Just food for thought!Lets be honest!!

Now,i know this is going to sound like i am being a big cry baby,so i will give it up to Wahhh.But i am going to be the bigger man here and throw this on the table.In any case here is my little thoughts that i would like to get off my chest.Whether people in this community think that i am just a crazy reptile dude who has not a clue,or my crediability is on the low side,i love my herps regaurds of who thinks what of me.I try and give the best advice from my knowledge that i have been taught over the years of doing the herp thing.But find that more and more of the forums i go on people do not take me seriously or think what ever they may think of me.I know i am not as respected as most herpers which is fine,i can swallow that and take it like a man.I just dont understand why?Is it because i am to forward of a person?Or am i not good enough for anyones click?I meen it is not like i do not try and chat with people,no one imparticular,just chat about what i love most which is my reptiles,i meen that is why there are forums right?I meen are reptile people not suppose to stick together?Or is it just a click thing like i sald?You have to know certain people to get somewhere in the herp community?Someone once told me that i need more experience in reptiles?Mabe i do?I feel like everyone,even the ones on top of the game need more experience something new allways comes out with reptiles everyday.In any case,I just feel like this is one big circle and if you are not a part of the circle then you meen nothing.I am not trying to make this a huge big lecture or feel sorry for myself,or cause ripples here.(I do happen to like alot of these forums,this one included.)i just would like to know why over the years of being on forums and doing my own herp thing that people just think that i am a wacko with no knowledge or get no respect in this field i am not stupid,i was not born yesterday i do know what people think of me.And it is not just me but i see this happen to some others also.Some,well yea,they have no clue,but the others who really know what they are doing,get shunned for who knows why reasons.All i am saying is that,i understand there are different personalitys on forums and life styles.Can we not just get along?I meen this is why we are here is because obviously we all have the same in common,which is our herps.So if any one would like to add to this by all meens (No Bashing!) i can take the advice.I would like to add sorry for the tangent i was on,but if i do not let it out,my head will explode,and hopfully no one took this to heart to much.It is just what i see happen to often on every forum.And would like this year not just for me,but for all herpers to be a good one.Man i need to put away the wine!!!LOL....

Oh,if you are wondering why i wrote this,someone from this forum sent me a e-mail which was kinda rude and told me exaclty what they thought of me.So i figured i would just put this thread up to let people know what is on my mind.

Honestly? For starters - it does help if you put spaces at the end of a sentence, and use paragraph breaks. It shows that you care enough about what you are trying to say to make it more readable to your audience.


When someone types all their thoughts in one run on paragraph and doesn't take the time to make sure it's readable, then most of your audience won't take the time to read your thoughts.

Also, be open to constructive criticism (I'm thinking about the housing together issue as a for instance). The herpers here care about these animals with a passion, and their collective wisdom is invaluable to all of us.

I feel pretty comfortable with my husbandry, but I know there are things I can always improve on, so I'm open to understanding the "why" behind the advice offered me and changing how I'm doing things.

I agree, at times it can seem cliquish at times, but I also feel that everyone here loves to help someone who is open to receiving our advice. Doesn't mean you have to take it, just demonstrate that you are at least open to considering it.

I hope that makes sense!

Yea,it makes perfect sence,but like i sald this has nothing to do with the whole ball python thing,someone just sent me an e-mail which was kinda rude.Not going to clarify what was exaclty in the e-mail but it was not a nice e-mail.So i gather i am not very liked in the reptile community.Thats cool.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Honestly? For starters - it does help if you put spaces at the end of a sentence, and use paragraph breaks. It shows that you care enough about what you are trying to say to make it more readable to your audience.

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I agree

I only read the first two sentences because it was too hard to follow.

I don’t dislike you, but I do disagree with you.

It rubbed me wrong that you don’t agree with breeding ball pythons, yet you purposely put a male and female in a tank together. Yet, if you get eggs then you get eggs. That is not a responsible, proactive way to care for you animals. I also disagree with housing multiple snakes together. I don’t believe it’s beneficial to do so. Although in the end, it’s up to you to house your animals how you see fit. Just don’t expect everyone to pat you on the back for it.

