# warning to others



## thomas (Jan 3, 2008)

i wanted s kunk for a while,so hubby said as long as it was decented,I could have one.So any way after searching on here I found a guy Chris Matterson,uk exotics.I payed 550.00 for the skunk which was 7 wks old and 65 pound delivery.On delivery we let the skunk sleep next morning we noticed it had prolapsed,so we informed Chris by phone and took him to the vets,she stiched him,3 times we did this,she then said she thought he had been inproper decented and this was what was causing the problem.I have informed this Chris of the situation but all he keeps telling me is its the guy who he got him froms fault.I have asked for my money back and the skunk to be returned,only to have the phone put down on me.Now surely people like this guy should not be allowed to sale or trade in animals,I will be taking this further,but any suggestions would be off great help.


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## ambyglam (Nov 16, 2009)

thomas said:


> Now surely people like this guy should not be allowed to sale or trade in animals


and surely people like you should not be allowed such specialist pets!

You have taken a wonderful animal and had an illegal procedure carried out on it, thus leading to its demise... and you are expecting peoples help?

How about not messing about with animals and leaving them as nature intended them to be, or telling your hubby that its something you wanted and not letting him bully you into causing this animal distress and pain!


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## uk exotics (Jun 10, 2009)

hi to all 

For the people that don't know me my name is Chris Matterson from uk exotics, and we are based in Crewe. 
All skunks that were sold were by Scott Lee who is based in Liverpool. 
He picks them up from Ireland around this time of year. Last year we helped him sell 4 babies that he had no buyers for. one of the reasons he contacts me is because of the contacts I have with Exotic Keepers in the UK. 
This year he had 5 babies left, out of 15 he brought over and he asked me if I knew of anybody that would be interested, so I advertised them and all were sold within three days of advertising them. 
On Wednesday 11th August at 11.00am two baby black and white skunks were delivered to Maria to chose from. One was a Female at 11 to 12 weeks old and the other was a male at 6-7 weeks old. Maria chose the male as it was the youngest one and being male. 

On 12th August Maria emailed me, (please see email below) 



Hi just to let you know the skunk is doing well,had a bit of a episode this morning as we couldn't find him,he was tucked up fast a sleep behind the fridge,he loves scrabbled egg,I gave it him for breakfast,letting him settle in at the moment but he's very placid,thank you again.Maria

On 14th August i had a phone call from Maria's husband, saying the Skunk had prolasped. On that evening I emailed scott to let him know what I was told and in his words, this can be common in baby Skunks as thier anul muscles wont be strong, being young but in 95% cases they go back in on there own but if they don't vets can do several things to keep them in while the skunk is growing. 

For this reason (and it seems to be a common one) he said (scott Lee) he was not prepared to give a refund and out of all the babies sold only two had this problem and and for one of them it went back in on its own within 24 hours. 

Uk exotics only helped Scott Lee to find buyers for these skunks and are not responsible for giving Maria a refund.


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## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

Over a year ago, I purchased two baby skunks, whom had been descented in the UK. Anyway, about five days after having my two girls, one of them prolapsed. I however had done my research, and had heard of this, and knew what to do. I lubricated the prolapse, and after hours of ''working with it'' managed to get it back in. Prolapsing can unfortunately happen in baby skunks, but not just descented ones. The reason I believe for my skunks prolapse, was worms. Descenting can, and does affect the skunkies muscles, but other factors must also be considered. 

I am not sure why you are wanting to return the skunk- or get a refund, because a small proportion of descented skunkies do prolapse.. and what is going to happen to your poor boy if you havent got him.. it will contiue to happen with someone else? Do you have other reasons for returning him? 

Descenting skunks is illegal in this country, and prolapsing is one of the major concerns of having the op done at such a young developmental age. But you obviously did your research to find a descented one.. whenyou were looking for a descented skunk and knew that it was illegal to have them descented in the UK, did you never come across the likelihood that it could prolapse as a result of the op?

I am not having a go, I guess I am just saying that prolapsing can and will happen in descented skunks- it happened to me. But as I say, I knew it was a possibility, and would never have given my girl up because of it. 

As for getting a refund, I very much doubt the original breeder would give you one.. but it should be him you contact as apposed to the person whom sold the skunk on his behalf. 

May I ask why you want the skunk to be returned?


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

slimeysnail said:


> Over a year ago, I purchased two baby skunks, whom had been descented in the UK. Anyway, about five days after having my two girls, one of them prolapsed. I however had done my research, and had heard of this, and knew what to do. I lubricated the prolapse, and after hours of ''working with it'' managed to get it back in. Prolapsing can unfortunately happen in baby skunks, but not just descented ones. The reason I believe for my skunks prolapse, was worms. Descenting can, and does affect the skunkies muscles, but other factors must also be considered.
> 
> I am not sure why you are wanting to return the skunk- or get a refund, because a small proportion of descented skunkies do prolapse.. and what is going to happen to your poor boy if you havent got him.. it will contiue to happen with someone else? Do you have other reasons for returning him?
> 
> ...


