How would you reply? mislabeling?

[reyesjoshuacruz]

Hello,

I recently posed query to a reptile dealer claiming to have Giant monkey tailed Fischers.

They listed the scientific name as Bradypodion fischeri fischeri, a classification i believed to be outdated.

I wrote " Hey guys,

Your listing http://xxxxx/store/catalog/animals/chameleons/-/giant-monkey-tailed-fischers-chameleons/

as both Bradypodion fischeri fischeri and Giant Monkey Tailed Fischers Chameleon. I know this chameleon is not fischeri fischeri as it was most likely imported for the first time in the us this year and it wasnt by XXX
.
The giant monkey tailed fischers is the common name most commonly used to describe Kinyongia matschiei.
Can you confirm these are actually Kinyongia matschiei? im no expert but they dont look like matschei either

Thanks for looking into this for me. "

i got back

They are Bradypodian fischeri fischeri- this is the accepted scientific name for them now (and for the last few years). The new classifications of Kinyongia are not yet being used widely in the pet community, and though they have been published, are still under scrutiny of the scientific community. (They are being more widely used and accepted all the time).
They are imported, but we do not import them directly, we typically get them from a wholesaler or importer. I do not have the exact locale information for you (East Usumbara, West Usumbara, etc) as they are all exported from Tanzania. This species has been available in the US before- but much more rarely in the last couple years. "

There are truths in their response.

What troubled me was that they admitted to not knowing the origin,

" They are imported, but we do not import them directly, we typically get them from a wholesaler or importer. I do not have the exact locale information for you (East Usumbara, West Usumbara, etc) as they are all exported from Tanzania. This species has been available in the US before- but much more rarely in the last couple years."

it could be either the west (standard) or the east (monkey tailed), why this bothers me is at the time they were also advertising standard fischers chameleon for $49 or so, and the " giant monkey tailed " for almost double that.

do you see how that makes no sense?

i wont be listing the dealer, but i think its worth a search to view the picture they have representing that giant monkey tailed.

I want to respond but im not sure what needs to be said? ask more questions maybe?

 

[CNorton]

Yeah, I know who you're talking about and to tell you the truth they are not too concerned with "getting the facts straight." They are into moving animals and for the most part, these Matschiei aren't going to make it. They do appear to be Kinyongia Matschiei from the photo on their website and I can confirm that...having owned one briefly before he died. These guys are very delicate and frequently come in with a large parasite load.

I have pics on my profile here.

 

[AJA]

Well, you can tell him your opinion of the classification to hopefully educate this person, but if I was to stereotype most dealers they don't care. They want a name that sells and its all about money.

For instance, being new to chameleons, which would you buy, a Tubercle-Nosed Chameleon or a Panda Chameleon? Which sounds more cool?

On the other hand, you may infulence the dealer and that person will correct it to look 'well informed' of what they are selling. It doesn't suprise me at all that they don't know the locale of the chameleons when you think about how they are 'gathered and dumped' into one big container.

 

[chameleon97]

Off topic

I bought a veiled... the pet store called it a bearded pygmy.



-Steve

 

[RSGriff]

I clicked the link... it took me to a porn site

 

[eisentrauti]

Haha
Don't you have authorities which handle such cases ? We have them and if sb wouldn't change the bad conditions the animals are kept and is not able to learn the new systematic he/she will loose the right to deal with animals

 

[AJA]

Technically you could call it "bait and switch" but since the authorities have bigger fish to fry they will turn a blind eye.

 

[eisentrauti]

Really ? Here they have in some parts of Germany even enough time to visit hobby keepers with less than 10 animals (that's where our taxes go to...)

 

[luevelvet]

Benny,

I think our governments are often times on opposite sides of the spectrum. While we need to regulate the industry some, knocking on a hobbyists door isn't the best use of tax payer money either. Unfortunately, we barely have any laws in place to ensure the health or condition of the animals, especially reptiles. If you can see what I've seen, you would wonder how they were even allowed to continue to do business. I believe a certification program is long over due or we will never get anywhere with developing initiatives to encourage less collection and more breeding.

It sometimes makes me wonder what the price of senegalensis would be if we controlled their collection like we do for other species.

Luis

 

[eisentrauti]

Just be happy that you don't have a thing called (fucking) EU Their experts even know if a chameleon species should be imported every single year or not. Just as an example Trioceros fuelleborni:
Tz allows to export nearly 700 specimens but the EU thinks that it's better to forbid the hole importation into the EU for hole 2009....