Underground Irritation (suggestions?)

[Abrimel]

Well,

I just found out some rather upsetting news. The baby Northern I purchased online is no longer available, instead they were willing to send an Indonesian (Halmahera is what I was told) since there was a mistake on the webpage and none other were available at the time. While I find it extremely irritating because I was eagerly awaiting him tomorrow, I now must wait until Friday and drive nearly two hours to pick him up due to the weather temperatures (again). I'm not sure if I am fully alright with this situation at all. Its rather discouraging entirely considering all the good information and reviews I've read about the store. Not quite sure what to do or say about it but I already paid for all the enclosure items as well as the animal. Apparently indo's are 50$ more so they're taking a loss but it seems fishy to me. I am supposed to be receiving pictures tonight of the new baby though I'm rather iffy about all this.

[tylociraptor]

So I finally checked the website, and I realized it sounded familiar. I actually had gone browsing that site previously, and was disgusted when I saw what they sold. Anyone that sells primates as pets ... well, I'll hold my tongue.

I'm sorry this happened to you, but I personally wouldn't trust any "breeder" who isn't aware of their own stock. What happened, did they sell the baby YOU paid for? If I were you, I'd ask for a refund and look for a breeder who specializes in one or two animals, or at the very least knows exactly what animals they have and keep proper track of them.

[bella3]

I think that since you are the customer you deserve the right to tell them how you feel. You can explain to them why you are upset, and maybe they are willing to "compromise" like lowering the price or something. But personally I would not buy from them at all, instead I would wait until I could find a reliable source and buy from them instead. Also, since they didn't have the proper skink, and if you no longer want to purchase from them you should most definitely be able to get a refund because again, you are the customer.
That is personally what I would do, and I'm sorry that the baby that you wanted is no longer available.

[Abrimel]

Originally, they had sent me pictures and my roommate got her beardy from there and he was very good looking and healthy when he arrived. On their website they have the option to buy the animal and they send the pictures of the selected ones and shipping times/prices ect. As for primates...well I can't say much since my mother had one before I was born and she had her own outdoor enclosure and was very spoiled but not a 'pet' persay, more like a companion. Either way, I told them I was quite upset with it and that they needed to send me pictures immediately before I would even consider accepting the payment on my credit card. I also told them that I would be making a complaint to the BBB. Unfortunately, I the amount is already paid and it would take weeks if not more before it could be put back on my card.

They did lower the price since they sell their Indo's for the upward of 200-250$ and I initially paid 168$ shipped for my northern. Its not a matter of species, though I am partial to the Northerns size and coloration, its the fact that they failed to tell me this until today and even had the wrong phone number when I sent them an email containing it. He said it was an honest mistake that the webpage did not stop the sale although the counter for the specific number of animals was at 0. This I can understand, however, it doesn't make it alright. I'm honestly pretty p-'d off about it, excuse my language. I sat around all darn week because its been too hot and no one in my area seems to have any babies for sale. Missouri sucks as a state regardless for reptiles but I do want a skink. I've now got the determination, that if my animal does not arrive safely on time on Friday at 7:30 AM, there will be a lawyer involved. I will not stand for it, despite the fact that the animal they are sending me is more valuable (though it has nothing to do with it to me honestly, a skink is a skink and they're all beautiful). Fraudulent advertising really gets my goat. If they don't send me pictures of the new animal as well as a health guarantee TONIGHT its on.

[bella3]

Yeah-that is definitely fishy! It could have been an honest mistake-but they could have handled it quite a lot better.
All I can say is that I'm sorry that this happened because I was through the roof excited basically the whole week before I got my baby skink, and can't imagine waiting another few days, and having to drive so far.

[Karen]

Odd that farm bred Indos are going for more than CBB Northerns... It wouldn't be too hard to look elsewhere if you are willing to wait on the refund. There are plenty of people with nice, healthy, CBB Northern babies available. If you do end up going with the Indo, keep in mind it is probably going to need to be dewormed as a precaution.

[Bird_Brain]

No business is perfect. There will be mistakes and issues. All consumers need to realize this. Whats important is how the seller/business try to correct the issue. IMO, their northerns dont look like northerns. I have never seen the breeding adults, but the babies just look "off". Secondly, Indos are imports. Very, very few are breed in captivity. IMO, the price for an Indo should be less than a CBB Northern from the get-go.

I honestly see no point to taking it to the BBB since they have offered you an apology as well as "compensation". You have the right to determine if you want the "compensation" (replacement with Indo) or get a full refund. Getting a lawyer involved is just asinine, IMO. Things happen and they tried to make it right. They have no control over the delivery agent. If it doesnt make it to the destination by the guaranteed time that the shipping agent sets, then who ever paid the shipping company directly can file a claim and possibly get a refund. But if you paid the seller for shipping, and they paid the delivery agent, the seller has to make the claim and they get the money back.

From a non-involved third party individual, I think you just need to take a deep breath and relax. There was a mistake, but the seller offered the compensation. If you aren't happy with that, try to negotiate more or ask for your refund. Very simple situation and solution.

As far as the refund, why would it take weeks? Working retail, refunds typically take no more than 3 business days for funds to be reversed on a credit card.