You’re very upfront with your views and I commend you for that, but you’ll find that more people feel comfortable to give you theirs right back. ;) Now I do not condone rude letters, as there’s just no need for that. :no: I think you’ll find people are more responsive with calm, logical arguments. Unfortunately, things can be misconstrued over the internet. It also happens when you’re dealing with a subject that is near and dear to many hearts.

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Originally Posted by tigerlily

I don’t dislike you, but I do disagree with you.

It rubbed me wrong that you don’t agree with breeding ball pythons, yet you purposely put a male and female in a tank together. Yet, if you get eggs then you get eggs. That is not a responsible, proactive way to care for you animals. I also disagree with housing multiple snakes together. I don’t believe it’s beneficial to do so. Although in the end, it’s up to you to house your animals how you see fit. Just don’t expect everyone to pat you on the back for it.

You’re very upfront with your views and I commend you for that, but you’ll find that more people feel comfortable to give you theirs right back. ;) Now I do not condone rude letters, as there’s just no need for that. :no: I think you’ll find people are more responsive with calm, logical arguments. Unfortunately, things can be misconstrued over the internet. It also happens when you’re dealing with a subject that is near and dear to many hearts.

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Christie hit the nail on the head.:fishslap:

And another thing, just because one person said they dont like you, does NOT mean that you are hated in the reptile comunity. People will agree and disagree, its just something you need to get used to.:rockon:

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Originally Posted by repforlife

Yea,it makes perfect sence,but like i sald this has nothing to do with the whole ball python thing,someone just sent me an e-mail which was kinda rude.Not going to clarify what was exaclty in the e-mail but it was not a nice e-mail.So i gather i am not very liked in the reptile community.Thats cool.

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You are taking it way too personally based on an e-mail from one person. Heck, I personally don't even know you well enough to form an opinion on how much I respect or disagree with you.

NERD has "haters", Ralph Davis has "haters", VPI has "haters" and the list goes on. No matter how respected you are in this industry, there will always be people who don't like you very much. Instead of focusing on the negative, focus on the positive and start being open to constructive criticism,

You will not find many fans here of housing your ball pythons together, and you won't change their minds. You even said NERD told you that you could, but I guarantee you that they don't (at least not now). The longer ball pythons are kept in captivity, the more that is learned about them and tweaked. Those keepers who used to house together have learned that when housed separately, all their ball pythons thrived better. It's a rare ball python professional or serious hobbiest that will condone housing together these days. At least be open to learning exactly why that is?

I can take advice and all with no problems and i understand how everyone feels on the Ball Python liveing togethter thing.
Trust me how could i not know.
That e-mail i received really just brought me down and just made me kinda step back for a moment.
Sure,i know there are people who dont like N.E.R.D or Ralph Davis or ect...
But man when it my home,it kinda hurts.
i meen,i do not think i am a bad person,and i really do my best when it comes to my reptiles.
Yea,mabe i should not be letting them live together,because it is going to happen one day,they are going to mate.
It is the nature of the beast.
and i do understand and meant no harm with the "If it happens it happens"
i meen i dont want it to happen,but what i meant to say was actually,if it happens,i do have choices with the babys to find good forever homes for them.

It just really bumbed me out that e-mail i received and i am sorry if i caused any ripples here or any problems.
But my reptiles are happy,healthy and are for the most part are taken the best care of.
I guess you guys are right,i should not take so much to heart.Well i do not see a problem trying to put them in different cages and see how that go's?
It is not like i do not have the room or cages to do so.
Oh,i never sald N.E.R.D told me it was o.k to house them together,i was taught by someone else that it was o.k to do or get away with.

I have no idea who you are but as long as you are happy and you are keeping your herps happy and healthy as well then I've got no problem with you. Letting some stupid e-mail bother you is no way to go about your day, as long as you know you're doing your best then thats all that should matter.

out of 4 posts you've mentioned the email 3 times. perhaps what you should do is discuss your feelings with the writer instead of out in public with the entire forum.

and actually what you did say was:

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Originally Posted by repforlife

I was taught by R.Js Exotics,N.E.R.D,and private breeders from where i am from.Volunteered my time for more than 7 years at both places.Not to mention i am part of the New England Herp Sociaty.NEHS.So you meen to tell me that they are wrong in what they taught me?Wow,i guess i am going to have to tell Rob who own R.Js Exotics that everything he taught me over the years was wrong.I wonder what he is going to say?Hummm

