What happened to discussion/debate in the reptile community?

**Aaron_S** · 04-19-17, 01:14 PM

I'll add an additional idea.

It's not just that "newbies" come in and buy 3 animals, produce some and call themselves a breeder then rattle out some care info like they know everything. It's partly the fault of the industry itself. It rotates FAST. If you've been here for 5 years then you're a veteran. Most people get in and out within 2 - 3 years. The passion fades during this time and either they stick to their own hobby or get out completely.

This leaves a lot of people to be "veterans" who don't have that much experience afterall.

My personal pet peeve is being quoted a "top breeder" who may have written a book (the dying medium that with enough dollars anyone can write one.) They can be wrong too and I've known many "top breeders" to suck or to give me differing experiences yet have same results. No one is infallible (except me of course).

jjhill001 · 04-19-17, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I'll add an additional idea.

It's not just that "newbies" come in and buy 3 animals, produce some and call themselves a breeder then rattle out some care info like they know everything. It's partly the fault of the industry itself. It rotates FAST. If you've been here for 5 years then you're a veteran. Most people get in and out within 2 - 3 years. The passion fades during this time and either they stick to their own hobby or get out completely.

This leaves a lot of people to be "veterans" who don't have that much experience afterall.

My personal pet peeve is being quoted a "top breeder" who may have written a book (the dying medium that with enough dollars anyone can write one.) They can be wrong too and I've known many "top breeders" to suck or to give me differing experiences yet have same results. No one is infallible (except me of course).

Its the differing methods yielding the same results thing that doesn't bother me at all as long as someone can use a reasonable amount of logic to explain why they are doing it. If their animals are healthy who cares? It used to be every animal was kept on gravel or shavings. If we interviewed an average reptile keeper from 30-40 years ago that you could keep leopard geckos or snakes on paper they would have called you a nut (I'm sure some did keep them this way but I know most of them old *** books didn't recommend that.)

In reference to your other comment (no need to muddy up the thread more than I have by responding to everything lol). I think you may have hit the nail right on the head with the specific species forums/groups and people getting too ingrained into various hive minds.

It's very easy now to probably get into a group on facebook that would tell you that there are 0 cons to a naturalistic setup, just as easy as it is to get into a group that will tell you that if you don't keep your X on paper it will 100% die an immediate and horrible death and it will probably take the cat down with it. Probably could do this with every dang thing in the hobby.

Thanks for your thoughts.

**Aaron_S** · 04-20-17, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjhill001

Its the differing methods yielding the same results thing that doesn't bother me at all as long as someone can use a reasonable amount of logic to explain why they are doing it. If their animals are healthy who cares? It used to be every animal was kept on gravel or shavings. If we interviewed an average reptile keeper from 30-40 years ago that you could keep leopard geckos or snakes on paper they would have called you a nut (I'm sure some did keep them this way but I know most of them old *** books didn't recommend that.)

In reference to your other comment (no need to muddy up the thread more than I have by responding to everything lol). I think you may have hit the nail right on the head with the specific species forums/groups and people getting too ingrained into various hive minds.

It's very easy now to probably get into a group on facebook that would tell you that there are 0 cons to a naturalistic setup, just as easy as it is to get into a group that will tell you that if you don't keep your X on paper it will 100% die an immediate and horrible death and it will probably take the cat down with it. Probably could do this with every dang thing in the hobby.

Thanks for your thoughts.

I'm okay if the cat is going down too!