Due to many screw overs from FREY i think this is a needed topic.

[jrh3]

You know where i stand because i have lost close to 200 bucks and was pretty much told there is nothing i can do about it.

 

[hibiscusmile]

so between us 700.00

While were at it, lets all add up our donations!

200

500

next

 

[patrickfraser]

I feel lucky after seeing those posts. Add only $45 for me. Not much cash, but if I'm "donating", I'd rather donate to this forum or other "worthy" cause. It's not the cash for me, but the principle.

 

[hibiscusmile]

so we are up to 745.00

 

[frogparty]

I almost sent her a bunch of $ for the yellow orchids, bit read her feedback first...pretty glad I did. But, are we sure customs isn't a big part of why stuff doesn't show up at all, or arrive dead? I know there are packaging issues etc, just trying to give someone I don't know the benefit of the doubt

 

[SilentDeviL]

OMG why you guys Scaring me I just Ordered An Ootheca from her last week ....... lol She told me I should Receive it with in 4-8days .... After Reading this Post ... I'll give her 3 weeks if i still don't get it I'll Ask Paypal for refund... I don't have money to donate , I'll Use the same Money to find another Ootheca ....

But I do Wish Nothing Happens to my Order 1 week has passed 2 weeks counting down.........

 

[jrh3]

i think there are only a few recordable ooths from the many frey sends that actually hatch.

 

[SilentDeviL]

i think there are only a few recordable ooths from the many frey sends that actually hatch.

................. Really ???

 

[PhilinYuma]

Technical problem! ["quote count"]

 

[frogparty]

Things to consider when buying illegal invertebrates I guess

The Europeans are ahead of the game in the frog hobby as well, breeding and perpetuating animals for years we have only really just begun to have a lot of success with here in the states. We can learn a lot from the europeans, and we also continually look to them for the hard to aquire. I know a few frog importers that have similar horror stories about having frogs shipped from the EU, and thats WITH CITES paperwork and express delivery. Part of the gamble for sure, just have to decide how much its worth to be a part of the people bringing in the latest and greatest, or are you willing to wait several years and hope it gets well established in the USA hoby

 

[PhilinYuma]

I almost sent her a bunch of $ for the yellow orchids, bit read her feedback first...pretty glad I did. But, are we sure customs isn't a big part of why stuff doesn't show up at all, or arrive dead? I know there are packaging issues etc, just trying to give someone I don't know the benefit of the doubt

Sensible quuestions. The "packaging issue" is premised on the fact that, like other Polish dealers who sell here, Frey uses bubble envelopes so that she does not have to perjure herself by making out a false declaration on a Custom form.

Any package from Frey that doesn't get to me costs her money, but I did have a no show in November. Sometimes these simply get lost. One member complained bitterly because a package from Frey arrived two months late after being lost by USPS. The postmark confirmed this, but she was still fully compensated and never acknowledged the fact on feedback. She does state, though that she will give no refunds for livestock sent by Priority.

If you buy nymphs from Europe by Priority mail which will normally take well over a week to arrive, many or all will die in transit. If you buy them now, all will die.

People buy from Frey because of her low prices, rare species and because she is the only dealer to send nymphs from Europe (check it out). American dealers do not guarantee live delivery of nymphs sent by Priority. Why on earth would anyone expect a Polish dealer to do so?

I see that a member from Toronto is hoping for a tropical ooth from Frey, soon. I hope it hatches and that it does not spend too long on some frozen tarmac at Toronto airport.

For many years, Europeans, mostly German breeders, let us know, sometimes subtly, sometimes not, that we Americans just weren't up to the challenge of breeding Idolomantis. Thanks to Frey, who sent hundreds of nymphs to members who had the good sense to pay for EMS (Express delivery) this species is now established in the American hobby. The resurgence of P. wahlbergii and B. mendica in this country was due entirely to the ooths sent to me and others by Frey. I could name half a dozen species. Yep, a high percentage (higher than some good American breeders with whom i have dealt) hatch. What has jrh3 contributed to the US mantid hobby aside from complaints about an orchid mantis that died 11/2 weeks after he got it from Frey, and a brilliant scheme to judge the fertility of ooths -- presumably Frey's -- by weighing them over time?? Now that's the kind of expert we need to judge our fellow members!