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from this thread.

the reason i'm mentioning this is... learning from our mistakes... learning from reading what others have to share, learning from the experiences of others on this forum is what this forum is all about. it's not about a popularity contest... it's not about who likes or dislikes you - it's about shining our light... sharing our knowledge in a friendly, respectful manner.

and in my opinion (since you asked for it) if you follow those little suggestions you'll find this a wonderful place to visit! you may even want to grab a blankee and sleep here :rofl:

and honestly... other than your posts on the thread i linked to above... i don't know you. so... here's to 2007 and getting to know you. now that you've brought yourself into the spotlight... i suggest you make it a good year :sunny:

edited to add: honestly, you've only posted 34 times... and the majority of those were in the snake loves me thread and this one... so perhaps you could give yourself a little more time (yes i know you joined the forum a long time ago... but you had only posted a couple of times before august of this year) - so saying this place is clique and it's hard to get in... :rofl: trust me, take some time posting and getting to know everyone and you'll find that our "one big clique" will welcome you. :carrot:

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Originally Posted by repforlife

Sure,i know there are people who dont like N.E.R.D

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WHAT???? let me at 'em... :sabduel: let me at 'em... :banned1:

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

WHAT???? let me at 'em... :sabduel: let me at 'em... :banned1:

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More Kara and Kev for meeeeee....=D

Personally, I dislike having to read run-on sentences and obvious need for paragraph breaks. If you'd like people to take you seriously, take how you present your side seriously.

Eh.. when I look into anyone's posted advice, and they are not someone I recognize, it helps if they have their "credentials." A list of what you keep; maybe a link to pics of your setups, healthy herps, etc. I really have not read many of your posts in particular; not sure why, just don't recognize you a lot yet..
How old/large are your BPs, and what sexes are they? I know that even reputable breeders house clutches together for awhile after hatching.. personally, I never advocate it, except for breeding purposes, but that is a whole other thread. When the majority of people on a forum believe something (here, it would be that housing BPs in singular tubs/tanks is the way to go..) I would definately imagine that it'd be like trying to fit in with people whose beliefs are different; there are many forums out there that are completely against live feedings; I myself feed live and do not associate with forums that reject me based on that, for example.

I think you are taking one email way too seriously. Not everyone is going to like you. When you ask for an opinion on whether or not you should keep snakes together, and when told you shouldn't then say, "Well... I'm going to anyway." Then you aren't going to make people respect you. The same with saying "I don't believe in breeding ball pythons" especially on a major ball python forum site FULL of breeders, and then proceed to say you will house a pair together, and if they breed well then they breed. I mean, stand by your opinion.
I don't know you from anyone. If you want to be respected in this community then you need to be willing to discuss your husbandry, your ideas, etc. Just standing around on the sidelines doesn't make people impressed.
It does kind of come off as "Waah.. someone doesn't like meeee..." whining when you posts several times in a thread that this ONE email bugs you so much... but you don't want to discuss it. Just telling you my opinion, shrug, you asked.
I don't think I am a respected herper yet, but I hope that people at least don't think I am a utter moron when it comes to my herps. When I first started up on these forums, I was houseing some hatchling females together. I read up, and now all of them are seperate. I didn't have any issues with them being together, but I have to admit, once housed seperately, they improved amazingly.
In short, if you want people ot respect your herp abilities, you are going to have to participate in discussions, give readable posts with your opinions and practices, show all the herpers here that you love and take proper care of your herps. That's a good step in the right direction.
Wolfy

Well,thank you all for the advice and understanding.
The e-mail thing,i am over it.Whatever is my moto.
If my animals are happy and healthy,then i am happy.
Yea,i will try and be alittle bit more less intense and listen more.
Well,let "07" be a good year for everyone!!Happy New Year All!!!
Hey,by the way,how was everyones night,last night?
Mine was pretty wild.I dont remember the ball dropping.Or by the time i figured it out it was kinda to late and caught the tail end of it.
Yea,good times.LOL....Thank god it is onley once a year!
i do not know how people can drink heavey everyday.