[Fatal_S]

WC Indos are sold for about $75. Double that to include shipping to you.

And keep money for a fecal test, dewormers, and possible treatments for other issues like mites and infections. Expect the baby to be terrified and defensive.

[Jeff]

To me it sounds like your impatience is about to cause you to make a bad decision. If you want a northern, get a norrthern. Don't settle for something else simply because it might take slightly longer to get what you really wanted.

They made a mistake. Even though it seems that this particular company makes MANY mistakes, that alone is not the end of the world. If they no longer have what you want, just get a refund, and buy what you want from someone else. Remember, your skink can be with you for 20 years or more. The few extra days you have to wait to get it will seem extremely insignificant the minute it arrives.

[Edward]

To me it sounds like your impatience is about to cause you to make a bad decision. If you want a northern, get a norrthern. Don't settle for something else simply because it might take slightly longer to get what you really wanted.

They made a mistake. Even though it seems that this particular company makes MANY mistakes, that alone is not the end of the world. If they no longer have what you want, just get a refund, and buy what you want from someone else. Remember, your skink can be with you for 20 years or more. The few extra days you have to wait to get it will seem extremely insignificant the minute it arrives.

Worth repeating. I completely agree.

[tylociraptor]

To me it sounds like your impatience is about to cause you to make a bad decision. If you want a northern, get a norrthern. Don't settle for something else simply because it might take slightly longer to get what you really wanted.

They made a mistake. Even though it seems that this particular company makes MANY mistakes, that alone is not the end of the world. If they no longer have what you want, just get a refund, and buy what you want from someone else. Remember, your skink can be with you for 20 years or more. The few extra days you have to wait to get it will seem extremely insignificant the minute it arrives.

Worth repeating. I completely agree.

Let's repeat it thrice. You're not looking for something particularly rare or near impossible to find, or even extremely expensive, like say... a shingleback or melanistic/albino... It isn't going to be terribly hard to find someone who a) has northerns, b) pays more attention to their animals, and c) has far better business sense.

Not to mention what Mel said... I am going to say it and I hope nobody takes offense, but I think they are ripping you off big time, or maybe don't know as much about skinks (or reptiles...) that they boast. I mean, how can you not know the market price of a wild caught animal? I don't, and our OP here may not, but that's fine for us- we aren't selling them!

I say again, get a refund and find the skink you want, the one you were so excited about, from someone who will treat you better as a customer. These Undeground Reptiles guys sound like nothing more than a pet store lauding themselves as something specialized. Clearly they specialize in reptiles but... I don't know. Your experience speaks volumes to me!!

[El Lobo]

To me it sounds like your impatience is about to cause you to make a bad decision. If you want a northern, get a norrthern. Don't settle for something else simply because it might take slightly longer to get what you really wanted.

They made a mistake. Even though it seems that this particular company makes MANY mistakes, that alone is not the end of the world. If they no longer have what you want, just get a refund, and buy what you want from someone else. Remember, your skink can be with you for 20 years or more. The few extra days you have to wait to get it will seem extremely insignificant the minute it arrives.

Worth repeating. I completely agree.

Let's repeat it thrice. You're not looking for something particularly rare or near impossible to find, or even extremely expensive, like say... a shingleback or melanistic/albino... It isn't going to be terribly hard to find someone who a) has northerns, b) pays more attention to their animals, and c) has far better business sense.

Jeff's point is worth repeating once again. The concern I have is if you had your heart set on the Northern you thought you were getting any substitute may fall short of expectations. That scenario would not be fair to either yourself or the skink for the future of your relationship. Please don't make a hasty decision you might regret, because ultimately the animal (the only party who has no say in negotiations) is the one who pays the price.

[Abrimel]

It was never the fact that I'm getting a different skink, its the principal of the matter. I like Indos, however, I don't like the idea of taking them from the wild illegally and importing them places from god knows where. The additional health issues are also a concern, de-worming, for instance, as well as the myriad of other things that could possibly be wrong with these babies worries me. I've tried to email them and they just keep apologizing for it and sending me pictures of the other babies. They also insist that they're captive bred, however, that doesn't mean the parents were.

I also double checked, and yes they actually do sell their Indo's, at least the halmehera ones, for more than a northern! Which honestly blows me away. Secondly, I'm not being impatient, I was fully willing to wait for weather as well as shipping issues no problem. I'm just eager considering I've invested a lot of time, money, and space into such a thing and its extremely frustrating to keep fighting with this crap (for lack of better words) I've emailed the company and if they don't rectify it I told them I want a full refund and will take my business elsewhere. I also pointed out the fact that just because I am not extremely knowledgeable doesn't mean I do not know someone who is, and even the vet I go to said it was quite a large amount of ignorance to think that I would not realize the monetary value. Its just plain upsetting in the long run. Melissa (roommate) bearded dragon came no problems, beautiful, and healthy which was why I chose this company, but obviously it was a mistake.

[Abrimel]

I think I'm going to just find a Northern, any suggestions as to where theirs some available as well as good breeder recommendations, I live in the USA so sadly Aussie AMD Canadian breeders are out for me.

[Fatal_S]

Andrew, James, Jeff, Ray, Zach. There's more too, but those are the 5 that come to mind.