 
Im so glad you posted this i did start to type out a reply when i 1st saw this post go up then decided not to 

totally agree with all you have said


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

To the OP, sadly, prolapsing is quite common in descented skunks, as the muscles around the anus are disturbed during the process, even if done by a skilled vet. I understand your frustration, however, a prolapse in a descented skunk, being a common occurence would not entitle you to a refund, as you are taking a known risk by purchasing a descented baby. 

The best thing you can do is learn from your experience, in how to handle a prolapse. There is good info in the skunk den on exotickeepersforum.co.uk regarding care of prolapses. If you are unable to cope, please post on EKF, as you will get support and you may be able to rehome him to a more experienced keeper. It is better to admit you cannot cope and rehome earlier, as the skunk will be more able to adapt to a new home than if you leave it a few months.

One thing I will add, is that the young age that this baby was homed is a concern - 8 weeks old is more appropriate, I feel (my own opinion here), especially where descenting has taken place, as it allows a good time for healing before the stress of being taken from mum and litter mates (accepting that kits can be fully weaned at 6 weeks and so may not be with mum).

I'm sorry you have had this negative experience and wish you well in adjusting to your skunk's needs or rehoming the baby ASAP.


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## Baldpoodle (Apr 18, 2007)

How can this be a warning as far as I can see nothing dodgy has taken place.

It could have been worse as I bought a skunk and my burmese python ate it despite the smell lol but that last bit was made up.


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

To be honest ambyglam, not a very helpfully post there. Yes descentibg is illegal to do in this country but if it isn't in another and the skunk is being brought over to this country you can't have a go at people for wanting to buy then. 

My personal opinion on descentibg is that it should be allowed. The argument of leaving an animal as nature intended..... Why is it acceptible to spay and neuter animals, that is messing with an animal and taking away what nature intended. In this argument surely spaying and neutering should not be allowed and it should be the owners responisbility to ensure animals do not breed unless it's the intention ofthe owner to breed. 

Equally male dogs are neutered to calm them down if they are boisterous, in this instance neutering is used to the owners benefit. This is the same as descending the skunk, it's for he owners benefit. It seems to me that in societies certain things are deemed acceptable and certain things not. Can't get my head around it. 

Just to add, I'm not aiming this at you ambyglam just my first comment, the OP obviously has a genuine concern for thier situation and you comment like you did.


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## amylls (Sep 18, 2009)

Hey i dont know much about skunks but from what i have read about them it is illegal to de-scent them in the uk. So can some one please explain to me why? sorry to post in the wrong place but i am just curious about these beautiful animals....


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

Because it is classed as mutilation.......


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## amylls (Sep 18, 2009)

mat_worrell said:


> Because it is classed as mutilation.......


yeah i know but why?? i thought the op was similar to neutering....is it really that bad?


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

In relation to the OP post I do feel that they done the right thing by contacting the people they brought the skunk from as at the end of the day whether the skunk was theirs to sell or not it is them that OP would have dealt with in the process of purchasing the skunk. 

I do however feel that Chris fulfilled his responsibility by telling the orriginal owner of the skunk the situation and if the OP wants to take any further action they should pass on the details and let the original owner and the OP resolve the situation. 

I do also agree that as a responsible new owner the OP should have done third research and been aware and ready for the possibility of a prolapse if it is indeed a 'common problem' amount younge skunks. If they had done the research they would be aware that it is not anyones fault as such ( although many will argue that it is the person who decided to have the skunk descended fault) and it woul not have been a shock to them and equally would be aware of how to deal with it.


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## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

I am not sure this is the correct post to be posting this on, as the original post was not really about the descenting issue being legal or not.. 

But in answer to your question amylls.. I believe it was in 2006 that the animal welfare act was changed/updated, so that it says that no animal can be ''changed'' for purely cosmetic reasons- and this is what the act sees as cosmetic reasons- descenting a skunk so that it can no longer spray, so that it can be kept as a pet. The act also mentions tail docking in dogs etc. for cosmetic reasons- which again, is now illegal too. 

I am unsure as to the ins and outs of the actual operation of descenting- though I have heard various reports about how it is done.. and to be perfectly honest, it doesnt sound pleasant. But how it is done is not in question, it is more about operating on an animal to make it more ''appealing'' as a pet I suppose, taking away the little mites natural defence mechanism.


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

Exactly my point amylls. Surely working on the basis of descanting is matilation taking a dogs boll***s off is matilation. My point is that society has certain things that are deemed acceptable and certain things that are not.


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## amylls (Sep 18, 2009)

ok sorry to put it in the wrong place....i will start a new thread!


