• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • 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.

Anyone dealt with Boca Reptiles?

Yasser -

Although I've never met you personally, I have heard only great things about you, and I've always been impressed with your animals, etc. I've checked out your site on more than a few occassions, and I get awestruck every single time.

When I first read your post, I was like..."what the freak???" but your second explained your reasons, and I'm glad you got an animal that was as described, and all things went well. After all of the horror stories, I must admit I find it hard to forgive some of these people, but you may be right. If Sal keeps doing good by others, and they keep posting their experiences here on the BOI, maybe - just maybe, he might just undo SOME of the things he's done in the past, but I must admit - I would find it very hard to believe he'd even consider ripping somebody off that was well known and respected in the hobby, like yourself. The blemishes
(I mean scars - I mean open sores I mean gapping wounds) on his track record seems to lean more towards the unsuspecting newcomer to the hobby, or someone less established in the herp industry. Adults and children alike.
 
Sal,
Still waiting for you to admit you intentionally ripped me off or send me my money back. If this is how you honor your guarantees then people should be very cautious doing business with you.
Mark Westberg
 
Mark you're wasting your time. Sal only knows how to hand out more excuses than a person on death row. I hope you get a refund though.
 
Thanks greg,
I'm not holding my breath, but as long as he continues to keep selling reptiles without taking care of business, I will continue to bring his name up on occassion.
 
I'm not holding my breath, but as long as he continues to keep selling reptiles without taking care of business, I will continue to bring his name up on occassion.
Click to expand...

I agree. The new person seems to be the only one to suffer from Sal.
 
-- SHIPPING INFORMATION --
We guarantee that animals purchased from Boca Reptiles will arrive alive, and in good health and condition. Buyers have SEVEN DAYS to determine the health of the animal, or the animal may be returned to Boca Reptiles in good condition, for a FULL REFUND!! We need to be contacted WITHIN those seven days explaining the problem to us. If we are contacted outside of these 7 days (that includes the 8th day) we cannot honor this guarantee. We will require a mandatory Vet report, stating (IN PLAIN ENGLISH) what the illness is, and HOW it was contracted! If it turns out it was our fault Boca Reptiles will pay the vet's bill for the exam, also! We are not responsible for carrier mishandlings. We give a tracking number to all customers once their package is shipped. Please remember to track your packages so delays and other unforeseen circumstances can be avoided. If you have ANY questions regarding our guarantees, please contact us.

Hmm Sal this seems to be the same guarantee you gave me. So how is it any different now? I'm thinking you still won't be man enough to admit that you never intended on refunding or replacing. As far as buying animals from Sally even after reading negative posts about him all I can say is to me it is like buying stolen property from someone on the street because he has never stolen from you. If you want to be extreme about it could be like buying weapons from terrorists because they never have bombed you. I guess what irks me the most is many of you who supply his animals or buy from him know his reputation and continue to fund him. Maybe its an ethical or integrity thing but if you continue to support this guy don't get mad when dealers get bad names from the likes of people like him and don't complain about it. It's your industry and all he does is drag it down. So you lose a few bucks not selling him animals, from what I can see there are plenty of people around that will buy them eventually. His guarantees are crap and as far as him talking about execellent customer service on his web page that's a bunch of crap too. So good luck Sal I won't forget about you but if others are willing to tolerate your lowering the standards of their industry there is not a lot about it I can do. Maybe we can have a drink some time I make it down to Brandenton beach every few years and would look forward to meeting you in person.
 
This thread was started

because someone wanted to purchase from Boca, Sal. I have just one question, and then a comment. Why on earth would someone buy from Sal when there are so many good guys/gals out there? Go to a legit good guy like Ben Seigel or to a breeder, do not give money and let the bad guys stay in business!

Dave
 
someone wanted to purchase from Boca, Sal. I have just one question, and then a comment. Why on earth would someone buy from Sal when there are so many good guys/gals out there? Go to a legit good guy like Ben Seigel or to a breeder, do not give money and let the bad guys stay in business!
Click to expand...

Amen praise the Lord!!!

Every now & then this thread needs to be bumped up to the top for the person new to herps, so they will not be taken by this guy.
 
As I believe Greg stated earlier in the thread it's the new guys that get taken by Sal. When I purschased from Sal I hadn't bought off the internet before and had never heard of the BOI. I didn't know at the time what a big industry it was and that there were so many carnival type buyers and sellers. Well it's been an experience. He will continue to steal from new buyer and potential hobbiest like myself. I had bought 2 snakes I had for years from a pet store and wanted to try breeding and try new snakes. My first experience was with Sal, had it not been for his link to the BOI on his webpage I would have given up and just been out the money without anywhere to turn. I am sure there are many that upstate ripped off that don't know about this forum and gave up trying to purchase snakes. Not that I'm a bleeding heart but when you purchase a lot of 10 snakes and for 2 days do everything your told and everything in your power to save them and they just writhe, convulse and die that is hard to take. As long as people continue to supply him with reptiles to sell he will keep ripping off the new people that don't know any better. His webpage looks somewhat professional but he is really just a low end carnie and thief. I wouldn't say rip off artist because I don't think he deserves the credit. Bottom line people keep selling him reptiles because they see dollars and he will keep finding people to steal from. It's just a matter of time before a new thread on him is started by someone who just didn't know better. I bought snakes from Alex Hues and talked with Evan Stahls and both these guys are the type of people you should be buying from or selling too. I will be purchasing more animals but I won't obviously buy from Sal or anyone I know he deals with. Not that they are bad guys but they continue to support Sal when it is evident he has no intention of changing. They see the money and not keeping a high standard for the industry.
Mark
 
