At what age does experience start????

I was wondering at what age do you think a persons experience starts? I was wondering because I know some younger people say they have 10 years experience and they might only be 16 or 17 years old. I just don't think they could really be responsible for an animals care at that age.
I think it's great that they have been around animals that long. It also teaches them responsibility but when does actual experience start?? Anyway I look forward to hearing peoples outlook on this. Talk to ya'll later.

Alan

I think thats a little bold buddy.

At 16 I had a job, went to school, hung out with friends, and had reptiles. I would say that I was DAMN responsible.

If you rode a motorcycle once, you have experience with motorcycles. You may not have vast experience, but you have some.

I think experience starts as soon as you get your hands on something. How well experienced you are has nothing to do with age, but how much time and effort you put into the learning of your craft. Then there is the good vs bad experience... I could have 40 years hands on experience, but it could be outdated and wrong experience by current standards.

Well put. It's not the experience that's important since people get that as soon as they are exposed to something... it's how they USE that knowledge!

I'll give two examples from my own 'experience':
A now 18 year old friend of mine finally was able to get an RTB, the snake he always wanted but could never have because of his parents. He has only had that snake for a few weeks now, but right from the start everything was set up just right. This was because he had been researching, networking, talking to breeders, and just plain listening to everything, new and old, about Red Tails since he was about 10 or 11.

On the other side, I know someone who has been 'keeping' reptiles for about 20 years...all wrong. They have tons of experience because they have had those animals, but he has done NOTHING to improve their low quality of life or even to learn about updated care methods. Stubborn beyond help, he believes that his animals are 'just fine' because they are still alive and eating...but anyone who knows reptiles would be able to see at first glance that they are ONLY living...not thriving. (He mostly keeps lizards, BTW, but has a few snakes)

So, it's what you DO with experience that counts. :)

Experience starts the moment the first breath is taken.
Degrees of responsibility is another discussion all together ;)

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Originally Posted by starmom

Experience starts the moment the first breath is taken.
Degrees of responsibility is another discussion all together ;)

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Oooo Thats nice!!!

In life I think true experienced is gained when a mistake has been made (beginners make mistakes), understood, responsibility has been taken and then corrected. Our greatest lessons come from the difficult times and that experience and the adjustments.

There is an old african proverb that says
"Calm seas do not make skillful sailors"

Unfortunately some people make the same mistakes over and over, take no responsibilty and therfore the problem never corrected. I wouldnt call that person experienced no matter how long they have been spinning their wheels.

Thats why we should learn from those with more successful experiences;)

I'll use an example from our own family and snakes. Our youngest, Mikey, was just turning 4 I think when we got our first snakes. Now he's always been exposed to the snakes, always "helped" us as best he could and even now own his own ball python, Buddy. I would say for a child of 7 he's got a lot of experience around snakes but for me, his true experience, will start the day he becomes fully responsible for every aspect of Buddy's care on a daily basis. Right now I think of it more as Mikey being in training to one day be a very experienced snake keeper. :)

I think most of these are great replies, but mostly don't directly answer the question the OP asked.

Experience does start the first moment you are born, and in fact even before that, because we know babies can recognize their mother's voice, etc. Experience with snakes (or whatever) starts when you first come into contact with it. So, absolutely, a 16 yr old can have 10 years experience with snakes.

But that is going by the literal definition of "experience", which isn't what people usually mean when they talk about an experienced person used almost synonymously with a knowledgeable person. As others have said, a lot depends on what you do with the knowledge you gained through your experience. Also, 10 years of experience with one snake is not equal to 1 year of experience with 10 snakes. Both will have had opportunities to see things the other will not have.

As far as a 6 or 7 year old being responsible for an animals care... most wouldn't be, but some could be. Even if Mom or Dad did all the research, it is very possible for a child of that age to go through the actions of caring for a snake if they are told what to do. And you bet they will get experience and learn from what they are doing.

