My little rant......

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Honestly, whats the worst advice you've seen? Its not like anyone is advocating super risky things.

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I've seen some whoppers.....like the "don't use tongs because you're a sissy" bit.....also that snakes "enjoy the hunt/thrill of the kill, so you should feed live prey"......just because YOU haven't seen it doesn't mean its not there.

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In fact, it really irks me when I see someone get all snooty and flaming over trivial little things that can be debated to the moon and back.

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Who is being snooty? If you think giving bad husbandry advice is trivial then perhaps you should find another hobby.

keeping happy and healthy animals is more of a trial and error process if you ask me. i'm not saying if it's your first snake it's going to die, but everyone that keeps snakes knows it doesn't always have to be done exactly by the book. i think people who i have experienced different species, housed many different ways, and kept many healthy herps should be the ones giving advice. not the people who got a bp and read a caresheet.

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i think people who i have experienced different species, housed many different ways, and kept many healthy herps should be the ones giving advice. not the people who got a bp and read a caresheet.

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I completely agree, Will. Too often people get arrogant or cocky about their level of knowledge and think they are all of a sudden a herp god bcause they've had one or 2 snakes for a few months and read a couple of caresheets. Anyone can regurgitate information from a caresheet or a book......thats not hard at all. IMO, when you think you know all there is to know, its time to find something else to do because knowing it all is not possible.

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Originally Posted by Wizill

i think people who i have experienced different species, housed many different ways, and kept many healthy herps should be the ones giving advice. not the people who got a bp and read a caresheet.

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Yikes you guys, I guess that counts me out. Ouch. :(

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Originally Posted by LouEvil

IMO, when you think you know all there is to know, its time to find something else to do because knowing it all is not possible.

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Well, I agree with you there. If I thought I knew everything about keeping herps, I wouldn't come here. My main reason for coming to this forum is to read the posts, continue learning about keeping ball pythons, and ask questions. However, if someone asks a question that I think I can help with, I'll usually give my input. I didn't think there was anything wrong with that.

i meant in general gen. you know what youre doing.

Okay, thanks, I feel better now. :)

One of the great things about an internet forum is the variety of people we attract. The downside to this is that you HAVE TO be careful about whose advice you follow. Would any of us go into PetSmart and shout out our question to the whole store, and then run with the first answer given by anyone? I hope not. IMO, that is what is happening if someone runs with the first answer given to a forum question. Each keeper is responsible for using their own common sense to judge the knowledge level of those giving them advice. This site, as many others, is a great resource, but there is no way to regulate who gives out advice. If you know that there is someone on here that will give you good advice, and you don't want to hear from anyone else, send them an email, or a PM, and save the site some bandwidth.
Personally, I like hearing different suggestions to the same problem, as it may give me ideas I hadn't thought of before. In addition, people giving bad advice typically draw attention to themselves, and can then be contacted privately, by those who know what tact is, and helped with whatever they are having issues with. Hopefully they are mature enough to listen to those with more experience, but if not, that is their choice.

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keeping happy and healthy animals is more of a trial and error process if you ask me. i'm not saying if it's your first snake it's going to die, but everyone that keeps snakes knows it doesn't always have to be done exactly by the book. i think people who i have experienced different species, housed many different ways, and kept many healthy herps should be the ones giving advice. not the people who got a bp and read a caresheet..

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To me, this statement contradicts itself. If we learn by trial and error, then why can't we share those trials and errors with each other? I do agree that "it doesn't always have to be done exactly by the book." The problem we run into is that when someone doesn't do it exactly by the book, and they share that information, they are jumped on, and told they shouldn't give advice/keep snakes. Many people buy snakes/reptiles as impulse buys. We will not change this. These people are typically the ones that get jumped on by the "Advice Gods" and made to feel embarassed/inferior, because they are doing it wrong.
N00bs that show up here asking for advice should be encouraged and directed to the answers. If they are giving what is commonly considered wrong advice, they should be tactfully informed of this. Most people can be reasoned with, if you try. Flame wars solve nothing.

This site does have more n00bs who are active posters than many other sites, because we go out of our way to make this a friendly atmosphere where they don't have to be afraid to ask their n00b questions. Those who are more experienced, who don't like to deal with n00bs are prowling the wrong site. There are plenty of other sites that cater to those with more experience, and don't tolerate n00b questions. Those are the places where n00b questions are answered with, "Do your research, don't ask us."

Where's Smynx, anyways? She's always insightful with these issues.......

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his site does have more n00bs who are active posters than many other sites, because we go out of our way to make this a friendly atmosphere where they don't have to be afraid to ask their n00b questions.

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This site has a high # of noob posters because Ball Pythons are one of, if not the most commonly puchased first snake.

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Originally Posted by RPlank

To me, this statement contradicts itself. If we learn by trial and error, then why can't we share those trials and errors with each other?

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you repeated what i said. how can you share trial and error if you haven't attempted any trials yet? if all you've done is bought a snake and read a crappy caresheet. read what i say if you're going to quote it, man.

So now that everyone has ranted and raved what do you suggest ???
Kicking off all the newbies that give somewhat questionable advice???
If you said yes I think that is the wrong answer.
You say that people cant sort thru and take the good with the bad advice
That someone giving bad advice can screw it up for someone seeking the correct answers.
First off there is always more than one way to skin a cat so thinking your ways are the right ways is really limiting yourself to learning new things.
My vet Dr Stahl is one of the foremost and leading herp vets in the US he raises bp's and green tree's yet some of the advice he gave me in caring for my bp was waay different from some of the advice some of the "so-called" more experienced herpers on here gave me. I sorted thru used common sense and made a plan for keeping my herp using what I learned from both
So far So good my bp seems to be doing great.
I guess what I am getting at is some people on here have an "I know more than you and it's my way the right way the only way" attitude which IMO is just as bad as a newbie giving bad advice.
As for doing all your research ie reading caresheets books etc wouldn't coming on here asking questions be considered research?
As for caresheets they are just as bad as some of the advice, you get a lot of different "right/wrong" as you look at the different ones on different sites and when you read those you need to sort thru so why sorting thru the good/bad post here any different.
Seems this whole little thing has started over one or two oldtimers on here not liking a couple of newbies on here for whatever reason.
This forum is wonderful and the people are great dont let one or two spoil it for us all.
If I listened and hung on every word some of the more exper knowledgeable herpers gave me I would think the only "right way" to keep a bp is in a Rubbermaid on newspaper, which aint true by a long shot. That is just a cheap way to do it and to quote some of those very people if you are worried about $ then maybe you should find another hobby. ( I don't think that and dont want to insult anyone who keeps there herp in a rubbermaid just making a point)
Look guys what attracted me to this site is the great friendly people and all the different ways you can do this.
Lets not lose sight of this :)