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https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/873487.html WHO: Tortle/ Jay/ Gatorbite WHERE: http://tortle.tumblr.com/ https://www.furaffinity.net/user/gatorbite/ https://www.weasyl.com/~tortle WHAT: Multiple commissions, including an art doll and a customized adoptable WHEN: Art doll was purchased in May of 2013. PROOF: Proof of payment for the art doll and adopt: https://41.media.tumblr.com/5d2465c81301f52d9dee05dc058c5587/tumblr_nvjm8fRnfo1u6i3n1o7_r1_1280.png https://41.media.tumblr.com/e903d972329aa3a623cf7929c0b31176/tumblr_nvjm8fRnfo1u6i3n1o9_r1_1280.png There were other commissions that were not completed, but I don't remember exactly what they were or how much they cost. EXPLAIN: In May 2013, I commissioned Tortle for an art doll. Over the next 2 years I commissioned him for many more things, as well as buying adoptables he put up for sale. While I recieved most of these, the doll and a handful of other commissioned pieces were not completed. In late 2014, Tortle became inactive on Tumblr and FA for several months, all the way up to May of this year. During this time, he would not respond to messages sent by myself or my partner. I have learned since that he did not respond to multiple other commissioners, either. In May of this year, I checked his Tumblr after waiting for a couple months– only to discover that he had been active again for weeks– dispite the fact that he STILL hadn’t replied to the multiple messages my partner and I had sent him. I sent Tortle a message asking for him to get in contact with me reguarding my commissions, which did not get any reply. However, my partner sent Tortle these two asks on Tumblr: https://40.media.tumblr.com/22b485b4e20c76afd639f130133d8013/tumblr_nvjm8fRnfo1u6i3n1o3_1280.png https://41.media.tumblr.com/617c1f179e4b603be035eabdee3b1a5e/tumblr_nvjm8fRnfo1u6i3n1o2_1280.png Tortle's response: https://40.media.tumblr.com/902f1208dc49364191ab6c9618a13937/tumblr_nvjm8fRnfo1u6i3n1o1_1280.png This was the last and only message we’ve recieved from him since. He never got back to us to work anything out. We sent him multiple other messages, as well as messaging his partner in an effort to get into any kind of contact with him, all of which recieved no response. About a month ago, I was browsing the front page of FA when I saw an adoptable posted to a new account: gatorbite, which makes no reference to and does not link to his Tortle accounts. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt and hoped that he was making money to pay people back, and that he would get to people eventually. After a month or so of him posting adopts and commissions almost constantly, however, it became clear that this was not the case. Frustrated with Tortle’s unresponsiveness, I decided to note him asking what he planned to do about what he owed me and when – only to find out that he had blocked me on his gatorbite account, despite the fact that I had not watched him, favourited his art or interacted at all with him on that account previously. https://36.media.tumblr.com/e7a1f7e01b4d1df90dd7c11dd2d47db0/tumblr_nvjm8fRnfo1u6i3n1o5_r1_1280.png https://40.media.tumblr.com/0ca6959ffcba7392358b4bd9f567e883/tumblr_nvjm8fRnfo1u6i3n1o4_r1_1280.png This gives me the impression that Tortle created his Gatorbite account to avoid the people he previously owed art and money. At this point, there doesn't seem to be anything I can do except post a beware. Tortle is not trustworthy and I strongly advise against commissioning him. Edit: Fixed a date that I thought I had already fixed, sorry

On December 10th, 2017 I ordered a custom Gator Dog (A Closed Species Custom Character) from GatorBite. This was the original custom post, but it has since been deleted even though not all customs were finished and it was the only link to the custom character Trello GatorBite Posted(more on that in a bit). Here is where the original contact began, as well as one of the first attempts for me to get through to GatorBite about the commission. This will be relevant again later. Here is the original note where we exchanged ideas about the commission and settled the payment. After a few notes back and forth to get paypal working I got it paid for in full immediately. Note 1 - Note 2 Payment Proof - Payment Proof 2 After the initial order I gave GatorBite a while to work on the order. Gatorbite had taken a few othe custom orders so I knew it would take a bit of time, however around April of the next year I started to get worried. My Note To GatorBite In April 25th 2018 Which Was Read, But Never Responded To. Another In June 25th 2018 Which Was Also Read, Never Responded To Then on July 15th 2018 I noted GatorBite about a custom GatorDog I got from another artist with a slot from Gatorbite. For Gatordogs you must have GatorBite approve them before they are official. In this note I asked Gatorbite to approve of the Gatordog, and it was approved with an almost immediate response. However Gatorbite has STILL not responded to my other notes up to this point. (to be clear, this note was about another Gatordog custom by another artist that simply needed to be approved as an official Gatordog. No art or WIP have been sent by GatorBite at this point.) Going back to the original comment chain on the custom post now, Here you can see that I contacted Gatorbite again on August 8th of 2018 about the custom and about not being listed on the custom trello. Gatorbite said they would note me in a second, but never did. The trello was never updated with me on it, and is still not updated to this day. (again more on that in a bit). On  September 3rd, 2018 I filed a refund request with Paypal. Even though it had been longer than 6 months I was hoping they could do something to help. After it was declined, I got this message from Gatorbite. It is the ONLY time Gatorbite has reached out to me with an update without prompting in the almost two years its been since I ordered the custom. After responding back that I was glad to hear from Gatorbite, I was immediately ghosted again. On January 25th, 2019 I contacted Gatorbite yet again asking about my refund or for an update, and again never got a response. The VERY NEXT DAY, Gatorbite posted a journal titled "Sorry If I'm Slow" about not being around to respond to notes much. I found this rather suspicious and weird that it was right after I noted Gatorbite to no response. On March 4th, 2019 I tried to contact Gatorbite yet again. This time I was much more detailed and to the point. I am usually easy going about commissions, but I admit I had enough at this point. To my surprise I actually got a response this time, however right after it was radio silence again. My final note to Gatorbite was on June 12th, 2019. Once again I kindly poked Gatorbite to see what the progress was, and once again I was ignored completely. Here is proof that Gatorbite read my note but still has not responded. And now finally for the trello. The custom character trello has not been updated since June 4th, 2018. I can link the actual, live trello if the mods would prefer, but to protect the other commissioners I have attached just a screenshot for now. As of now I am STILL not listed on the trello at all, and Gatorbite tried to delete the original submission with the only link to this Trello. If I didn't screenshot all of this months ago, I wouldn't have it now as proof. During the last year and a half, Gatorbite has continued to take on more commissions and complete and sell adoptables. There have been a few adoptables that would have met almost exactly what I wanted for the custom even. Despite this, I still have not received even a WIP for the commission. Beyond posting this beware it seems that there is not much I can do to get the art or a refund when the artist is avoiding me so much. I feel like i've wasted precious time and money on this, only to still have nothing come out of it. I will try to contact the artist again soon and see what can be done. If the issue is resolved I will come back and mark the beware as so. Until then I am extremely unsatisfied with the artist level of communication and professional skills.