just a tid bit of info...anyone needing to get in touch with Sal of Boca Reptiles formerly of Upstate Exotics....he is listed as a vendor at theF.I.R.E. show in Orlando next weekend. I am guarantee he won't be able to ignore e-mails and phone calls if you address him in person at the show.
 
Thanks for the info Rob wish I could make it. But then again it is probably best I can't. It has been 1 year since Sal ripped me off. Give him time and history will repeat itself. Just for the record Sal has made no effort to be a man and admit he intended on ripping me off or to refund what he has stolen. If you happen to make it to the show I hope that people their will know what kind of business person he is and how he backs up his guarantees. In case you forgot Sally my cell number is 218-831-4782. I would not recommend anyone ever doing business with him.
Mark Westberg
 
Neil Gubitz said:
....

and anybody that tells you they're in this business strictly for the love of the animals is full of it.... everyone is in it for the money, period, and if you think any different, you better get a check on reality.... Neil
Click to expand...


Please be sure to buy my soon-to-be-released instructional book/dvd set "How To Make A Fortune Breeding Reptiles With No Money Down"

Only 3 easy payments of $299.99


Also available...."How To Sell Refrigerators To Eskimo's", and "Sure, Swamp Land Is All The Rage In Land Development"...


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Andy Carrell
 
Spitfire said:

I know I took a chance, especially when hearing of others bad deals with him. But perhaps with his moving and accompanying change in his life, he is truly turning over a new leaf. I took a chance and I feel I was well rewarded with a great snake at a great price.
Click to expand...


I haven't puchased anything from Sal, but I do hope that he's truly changing his ways. This hobby/business/whatever needs as many straightforward, honest people it can get in order to "battle" the general publics perceptions about reptiles and the people involved with them.
 
acarrell said:
I haven't puchased anything from Sal, but I do hope that he's truly changing his ways. This hobby/business/whatever needs as many straightforward, honest people it can get in order to "battle" the general publics perceptions about reptiles and the people involved with them.
Click to expand...

oops..forgot to sign my name on it....


Andy Carrell
 
He still hasn't made good on old deals and continued to lie to me even when he had supposedly changed his ways.
 
Two more cents

this guy always shows his true colors! time after time he lets his customers down! As far as I'm conserned this guy is bad news if you buy from him, then P.T. Barnum was right "a sucker is born every minute"
 
Shady business

Please !!!!
If anyone is concidering buying from this man, please read the experience I have had with him.
Sal advertised on Kingsnake that he was selling all his breeder boas. I was the unlucky one to reply. I purchased a total of 39 breeders and 4 other babys. Total sale was almost 5000.00.
When I inquired about the snakes, my first question to him was do they have mites. I have other snakes I did not want to infect. Sal responded that all animals are free from mites and are 100% healthy in every way. When I recieved the animals and unpacked them I noticed they were EXTREMELY infested with, Yeap you guessed it, MITES. I treated all cages for mites to erradicate them. Then, about every 2-3 weeks, an animal would pass away and they all ended up with respiratiry infections that I could not clear up. After I spent thousands of dollars in vet bills and numerous trips to the vet office my worse nightmare became true. After several necropsies were performed on the deceased animals, they all were diagnosed with IBD. Too say the least I became extremely frustrated that anyone would do business this way. I took the advise from my Vet and had all animals, including my other long term breeders, euthanised. When I originally dealt with Sal he was running a company out of New York called Upstate Exotics. After I bought the snakes, the business disappeared and his website was no longer valid. I could no longer contact him regarding these problems I had. I have since learned he is running a business in Florida called Boca reptiles.
BUYERS BEWARE !!!
 
Sorry to hear about that Kevin. Unfortunately his guarantees are crap and he will never back them up. Like I said awhile ago he doesn't even have the guts to admit he ripped people off and never intended of making good on his so called guarantees. He still owes me for a lot of 10 ball pythons that i bought last year that all died. I know there are more people out there that got screwed by him and don't know what to do because he just up and left. Anyone who buys/sells or deal with Sal in anyway should never complain about scammers because they are supporting one.
 
boca reptiles

Since my last post I placed a call with Boca reptiles and spoke with Sal. He was clearly upset regarding my post and asked why I didn't contact him sooner. I explained that I couldn't contact him because of his website being closed down and Upstate Exotics no longer being in existance. In all fairness I told him I would repost stating that we have spoken. He told me to call him tomorrow so he could think of a fair resolution. I expressed my disastisfaction, and he did seem to be concerned. I will repost tomorrow to let everyone know the outcome. I extend my thanks to Sal for taking my call and I hope we can resolve this matter.

Kevin Hood
 
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