Not thrilled with LLL Reptile.

[Mike41793]

I'm writing this review as a general warning to any future LLL customers, it's not intended to be really negative. Just my experience.

On January 26th I purchased a Axanthic Florida Kingsnake from the LLL Reptile booth at the Manchester, New Hampshire Expo. She was in shed when I got her. I took her home and she went in my 6qt baby ball python rack. She had shredded newspaper substrate, a small water dish, and a hot spot of 90degrees. She shed a couple days after I got her and then ate a f/t pinky mouse day or two after that. On February 5th I found her dead in her tub. I'm not sure how rigor mortis works with snakes but she wasn't fully stiff so I'm assuming she had passed relatively soon to when I found her.

I emailed LLL Reptile explaining what had happened and that the snake had died after only 10 days in my care. The woman who responded was very nice and said that it was their policy to only offer a 24hr guarantee on animals bought at expos. She said in the email " Typically, if a snake is having health issues of concern, it won't want to eat.:cens0r: The fact that your snake shed normally then ate indicates it was feeling fine for at least a few days after you got it home." but then later in the email says " I'm really sorry to hear that your snake died, especially since it seems like it happened rather suddenly and without warning." Now, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but that seems awfully contradictory to me. "your snake sounds like it was healthy for the first few days, then died suddenly." Well, if it was fine for the first few days and then died rather suddenly, how could it have picked up something in my care?

I'm not really trying to trash LLL Reptile and this is why I didn't title the thread as a negative review, I'm just not thrilled with them. I've kept ball pythons for almost seven years now and this was my first new species besides them that I've kept. I'm not trying to sound all high and mighty but combining my experience with snakes and the fact that EVERYONE I talked to praised the hardiness of kings really makes me believe that there was something wrong with the snake before I got it. There's no way I can prove that though, so that's why I'm not attacking them. I was offered a discount on another snake but I'm not really interested in that. I'm glad it was only $50 because if this purchase had been a lot more I would be a lot more frustrated.

Anyways, just thought I'd write this to let everyone know my experience.

Thanks for taking the time to read,

Mike

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[Slim]

Sorry to hear about your troubles, Mike. Hopefully, LLL will chime in. I know they used to be a member here.

[Mike41793]

Sorry to hear about your troubles, Mike. Hopefully, LLL will chime in. I know they used to be a member here.

Yes, I believe Jen is the one who posts on here. I don't really think that there's anything that could be done about it, it is their policy, I respect that. That's why I didn't come on here cussing them out, I just wanted to let people know I wasn't impressed.

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[DooLittle]

The gal that posts here seems nice and helpful enough. But I really haven't read a ton of great stuff about them. Idk, policy is policy. But, after only 10 days?? Sorry for your loss.

[fishdip]

What can a snake have that will make it act 100% fine and then just die?

[RobNJ]

Sucks Mike...and Florida Kings are such awesome, hearty snakes. I really don't feel that a 90 degree hot spot is necessary for them, but not something that would kill them. Not sure if LLL breeds their Fla Kings, but they do buy and resell in high volume. That nature of business(I'm not saying it's bad business) lends itself to this kind of thing happening on occasion...which is why they have the standard pet shop 24 hour policy on reptiles. Disappointing to lose the snake so soon, but they did go above and beyond their own terms to offer you a discount on a future purchase. The business side of dealing with live animals is not always pretty or satisfying to all parties involved, but it is business. And the again, sometimes the animals do just die suddenly with no explanation.

Out of curiosity, what, if any resolution to your issue were you seeking?

[Mike41793]

Sucks Mike...and Florida Kings are such awesome, hearty snakes. I really don't feel that a 90 degree hot spot is necessary for them, but not something that would kill them. Not sure if LLL breeds their Fla Kings, but they do buy and resell in high volume. That nature of business(I'm not saying it's bad business) lends itself to this kind of thing happening on occasion...which is why they have the standard pet shop 24 hour policy on reptiles. Disappointing to lose the snake so soon, but they did go above and beyond their own terms to offer you a discount on a future purchase. The business side of dealing with live animals is not always pretty or satisfying to all parties involved, but it is business. And the again, sometimes the animals do just die suddenly with no explanation.

Out of curiosity, what, if any resolution to your issue were you seeking?

Yea, theres a big difference between a breeder and just a seller. Learned that the hard way a bit here but such is life.

None, I just made this thread to let people know to think before they buy, and share my mistake. I would have liked a refund since I don't feel I was at fault, but I respect their policy. Business is business.

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[RobNJ]

theres a big difference between a breeder and just a seller

They do breed as well...

[Neal]

While Jen is a very nice person and very talkative and helpful, I personally wouldn't ever get an animal from LLL and this is only because I've seen them at shows years ago back before they had Repticon in Louisiana and it was still Gila Productions.

Other people on that same list are:
Glades Herps(closed)
House of Reptiles(otherwise known as House of Mites to locals from Jacksonville, FL)

I've personally never purchased from them, but with your story and others I've heard over the years I have a list of certain people I don't purchase from. As you perfectly stated there is a difference between a breeder and a seller.

[John1982]

I would be curious to know how old the animal was and if it had ever had a bowel movement. Occasionally animals are born not right on the inside and just perish young. Most reputable breeders won't release an animal until it is eating strong and passing solid waste. Seeing as your girl was small enough to to be offered a pinky mouse she couldn't have been old at all. I wonder if she had passed the early, albeit important, milestones of eating and sheeting. Sorry for your loss and hope the experience doesn't turn you off of other species. Kings are a hoot and a half to keep. Just start with a healthy specimen.