Name and Shame.

[mike]

One of the many niceties of being a member of Caudata.org, is to be able to sell/exchange/donate surplus animals to like-minded hobbyists, in the Advertisement section.
I have received e-mails from an individual purporting to want animals that I have advertised, and asking for my home address to send his cheque....that never arrives.
I now know of two other people from this forum that have had similar experiences.
So I wonder Scott Pennell alias Stewart (dartfrog), are you a time waster, a so called animal rights activist, or just a misguided fool?

 

[john]

Perhaps he was just hoping you'd send animals before receiving payment?

 

[mike]

I often do just that John, but due to his strange e-mails I luckily didn't this time.

 

[mike]

I've just discovered that a forth person has had the "Pennell" treatment.
"I sent him my address, as he wanted some of my....., but nothing ever came of it. He was sending me e-mails every day about the ....., so I thought he was keen! Not heard a thing from him since."

 

[john]

Sounds like a dodgy geezer (spelling?) as you wonderful British people might say

. Avoid.

 

[mike]

Are you insinuating that I, being a citizen of the Great British (Empire), can't speak proper?

Wotch-it bruvver, cos i'll send someone ruund <font color="ff0000">&#149;</font><font color="ff0000">&#149;</font><font color="ff0000">&#149;</font><font color="ff0000">&#149;</font>......Sorted.

 

[TJ]

I'm surprised that you seem to have had problems from Stewart Pennel, as the dealings I've had with him have gone through without any problems at all. He does request allot of information about the animals he wishes to purchase. I believe this should be encouraged, this hobby needs people to ask questions if knowledge is to be gained and husbandry improved. There is a chance he changed his mind on having the animals when he discovered their husbandry requirements.
I think Stewart is a very young man, judging the fact the cheques i recieved from him are in his mums name and can't see any reason to start slateing a young keeper on this site. Surley it would be better to speak to him personly about how you feel, rather then Name and Shame (as you call it)on here.

 

[mike]

I certainly agree that before obtaining unfamiliar animals, you should thoroughly investigate their husbandry requirements. This Stewart Pennel did indeed do...incessantly. I will go out of my way to give people the "benefit" of my experience. (For what it's worth), or point them in the right direction, as members of this forum will confirm. Once he was presumably satisfied that he was able to competently keep them, he e-mailed, saying that he wished to buy them...and kept stringing me on for several weeks. He had ample opportunity to withdraw from the sale, my trash-can is full of his e-mails. Remember that he has treated a further three people, that I know of in this shoddy manner. If I am to believe his profile, he is a teenager, and should by now have formed some morals, and manners. My five year old Granddaughter certainly has more scruples. The purpose of my original post, was to warn people not to waste their time with this individual.
Possibly Tim your attitude is driven by the fact that your livelihood is in selling amphibians/live food/equipment, etc, whereas 99% of people on this site are purely hobbyists.

 

[jesse]

meep

 

[TJ]

I would like to point out my livelihood is not made from my web-site and I am a hobbist . It was setup because i was fed up with the lack of equipment and food in this country and was tried of lots of trips to europe. My site is helping other hobbists by supplying equipment and food which isn't yet commerically available in this country.
It is a shame that Stewart wasted your time, and it does surprise me as I have never had any problems with him purchasing from me in the past.
However I have had my own time wasted on numerous occasions but I would still speak to those individuals personally about their actions rather then insult them on a forum.

 

[jennifer]

I support the use of this forum to report questionable behavior on the part of people in the caudate hobby. The "feedback" system on eBay works well, but there is no feedback system among hobbyists. This is our only way of exchanging this kind of information. As long as the reports are focused on specific facts, not personal attacks or generalizations, I think it's an appropriate (and necessary) use of the forum.

It sounds to me like this young man has more enthusiasm than he has money or manners. In a few years, he may turn out to be a good hobbyist and trading partner.

 

[sharon]

As a newbie to buying on the internet, I have to say I really appreciate this ability to find a "joker".

LOL! Its like the "bad check" list at the stores! Don't accept ----- from this guy!

Remember a legitimate person will probably make a strong effort to defend himself and right the situation.

Sharon

 

[pollywog]

I will agree with Tim, I have had a lot of e-mails from Scott / Stewart asking for advise on how to keep a number of animals including those supplied to himself by Tim, and also on the availability of animals. I have not got a bad word to say about the lad, he asks a lot of questions about a lot of animals and I to think this is to be praised.

 

[paul]

I would like to suggest people check out some of the individual in questions posts on other forums,particually live food direct.I know of many people,including myself who have been treated in this manner.
I say fairplay to Mike for letting the forum members know that their all to valuable "spare" time could be wasted by certain individuals.I , as I know Mike is,am strongly in favour of people taking the time to investigate the correct husbandry prior to obtaining an animal,however we are all grown ups and know when we are having the p**S ripped out of us.
Mike is a very expirienced,knowledgeable and above all helpful person,as is empirically displayed by his posts on the forum, I do not find his post a personal attack on the individual,merely a warning to others, as would be expected on any other forum.With or Mikes post this individual has a poor reputation amongst many in the hobby.

 

[john]

OK, I think we've all gotten the points and I think we should close this discussion.

In the mean time, I'm going to register www.newtbay.com...

-John