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

mat_worrell said:


> To be honest ambyglam, not a very helpfully post there. Yes descentibg is illegal to do in this country but if it isn't in another and the skunk is being brought over to this country you can't have a go at people for wanting to buy then.
> 
> My personal opinion on descentibg is that it should be allowed. The argument of leaving an animal as nature intended..... Why is it acceptible to spay and neuter animals, that is messing with an animal and taking away what nature intended. In this argument surely spaying and neutering should not be allowed and it should be the owners responisbility to ensure animals do not breed unless it's the intention ofthe owner to breed.
> 
> ...


 
why should it be allowed ?

spaying an nutering have been done for years on many animals an reason for it being done in animals...... cancer in them being a big one 

i own descented an fully loaded skunks so i dont care tbh

i just wondered why you said they should be able to descent them.............are you a want a skunk but not allowed one unless its descented person ?


oh an by the way my full load skunks smell better than my descented ones :lol2:


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

Cancer being the reason for neutering....... I don't thing so. Look at it like this, wen is you got a cat from a rescue centre, they will ensure it is spayed or neutured!! Reason..... They are inundated with unwanted pets and by spaying and neutering they are doing thier bit and ensuring they are stopping any more unwanted pets from that animal. Not cancer!!

Personally when I get a skunk it won't bother me, I think deep down the idea of a descended skunk gives people the peace of mind that I cant spray!! Although a well socalised fully loaded skunk would no spray unless seriously threatened!!


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

mat_worrell said:


> Cancer being the reason for neutering....... I don't thing so. Look at it like this, wen is you got a cat from a rescue centre, they will ensure it is spayed or neutured!! Reason..... They are inundated with unwanted pets and by spaying and neutering they are doing thier bit and ensuring they are stopping any more unwanted pets from that animal. Not cancer!!
> 
> Personally when I get a skunk it won't bother me, I think deep down the idea of a descended skunk gives people the peace of mind that I cant spray!! Although a well socalised fully loaded skunk would no spray unless seriously threatened!!


 
yeah lol matt your going on rescue statistics im going on vets statistics............

bit different hey 

look i own both full loads an descented so have experience with them both as do many others on here


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## mat_worrell (Sep 20, 2009)

And what? I'm not claiming to have any experience!! Just stating my opinion.


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

mat_worrell said:


> And what? I'm not claiming to have any experience!! Just stating my opinion.


 
yeah an thats all it is unless its backed up ................:lol2:


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## Merifield (Aug 5, 2009)

I would advise the OP to go to Trading Standards.
Saying that the guy who sold her the skunk is not responsible for the refund is not quite right especially if he is trading as a business.
That would be like saying to someone who bought a puppy from a pet shop
that had health/behaviour problems that they should go back to the breeder!
Sadly this should be a warning that when buying a youngster it should be seen with its parents or they should at least be able to be seen.
Buying "job lots" of animals should be enough to make anyone suspicious
that the original seller wasn't quite on the level.


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

Merifield said:


> I would advise the OP to go to Trading Standards.
> Saying that the guy who sold her the skunk is not responsible for the refund is not quite right especially if he is trading as a business.
> That would be like saying to someone who bought a puppy from a pet shop
> that had health/behaviour problems that they should go back to the breeder!
> ...


 
Fraid not. Descenting is a known cause of prolapse. Anyone buying a descented skunk takes that risk. There is no comeback to Trading Standards in such a case. It's not the same as selling an animal with a health problem/behaviour issue.


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## Merifield (Aug 5, 2009)

How about selling a skunk that you knew had been de-scented illegally even if you didn't arrange for the op yourself? Not someone I would be doing any 
trade with.
There is a bigger question here too.... who was the vet that performed the op
and if it wasn't a vet who was it? Someone knows the answer so maybe the OP
should look into that.


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

i think the problem with that would be that the OP went out looking for a descented skunk ie puposely went looking for an animal that has undergone an operation that is illegal in the uk. its like allerting trading standards because i bought a dog as a pedigree (or whatever) pitbull and then found out it was a staffie. terrible example but i cant think of anything better. if they had bought the skunk as fully loaded then descovered it had been descented when the medical problems started then they would have a case.

from what i understand the skunk was imported from ireland, if it was northern ireland then yes the vet who performed the op could be in trouble but if the skunk was from the republic of ireland then descenting laws may be different (i dont know if this is true, its just a theory)


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

Merifield said:


> How about selling a skunk that you knew had been de-scented illegally even if you didn't arrange for the op yourself? Not someone I would be doing any
> trade with.
> There is a bigger question here too.... who was the vet that performed the op
> and if it wasn't a vet who was it? Someone knows the answer so maybe the OP
> should look into that.


 
it wasnt done illegally the skunks are brought in from Ireland and its not illegal to descent skunks there so there has been no law broken by the vet that descented the skunk


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## Big W (Jul 4, 2010)

is decenting illegal?

well it all depends on for what reason, just like with dogs tails if there is a reason to doc/decent then then no.
its perfectly legal to dock a dogs tail if for example its a working dog such as a spanial that is used for flushing, if it kept its tail it would get cut and damaged from them running through the brambles and such chasing out the birds, so docking would save the dog pain and suffering.

well its the same in skunks the problem is with the way the law is worded and who decides what is cosmetic and what is not, so vets just wont take the risk and to be fair i dont blame them.

in my view both tail docking and decenting should be fully legal as with like some certain dog breeders people will do DIY jobs which surly is a lot worse than a vet doing it.


