Bruce at Carolina Reptile Exchange

[Holbeird]

I'm sure most of you have heard of him, and the thing's you've heard haven't been good! Well recently on craigslist there's been a BIG stink about his shop just south of Charlotte (in Ft. Mill SC) A bunch of people are getting together and calling PIJAC, USDA, Animal Control, and the Humane Society. I tried doing it myself the first time I went to his store, and they didn't take me seriously. Now that there's a bunch of people after him maybe he'll pick up and move. I'd love for him to get shut down for good but unfortunately that's probably not going to happen, he'll probably just pick up and move again to avoid the cops like he has before. Just wanted to let everyone know what was going on.

[jkobylka]

I remember a pet shop in Chattangooga when I lived there, it was the absolute WORST. I was trilled the day it closed for good. Not only was it abusive to the animals, it turned countless people away from ever wanting to own reptiles...

good job on going after these guys...

Justin

[DanielA989]

I live 30 minuetes from his shop. I know exactly what you are talking about. He has been shut down many many times everyone knows bruce. His snake bites and his degree in herpetology and his poss. hets. His shop is horrid! I have seen rats in the same tank eating about four other rats. Multiple sheds and defecations from multiple different animals in the same tank. Nobody has water EVER. I've seen his freezer full of 10 gtp neo's as well as pastel bp's. I have also seen him sell a rattlesnake to a 15 year old boy. I have also been and seen him let customers free handle cobras in his shop. I have seen "elvis" his king cobra's cage open before and him not even know it. I think the worst of all is that poor alligator snapper that's in a trough with rusty water that has about 1 in on each side of him. This guy needs to be shut down for good. They either tell him to clean it up or move and he just moves to another state. Oh yea I remember the dead emperior scorpions in the tank that was there 6 months later when I went back to the shop. Also the decayed burmese in the tank that was almost to the bone with skin hanging off... I think I should run down there next week and get some pictures of his shop for everyone and post them on every forum across the nation. It's about as sad as it gets. Everyone will ask me if it's so bad why do you go back? Well everyone who knows me or brittany we have a soft spot for the animals in his store. For us it's a rescue... and we usually show up every 6 months and save a animal, a inexspensive one but we feel it's something we should do. We have went in and got a red-eared slider that you couldn't find in a 10 gallon tank gave it a bath and took it to a near-by-pond with some others and I still keep a check on it to this day. He's doing great just something we enjoy. I know everyone didn't want to lissten to me ramble about bruce and but if your still reading by this point thanks!

[JLC]

I understand your compassion for the animals and wanting to help those you can...but, in my opinion, giving someone like that money to buy his animals does nothing but support his business....and why on earth would you want to do that? Taking a turtle out of a tank frees up the space for another hapless turtle to get dropped in.

If I were to run across a shop like that (and also be in a position to do rescue work) I would talk about taking whatever sick animals they didn't want to care for anymore...FOR FREE...and give them no chance to profit for keeping animals in such deplorable conditions. Better yet...if it's as bad as you say it is....I'd call the ASPCA and any other authorities I could think of...and let them know exactly what's going on. Giving them money, no matter how well intentioned it is toward the animal, is just....wrong.

[joepythons]

I understand your compassion for the animals and wanting to help those you can...but, in my opinion, giving someone like that money to buy his animals does nothing but support his business....and why on earth would you want to do that? Taking a turtle out of a tank frees up the space for another hapless turtle to get dropped in.

If I were to run across a shop like that (and also be in a position to do rescue work) I would talk about taking whatever sick animals they didn't want to care for anymore...FOR FREE...and give them no chance to profit for keeping animals in such deplorable conditions. Better yet...if it's as bad as you say it is....I'd call the ASPCA and any other authorities I could think of...and let them know exactly what's going on. Giving them money, no matter how well intentioned it is toward the animal, is just....wrong.

I agree with Judy here,stop giving this scumbag money.If he runs out of money he cant stay in business

[Reediculous]

Wow this Ad scared me for a minute! I'm doing business with someone from Carolina, and i was sure it wasn't Bruce but i just doubled checked to make sure and it's not............I know I checked my guy out on the BOI, and i thought for a second maybe i missed some bad reports!

Well anyway if this guy Bruce is as bad as he seems, Yup hope he goes down, we don't need his type in the herp world

[Sputnik]

I understand your compassion for the animals and wanting to help those you can...but, in my opinion, giving someone like that money to buy his animals does nothing but support his business....and why on earth would you want to do that? Taking a turtle out of a tank frees up the space for another hapless turtle to get dropped in.

Exactly!

[DanielA989]

OMG!!!!!!!!!! SPEAK OF THE DEVIL!!!!! I Went by on the way home from the repticon show in columbia... He has taken everything out of his shop ! HE IS OUT OF BUISSNESS he claims there is no money in reptiles anymore! All his animals are going up on the internet for sale he said. We talked to his son as Bruce hid around the corner. There were two hatchling ball pythons in there and a anaconda that looked like if you touch his back bone it would cut you like a razor blade. Well I see your point.... I guess he will be going out of buissness anyways and he won't be getting anybodys money anymore. We were just helping a lucky animal. We didn't look at it from that point of view. But yes you all are right. Well he's done for good now. I think the message finally got out there.