I have no idea

[FLAherper]

Im very confused right now. As I have said I am 14...15 in a week but I just really started learning about reptiles as pets. I awlays caught snakes, frogs, lizards as a kid and my mom would have to make me put them back and everybody in my family would always ask me for help identifying or catching some animal. My cat that was a rescue just recently died and I was looking at other pet when I stumbled across reptiles. I just started learning, reading looking up, asking and finding answers to questions I had. Ive always loed reptiles but had noo idea of this huge industry. I read care sheets and looked at every single animal out there I think. ALong the line I looked up res(red eared slider) and found I was very off in my care. I felt terrible as I had no idea, my dad bought on the side of the road thought it would be cool for a weekend as most people think of reptiles. Ive been trying to improve my husbandry and my mom says its stupid and were doing everything right? SHe doesnt have time where I want to buy the supplies And I want to fix everything. Asking if I could get another reptile I get laughed at and made fun of by my family as they HATE snakes, lizards etc and get annoyed at my fasicanation. It pisses me off how I might have been able to get a reptile but my grandma wouldnt even out fresh water in whatever REPTILES cage it was because it is a REPTILE. It just stupid. I know this doesnt sound like this big a deal but the fact that my mom wont help me fix my turtles care. Ill be ought of here and in college eventually and hope to have some of the more mistreated reptiles as pets someday but for right now Im just stuck and mad. And I lied when I said I had 2 bps but Hey its online who cares right? and I felt I wouldnt get any answers or help having 1 reptile and being a minor. I apoligize for that. Just being a minor on a forum earns disrespect though. Just had to rant, Thanks
Zach

[texanborn]

First off no one here would deny you answers if you asked questions. You certainly didn't have to fib about what reptiles you had in order to get the information you would need. Your Age also has nothing to do with it either.

Now, yes I will admit I would wonder about a young kid (fyi I'm 24) getting into reptiles- but you know what? This is the BEST place to learn AND get the answers you need Heck, you can ask others who have talked to me, I have NO snakes yet. No one looks down on you for that not having reptiles here. I had to move back in with the parents after college and they don't want snakes in here. So right now I am learning all I can so I can be the best owner/caretaker/breeder etc when I DO have the means to get my snakes.

You are young. True. So? At least, you came here to ask the questions and get the information you NEED unlike some "less responsible" kids who go out and say "snakes are cool, I want one" and then have not a clue how to care for it and then its the animal that suffers in silence. You realized you had some errors for the turtle and did what you could to rectify that- most young people I know wouldn't care to try...

Right now you are doing the wisest thing, learning from others. You will get your reptiles eventually- in the mean time think about what reptiles you want. Do you want to breed later on? What morphs do you need if its snakes? When you get your own place- will you have a room solely for the reptiles? Save up money from little odd jobs you do. Keep planning and daydreaming and before you know it you'll be a reptile keeper and a SMART one at that

I'll also say this- start looking around for what you want to get a college degree in and what scholarships are available... practice writing those papers. If you want to live on your own/roommates off campus (on campus housing generally doesn't allow anything but fish and hermit crabs) then you'll need as much $$$ help as possible- don't solely rely on loans. Hopefully the economy will be better by the time you're out. I graduated in Dec. got a job 3 months later and got laid off 2 weeks ago- my first loan bill comes next month...kinda derailed MY snake plans

So far you have done a great job in my opinion. Stay around here, ask questions, keep planning. I wished I had started as early as you have learning about reptiles
Keep your chin up!

[FLAherper]

Thanks...I know I have the time for reptiles especially a couple because many intrest me. Im going into to highschool and got into the number 4 highschool in the nation by my SAT(Christian Fcat) and essay. I hate school because its easy and boring and hope the Ib program Im going into will challenge me...but I just want some. I could buy a small collection with money Ive earned doing summer jobs for people...Im really into some of the more complicated animals but WOULD never pst anything about them due to experinced keepers being very snobby about their knowledge. Im a big fan of varanids(monitors), tegus larger more intelligent reptiles like that. Im also a huge fan of yellow and love carpet pythons. The white phase diamond jags, jungle carpets, coastal jags I love those type of snakes. Also Bps but would hope to really get triple quadruple morphs especially with the recessive stuff. Its all availble but the house around me disagrees, Thanks though for th thoughts, and encouragement and hope you get some snakes

[rabernet]

Hi! I have two comments for you to think about.

1) We have many young herpers on this forum, some who are very mature and knowledgeable in the animals that they keep. We also encourage people to ask questions BEFORE they get a new animal, so there's no reason to lie about what you keep in order to learn here.

2) Just as you feel people would judge you for being young, you are also judging the people here by calling them snobs and assuming that we all would have no respect for you simply because of your age. Respect works both ways. You don't like being pre-judged, yet you are pre-judging the membership here without giving them a chance.

You've taken a good step by coming clean. Just be yourself and enjoy getting to know the many people here, many who can mentor you. I would consider myself very experienced with ball pythons, and yet, even many years later, I'm STILL learning. I know enough to know that I don't know everything.

[wolfy-hound]

I don't understand the comment about "xperianced keepers being snobby about their knowledge" at all. Most everyone on here love to talk about the proper way to keep various animals.

My advice for you would be to wait until you are out on your own with a stable household so you can get what you really love and enjoy keeping them. That way there's no worry over whether you might move for college, or who will care for them if you have to go elsewhere for a extended period.

Age doesn't matter. Attitude does. If you want to learn about various species, ask questions. If you want to talk about species you really like, then post about them. Lying about it, and worse, saying because it's "online" it doesn't matter, isn't a really nice way to begin your stay on a website. Most of the folks here are really passionate about their animals and love to talk about them.

[FLAherper]

Age doesn't matter. Attitude does. If you want to learn about various species, ask questions. If you want to talk about species you really like, then post about them. Lying about it, and worse, saying because it's "online" it doesn't matter, isn't a really nice way to begin your stay on a website. Most of the folks here are really passionate about their animals and love to talk about them.[/QUOTE]

I was saying that was a stupid attitude to have. ANd Almost everybody is alot of help on here but when it comes to monitors I understand why they have the attitude they do as many monitors are sold under false pretences and die very quickly but everyone I have come across was little help if any on simple questions I would ask about the animal or animals...books and experienced breeders is where I go now, as asking "Expert" keepers doesnt lead to much help.

[wolfy-hound]

Well, there's a ton of "experianced" monitor keepers on here. There's a lot of folks who come and ask questions about keeping monitors here and they seem to get answers. Perhaps you are either asking the wrong "experts". What's the difference between a "experianced" keeper vs a "expert" keeper?

I don't know of many books on proper varanid care, so if you've found some, I'd love to know the titles so I can look into them. I love expanding my library with new good informational books.