• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    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.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    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.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    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....

Bad Guy Predetors or [email protected]

mbarnes227

mbarnes227

New member
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
544
Reaction score
7
Points
0
Location
Tulare, California
I recently had a transaction with "predetors" or [email protected] and it had to be the worst transaction i've made, second to only one but first in seller incompetence. I purchased an adult anery het albino female from him, it took him a month to ship the snake, which this part didn't really make me mad because it's the holidays and what not. The part that really got me going was that he was being very vague in his emails about shipping saying that if we ship today (a Tuesday) that they couldn't guarantee it would get there the next day but should get there by thursday and that he had insulated the box well and it should be fine. At this point i was annoyed because if you pick the right shipping there shouldn't be a problem and thinking that he's at least competent in reptile shipping, i wasn't too mad though i had just had two boas of the same size or even heavier to me through shipyourreptiles.com and they guarantee it next day, they are cheaper than using the regular UPS or FedEx. He just replied "i don't have an account with them" to which I said it's free to get an account and listed reasons why you should use them (i'll copy paste the email for exact wording), he hasn't replied once since then, anyways. I do get the boa on Wednesday at about 4 oclock, and either he was SERIOUSLY trying to save every penny on shipping this snake, is just plain incompetent, or wanted it to die. he had sent it regular united states mail which in itself was appalling to me. This poor snake, who is probably 6 feet, is CRAMMED in a box that is like a 10 inch by 10 inch, in a pillow case i'd MAYBE put a 4 foot snake in that is as small literally as she could physically curl up in, tied as tight as it could go. Not only that, the "good insulation" was nothing more than a few pieces of styrofoam on the bottom and sides (not top) that didn't even fit together, there was at least an inch gap in between them so you know it just let the heat out, which HE DIDN'T USE ANY HEAT PACKS AT ALL, i mean he couldn't fit them in the box if he tried it was so small and no packing, it was just a couple paper towels at the bottom, snake and styrofoam. i'll post pics of the box and snake in comparison if needed. It had froze the night before and I emailed that to him also hoping he had done his job as a shipper, obviously not, and if that wasn't enough, i pull the freezing cold snake out to go warm her up, she flips her head over backwards and stargazes! if that's IBD or a symptom of any other contagious disease he could risk my entire collection! And that doesn't show up overnight. I was downright pissed! and why shouldn't I be? I sent him a very unhappy, though not vulgar, email and still have no reply so please consider it thoroughly if you plan on buying something from this person. He hasn't been nasty with me but he's shown that he cannot be trusted to ship a live animal. If it were a smaller snake it probably would have died.

here's the emails... they go in backwards chronological order, so start from the bottom and read up



To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
This is has to be the worst transaction I've ever made. You sent her regular USPS mail crammed in a box and pillowcase that was way too small with crappy insulation and no heat packs! Not only that, she is flipping her head over backwards and stargazing! If she has IBD you could risk my entire collection! That doesn't happen over night so you knowingly sold me an unhealthy snake. I am more than dissatisfied, I am downright pissed.

Sent from my iPhone
...
Wed, January 6, 2010 1:41:00 PM
From:
Megan Barnes <[email protected]>
...
View Contact
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
I hope you put heat packs with her cuz it froze last night

Sent from my iPhone


i dont have an account with them
----- Original Message -----
From: "Megan Barnes" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, January 5, 2010 2:54:52 PM GMT -07:00 US/Canada Mountain
Subject: Re: Re:

Who did you use? I just got 2 20lb boas yesterday with shipyourreptiles.com and they got there today at 10 am and its guaranteed, She can't be in that box more than a night.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 5, 2010, at 12:48 PM, [email protected] wrote:

i just shipped her off but they told me that it might not get their tomarrow but its guarenteed to get their thursday by 3pm when you get it she should be fine i insulated her good
 
forgot to add these after he said "i don't have an account with them"

( no reply )

Tue, January 5, 2010 3:49:35 PM
From:
Megan Barnes <[email protected]>
...
View Contact
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Do you have the tracking number?

Sent from my iPhone
...
Tue, January 5, 2010 3:40:10 PM
From:
Megan Barnes <[email protected]>
...
View Contact
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
it's free to set up an account...

and they're the only one that guarantees live arrival...

Sent from my iPhone
 
That sucks,hopefully the boa is OK and not carrying some disease.There is no excuse for such shoddy shipping or ILLEGAL shipping of snakes through the USPS.
For the other side of the coin.I never understand when buyers do not make sure they know exactly how there snake will be shipped.When he told you it probably would not arrive next day but rather second day,that should have raised a red flag.
Jamey
 
It did! But that was after he had already shipped it. I asked who he used and he wouldn't answer me. I think I even asked who he was going to use back in the begining when i had just paid for it and got no reply either
 
Pete has had issues in the past, there is another thread on the BOI about him. His lack of response is not a surprise.

