• 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 Mike Taylor - Boas Inc.

M

Martino Reptiles

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On 9 October 2012 I sent a payment to Mike Taylor on a KS.com ad for a 2012 female Sunglow Jungle (Kahl) strain boa he was selling. The ad annotated something about him needing to repair the transmission for his truck, and was eager to sell the female to free up some cash.

Payment was send in the amount of $475.00 via Paypal to quickly acquire the animal. Shortly thereafter, winter in the North East began to sit in, and attempts to ship the animal became difficultly apparent between our schedules. I was in grad school in Rhode Island for the military, and Mike was busy during some of the weekends we tried to get together for the sale. Shipping was always on the table, but not considered feasible especially with the onset of winter.

Mike was kind enough to agree to hold onto the animal and ship it in the spring unless we could find a mutual time to meet. He requested a week notice before meeting - which on many occasions I tried to meet but could not because of school obligations. Moreover, some of Mike's obligations prevented him from meeting with me which was perfectly fine considering the weather this particular winter. Fast forward to the past 2-weeks of me calling, texting, and attempting to reach him finally as the weather in the northeast began to be more tolerable, and I have heard nothing. Usually my calls get 3-4 rings in before going to voicemail.

For record keeping and legal purposes, I put in a Paypal dispute even though the time interval is well outside of their 45-day grievance policy (see attached).



Sadly, the animal was going to be given to a dear friend of mine in FL, Manny of Perfect Predators toward a breeding project we were looking forward to developing, but now we cannot. At this point, I am simply looking for my animal and if that cannot be attained at least this will serve as a warning to the herp community about doing business with this individual.

R/

Vic Martino
Martino Reptiles
www.martinoreptiles.com
[email protected]
 
I hope you get your snake. But its not sounding good. I will add him to my list of not to deal with,and that list is growing every day on here. Hard to believe so many people who have no problems ripping someone off. What a world we live in,huh ?
 
allreptiles1966 said:
I hope you get your snake. But its not sounding good. I will add him to my list of not to deal with,and that list is growing every day on here. Hard to believe so many people who have no problems ripping someone off. What a world we live in,huh ?
Click to expand...

Good Morning Rich,

I will try and remain positive here and hope that my initial impression of Mike (initially very positive) is sustained. Hopefully, this is just an oversight on his behalf, and perhaps there are external problems looming that I am not aware of. If that is the case - this can certainly turn into a "good guy thread" of redemption. If that isn't the case, colleagues have been notified accordingly and the community as a whole is informed.

All the best,

Victor Martino
 
I do wish you the very best!

Thanks for the heads up man.I will be watching this thread for a positive outcome.
 
Hopefully things will work out for you. I have had a couple transactions with Mike many many years ago with out a problem. Hopefully its just 2 busy schedules that are not making it very easy to connect.
Is he aware of this thread?

If not I have occasionally bumped into him at a show and if I see him I will let him know.
 
JPCONS said:
Hopefully things will work out for you. I have had a couple transactions with Mike many many years ago with out a problem. Hopefully its just 2 busy schedules that are not making it very easy to connect.
Is he aware of this thread?

If not I have occasionally bumped into him at a show and if I see him I will let him know.
Click to expand...

Joe,

Both my attempts and an email sent by Manny of Perfect Predators have been unsuccessful. I would truly like to know what is going on before completely drawing a conclusion - but unfortunately my attempts have been unsuccessful. If you have luck reaching him - by all means please let him know so we can resolve the matter. I'm a NY native as well - and used to go to the White Plains Shows in the past.

VR/

Vic
 
Sorry to hear Victor. I searched all over for more contact info and couldnt find any.

I hope this is just an oversight but this does not look good.
 
Focal said:
Sorry to hear Victor. I searched all over for more contact info and couldnt find any.

I hope this is just an oversight but this does not look good.
Click to expand...

Nick,

Yea, I'm starting to be truly concerned here but I do agree - it doesn't look good. Sadly, I had a lot of faith in Mike but never imagined I would be in the position I am now. It's very sad.

Vic
 
Update: As of today, nothing has been heard from Mr. Taylor after additional attempts to contact him. I really hope he thinks it was worth losing his reputation over a $475- boa. Be forwarded colleagues - Mr. Taylor has done me wrong.

Vic
 
I had problems with him back in 09 I've never bought from him again took 6 months to get snake and it was wrong snake I cut my losses and kept what he had sent good luck
 
Victor, the business name & personal name Mike Taylor is pretty common. I did see the name on another BOI post & the individual seems to live in same state as you but I don't like to assume things so I was hoping you had more information such as a address or username if he has an account here. Also I see the paypal dispute but has he been advised of this BOI, it may help in getting you some resolve.

I noticed you mentioned some kind of project with Manny of Perfect Predators & I'm confused on how or if it is related to this transaction. The female snake was said to be a 2012, to young to breed by a few years. Was Manny involved in this transaction at all or were you just advising of future plans that now are off the table now?

Best of luck getting your animal or refund, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
 
Durante said:
Victor, the business name & personal name Mike Taylor is pretty common. I did see the name on another BOI post & the individual seems to live in same state as you but I don't like to assume things so I was hoping you had more information such as a address or username if he has an account here. Also I see the paypal dispute but has he been advised of this BOI, it may help in getting you some resolve.

I noticed you mentioned some kind of project with Manny of Perfect Predators & I'm confused on how or if it is related to this transaction. The female snake was said to be a 2012, to young to breed by a few years. Was Manny involved in this transaction at all or were you just advising of future plans that now are off the table now?

Best of luck getting your animal or refund, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
Click to expand...

Good Afternoon Chris,

Mike Taylor (Boas Etc.) of Connecticut is the specific individual that was supposed to sell me this animal. I am currently residing in Rhode Island which is fairly close to this individual, but I am not from Connecticut. His company Boas Etc. is listed freely on the internet under this link;

http://companies.findthecompany.com/l/27423913/Boas-Etc-Llc-in-Danbury-CT

Boas Etc.
Danbury, Connecticut
Single Location
(203) 241-2525
7 Driftway Rd, Danbury, CT

The company phone number matches his phone number that has been used during the entire business correspondence. Through public records I was also able to attain some additional information that will assist me in the future in remedying this issue.

After making numerous attempts to call him, he refuses to pick up the phone for me, or answer texts. In addition, a neutral individual is attempting to contact him and advise him of the thread on the BOI in an attempt to remedy the issue. To date, nothing has been done. Mr. Taylor is a member of the BOI and has the username "Boas Etc" as shown in the below reference link;

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107627&page=2

Regarding the Perfect Predators transaction, I was the one to purchase this animal with my personal funds. The animal would have been used in a joint breeding venture in the future - hence Manny's indirect involvement.

Thanks Chris for the warm regards, with some luck some positive outcome will come of this - at a minimum, the community is informed.

:thumbsup:

VR/

Vic Martino
Martino Reptiles
 
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