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## Merifield (Aug 5, 2009)

I had a lucky guess then (not.... do know some things)
The person that the OP bought the skunks from (or through (wince))
knew that de-scenting wasn't illegal in part of Ireland.
I think the OP has a real case to kick up a bit of dust!
I think the middle man ought to do the decent thing......

1. Make sure this little guy goes to a proper rescue.
2.Refund the OP's money and 
3.Has nothing more to do with the guy who buys animals in "job lots" and has no interest in what becomes of them afterwards!

By the way I know none of you personally at all so have nothing to gain
from my opinions...

Middle man will will gain my respect if he does this .


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

but from my understanding of the law the man who sold the op the skunk hasnt legally (leaving moraly out of it for a moment) done anything wrong. they imported the skunk from a country were descenting isnt illegal and sold it on as they knew people would (i assume) pay more for a descented skunk now it is no longer a routine thing. the op new this skunk had had the operation as it was what they requested, therefore they should have reserched the possible consequences of the operation. it was 'sold as seen' and they knew from the beginning that the skunk had had an unnecessary (as seen by some - me included) operation and should have been prepared for the consequences.

morally this may be a dubious situation (and i do think the seller was morally in the wrong) but i dont think they have legaly comitted an offence. as long as there is a market for descented skunks people will supply them as long as they can stay above the law (ignoring the black market for the moment), its good buisness (financialy) if nothing else


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## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

Of course the original poster knew that descenting was not illegal in Ireland.. The only way people that want a descented skunk can go about getting one, is by having them imported from Ireland!! Because skunks can NOT be descented legally in the UK.. people get them shipped over from Ireland. I see no reason why the OP should have a refund, when she obviously wanted a descented skunk..hence getting it from Ireland. If she wanted a fully loaded skunk, then you can get them in this country for cheaper than a descented one from Ireland! People will ship them over from Ireland, and sell them for more.. because there will always be a market for skunks that are supposedly non smelly- when really, even descnted skunkies have a smell to them. As for wanting a refund because of the prolapse- this is an affect that sometimes happens as a result of descenting.. she should have done her research and knew about this. Taking on an animal that has been descented- you should be prepared for the possibility of the prolapsing, and if you are not, then you should have never even considered getting a skunk, let alone a descnted one that is at far higher risk of prolapsing. 

As for getting rid of the skunk, and wanting a full refund, I would like to know the reason why the OP wants to do this. Is it merely becasue of the prolapse.. and the vet bills.. if this is so, surely that should have been considered well before tkaing on the skunk, as vet bills are sometimes inevitable- let alone taking the skunk to be neutered at the vet- costs involved etc. Or is it the fact the OP cannot cope with the skunk? If that is so- not enough research was done. and to be perfectly honest, feel extremley sorry for the skunk, and dread to imagine where it is going to end up if the OP gets rid of it..


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

Surely basic research into the possible cause and effect of descenting would have pulled up that prolapses are not totally uncommon in descented youngsters?

Anyone will remember the pics of Pro, Nerys' little one with the severe prolapse. He went on to be perfectly fine as a result of his prolapse and I am sure this little one will.

Any operation - be it done in this country or another - carries small risks and if you were prepared to pay the extra for a descented skunk then, IMO, you should also be prepared for any possible effects afterwards. A good vet, suitable insurance and a very, very good basic knowledge of known health issues, post operative issues and general care and well-being of any new animal is a must. If you don't have them in place then, I'm sorry to say, you should seriously consider if you are truly ready for the animal. Having the cash to pay for it initially is fair enough but there will always be unexpected issues.

I guess in all said and done where skunky health issues can be discussed and seen, a prolapse is very little to deal with compared to what some poor skunk owners go through 

( and I am not having a go OP so please don't think I am, just stating an opinion that is in no way biased into being horrible to anyone cos I isn't like that  )


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

brittone05 said:


> Surely basic research into the possible cause and effect of descenting would have pulled up that prolapses are not totally uncommon in descented youngsters?
> 
> Anyone will remember the pics of Pro, Nerys' little one with the severe prolapse. He went on to be perfectly fine as a result of his prolapse and I am sure this little one will.
> 
> ...


 
have to agree with you hun


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

Interesting how everyone has gone on & on about descenting.........it may well not have been this that caused the prolapse!!