My 6 yr old has a betta fish that she cares for almost entirely by herself, but I did tell her how to care for it. If she doesn't remember to feed it, it doesn't get fed, etc. We told her if she didn't take good enough care of it, we'd get rid of it because we wouldn't let her be cruel to it. She got it shortly after xmas and it is still thriving. (Note: in most cases I wouldn't recommend handling a 6 yr old's pet this way, but she is an unusual case and like I said, we are making sure the fish is not being neglected or otherwise treated poorly).

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Originally Posted by West Coast Jungle

In life I think true experienced is gained when a mistake has been made (beginners make mistakes), understood, responsibility has been taken and then corrected. Our greatest lessons come from the difficult times and that experience and the adjustments.

There is an old african proverb that says
"Calm seas do not make skillful sailors"

Unfortunately some people make the same mistakes over and over, take no responsibilty and therfore the problem never corrected. I wouldnt call that person experienced no matter how long they have been spinning their wheels.

Thats why we should learn from those with more successful experiences;)

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Everyone makes mistakes. Even all 'experts' will make a mistake sometime. ;)

I think that basically what everyone has said has come to a pretty broad and basic conclusion. Experience can be anything from when you first get something or hold something but if someone isn't knowledgeable or good at what they're doing, their experience will probably not be the same as with someone who did everything right and researched and learned.

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Originally Posted by Patrick Long

I think thats a little bold buddy.

At 16 I had a job, went to school, hung out with friends, and had reptiles. I would say that I was DAMN responsible.

If you rode a motorcycle once, you have experience with motorcycles. You may not have vast experience, but you have some.

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I wasn't saying you can't be gaining experience at 16. I was out on my own at 16. I had a job went to school and had an apartment, so I know a person can be responsible at that age. You must've miss understood what I was getting at. I meant a person can't say they have ten years + at that age. You know???

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

I'll use an example from our own family and snakes. Our youngest, Mikey, was just turning 4 I think when we got our first snakes. Now he's always been exposed to the snakes, always "helped" us as best he could and even now own his own ball python, Buddy. I would say for a child of 7 he's got a lot of experience around snakes but for me, his true experience, will start the day he becomes fully responsible for every aspect of Buddy's care on a daily basis. Right now I think of it as Mikey being in training to one day be a very experienced snake keeper. :)

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Thats more of what I was saying. A persons true experience doesn't start until they are fully responsible for every aspect of an animals care. I just don't think a 6 or 7 year old kid can be totally responsible for an animal. They just wouldn't think about everything that needs to be done everyday. I still have to remind my 8 year old daughter to feed and water her dog. She obviously loves "little man" but just gets wrapped up playing with her sister and doing her own thing and sometimes forgets to feed him. If me or her mother weren't around to remind her I think he would go hungry a couple days a week.
I appreciate all the comments. I was just wondering what others thought about this. Talk to ya'll later...

Alan

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Originally Posted by grunt_11b

Thats more of what I was saying. A persons true experience doesn't start until they are fully responsible for every aspect of an animals care. I just don't think a 6 or 7 year old kid can be totally responsible for an animal. They just wouldn't think about everything that needs to be done everyday. I still have to remind my 8 year old daughter to feed and water her dog. She obviously loves "little man" but just gets wrapped up playing with her sister and doing her own thing and sometimes forgets to feed him. If me or her mother weren't around to remind her I think he would go hungry a couple days a week.
I appreciate all the comments. I was just wondering what others thought about this. Talk to ya'll later...
Alan

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I'm going to have to disagree -- my son falls in the 6-7 year old range and he has a pretty firm knowledge base for ball pythons -- not only does he help maintain our collection but he has his own that he is responsible for - he does feedings, cleanings, handling, cage maintenance or just poking around the snake room almost on a daily basis. The pair of balls he got for his fourth birthday just laid their first clutch -- he set up the egg box, removed mom, got the eggs safely in the incubator with very little help from me. He knows how to read the snakes, how to properly handle them and he's able to answer most husbandry questions without hesitation. That being said I still can't get him to feed the dog regularly or scoop the cat box.

I guess it all depends on how you look at it. I would imagine the Barkers kids or the Southerlands kids probably have more experience with balls than most adults.

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Originally Posted by grunt_11b

I meant a person can't say they have ten years + at that age. You know???

