Uhm, What?!

I googled Ben Siegal Reptiles, because I'll be purchasing two ball pythons in a couple months and I'm researching prices and sellers now. This was in the first five entries.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crim...icle-1.2066355

In a word - Yikes.

However, looking at dates, that was over a year ago.

Even if it was over a year ago...putting a bearded dragon in your mouth and then slapping an employee with it? That's a what the hell moment.

Utterly disturbing to me.. Just horrible. I wont ever purchase from this person now that I know this info..I dont care how old the info is, just the fact that it happened at all from one of the industries biggest names..and I dont care if he is eccentric..so is Johnny Depp, but he dont handle animals in that manner meanwhile throwing a temper tantrum for whatever reason while also abusing his employees. But more importantly, the animal. Makes you wonder what else goes on in his facility.

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Here come the pitchforks :rolleyes:

This is an old story, Ben had been struggling from mental illness for a while when the event occurred, he is no longer in business there is no worry about what is going on in his facility.

Hopefully since he has received the help he needed because deep down Ben is a good man who happens to struggles with some issues.

I have a few of Ben's animals and have never had an issue. As Deb said Ben is a person with problems and health issues just like all of us, his just happen to have his become public knowledge. It's not an expectable event buy any stretch but it is something to keep in mind.

Mental illness is not the same as 'being eccentric' I've gotten animals from Ben in the past and they were very good quality, in fact better then I had expected.

See, I had no idea that he was having mental health issues. I follow the Ben Seigal Reptiles page on Facebook and was looking to see where his website was and if he had any bps available. I'm not familiar with him at all so it's good to get feedback from people that do.

Keep in mind the story is reptile related and the media loves to put anything reptile related in a negative light. You should probably only believe 50% of any news story you hear or see. There is a lot left out in this as I notice how there's no backstory on his mental illness here. Also take note that some of the people here that do know him and have done business with him have things to say that make the "written story" less credible. I'm not saying this did or didn't happen but I am saying don't judge a person based off one news story.

He's honestly a great guy. I wouldn't blame someone for acting drunk when their diabetes caused their blood sugar to go out of control... I wouldn't blame someone for having a seizure when they are epileptic... and I don't blame someone with mental illness when they have an episode.

He is not involved with the business anymore that I know of, but the animals are all still top notch.

I wish Ben all thebest.

Apparently Ben is selling on Facebook, though he sold his retail business awhile back. Hopefully, this is a sign that his health problems are under control. I'm local to Ben and have done a lot of business with him in the past both as buyer and seller. Every transaction was a positive experience and every animal I ever received from him was healthy.