Again if research had been done, maybe the OP would have known this & could have dealt with it sooner - its not like the info is not out there on the Internet :whistling2:

Here is a quote taken from www.skunkhaven.net - the first thing I came across when Googling (although I did already know where to look as I have 3 descented skunks of my own :2thumb



> The typical causes of prolapse are diarrhea in young skunks and chronic diarrhea in adult skunks, constipation, improper descenting, worms or other GI parasites, viruses and bacteria. If the problem is worms the skunk will push excessively to get them out of its system. This may lead to successive recurrence of the prolapse until all of the worms are passed.


The seller has technically done anything wrong unless it can be proven the animal was sold in an unhealthy state. However, I do feel they have not handled the situation very well as it IS their responsibility for what happens as they are the business that sold the animal & perhaps if more support (only making comment going by what I have read on here of course & don't know the full story as I was not present during the communications between the 2 parties involved!) had been given on how to deal with the prolapse, then their reputation might not now be under scrutiny. Reputations are much harder to build up & maintain than they are to tarnish :whistling2:

As for the skunk - I do hope the OP calms down over the whole incident & does right by the animal..........in time the prolapse will be sorted & no further problems should arise. The subject matter has been discussed at length in the past with people who have gone through the same situation......Foofoolafluff had a right old time with her skunkie prolapsing.

I hope for the skunks sake the whole situation is resolved soon :2thumb:


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Emmaj said:


> why should it be allowed ?
> 
> spaying an nutering have been done for years on many animals an reason for it being done in animals...... cancer in them being a big one
> 
> ...


I agree with this my first skunk is a fully loaded and has sprayed once. Cats spray so should we do the same to them. Skunk spray smells a lot better than a cats spray. I would never buy a descented now.

Prolapses can happen to any animal whether it be a dog or human its just one of those things. Luckily our skunky has never done this but i have heard from friends that both descented and loaded skunks do it however it is more common in descented. If people researched before they got skunks they would see it is fairly common and every potential owner in my opinion should know before they get one what to do if this happens as it can happen easily.


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## thomas (Jan 3, 2008)

i wasnt just the prolapse that was the concern here,the skunk was not at all right on recieving him,he was obviously unwell that was why i contacted the guy i got him from,the prolapse i was dealing with,with help from the vet.The skunk died over the weekend,and you cant tell me the prolapse caused this,the vet said a prolapse was not life threatning and not the cause.My husband informed chris he was unwell on the phone,and he should be returned as wwe didnt expect to get a unwell animal.All the guy said in response was ,thats not going to happen,so for all of you that sit here and slag me off,get your facts first.and thank you for those who have supported me.I did do my research first,i knew about prolapsing but didnt expect to recieve a unwell skunk.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

thomas said:


> i wasnt just the prolapse that was the concern here,the skunk was not at all right on recieving him,he was obviously unwell that was why i contacted the guy i got him from,the prolapse i was dealing with,with help from the vet.The skunk died over the weekend,and you cant tell me the prolapse caused this,the vet said a prolapse was not life threatning and not the cause.My husband informed chris he was unwell on the phone,and he should be returned as wwe didnt expect to get a unwell animal.All the guy said in response was ,thats not going to happen,so for all of you that sit here and slag me off,get your facts first.and thank you for those who have supported me.I did do my research first,i knew about prolapsing but didnt expect to recieve a unwell skunk.


Sorry to hear that. Your best bet would be to get a pm done and send the breeders the results.


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## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

thomas said:


> i wasnt just the prolapse that was the concern here,the skunk was not at all right on recieving him,he was obviously unwell that was why i contacted the guy i got him from,the prolapse i was dealing with,with help from the vet.The skunk died over the weekend,and you cant tell me the prolapse caused this,the vet said a prolapse was not life threatning and not the cause.My husband informed chris he was unwell on the phone,and he should be returned as wwe didnt expect to get a unwell animal.All the guy said in response was ,thats not going to happen,so for all of you that sit here and slag me off,get your facts first.and thank you for those who have supported me.I did do my research first,i knew about prolapsing but didnt expect to recieve a unwell skunk.


I am extremely sorry to hear about your little skunk. I apologise if any of my posts seemed harsh, but your original post did not mention any thing about your skunk being ill- you just mentioned the prolapse and that you wanted a refund. Also the email that you sent to the person you got your skunk from- said he was doing well. Had we known your skunk was ill, if you had posted this in the first place, we could have offered advice. I truly am sorry to hear about your little boy, but I agree with Selina- get a Post Mortem done and then send the results back to the breeder.


