Ebay Eggs Horror Story

[Mysty]

Its been a hard couple of days dealing with one heartless man.

This is what he was listing on ebay: bearded dragon eggs to be sent by post. Only £5. Because his incubator is full and it would be a shame to throw them in the bin.

Yeah. That's right. He's offering to post bearded dragon eggs likely resulting in deformed hatchlings.

So, I reported this to the RSPCA. They said they need his contact details to proceed so I pose as a local buyer who wants to collect. He falls for the bait and I get his mobile no.

I call the RSPCA to check that they will make a visit if I get the seller's address, to be told no, the RSPCA cannot do anything because they are eggs.

Nor will they visit the adults who are pictured 4 in one viv because there is not enough evidence of abuse.

Gutted.

All I could do was give the seller a number to call. Its a local reptile rescue centre who are aware I have done this.

 

[kingofnobbys]

RSPCA in Australia are just as worthless ....if it's got 4 legs , is covered in fur and has a hairy tail they'll make the abusers life a misery, If it's got feathers, or is four legged (or no legged) and scaley and not a mammal they don't give a toss about's welfare.

As to the seller.... he's money hungry AH and the lowest low life on the face of the planet and simply doesn't give a ***k about the results of his actions or the impact it'll have on his "customers".

Contact Ebay and tell them the sale amounts to animal cruelty, they MIGHT remove his ad and ban him MAYBE.

 

[JessPets]

WHY WHY WHY.....People are absolute *****s some time. Hmm, I have some eggs that I can't afford, can't care for, and shouldn't have in the first place...what should I do with them? Oh, I know! I'll sell them on eBay, because THAT makes a lot of sense


I mean, really, what was he THINKING?!

 

[Mysty]

Thankfully the ad has been removed but he still has an active ebay account. Completely agree that there are poor options for reptile rescue from irresponsible owners, but lots of support for our furry friends.

 

[Taterbug]

was the listing blatantly suggesting the buyer could incubate and hatch the eggs themselves? If so I totally agree it's a crappy thing to do.

However to play a bit of devils advocate... extra lizard/snake eggs and even unwanted/deformed hatchlings (especially of species that face a flooded market) are used as feeders for other species.

 

[traildrifterphalanx]

I'm honestly a little concerned that if he's unable to sell them, he might just chuck 'em in the trash.

I don't know this guy, but based off of previous (noted) actions I doubt the end will be humane if he's unable to sell locally. Unfortunately, there's nothing that can be done about that...

 

[AHBD]

I just thought I'd mention something to hopefully ease your mind. If the guy is selling them they must have just been laid. If that's so then they do not even have anything like a nervous system yet, can not feel pain or anything like that. Some people who have had dragons lay multiple fertile clutches actually dispose of some, it's not really inhumane because, as mentioned, there's no nervous system to feel pain. Some people say you must freeze them but just putting them in water kills them.

He may be hoping to make some $$ from people who think it might be cool to hatch their own dragon.....of course the eggs must not be moved after a couple of days, this will kill them as well. So, the buyer [ if he actually gets any ] would have to receive them within about a 2 day window period, it might actually be slightly longer, but if they are jiggled + turned over after a certain period of time they will die. So it's not likely that any eggs will survive the ordeal, but at least they will not feel pain.

Interestingly, panther chameleon eggs actually can survive being turned and jostled and one breeder has shipped eggs for people to hatch.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiS-MfhvvfSAhVJ5oMKHbFZC3MQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faunaclassifieds.com%2Fforums%2Fshowthread.php%3Fp%3D1804943&usg=AFQjCNH6tJ5qYTbzyAAzWvRWS_GHojNH0g&sig2=Z3gFvBBaOxrCIsg7iCBhvQ

 

[Mysty]

Its comforting to know that they may not be developed enough to feel pain.

 

[Rankins]

Hmm...I don't see much of a problem with this. If the eggs were just laid and shipped with a heat pack overnight there is a chance they could survive. Bearded dragon eggs are really durable. Seems better than tossing fertile eggs out. Hopefully he isn't selling them for much. I have dropped an entire egg box before shortly after eggs were laid and they all survived.

 

[JessPets]

Hmm...I don't see much of a problem with this. If the eggs were just laid and shipped with a heat pack overnight there is a chance they could survive. Bearded dragon eggs are really durable. Seems better than tossing fertile eggs out. Hopefully he isn't selling them for much. I have dropped an entire egg box before shortly after eggs were laid and they all survived.