The bottom line is whether Frey is a crook or not. We have had them here, certainly. MantisdePeru still continues his same old tricks with the unwary, one member really did sell styrofoam ooths, and another conned members into buying Idolos that didn't exist. Fortunately, Frey's honesty has been demonstrated, thanks to the efforts of one of our members. He wrote her on a chat line, saying that he had an adult pair of B. mendica in his freezer. He wanted her to sell the dead mantids to one of her customers and he would send the dead specimens and say that they died in transit, splitting the money with her. She immediately turned him down and, since we are old friends, sent a copy of the chat to me and to a couple of senior members of the forum, partly to confirm taht she really understood what he had said! He has since said that he did this because he was persuaded by other members to try and entrap Frey. This may or not be true, but I find it odd that he claims that he was prepared to proclaim her dishonesty but never mentioned the evidence of her honesty. He has written this account to me and other forum members. Since I got the info from a source independent of the private PM service, I shall consider giving his name here, simply as evidence of Frey's honesty. Now would be a good time to come forward, mate. Let 's see how things go.

To my knowledge, though, membership of this forum is not decided by popular vote. Do forum supporters, jhr3, like Frey, get to vote twice?

 

[sporeworld]

I'd just add that I've gotten a LOT of living nymphs and viable ooths from Frey. I've gotten a lot of dead nymphs, and ooths that did NOT hatch as well. So, as far as live delivery goes, it's about as hit and miss as I'd expect for a week in transit. If someone had gotten a gauarante of some sort with their order, and still didn't get things sorted, then that's a good thing for all of us to hear.

I've gotten plenty of DOA nymphs from great breeders, friends and supporters from this forum - it happens. I KNOW I've sent perfectly healthy nymphs that have arrived dead in the mail the very next day. Again - it happens.

i think, if they arrive alive and make to the next evening, they become your responsibility. I always make a big deal out of witnessing them eat before putting them in a new enclosure. If they don't they get secluded and observed.

In any case, I'd suggest people pay sliiiightly more, and get them from an American breeder - the closer the better. Even if THAT breeder got them 2 days earlier from Frey. Consider the markup a small price to pay for culpability. And relative peace of mine.

 

[frogparty]

^^Words of wisdom^^ But the allure of the onobtainable can be very hard to resist. Id love to find american breeders of parymenopus!!!! Im not holding my breath though. Its hard enough to find hymenopus that arent all WC or inbred.

By the way, super glad to be getting some of the nymphs from those WC ooths! good to have new genes in the pool, I would just like there to be the option to get multiple unrelated animals to ensure inbreeding isnt necessary

 

[ShieldMantid1997]

I voted no, I got a sexed pair of orchids, all though they arrived 20 days late, they were alive. The girl died a day later but that was not Frey's fault? I spent the $6 instead of the $60. That was my decision. I believe someone only has the right to complain if she messes up a EMS delivery, so cut some slack. I don't know what to say about the 745 USD donated, that should overtime be paid back in my opinion. Do you think we are having the same general idea Phil?

 

[Peter Clausen]

This is an inappropriate topic...but it got my attention.

I have written to Frey. She will no longer be able to write ads that suggest sales to US customers. She will be required to write "Europe/Asia Only". She may not solicit sales to US members via the PM system. If she does, forward me the PM. My patience with this situation has run out, mostly because your public discussion of illegally importing stock of mantises into the US puts capital M.E. at risk. I don't spend 80+ bucks per month to host this forum so you can run amok of common decency and the law.

If you choose to, you may contact her via PM for sales since we don't police the PM's, but US Members will no longer be able to comment in her feedback thread.

US Members may be given warning points from this point forward for discussing their importation of mantises from other countries. That includes posting feedback in Frey's thread.

There, I think we're all going to be much happier now.

For the record, I've always thought Frey was more reliable than the Polish postal service and that anybody purchasing live animals from overseas without EMS was at fault for the DOA's. Still, Frey has neglected to "make good" on EMS DOA's numerous times. One of her challenges, aside from English being not her native language, has always been following through on her promises. Still, I've seen just as many customers harboring unrealistic expectations about her services. And still yet, I've seen her fail to prevent subsequent failures. The reasons people have always continued to purchase from her are simple enough. Good prices, unique products and mixed feedback.

Most recently, she has failed to post "the fine print" I had asked her to write in each sales post. For instance, she specifically targeted US Members by making an example of shipping to "NY".

I am temporarily closing down her feedback thread and this post.

And to all a good night...