Greg, I wouldn't know Todd if he slapped me in the face. So please don't think I'm writing on his behalf. I too think you should recieve a full refund, I just didn't agree with how you were trying to go about it. If he said the snake "IS feeding," then you are entitled on those grounds. If he said, "WAS feeding," that's a little different.
I know I'm nit-picking here folks, but I'm doing so to illustrate how particular a buyer needs to be when dealing over the net. Greg and Kim I would NEVER send someone $1000 for an animal. In fact, the only animals I purchase over the net are inexpensive gopher snakes that are hard to find here in FL. Even then I'm extremely cautious. If there was a $1000 dollar snake somewhere out there I was interested in, I would simply drive or fly to it and check it out before I bought it. Lets face it, $1000 DH boas are "investment" type animals, if you're going to work w/ that type animal another $200-400 bucks for a plane ticket is a good investment. Or spend a little extra and buy from people you've heard of.
Greg, does Todd have a website? Does he have posted terms either on the site or in his adds? Can you post his emails where he describes the snakes? I know you have posted the one about the genetics guarantee and I was quick to be on your side w/ that issue. But it sounds to me like you just took his word for the "health" of these snakes. That's a great way to do business, but how much fun are you having with it now? That's the point I'm trying to make. Don't trust people you don't know. Get it in writing, so if have a problem you something to go on. Sure, you can still get screwed, but paperwork holds up much better in court than "he said........"
The refund issue is something that I'm sticking to because you have never said/posted anything about you and Todd discussing a return if there was a problem before you sent him the money. If there was an email on the subject I'd love to read it. But, buyer can't assume their personal policy on refunds is the same as the sellers. Many, many people in this business offer NO refunds whatsoever as long as the animal arrives on time and alive. Many will not even be held responsible if the animal is late getting delivered, and still others offer no guarantee whatsoever on certain types of animals, like amphibians. I'm using your situation to illistrate why it's important to cover all these bases BEFORE the transaction.
You haven't posted much in the way of emails from Todd, (maybe you did this over the phone). But it sounds to me like he guaranteed to animals to "arrive alive and in good condition" futher it sounded to me like you told him they did. Todd's policy may be that once he hears "they did" the transaction is closed. If that is the case, and those were the terms you agreed to then the health issue is closed. Those terms may suck, but if you agreed to them then you are bound by them, you can't try and change them a week later. We/I don't know what terms you agreed to other than the terms on paperwork for the genetics, we've seen the email for that. And on that issue Todd should either give you the paperwork (his word ain't gonna cut it) or give you back your money.