Should i trust off the ark exotics?

[Diesel]

Alright, so i have posted about me trying to find an Argentine tegu and Off the ark exotics has a female and a male for $200 each. I personally want the male which is 2.5 ft. Now i have looked them up and found many bad and good things about off the ark exotics. One of the bad things was about the savvy monitor. So i was just wondering if anyone here has had good things to do with this company and bad. I have been asking a lot of questions and i am gonna keep asking to make sure everything is in check. If everything is, does everything think it is worth the chance or should i wait for an opportunity to get a tegu from someone more reliable. I did get a picture and both the female and the male look very filled out and everything else looks good. I tried posting the picture on here and through photo bucket but something on my computer is keeping me from posting it. :S Any ideas and thoughts would be amazing thanks everyone.

 

[AP27]

From what I've heard it seems to be just their shipping methods that are less then acceptable. There are a few members on this forum who have bought from them directly and picked up their animals in person and have had no problems. I've also heard many stories of animals that have been shipped that did not do well or even died during shipping from them. So I suppose its up to whether or not you are willing to take that chance. It could possibly work out just fine. That's just what I've heard.

 

[monstruo-the-tegu]

well i am planing to get a female tegu that is small from off the ark for my birthday i have heard stories of off the arks shipping being bad but in person they are great the place i get all my reptiles

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the only bad experience i had was when i got a sav hatchling about 10 months ago and 10 months ago i was still a beginner and i thought savs were ezy they aren't but now i have a yearling sav and he is doing great

 

[Diesel]

well, I really rather not risk the animals life :s but I'm afraid shipping is the only way i am going to end up with receiving a tegu. Is it possible that the other animals didn't do so well because they were already unhealthy and too skinny to make a trip? Do you know how much they charge to ship and if its over night? I would expect it to be but who knows?

 

[AP27]

Some cases have been from animals that were already believed to be in bad condition, but others have been perfectly healthy animals that were packed with little to no heat source and died due to that. If shipping is the only way you can do it then it might be better to get a tegu from someone else.

 

[Diesel]

thats sad to hear. Maybe if i offer to pay a bit more they will put something too keep the inside more warm. Maybe a tegu snuggie or something lol jk.

 

[monstruo-the-tegu]

why dont you request that heat packs be sent with the tegu and if they wont then wait for tegus that have a better chance of survival

 

[AP27]

Haha. Tegu snuggie. But I agree with monstruo, if they won't ship the tegu correctly, don't risk its life.

 

[james.w]

You shouldn't have go request heat packs. If the weather is cold a responsible seller will use heat packs regardless.

Ive never done business with Off the Ark, but based on what I've read I never will.

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http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=115&de=906885

I've never done business with this guy either, but saw his ad and thought I would pass it along to you.

 

[Dana C]

I don't know how far away you are from Off the Ark's shipping point but if you are several states away, the shipping this time of year can be VERY expensive. The box will have to be at least 16" square, lined with styrofoam and have a minimum of 2 -3 heat packs. Shipping I assume will be either Fed Ex Priority, or UPS. I had a Tegu shipped from southern California in late December to me here in Southern Idaho. Shipping was $187.
James is right. You should never have to request this kind of packing. It should be the only way they ship in the winter and it is the only way a knowledgeable and caring dealer or breeder should ship.
I would wait if I were you until you can find one somewhere else.

 

[Diesel]

yeah i would never risk an animals life that is a long trip. I would want to die after that!! but so the guy said they had a male available last night and just this morning he said its sold lol wow!. It was at 5 A.M. too so i have no idea how that transaction happened but oh well. I rather not support a business treats the animals how i have heard. Thanks anyway everyone. And thanks james for that ad. I personally enjoy the B&W more so i am looking for a male but that is a great price for a red tegu! If i wanted one, i would jump on that one. If everyone could just keep an eye out and let me know. You don't have to of course but i am really excited to get one. I already have the cage set up.