• 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.

Erik Stoops. Center for Reptile and Amphibian research bad guy so far.

I kinda figured since 501(c)(3) organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill, RedCross, etc.. they're exempt from federal tax laws n so forth...

The Center clearly isnt a non profit club.... so im in the same boat as matt.. they gotta be somehow turning profit somewhere.. cuz Don the "collections manager" stated that they're at a profit loss from this transaction therefore they're suing Michael... that doesnt make sense. Then again.. whats a company that doesnt turn profit doing with a "collections manager" ???
 
I have to agree with the original poster. I myself was ripped off by Erik Stoops in 2004, and later on I met someone else who was. Erik is the kind of person that gives you a 'bad feeling' as soon as you meet him. While this is just my opinion, I know there's others who share it.
 
archangel said:
I have to agree with the original poster. I myself was ripped off by Erik Stoops in 2004, and later on I met someone else who was. Erik is the kind of person that gives you a 'bad feeling' as soon as you meet him. While this is just my opinion, I know there's others who share it.
Click to expand...


Additionally, before he stole *my* Boelen's, I introduced him to a friend who later told me, "Just meeting that guy made me want to take an immediate shower." lol, The dude is a grade a scumbag and I wish I had seen this forum before I agreed to do business with him. - Greg
 
And lastly, after reading the entire thread, Ari was a big part of the scam perpetrated on myself by mr. stoops. So please don't let him play himself off as a neutral third party. I am just hoping no one else has their money stolen like I did. - Greg
 
Greg,
Thanks for coming forward about your experience. I see you are in NM . Were you ever at the "Center" in Cave Creek??
When you say Ari was "a big part of the scam" Are you sure about that or is it possible that he was just there circumstantially?
I again applaud you for teking the time to share your experience.
Please feel free to call me when you get a chance I would love to get some more information from you .
Michael Cole
863-439-3015
[email protected]
 
oksibil said:
First off boys and girls here's the truth of the matter.I'm the collections manager of the Center and the dealer question sent us several c.b M. Boeleni including the one in question. The animal in question was very ill in photos sent to us before it's arrival. The dealer agreed and said he would not ship unless the animal was feeding and in perfect health. He was using a drug called Zymox to cure the Stomatis issue in the mouth. As we all know Stomatis is a secondary infection. Upon the snakes arrival it ate once and thew up. Upon taking the snake to our vet,we found the snake had two issues.The first issue was a parasite called Crypto(we all know what that is). The second issue is a viral infection that breaks down the lung tissue and causes severe RI that is not curable.We watched the snake break down to it's death which was not an enjoyable expierience for us. We contacted the dealer and informed him of the issue in a very kind way. We offered him many high end animals in lou of the loss.The dealer could never make up his mind and whatever we offered he didn't want.The Center has a stellar reputation and we do not sell animals but occassional trade surplus for desirable animals.Our program is about conservation only.To all the members reading this blog,we are truly sorry that the dealer in question feels this way about our organization.We have a policy in our buisness not to pay for sick or dying animals since we always forget it's about the animal,not the person. That's what it's all about.Since the dealer has lowered himself to public slander we have no choice but to look into legal action to protect our already stellar reputation.
The CFRAR Staff
www.cfrar.com
a passion for Boelens pythons
Click to expand...


BTW I think you'll find this poor imitation of a 'legal document' was written by Erik himself. No need to worry about any serious legal threats on your part, although I'm sure the 'center' would not want any legal attention drawn to their own questionable dealings.
 
Excuse me???? I am in no way shape or form in some sort of scam or have I been a part of a scam!!!! I strive for professionalism with my name and what I have done. I am dealing with enough garbage because of this thread thank you very much.



Ari
 
Karma's a bitch as they say. I wonder how many times you've pulled the 'sorry the snake died' scam? I hope more people come out of the woodwork to set this bs right.
 
boelens79 said:
Excuse me???? I am in no way shape or form in some sort of scam or have I been a part of a scam!!!! I strive for professionalism with my name and what I have done. I am dealing with enough garbage because of this thread thank you very much.



Ari
Click to expand...

Strive to adhere to the forum rules.

Your full name is required on all BOI posts or your posts risk deletion. You can either type your full name in at the bottom of each post if you'd like or access your user control panel and fill in your full name in so its automatically added to each post.
 
So Greg...what exactly was the deal and what happened for you to get ripped off? I think some details would be in order.
 
archangel said:
And lastly, after reading the entire thread, Ari was a big part of the scam perpetrated on myself by mr. stoops. So please don't let him play himself off as a neutral third party. I am just hoping no one else has their money stolen like I did. - Greg
Click to expand...

Do you have proof of your claim that Ari was involved as well? Cant just point a random finger at someone for something unless you have evidentiary support to back it up.
 
I was contacted by both Ari and Erik on my deal. As far as I was told they were partners.
 
As far as I know you were paid for those snakes back in 2000.I worked with the animals I did not purchase animals, and yes I remember contacting you. You gave me a B.dendrophilia remember? Dont talk to me about KARMA!! I am not going to be accused of something I did not do. I have no hesitattion on admiting my wrongs. When I am guilty!


Ari
 
boelens79 said:
As far as I know you were paid for those snakes back in 2000.I worked with the animals I did not purchase animals, and yes I remember contacting you. You gave me a B.dendrophilia remember? Dont talk to me about KARMA!! I am not going to be accused of something I did not do. I have no hesitattion on admiting my wrongs. When I am guilty!


Ari
Click to expand...

Please adhere to the rules of posting in the BOI forum. Your full name, first and last, is required on all posts.
 
If you had a deal in 2000 it wasn't with me (I didn't have snakes in those days), but whatever. I've long ago given up on getting the money I'm owed. Great to see the animals that Erik claimed died on your website though, I'm (honestly) glad they're doing well.

All I remember is that I was contacted by both of you about the deal. If you were an unwilling patsy in the whole thing, then I'm sorry. But if you associate yourself with dishonest people it will reflect badly on you too! No one is going to write about people on this forum without reason. I think those of us who are honest just want to know who we can trust in the herp world.
 
Greg, you've thrown out a number of accusations here, now it is time to provide some Proof !! I could say hey Greg Gurule stole my snakes !!! but unless I provide some proof it's no different than your post above. So time to put up or apologize and keep quiet..

Ari, I PMed you before about the name rule, you can just type your name at the end of each post until you get Rich to change it . You risk having your post deleted by not using your full name .. Randy
 
I don't know how I'm supposed to 'prove' something that happened years ago. All I can do is tell people what happened to me. Take it or leave it.
 
I am sorry Randy, I just don’t use this forum much. I am just overloaded with these recent accusations that I am being accused of ripping someone off and a conman, or trying to fool anyone. I don’t need to prove myself to anyone. The people who know me can vouch for that.. As I stated before. I worked with the animals did not purchase any or handled the buying or trading.. Information of that nature was not made available to me
Ari Flagle
 
Not a Problem Ari,

I don't know Ari personally but have talked to him through emails, PMs and post on forums for quit a while. From that contact and from what people I've met who know Ari have said of him I am inclined to believe what he has written here. I'd also like to again make note of the fact that there has been not one shred of proof offered by Greg.


Greg for starters how about telling folks here about this deal IE give the details of what happened from the beginning to the end.. As I said before anyone can accuse anyone else of whatever they want. Randy
 
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