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

Big W said:


> is decenting illegal?
> 
> well it all depends on for what reason, just like with dogs tails if there is a reason to doc/decent then then no.
> its perfectly legal to dock a dogs tail if for example its a working dog such as a spanial that is used for flushing, if it kept its tail it would get cut and damaged from them running through the brambles and such chasing out the birds, so docking would save the dog pain and suffering.
> ...


 
you shouldnt be descenting a skunk even for medical reasons after around 12 weeks as there are lots of risks involved in it, like causing it to be incontinent for the rest of its life, and damaging lots of anal tissue. as a baby its a very simple procedure, later on in life its pretty much a no go area. i dont agree with banning descenting. its scent is a defence mechanism, something a skunk doesnt need in captivity and is in no way missin out on anything in life without it. 

anyway to the OP, the vet shouldnt have stitched your skunk straight away, if theyde have known anything about skunks theyde have known to try and put the prolapse back in. i had a skunk descented though a lot older than yours prolapse 14 times in a week. i spent most of my first week with him with my finger up his arse!! with a little sugar mixed with water, patience and a strong stomach its fairly easy toget a prolapse back in. after 14 prolapses we got a ring stitch which failed and got that tight we had to cut it out so he could poo again. So our vet then did him an op and stitched a tiny bit of his intestines into his stomach wall, which worked a treat, and also discovered something else goin on in there that was potentially fatal. 
i suppose what im tryna say is if you are worried about the sellers ethics then you shouldnt be sending a skunk back to them. im not convinced you have a case because when you take on an animal you potentially take on any health problems its goin to have in its life. if you had done some simple research on the internet you would have saved yourself vet bills by findin out how to put a prolapse back in yourself. given that, did your vet look into why the skunk was prolapsing ? or did they just do the stitch straight away?

ETA how long from receiving the skunk until it dying? you have failed to put a lot of info on your original post so i dont think you are in a position to tell people to stop havin a go, as theyre only commentin on the info you have given them, which isnt the whole story. 
have you had a necrospy done? as if you havent theres not much you can do without that proof of death


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

REally sorry to hear about your skunk. As I said I wasn't "having a go" as such but I do feel that perhaps stating the other symptoms in the little one may have been more of a help that merely posting to slate a breeder/seller


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

im very sorry for your loss however i agree with what has been said about getting a PM, especially if you wish to try and get a refund. if the vets findings support your claim that the skunk was ill when it arrived then the supplier is obliged to give you a refund. however without the PM results it is your word against the word of the seller, which is very unlikely to result in a refund


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## uk exotics (Jun 10, 2009)

I am sorry to hear about the Skunk. 

As everybody is aware I was advertising the Skunks for a gentleman called Scott Lee. 
I managed to find all the skunks new homes within the first week, as I have previously mentioned. When Maria's Skunk prolasped she contacted me and was very concerd. As soon as I could, I contacted Scott to let him know the situation, but he wasn't concerned, as this can be a common problem in Skunks. 
Maria stayed in contact with me over the week and as Scott didn't want to give her a refund (for this common problem) because he said to give it time and it will all work out. So I was trying (UK Exotics) to rehome this Skunk to somebody that had knowledge and could take on this young male. 
As Maria Knows I have rang many people, over the 6 day period and I didnt have any joy with finding someone that was prepared to help.
UK Exotics didn't not sell any Skunk's, we only advertised them on behalf of Scott Lee. 
Maria didn't pay UK Exotics any money for the Skunk or delivery of the animal. We didn't get any money for advetising the animal either. 
The only animals that UK Exotic do sell through ourselves are reptiles, which we breed them ourselves. 

As you would of read from the begining of this subject matter Maria's husband phone me and I put the phone down half way through the conversation, this is true but the reason I did this was Maria's husband was making threats to me and he wanted me to refund the money for the prolasped Skunk. I was prepared to listen and help (as I have been doing) but I was not prepared to be threated down the phone by anybody and would not stand for it. 

We all then read that the Skunk sadly passed away, which I wasn't aware of until I read this post on the site. 

Late last night I recieved two text messages from Maria's husband telling me 
"that the skunk had died and I have 24 hours to comply to the refund or I am coming to get you, this is not a threat it is a fact"
Second text received 
"I have 24 hours to sort it out or I am coming for you and I will make you pay big time"

With waking up this morning and readying the text, I was a little shook up by this, so I went to the police today and informed him of the details and the text's I have received and reported it to the police station as a threat to me, which has been logged on todays dates. 

The time is 9.30pm (01/09/2010) and I was trying to get my baby girl back to sleep when I received another text from Maria's Husband
" tick tock..... tick tock." 
Come tomorrow I will be going back to the police station to inform them of this text message. this is not what anybody needs and it is certainly not a way to handle the matter. 