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Sure they can, if they have been caring for something (with or without help from parents) or doing something (like riding a bike) then they can have that much experience. As has been said though, it's the level of experience and knowledge gleaned from that experience that matters more than time taken to get, or not get, all you can from that experience. The years don't matter and it doesn't matter when you start, it's what you get out of those years that counts.

I don't think age has anything to do with experience.

I agree... Unless one is speaking of life experience ;)

I guess I have a different outlook on this than most. LOL I just don't see how a 6 year old can be gaining the same level of experience as a person that is say 25. It just annoys me when a 15 year old says they have 12 years of experience. I think it cheapens others experience levels. Because their is no way they have the same level of experience as an older person. It's like a 4 year old can't learn a foriegn language but a 16 year old can. I know they'll be exceptions to the rule but most kids can't learn on the same level as an adult or sub-adult. Anyway thanks for all the different outlooks on this.

Alan

I agree that the learning is different relative to the lens that one has at one's disposal. For example, you with a young child can not have near the experience that I have with adult children.
However, this does not mean that you have no experience- you simply have the experience you have.
I think that maybe what people are saying is that experience just is; while you are attempting to quantify the experience. Experience just IS; nothing more. It allows for a place to learn from while still having some view to look back upon. :)

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Originally Posted by grunt_11b

I guess I have a different outlook on this than most. LOL I just don't see how a 6 year old can be gaining the same level of experience as a person that is say 25. It just annoys me when a 15 year old says they have 12 years of experience. I think it cheapens others experience levels. Because their is no way they have the same level of experience as an older person. It's like a 4 year old can't learn a foriegn language but a 16 year old can. I know they'll be exceptions to the rule but most kids can't learn on the same level as an adult or sub-adult. Anyway thanks for all the different outlooks on this.

Alan

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If a 6 year old and a 25 year old walk into a pet store and buy a snake -- neither one having had a snake before -- they have exactly the same experience -- age matters none. If they both raise those snakes -- it's still the same experience -- mom and dad may have to help out the 6 year old but they will still gain experience by being involved and learning.

I know plenty of 25 year old creeps that treat their snakes like crap -- age does not mean they are any more caring, experience or able to care for said animals. Said 25 year old creep is more likely not to take advice on proper care where as a younger child is usually more willing to accept when they need help and aren't afraid to ask for it.

That being said a 4 year old who's brain is still growing and is more pliable and open to new things -- is much more able to learn a foreign language than a teenager or adult -- proven fact.

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Originally Posted by Tosha_Mc

If a 6 year old and a 25 year old walk into a pet store and buy a snake -- neither one having had a snake before -- they have exactly the same experience -- age matters none. If they both raise those snakes -- it's still the same experience -- mom and dad may have to help out the 6 year old but they will still gain experience by being involved and learning.

I know plenty of 25 year old creeps that treat their snakes like crap -- age does not mean they are any more caring, experience or able to care for said animals. Said 25 year old creep is more likely not to take advice on proper care where as a younger child is usually more willing to accept when they need help and aren't afraid to ask for it.

That being said a 4 year old who's brain is still growing and is more pliable and open to new things -- is much more able to learn a foreign language than a teenager or adult -- proven fact.

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Very interesting topic. I've seen breeders sites (don't remember who and wouldn't mention names if I did!) that listed 10 years experience like it was a huge deal and they knew the business backwards and forwards. But then I saw the age and couldn't really help but wonder what kind of experience they're talking about.

I absolutely agree that there are different levels of experience. I think in cases like this, if you're considering buying an animal from this person, I would ask, what experience they have.

If the kid grew up like Tosha's kid, with that level of experience (more than I have), heck yeah I'd trust em! But if their experience consisted of watching their cousin's snake eat every now and again when they were younger (or something like that) I'd keep looking for a more dependable breeder.

at 17 "my age"
i have 6 snakes in my room, 4 in parents room
4 cats
a 75 gallon african cichlid tank in my room.

i wouldnt say im responsible as most people.
i think it varies.

i dont think there is a set date.
i think if you have it you have it.

