| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| kneon light |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 17:15:25
OK so when I first went and told the guy at the reptile centre that River had died he offered me a half price snake (basically equivalent of a £25 refund). I didn't want a snake from the same place and as they didn't have any Cremisicle corns I said I would look elsewhere but come back and accept his offer if I couldn't find one (I still thought that as it dies after 10 days I should get a full refund but to be honest my priority was getting a new snake for my sons).
Anyway having successfully got a new snake elsewhere I went back yesterday and asked for a refund. He said he would give me free food instead - then proceeded to give me £6 (yes just £6!!) worth of pinkies.
I said it wasn't good enough (especially as my sons bought the snake with their saved up birthday money) and he basically told me it was my fault that River had died because I didn't report she had not fed in the first 7 days. They said it needed force feeding and that's why it must have died. He then said he did not know if she had ever fed successfully! I argued (quite forcefully!) that if they expected us to tell them after 7 days if it has not fed we should have been told that when we bought her. He constantly said I shouldn't expect anything back and that I should have made sure it fed. I tried to argue but he actually told me to be quiet!!!! (what happened to the customer always being right???)
Anyway I said that it was not unusual for a snake not to feed for 10 days and said that I had read various forums, books, care sheets etc and they all said if it doesn't feed after a week try again in a few days. This is what I did but it was dead when I went to feed after 10 days. I pointed to the books on corn snake care on the shelf and asked him to show me where it said you should force feed snakes if they don't feed after a week.
At this point things changed and he started to back down. He apologised for being rude and said I could have free food, bedding, sand for sandfish etc each time I visit until we are "even" (no total was given!!). He then said to make it up to my children he would let them handle all the reptiles in the shop next time we go in. The children were very happy with this so this is how I left it. I certainly won't be going back in there ever again to buy livestock and if I find another shop stocking food just as close I won't go back there again at all (after I've had as much free stuff as I am allowed!) |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Kath |
Posted - 04/11/2011 : 11:14:14
Hi kneon, glad to hear your new addition is settling in well.
When we went to reptile shop to get Cornelius, there was a smaller snake in with him & the shop guy said he wasn't selling him yet because he wasn't feeding, which is the sensible & right thing to do.
If I had been in your situation, I would have walked around shop shouting my head off at anyone that would listen, telling them not to buy anything from this shop.
Hope your new snakey brings you & your kids as much pleasure as ours does to us!  |
| LittlestarRed |
Posted - 04/11/2011 : 09:45:56
'Oh my God! There are some bloody *bleeps* out there in the 'pet' trade! So sorry for your loss and the disgusting treatment you recieved!! Surely there is something that can be done to stop people selling animals that aren't healthy? If the Guy who sold the snake can spoutpooplike that surely he's not fit to keep reptiles leave alone sell them!!! |
| Casta |
Posted - 04/11/2011 : 09:35:04
aww i wish you had done that. n then taken photos of the aftermath 
|
| scottishbluebird |
Posted - 04/11/2011 : 01:47:29
quote:
Originally posted by Auld Baldy
If that happened up here, the idiot would be nursing a Glega Kiss!! 
Just what has been said, especially ^ ^ lol
Just make sure you get well more than you should! |
| Auld Baldy |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 20:55:36
Check the Sale of Goods as Bob suggested. Any Citizens Advice Centre will put you right on the facts. Then write a letter to the 'Highest Heid Yin' of the Reptile Centre you can find. You will get more satisfaction if the rocket up his a$$ comes from someone higher up the food chain. 
If that happened up here, the idiot would be nursing a Glega Kiss!! |
| kdlang |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 20:41:53
Well done for standing up to him. He probably told you to be quiet so you didn't scare his customers away. It is obviously a shop who doesnt keep feeding records for its livestock so I would certainly be wary about purchasing from there, especially since they then admit to possibly selling a non-feeder without discussing it with you.
