
*I know of no breeder that blindly replaces/refunds without proof.
##you have the proof .we want a refund . you are not a priority in my life Debbie . My daughter and I and the vet have been struggling through this one step at a time . The emotional impact is something you obviously have no clue about . The reason you just recieved written proof from the vet is because I just got it . I dreaded having to come on here . I dont like drama . I honestly felt I had a responsibility to put this up so others could see how you have handled yourself when there was a problem with one of your animal sales .
We wish to be done with you. None of this trauma or added costs should be endured by us .
You suggested blood smear ..they were done...inconclusive .
I'll post all the emails now.
Was caro syrup given to the snake and if so, what was the reasoning behind giving it that?
but on the ad for what I believe is this animal ( the caramel albino female) it says this:We guarantee live delivery as long as someone 18 years or older is home to sign for the package as arranged.
here: http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121775&highlight=debbie+princeWe guarantee live delivery as long as someone 18 years or older is home to sign for the package as arranged. We also offer a 7 day guarantee on our geckos. Please see the website for more detailed information.
Has anyone considered the possibility of over heating the snake? Just a thought, but I have never seen anyone use foil inside a lined box. Heat packs can get pretty hot at their peek temp. The reflective foil could have intensified the heat!?!![]()
Was the ill snake closest to the heat?
I also don't see any air holes in the box, was there any?
If the other 2 snakes seem ok then it may not be the case, Just curious I guess.
Seems to me that if the snake left healthy, but arrived unhealthy, something could have happend during shipping? This would be the responsibility of the seller, IMO.
I can understand not wanting the snake back with pos. IBD involved. If I were the buyer I would want all three snakes Far Far away from my collection!
OK, I'm confused on the website http://thegeckoprince.com/terms.html here there is no guarantee for animals other than live delivery.
but on the ad for what I believe is this animal ( the caramel albino female) it says this:here: http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121775&highlight=debbie+prince
So let me get this straight:
Geckos are not guaranteed for seven days on the website, but in an ad for a Ball Python from the same seller the geckos are guaranteed for seven days but in the same ad the Ball Python is not guaranteed?
Does this somehow make any sense?
Why aren't all of the animals sold by this co. guaranteed?
Why would you mention that your other animals are guaranteed in an ad where the animal being sold is conspicuously not mentioned as being guaranteed?