I think the whole problem is, is that most people do not know how to incubate the eggs- and since they are so cheap, people will buy them because they are cheaper than a live hatched beardie. And honestly, if you have a male + female in the same cage and you don't want eggs, DON'T PUT THEM TOGETHER IN THE FIRST PLACE...

And they will be tossed around a lot- reptile eggs can't be flipped once laid (you already know this though) Over all, it's just a bad idea

 

[AHBD]

Funny thing Rankin's is I did the same [ dropped a clutch of eggs ] when they were near hatching+ they all hatched. They were fully formed babies which , if healthy, can take it. When they are just starting at the very beginning of becoming the part of the embryo that attaches to the shell , that is when they can't be turned.

 

[Rankins]

Still don't see a problem with it. If someone is paying money for eggs it's likely they know how to incubate them. Even if it's a learning opportunity it's still better than tossing out fertile eggs. You are correct, if you don't want fertile eggs don't put dragons together. But once you have a clutch of fertile eggs it's too late for that.
I do know you can't turn eggs. I have hatched out several thousand reptiles. But the embryo doesn't attach to the egg for awhile. You can move them a bit prior to that.

 

[Rankins]

Funny thing Rankin's is I did the same [ dropped a clutch of eggs ] when they were near hatching+ they all hatched. They were fully formed babies which , if healthy, can take it. When they are just starting at the very beginning of becoming the part of the embryo that attaches to the shell , that is when they can't be turned.

When I dropped my egg box the eggs were only a few hours old. The zygote hadn't floated to the top of the egg...so they all lived. I have also dropped a chameleon egg that was several days old. It even bounced like a rubber ball and it still hatched. I was totally surprised

 

[kingofnobbys]

I just thought I'd mention something to hopefully ease your mind. If the guy is selling them they must have just been laid. If that's so then they do not even have anything like a nervous system yet, can not feel pain or anything like that. Some people who have had dragons lay multiple fertile clutches actually dispose of some, it's not really inhumane because, as mentioned, there's no nervous system to feel pain. Some people say you must freeze them but just putting them in water kills them. <<<< yep , just laid or very undeveloped eggs that he can't incubate are best fed straight back to the mother beardie who laid them, they a full of protein and calcium and will help build her back up afterwards. If they have been sitting around for a while been too cold , the embryos are likely dead already .... still a very low act trying to sell the eggs and wanting to send them to the buyer/s by post .... , the seller has to be a cretin and I hope he's reading this and I hope he gets really upset by our collective opinions of him or her.

He may be hoping to make some $$ from people who think it might be cool to hatch their own dragon.....of course the eggs must not be moved after a couple of days, this will kill them as well. So, the buyer [ if he actually gets any ] would have to receive them within about a 2 day window period, it might actually be slightly longer, but if they are jiggled + turned over after a certain period of time they will die. So it's not likely that any eggs will survive the ordeal, but at least they will not feel pain.

Interestingly, panther chameleon eggs actually can survive being turned and jostled and one breeder has shipped eggs for people to hatch.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiS-MfhvvfSAhVJ5oMKHbFZC3MQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faunaclassifieds.com%2Fforums%2Fshowthread.php%3Fp%3D1804943&usg=AFQjCNH6tJ5qYTbzyAAzWvRWS_GHojNH0g&sig2=Z3gFvBBaOxrCIsg7iCBhvQ

 

[Rankins]

Kingofnobbies, that's pretty harsh. There certainly a chance those eggs could survive. Calling the guy a creatine is a bit insulting because I see nothing wrong with it. Intentionally trying to "make him really upset" with your post just might work. I'm not "really upset" with you for having a different opinion but the intentional jab in the ribs is kind of being mean. I don't think the collective opinion has contemplated my opinion much. There was only a couple posts after I posted my opinion and only two people said they don't agree with me. I would much rather have him try to send them over the mother cannibalizing her own babies. How many reptiles have you hatched? It's an important question because experience on this subject matters. Bearded dragon eggs are really durable, they are super easy to hatch and they are very forgiving. If you have hatched some you probably already know that though.
I really do want to know what the collective opinion on this really is. I encourage everyone that reads this to please post their thoughts. Only one rule with it though...don't intentionally try to upset anyone with your posts. Maybe I should take a poll on it, I have never used that option on the forum.