• 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.

Bad Guy Howlin' Gale Dragons

rin0425

rin0425

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Im starting a BOI thread not because Nicole Norton is a bad breeder, but a bad business woman.
I received a Dragon from her today which I purchased as Pick of the Clutch. I paid 250 dollars shipped to be able to chose the best, most perfect dragon. She arrived here today in good condition, save for the toe nip on her left rear long toe. I contacted the breeder, Nicole Norton, immediately expressing my concerns and that, as pick of the clutch, I had expressed my desire for the best dragon. I reviewed pictures she previously sent to me, which I have added here, sent 1 week ago. I could see the affected toe had been nipped. I e-mailed her, saying that I would have liked to have been told of the nip because I would have selected a different dragon.
Her response was:

"I'm glad she arrived healthy and safe I am sorry I can tell you she left here 100% perfect as none of my babies in that clutch have any nips at all including toe/tail"

I responded:

"Thats fine about the other things except the toe nip. I looked at a previous picture you sent and when I zoomed in I can se the toe nip. Im very happy with the quality and temperament, but the toe nip is something that happened prior to her coming here. Im not concerned with anything really other than the toe nip. Ive sent back the picture you sent me with the affected toe circled. you can check it against the picture you sent me originally."

Her response was:

"Once again she had NO toe nip I don't like about my dragons and in the picture you sent that is very fresh I have seen dragons stress while shipping and chew on themselves"

to which I replied:
"That is the picture you sent me and you can see the nip on her toe. I dont know how you can say that it isnt there. Im not trying to be a jerk and I know you wont do anything to rectify the situation...but c'mon admit that it is clearly there. I even circled it on the picture for you to see. That is the exact picture you sent me 1 week ago. Nips happen, but they should not, as a good business rule, be sold as the pick of the clutch which is expected to be perfect in every way. The non-pick babies have the identical genetics and I would have been satisfied with one of them, however I wanted perfection. There is no reason to get defensive about it. If I had sent someone a dragon that was nipped and didnt realize it, my conscience would tell me to refund some of the money, even if its a few dollars. But not everyone has a good conscience.
I was just bringing it to your attention...not attacking you and I am sorry you felt I was. Re-inspect the picture because you will clearly see the damaged toe."

I have not received any further responses to my e-mails.

As I stated in the above e-mail, If i was just looking for a dragon with the genetics, I would have purchased a clutch mate for 100 dollars cheaper, but I wanted the best. A dragon that will be missing a toe, in my opinion, is not the best.
If you are running a business, then you should represent the product correctly and charge accordingly. All other breeders I have used and come across discount toe-nipped dragons, not sell them for more than any other dragon. Im happy with the temperament and the coloring of the dragon, however, the manner in which she was sold to me (as pick) makes the toe nip, and further denial even with her own photographic proof, inexcusable. Im very disappointed in Nicole and I regret having to post on here, however, I believe there should be some accountability for this problem, and I see no other option if she shuts down communication. :NoNo:
Aaron Scofield, CVT
Darwin Dragons
 
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I forgot to add the original picture sent from Nicole, before I circled the toe.
Here it is
 
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:shrug01:Her response was:

"Once again she had NO toe nip I don't like about my dragons and in the picture you sent that is very fresh I have seen dragons stress while shipping and chew on themselves"


I've never heard of a reptile chewing on themsevles due to shipping .
 
And on top of that being obsurd, im a vet tech, and I deal with nipped dragons at work all of the time. Look at the angle of the nip...impossible for her to physically do that to herself.
 
Wow, Aaron don't you think your over reacting.

I reviewed pictures she previously sent to me, which I have added here, sent 1 week ago. I could see the affected toe had been nipped.
Click to expand...

If you wanted 100% perfection then you should have asked for more photo's of the one you were thinking of getting. after all the nip toe is in the photo she sent you.

Dusty Jones
 
I can post the other pictures she sent me, I requested many, and that foot was never in any of them. I never would have noticed that as a nip until i examined it in person. I know youre playing devils advocate, but what "good guy" doesnt disclose a nip to the person paying for the pick? It could have been poop or anything. It wasnt until you compare in person that I realized it was a nip.
The first was the first picture i recieved, and as you can see, no nip. The second I ecieved after requesting a picture many times, which if youd like I can post all of those emails also. I finally got a picture of her in shed, with that foot tucked behind her finger both times.
 
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Aaron,

I'm not saying your not entitled to 100% perfection but that a tiny toe nip is not worthy of a "bad Guy" post. When i hear "Pick of the Clutch" I think one would get first pick as to 100% perfection. The only thing i would like to see in an e-mail is were you told her you were looking to get a 100% perfect baby. If she was told up front and still sent you a nip toed baby then i think she owes you something.
 
