Ignorance... be vigilant who you are selling to!!!

[fixed_eyes]

This is a long shot...

I know little about spiny swifts. I'm not trying to butt my nose in where it's not wanted, but someone I know of has sold a spiny swift to a person with no knowledge or any research before buying this lizard on impulse.

The buyer has since fb'd the seller asking why the 'spiny swift thingy' has mucus coming from it's mouth and has crusty eyes, whilst holding it's head 'high as the sky' = this to me is a clear sign of RI is it not?

Anyway, she asked the seller if he had any good care sheets and the response she received from was just plain 'na don't sorry'

Is this not just ignorance?

I have nothing against dealers, whom sell healthy animals and are honest with potential buyers. But this guy is a joke. He buys any reptiles on the cheap from RFUK/Gumtree/Preloved and puts them straight up for sale again using the same old 'eats/poos/sheds fine' (how would you know when you've only had them for two days?!)

He tried to sell us a beautiful tiger retic, that had large unhealed wounds from livefeeding (told us they were shedding issues)

And had bought an adult bosc the same day which he was feeding salad to, and kept him in a rub the same size as my sink basin! The bloody thing had to be wedged in to the RUB literally and couldn't move it's head let alone turn around! This bosc mysteriously disappeared.
Collected a 'job lot' of seventeen colubrids recently, next thing we know, random chavs in our town are asking US what they need for a snake as they've bought one on the cheap, not even knowing WHAT snakes eat let alone where to source food from or even knowing they require extra heat.

My OH is often bothered with him trying to sell us this that and the other, but it angers me how he is treating these animals. They are not toys.

Just beware who you're selling to, this guy has recently had the SSPCA at his door because of how many animals are passing through his door, with no proper care/food/housing.

Sorry for the rant, but this is just careless behavior, completely unnecessary.

Be careful who you sell to with any animal. Not everyone really will 'love your pet and give him a forever home' as they often promise.

[purple-vixen]

Such a sad story and all too common these days. It's the good old "pound signs" in their eyes. I too find it highly disturbing when you see people who clearly want a next to nothing bargain, and then pops on here with new said animal basically asking the simple questions of which can be answered on a care sheet.

I don't care if I seem harsh, as far as I am concerned, if you really loved your pet, you will do your reading, ask your questions and provide the best care possible. I have very little patience for down right idioticism when it comes to animals, it's not rocket science, it's patience and learning, of which we all had to do.

The above explained though just proves that no matter how hard we try, we can't rid the world of these complete and utter nuisances (resisted very hard there) that cause animals harm, and not just reptiles but all animals.

If I were you, I'd go out of my way to get him arrested and a court order against him for keeping no more. I struggled last year when I found out someone nearby was keeping animals in their closet, dishing out wrong vitamins, and putting healthy new animals into enclosures where the previous occupant had mysteriously died without cleaning, and then buying/selling and moving so many animals on. Unfortunately lack of evidence led the police and the council to not be able to pursue it and if that person EVER reads this post, maybe they will know who I am on about, I do know where they have moved to.

I am VERY SERIOUS when it comes to mistreating animals. What you have described is just that, selling to someone who has no ideas, as far as I am concerned is putting that animal at risk, especially when you can't provide ANY guidelines as to how to care for it.

Sorry for the long post, but I KNOW I do not stand alone in how I feel, and I am sure in how I would act too.

Is there any avenue you can pursue to put this "nuisance" to rights perhaps?

Jac