I just don't think a child can gain the same experience level as an adult. Be it in caring for snakes or learning a language. Sure they can learn basic things, but as far as real experience I just don't see it. I'll just agree to disagree with you guys. Thanks for the replies.

Alan

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Originally Posted by grunt_11b

I just don't think a child can gain the same experience level as an adult. Be it in caring for snakes or learning a language. Sure they can learn basic things, but as far as real experience I just don't see it. I'll just agree to disagree with you guys. Thanks for the replies.

Alan

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Infants can tell when different languages are being spoken around them up until 6 months. They will then learn any language consistently spoken around them automatically from that point on. Kids own us when it comes to language.

That is so true. My cousin married a Frenchman and they had 2 children. She spoke nothing but English (she is fluent in French) to them and he nothing but French. They both began speaking each language to the appropriate parent, they never faltered, always English to my cousin and always French to their father. Both kids are now fluent in Spanish and German as well.

Honestly, there is no age at which experience starts. Children have an easier time picking up on things and learning, than adults do. Especially so when its hands on and fun for them.

I started keeping giants before I was a teenager. Burms, Retics, African Rocks, Scrubs. As soon as I could work, I picked up a job to pay for my hobby, and started breeding animals shortly there-after as well. I had no problem supporting them, and produced some very nice animals. The only reason I don't have them to this day is I wound up enlisting when I was 17...

I'm 19, and would say I have about 10 years of experience since that's when I started temporarily keeping the garter, corn and rat snakes I captured from the wild... But only 5-6 years of "valuable" experience since that's when I actually had a clue about what I was doing ;)

I think it starts when a person is responsible enough to research and care for the animal, because its then that thay begin to learn what their doing. Oh yea, btw- at 16 I was going to school full time, getting good grades, working 30+ hours a week, fixing my own car, babysitting, housekeeping, and had a dog and five snakes, all spoiled (well, for the snakes that just meant the best general care, I guess :) ), so I think stereo typing is not always best.

here i kinda have a though...

most people who are a little older refer to this time as a "computer era"

where all these little kids are learing more and more than the people who have used computers longer than they have...

because things change, more information is giving, more people become interested in learning, and more people are crazy.
lol

what this post kinda is to show is...

no matter how long you have been doing it..
there is always more to learn, and new stuff comming out, and it will always be like that.

its like.. if someone is younger than you but they know more about snakes...

it doesnt make them more experienced.
just more educated.

but that can be visa versa.
more expierence, with less education.

My mother was severely allergic to furry animals, so I only ever had reptiles and amphibians for pets. This suited me just fine because I was always far more drawn to the scaly critters!

When I was around 12/13 I began hanging out at a local pet store after school and on weekends. Soon it branched into an unofficial part-time job type of arrangement. The owner of the place was great and really cared about his animals. I learned a lot.

I’ve always kept reptiles of one variety or another. I guess ‘life experience’ may or may not count for much in this specific discussion, but there you have it. One of my fondest memories is of a summer vacation at my grandparent’s cottage, and my 5’1 90-pound grandmother taught me how to pick up and handle wild snakes. :) (Okay, she may be closer to 5'3. hehe)

well i have a full time job 3 snakes that i put above most everything to look out four i have a car i bought myself and ive owned snakes since i was six and it wasnt until about ten when i actually cared for them it really depends on the person =]

o and btw im 16 =]

There is a 14 year old kid over on arachnoboards that has more experience than a lot of people. She's been working with T's for a long time. She's also been on tv a lot. In fact, she probably knows more about T's than I do. She was working with some researchers on tarantula venom.

two words: bindi irwin that girl knows more about most animals than most of us could ever dream and she is only what 10?

age is not the way to judge experience, finding out what ones knows about the topic and how to work with what they know is the only way to judge.

experience starts from the moment you start to think about something, cuz from that moment your already getting ideas on how to do things may they be right or wrong

Very similar to this topic, my father taught me that it is FAR more important to know what you know, and what you don't know, and to know how to find the answers to the stuff you don't know.

Knowing a lot is nice, but if you don't also understand your limitations and how to deal with them, you'll get yourself in a lot of trouble.

Experience is valuable because it can help you to know more, as well as to better understand your limitations.