I know longer want any phone calls, text messges or emails from Maria or her Husband, as I am now not prepared to help in anyway at all. I am sorry if people think this is bad but my family comes first. 
What Maria and her husband can do is contact Scott Lee for themselves, this is an email that I have for him [email protected] what you will also need to do is to get the baby skunk a pm report and any other test that will help to find out what could have been wrong with him. then send them to Scott Lee and not ME, (UK Exotics). If there is anything wrong with the tests or report and it is proved to be in your favour, then he will have to provide you with another Skunk (for free) or refund you the full amount. 


For the members that know me on this site you will know I would have done my up most to help anybody, anytime. 
For advise for anybody on the forums do not try and help anybody to advertise and sell anything, as it is not worth the hassel in the long run. 

Thank you to all the members that have messaged me about the matter. 

I do hope this matter is resolved soon.


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## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

uk exotics said:


> I am sorry to hear about the Skunk.
> 
> As everybody is aware I was advertising the Skunks for a gentleman called Scott Lee.
> I managed to find all the skunks new homes within the first week, as I have previously mentioned. When Maria's Skunk prolasped she contacted me and was very concerd. As soon as I could, I contacted Scott to let him know the situation, but he wasn't concerned, as this can be a common problem in Skunks.
> ...


I am absolutely appalled and shocked that you have been at the receiving end of such awful threats. You must put your family first, and going to the police was the right thing to do. I am shocked that the husband has done such a thing, it was not even your skunk..you didnt breed it. You shouldnt be on the receiving end of such threats- infact not even the breeder should. Prolapsing in skunks is a fairly common occurence, as has been stated in this thread and other threads regarding descenting. It seems to me that the poor little skunk has had a lucky escape from the people whom purchased it. Not only because they wanted it rehomed because of the prolapsing, but because it was obviously ill and nothing was done about it apart from try and pass the blame onto other people. I am sorry, but Maria and her Husband, I now feel should not have even gotten the skunk inthe first place. That is terrible about the threats.. and frankly, I bet they did not get the skunk PMd, and even if they have, by making such threats to you, should not even get one penny back from the original breeder because of that. Threatening innocent people is not acceptable, and is a police matter. They obviously got around the law having the skunk descented in Ireland, andhaving such a young animal shipped over, but there is no escaping the law in this country- threatening behaviour etc. I am so sorry you had to go through this, and I hpoe that the police can help sort this situation out. I am appalled.


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## sam gamgee (Apr 8, 2009)

*Refund?*

Not sure if you will get one........guess that is really down to the supplier/breeder, unsure if law will back the op up, tbh.

At last Donny show, I bought a monitor from a seller on here -love to name the jerk - the poor fella was dead within three weeks or so, had a necropsy done, lil guy was on the way out for some time, poor diet, bad husbandry (not me, I might add), seller would do nothing, told me it was all my fault and said he used his vet regularly for faecal checks.....which would actually have shown up the serious problems with him, quoted the law to me bla bla, end result, i could not be bothered even trying to get any of the £225 back. Real sour taste and not saying this will be the same experience for the op but what really annoys me about this "trade" is the bunch of so called "great guys", like this twerp, when really they are total non-proffessionals, shouldnt be selling horse sh%t, let alone a live creature!

Oh, and if those messages are for real then the op alas also falls into the, er, dic£head category!!!:lol2:

Sorry, rant over, just a little fed up with some of the idiots on here.:devil:
And, yes, I know there are many good people on here, sellers and other, no problem there!


Night all.....
Dave.


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

Very sad for the little skunk. Appalled at this recent activity, esp. the apparent lack of objectivity from the OP's camp. Given updated info: Get a PM done, THEN seek compensation from the breeder, if a vet says they are liable. PM is also important, as the cause of death may be something that affects litter mates or other animals in contact. Shooting the messenger is never a good approach!!!!!


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## sam gamgee (Apr 8, 2009)

Loderuna said:


> Very sad for the little skunk. Appalled at this recent activity, esp. the apparent lack of objectivity from the OP's camp. Given updated info: Get a PM done, THEN seek compensation from the breeder, if a vet says they are liable. PM is also important, as the cause of death may be something that affects litter mates or other animals in contact. Shooting the messenger is never a good approach!!!!!


Bang on, Lodders.......

Dave.


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

I am also very shocked by the texts you have received and don't blame you for going to the police. Some people have the atitude tht if throwing money at it dont work then throwoing weight does - pathetic really!


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## xclairex (Apr 9, 2008)

I cant believe you have had such threats over this and i also feel that if the skunk was unwell then making threats and wanting to send it back for a refund would be the least of my worries as the animals health comes above anything else. Surely if the skunk went to the vets they would have known it was unwell and tried to identify the problem. As others have said its down to the breeder and a PM needs to be done to find the reason of death and this is far more important than threatening innocent people and blaming them for something they had nothing to do with on here. I'm still shocked that the OP and her husband are putting money above an animals life, fair enough i wouldn't be pleased myself but this is the wrong way to go to fix the problem.