Personally I would have got something down in writing about how much merchandise you were owed in lew of a refund. It would be very easy for them to dispute the agreement made next time you go in, or they could say you have had enough to make you 'even' |
| Regalmatt |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 20:30:10
Im sorry for your loss,That's disgusting, I had a similar issue with my first corn,I was assured he was healthy and eating, I bought him in the rub he was in at the shop and when I got home and changed aspen I found 3 uneaten pinkys,'so he hadn't eaten for a while in the shop,I immediately informed the shop who agreed he shouldnt have been sold, but I wanted to try with my little friend, after 3 weeks with me he still was not feeding and I returned him and got a full refund( in credit).which I appreciated but I'd never buy any livestock from there again, I spent my credit on pinkys and accessories. I then went to a far better reptile specialist, and bought my now 6 month old, who eats great and came with full records! They kept their 'non feeders' separate and were not for sale! They care about their animals, and not just a sale, all the best with your new addition! |
| garrie |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 19:47:35
quote:
Originally posted by Kez
What an absolute cretin but good on you for standing your ground and arguing with the idiot.
I agree with everyone has said, especially standing your ground!! |
| lotabob |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 19:39:56
Sale of Goods Act still applies!!! Nail him to the wall with some carefully researched information specially if he admitted he didnt know if it had ever fed properly, any shop or breeder worth anything would have had at least one feed into that poor snake before selling for just such a reason of it been their responsibility to sell healthy animals. |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 19:33:09
Bloody hell. He should have not sold you that snake to start with until it took some feeds with him or at least he should have told you before buying he didn't know if it had fed successfully! Free food and bedding is stupid, I don't understand why he just didn't give you a refund rather than faff and draw it all out as a long process? |
| Hissyfit |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 19:10:56
What a horrible attitude to have  I hope you find somewhere better to shop after you get some free stuff from this idiot (hope you get a decent amount of it too!). You should have gone in with the kids, and shamed him into coughing up! Poor kids, at least they now have a healthy snake to look after, and really hope you all enjoy her  |
| Okeetee Mick |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 19:07:16
quote:
Originally posted by SheWolfey
That's mean of him to not give a re-fund, especially as its was your boys who saved up to buy River. But at least he gave you some free stuff.
I think he needs to read the Corn snake care books instead of selling them >.<
Absolutely right. |
| eeji |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 19:00:57
quote:
Originally posted by kneon light
....They said it needed force feeding and that's why it must have died. He then said he did not know if she had ever fed successfully....
so he sold you an unhealthy snake? that puts him at fault. |
| DTW |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 18:51:11
Wow no way I'd of stood for that guy obviously has no idea what he's doing, half price snake or free food? I'd of expected a full refund and food for new snake just to get me back in the door for food etc in future.
|
| SheWolfey |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 18:38:20
That's mean of him to not give a re-fund, especially as its was your boys who saved up to buy River. But at least he gave you some free stuff.
I think he needs to read the Corn snake care books instead of selling them >.< |
| Casta |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 18:32:05
jeez that is no way to act even if nhe didn't know much about snakes... theres no call for that kind of attitude. |
| Kez |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 18:26:35
What an absolute cretin but good on you for standing your ground and arguing with the idiot. I seem to recall you saying that River may have had a big lump when you bought him home, so maybe the ignoramous had been force feeding him already if he was so keen to say that you should have taken him back if he hadn't eaten. It's not something that I would expect anyone to say otherwise?! The reptile centre I use will not even display a sick/non-feeding snake or hatchling, let alone sell one and that's how it should be. When I bought Maizie they had a gorgeous snow hatchling that I really would have liked to have bought home, but they wouldn't let me buy her and said I would have to wait until she was feeding and I was completely happy with that.
Jeez, when you think about it, the bloke's a real pig when you consider that your poor boys had saved up their pennies to buy him and he still wouldn't even give you a refund  |
| Mamma |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 18:25:44
Bloomin heck. |
| huffy_86 |
Posted - 03/11/2011 : 17:55:48
If that's his attitude stay away... not before having all the free stuff he's offering of course!
It's sad when you hear of stories like this of bad or unhelpful pet shops that we have to trust |