I agree, and I had no intention of posting here until she denied her error and then stopped communicating with me. Im not a jerk, but I made it clear to her what I was looking for and that I was making an investment.

Truthfully, Would you pay 250 for a nipped 4 week old dragon?

Aaron Scofield, CVT
 
I will happily have this thread removed once the breeder contacts me and admits that she sent me a nipped dragon, and that it did not happen in transit.
Im very happy with her otherwise, assuming she remains healthy and happy.
 
Oh, and if there was a "slightly bad guy" tag, I would have used that instead. I dont think shes a bad guy, I just think that she has no idea how to run a business.
(sorry for the multiple posts, I dont know how to edit previous ones)
 
=p

reptile_jones said:
Wow, Aaron don't you think your over reacting.



If you wanted 100% perfection then you should have asked for more photo's of the one you were thinking of getting. after all the nip toe is in the photo she sent you.

Dusty Jones
Click to expand...

If he's going to pay that amount of money for a baby specially if he paid for it way before they're ready to ship, that better be some "God Like" babies. I had the same thing happen to me, I did the whole zooming in on the photo because $250 is a buttload of money to dish out on a 6" dragon. (Although, mine was a Super Trans het hypo for $200 shipped).
But the breeder was cool enough to cut me a break on the next dragon I get from them since he does normally discount his dragons with nips. He did try to tell me at first there was no way it was nipped before she was shipped but i pointed it out and he wasn't a prick about it. We still email each other back and forth on good terms =)
 
thats all i want :) I was very clear in multiple e-mails that i was looking for the best, highest quality dragons. I dont believe that includes nips. And I think its a poor business decision to deny it even with a picture from your own camera, then to ignore an unsatisfied customer.
Even acknowledging the error would make me feel better. I think for 250 she could at least humor me.
 
rin0425 said:
I will happily have this thread removed once the breeder contacts me and admits that she sent me a nipped dragon, and that it did not happen in transit.
Click to expand...

BOI threads are not removed.

YOU have to take responsibility and ownership of the words you post here. So take great care in how you craft your statements. Once you submit your message, it will be here PERMANENTLY, no matter what happens afterwards.
Click to expand...

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8880

Dusty Jones
 
shinezilla said:
If he's going to pay that amount of money for a baby specially if he paid for it way before they're ready to ship, that better be some "God Like" babies. I had the same thing happen to me, I did the whole zooming in on the photo because $250 is a buttload of money to dish out on a 6" dragon. (Although, mine was a Super Trans het hypo for $200 shipped).
But the breeder was cool enough to cut me a break on the next dragon I get from them since he does normally discount his dragons with nips. He did try to tell me at first there was no way it was nipped before she was shipped but i pointed it out and he wasn't a prick about it. We still email each other back and forth on good terms =)
Click to expand...

When you pay that much money for an animal. You are buying it for its genetic potential. As far as i know a nip toe has nothing to do with genetic's.

Dusty Jones
 
Dusty,
As i said in an earlier post, if i was merely purchasing for genetic potential, I would have bought one priced at 165, not 250.
Im sure if you were in this situation, you too would be a little peeved.
I would never throw away an extra 100 dollars for no reason. I asked for the best and that is not the best.
And thank you shinezilla for your input, and not trying to contadict every post on here. I think you have made your opinion known dusty and thank you for that. (i really mean that, and not in a snide way)
I am a professional person and I expect professionalism from others. Nicole Norton is not demonstrating any form of professionalism. In business they teach you, if you make a mistake, try to rectify it twofold and you will have a customer for life. That customer will then tell his/her friends and your business will grow from that mistake. If you dont own up to that mistake, you will slowly chip away at your business.
She has a thing or two to learn. Even if she had just admitted to the mistake, I would have said ok, and moved on. Now I will not only never buy from her again, I will not send anyone I know her way, and I know MANY people in the animal and reptile world.
Aaron
 
Geeze, you make me sound so superficial.
Alot of people discount animals simply because of nips.
A person can be selling 5 dragons from the same clutch of hypo translucent het leather backs and you will see if one has a nip it'll be a tad lower just for the meer fact of a cosmetic flaw.
 
I dont regret putting this post up...I meant it hypothetically...and that is the point I was trying to make. Cosmetic flaws are discounted. Thats all. And also that the nip was clearly there in the photo taken 1 week prior to shipping. I didnt ask for a refund, or slam anyone. I just stated my case, which is, as I understand it, exactly what the BOI is for.
 
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