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## loulou (Jan 18, 2006)

thomas said:


> i wasnt just the prolapse that was the concern here,the skunk was not at all right on recieving him,he was obviously unwell that was why i contacted the guy i got him from,the prolapse i was dealing with,with help from the vet.The skunk died over the weekend,and you cant tell me the prolapse caused this,the vet said a prolapse was not life threatning and not the cause.My husband informed chris he was unwell on the phone,and he should be returned as wwe didnt expect to get a unwell animal.All the guy said in response was ,thats not going to happen,so for all of you that sit here and slag me off,get your facts first.and thank you for those who have supported me.I did do my research first,i knew about prolapsing but didnt expect to recieve a unwell skunk.


forgetting everything else at the moment, you say the skunk was not right on receiving him but when you say not right can you explain exactly what you mean? I am sorry you lost your skunk, its heartbreaking and yes I have been there myself three times, but you have not actually explained what was not right apart from a prolapse.

I will await your response


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

I am disgusted in this i really am. For threats to be made in such an appalling manner is not only childish it is beyond belief. One things for sure there are going to be a lot of people on here thinking twice about selling a skunk to such vile mannered people.

Why the OP never took the skunk to the vets as soon as they suspected something was wrong i will never get??? Why buy a skunk that you are dubious of.


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

selina20 said:


> I am disgusted in this i really am. For threats to be made in such an appalling manner is not only childish it is beyond belief. One things for sure there are going to be a lot of people on here thinking twice about selling a skunk to such vile mannered people.
> 
> Why the OP never took the skunk to the vets as soon as they suspected something was wrong i will never get??? Why buy a skunk that you are dubious of.


They did - in the very first post it mentions the vet stitching the skunk kit. However the original post made NO mention any other problem at all or at what time they went to the vet.......although it kind of reads as if they went the next day or pretty soon.but could be wrong of course.


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## ok1hurricane (Jun 15, 2010)

Before anyone else tears a chunk off the OP, it's only right to wait for a response from them regarding UKexotics post about the texts. Fair's fair and all that.


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## Merifield (Aug 5, 2009)

And before anyone else tears shreds out of anyone else... you all keep mentioning THE BREEDER... there was no breeder. There was some bloke that buys "job lots" of baby animals ... gets them mutilated in Ireland and then 
passes them on to naive people who want an exotic pet.
I really can't believe the attitude here.
OK OP partner was daft and threats solve nothing... BUT why are you not asking why a 7 week old skunk kit was separated from it's mother put through this horrible operation and lost it's life shortly after because of an animal "dealer".
Sadly it's starting to look like you want to keep the dealers sweet so you can get the next "must have".
There was no breeder.There were multiple breeders prepared to sell just for profit. The guy bought 15 baby skunks for dogs sake!!!!!!
Don't try and tell anyone he's decent and please don't try to persuade me that anyone who had anything to do with him is humane.


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## miss_ferret (Feb 4, 2010)

im not sure how to word this so bear with me. noone is painting the supplier to be a saint, i dont agree with his practices but its cause and effect. people want (and will pay more for) 'baby' animals and descented skunks. hence why kits are sold too young and descented. if buyers create a market it will be supplied by someone and if that market is the wrong side of the legal/ethical line then suppliers will find ways round it (descenting in ireland for instance). i am not defending the supplier however i am not supporting the op either. there is 2 sides to this problem, unfortunatly it cost a skunk its life, and its with the skunk where my sympathy lies.


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## Merifield (Aug 5, 2009)

The point I'm making is that hardly anyone actually reads what has been written. There are dozens of posts on this thread that mention "the breeder".
If anyone had read any post properly, without immediately jumping to the defence of their hobby regardless of the facts ,they would have realised that
it is probably impossible to trace "the breeder" because the guy who bought these animals "en masse" probably didn't even look at them and wouldn't have a clue which came from where.
I am not averse to keeping exotic animals having kept Marmosets and Squirrel monkeys... what baffles me is the need to have them living as part of the family, having to buy them as barely weaned in the vain hope they wont learn to bite, to squash any natural behaviour because it wont fit in with the "cream carpet and sofa". The need to dominate and mould things is to me one of the most horrible traits of humans and it is costing animals their lives and not just in this instance either.
For myself I took pleasure in keeping my animals as naturally as I could,
if they decided to come sit on me and take a treat it was great, when my 
female squirrel monkey had her first baby and passed it to me just for a nano-second to hold it was shear bliss but I never for one moment would forget that they were wild animals and were entitled to be treated with dignity and respect. And sadly that isn't the case anymore is it?
Exotic animals are a commodity and the more exotic the more desirable.
Where does compassion come into all this?
After all compassion and empathy are two things that are supposed to make us the superior beings.
Rant over and sorry so long.


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