A reptile's sight

Taken from a fauna classifieds thread:

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Melissa Kaplan:"I'd like to see a total ban, but I know that is unlikely. It isn't easy to fight a billion-dollar industry. As long as there are people to buy, exotic animal dealers will cheerfully sell, no matter what the impact is on wild populations or on the animals -- or humans."

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Then, I'd also like for iguana owners to know about Melissa's over use of scientific lingo which tends to make all would be ig owners tremble at the thought of having to concoct very special diets and very special living arrangments, which are not harmful but can be unnecessary and confusing.

Take a look at her website or read all of the things she writes on various iguana message boards on the internet. It's easy to be fooled into accepting everything she says, there's a scary over use of science lingo or medical jargon, and she really tries hard to write things with an obvious overkill of detail and information in some scary effort to sound like a scientist or doctor. I have not seen any creative discoveries in her material. What I do see is an extremely efficent file clerk

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In all honestly if I used some real good scientific lingo and some great anatomy terms to sounds like I know my stuff while also throwing you through a loop, I could tell you that feeding razor blades to your bp would be healthy. Amazing point there.

Great informational link:

http://www.todaysplanet.com/pg/beta/...ver/page14.htm

She also misleads keepers into thinking that their boas will be monsters:

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I looked at her Red-Tail boa page (as I see others complain as well) and here is one quote : "That cute little 2 ounce, 14-22" hatchling laying cupped in the palm of your hand will increase its size by up to 300% in its first year, reaching 5-6 feet during that time. The following year will add another 3-4 feet to its length, as well as several pounds."

Really? Hatchlings, like from eggs Melissa? I did not know that. 9 feet in 2 years? Have I done something wrong, my boas are not even close to that rate of growth?

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She has helped inform a lot of newcomers tho. I used her bp caresheet when I was a n00b. I also think in weblinks we link to many of herp caresheets, but we're phasing all caresheet linking out. Her site is old school, and is being outdated rapidly. I was really troubles by her banning of herps position. She's a PETA activist, so it's pretty obvious what her position would be.

To the herp world she puts up a front of an expert, but behind the scenes she wants our pets to be banned. Never mind the fact that she makes hordes of cash of her iguanas for dummies book sold around pet shops all over. Considering iguanas are an even bigger hassle for rescues that great people like Rusty run then burms, what a hipocrit. It's troubling to say the least. If you're going to idolize anyone, idolize people like Rusty. Who devotes time, tons of cash, and emotional effort into caring for and finding homes for ditched herps.

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If you're going to idolize anyone, idolize people like Rusty. Who devotes time, tons of cash, and emotional effort into caring for and finding homes for ditched herps.

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Amen to that and for proof of this please see this link-
http://www.ball-pythons.net/PNphpBB2...ic-t-2291.html
:) :) yeah I mean you can kind of see where she's coming from - but buying too hard into anything is dangerous (BAN all exotics?) also captivity is most likely going to be the only thing preventing extinction in some of these animals - how bout we go after those burning/tearing down the rainforst and destroying natural living and breeding habitat rather than go after those working to preserve a species or admire, respect, and learn about them.

I don't think anyone was even close to idolizing Melissa Kaplan. We were just amuzed by some of the stuff we saw there.

Oh yeah totally - I think he was saying how easy it is for newbies to find an "expert" and stick with that advice. I saw her caresheet before I came here as well. Thankfully we are all bright enough to check multiple sources.

I fail to see how I idolized her. Both links were referenced to works by others.

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Originally Posted by JamminJonah

Oh yeah totally - I think he was saying how easy it is for newbies to find an "expert" and stick with that advice. I saw her caresheet before I came here as well. Thankfully we are all bright enough to check multiple sources.

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If that's the case, Jonah, then I agree. In college they taught me to always check multiple sources and never assume one is authentic at first glance, no matter how good it seems.

Yeah I certainly didn't get the impression that anyone here idolizes her - or that anyone idolizes anyone for that matter. I personally idolize myself - and for good reason - I mean have you even looked in the new members pics section ;) :lol: :lol: ;)

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I mean have you even looked in the new members pics section

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That was ausome!

Wow what a thread.
I will say that I can agree with the fact Kaplans site can be "oldschool". one of the problems I have with it, is in the fact that it can be hard to understand for folks who have good intentions. It can scare good herp keepers away from the hobby.

As for banning herps etc.
I will only say a few things on that. Education and conservation is key! Our main goal here is to educate the general public on the care and needs of herps. And conservation is also number one in my book. We need more good quality programs in place......
Ok I can go on and on but I don't think it would be the right thread.
Thanks
Rusty

Rusty, I think she does want to scare away potentially good herp keepers. PETA and their related groups actually have as a stated goal to end all interactions between humans and animals. No animals for food, testing, leather is pretty well known, but they also want to do away with guide animals (like seeing-eye dogs), worker animals (sheepdogs, guard dogs, police horses, etc.), and pets. Completely. I can provide links if needed, but the position is as extreme as it gets.

That is insane! ALL interactions between humans and animals??? I can understand food and testing - I can't agree with it, but I can understand it. But guide animals and pets for Pete's sake? What harm can there be with keeping animals as long as you keep them well? My dogs are like members of our family.

On a side note, they are NOT taking my Coach purse, either!