Boi

[AK907]

I suspect there is more to this story than you are letting on.

Sour Grapes comes to mind.

Yup, I will admit I am a little bitter.

This was a few years ago and we've moved on, but here is the readers digest version: A breeder I know had a virus wipe out his entire rat colony. I had just had a bunch of rat babies at the time and offered to hold back 50 until they were adults for him so he could have new breeders in a couple weeks time. I know this guy personally, so I gave him a great deal on them ($1 each for adults) and I didn't take any deposit (my mistake, one that I won't make again). We agreed on a specific date for him to pick them up. He also had me pick him up 100 adult ASF from another breeder an hour away since I lived closer. I said sure and I would just charge him what they cost me since we were "friends". I paid for them with my own money, which came to $250 and change. The date for him to pick up and pay for everything comes. He can't make it. Says he can in two weeks. I offer to drive the 1 1/2 hour drive to his house and drop them off at his convenience if it would make it easier. He says no thanks, he doesn't want me to have to waste any gas because I've been helpful enough. So I agree to hold them for two weeks. Two weeks later, he backs out again, says he can pick them up in two more weeks. Those two weeks pass, he backs out again. The next day I see him post an ad for rats for sale since he has a surplus. I call him out on it on the forum where he posted the ad. Turns out he had already purchased from another breeder a while back and just left me holding the bag. So now I have not only raised all 50 of these rats from birth for him, but I also am left holding and caring for the 100 ASF that I paid for with my own money that I have had to feed for him for a month. This kinda screws me over because now I have 150 mouths to continue to feed/care for until I can sell them. It isn't cheap caring for that many rats/asf when you factor in food, bedding and time and I believe I was going above and beyond the call of duty in this instance just to help out a fellow herper who was down on his luck.

I made the mistake of starting a BOI type thread on the other forum about this, I included full emails and screen shots of our communications. I am instantly attacked by his little minions from every possible angle. How could I possibly say anything bad about this guy? He is a God in the community. It must MY fault that he left me holding the bag and I am just trying to ruin his reputation. Who am I to do such a thing? I'm just a random rat breeder that no one knows and everyone who is anyone has heard of him. It gets really hard to defend ones self when it is 20 against 1 and all logic and reason is dismissed simply because the buyer has more buddies than me. So I simply bowed down, sucked up my losses and accepted the fact that my reputation is tainted for having the huevos to stand up for myself and not just sweep it under the rug.

So yes, I have a lot of sympathy for the little guy who gets screwed for posting a BOI and getting ganged up on. It happens, but popularity is everything. Facts make little difference.

I will admit that not all BOI's are bad. In fact, most are probably quite accurate, but I would take everything with a grain of salt.

- - - Updated - - -

The problem I have had with the BOI's I've read is the lack of respect towards the seller from the buyers. I understand being frustrated if you have had a negative experience as a buyer, but a lot of people let their frustrations supersede their ability to be articulate and objective. It makes you look like a child having a temper tantrum if you resort to calling names and slinging mud. Just my HO.

Cheers,
Chris.

This is true. I've seen a lot of BOI's end up like that. That kind of childish behavior really doesn't help one's case. You can think that "X" is a real "!@#$" all you want, I know I think a lot of folks are "!@#$", but throwing a fit isn't going to fix your problem. Those BOI's I would always just "X" out of and move on. Same goes with the BOI's that do the whole ganging up deal.