Before you run off saying the snake has IBD because it stargazed (which is not a surefire sign of IBD and every boa does it for the hell of it at least once), why don't you have it vet checked first.
 
mbarnes227 said:
It did! But that was after he had already shipped it. I asked who he used and he wouldn't answer me. I think I even asked who he was going to use back in the begining when i had just paid for it and got no reply either
Click to expand...


Have you quarantined the Boa? Have you taken it to a Vet (other illnesses may show similar symptoms)?

It may have a very bad case of R.I. (reacccching here and hoping it's not IBD).:(
 
The Facts

The facts of this case and the point the buyer is trying to get across I think are obvious!

Shipping methods used:

1. First and Most Importantly... he didn't notify the buyer who he was using!!

2. He shipped USPS Which is ILLEGAL in the first place and not a real safe way to ship an animal especially in freezing weather because problems seem to arise through them more often then not with delays and whatnot!

3. Poor Shipping package... the snake was way too big for the box it was shipped in and the packing was insufficient for the well being of the snake!


Enough said... I think the seller needs to respond to this post and explain these actions!!!

Thanks for reading... Just my honest opinion!

Cathy Smith:shrug01:
 
mbarnes227 said:
I said if it had IBD. I have an vet appointment Monday but there's no way to test for IBD without a necropsy.
Click to expand...

That's right, I am thinking of the process of elimination..you can rule out other possible illnesses, get a fecal and at least you may get some idea of what you are working with.

You could post pics of the animal in the poses that concern you and note how often it does it. (I know nothing about Boas....so I'll bow out at this point).
 
I don't think I'd purchase a predator from a guy who misspells predator.
 
Lol. Good point. Didn't even notice that.

Yes, that's what I'm planning on doing with the vet hopefully without having to sacrifice the snake. I've been trying to catch it in action but I only have my phone camera ATM and the snake will flip it's head too quick to catch on the phone. She does it in her cage occasionally but most often when being held
 
Stargazing can be from multiple causes. I've seen blind snakes stargaze and externally you wouldn't know they were blind. Not saying your snake is blind!!! Also extreme cold has been known to cause neurological problems which is also in turn can cause stargazing. Also I'm not saying she has those issues either.

I'm really sorry he's done this to you and the poor snake. I will be sure to spread the word that he's a do not purchase from person.

Has he been made aware of this thread???
 
Yes you can do testing on a live reptile for IBD. I have pathology results and the live snakes to prove it. But, it's not a cheap endeavor by any means. But any new reptile should have blood drawn and tested for various things anyway. Blood work tells many things about internal organs.

Snake was probably jut checking things out. I got many pictures of some of mine staring at the top of their viv's.
 
My vet said the only way is to send the dead snake up north to have it necropsied, I have boas that stare. This was not staring straight up, I don't mind that it was head going straight back over it's neck quickly in a motion that is unaffected by my presence.
 
Your vet is either misinformed, or ignorant of modern technology. Sorry, but that's just a fact. Although a cadaver is a much simpler subject to work with, and not nearly as costly, arthroscopic biopsy samples can be obtained and sent in for pathology testing. It's not something I'm making up, it's something I've been through more then once when a snake comes from a questionable origin.

I admit, it's not cheap, and not something your average keeper, or breeder is going to fork out the money for, but it can be done, I assure you. :yesnod:

I guess what I am saying about the staring is, usually, an IBD infected Boid will not display only one symptom. Generally if it is star gazing from IBD, it's already affected it's neuro transmission, and will have uncoordinated movements as well. Does the snake right itself quickly if you place it upside down? When mobilizing, does it travel normally, or go in circles, or corkscrew movements? How about the appetite? Keeping it down, or regurgitating?


Good luck, hope it's just curiously checking out the new place.
Rick
 
I'm not calling you a liar. I'm just saying what he told me. He probably didn't mention it me knowing I couldn't afford it at the time nor would I be able to with this snake. When upsidedown she rights herself but it takes about 5 seconds. Which doesn't seem like much but when you count 5 Mississippi's it kinda is slower than expected. When she does it, it's a straight back over the neck motion that's super quick, just right over the back in a slightly to the rigt U shape. As for appetite she hasn't at for me yet. I got her on Wednesday and let her settle in thursday, offered her a dead rat friday night and she refused it. I fed it to someone else and offered her a stunned live one, maybe she won't eat dead, she refused it too. It's still pretty soon so I'll take her to the vet tomorrow and see what he says then try again if she comes back with me.

I'm not saying she has IBD. Never in the text have I said that. I'm just saying she's not healthy. And IF she had IBD then, well you know...I appreciate the info, don't get me wrong, but the point of this forum isn't diagnosing the snake, it's on petes credibility as a seller, to try to make this right.
 
Back
Top