Discraceful

[wolfy-hound]

Anyone can make comments about killing a animal that bites them in harsh jest (just as I sometimes joke about giving away one of my dogs because it poops on the floor) and not mean it and simply be in sort of maybe poor taste....

I think much of the issues will be more in the husbandry, the quick sales, and the complete lack of understanding of a typical snake's behavior. A snake generally doesn't bite out of a decision to be "mean" but from a perceived threat.

I've had a ball python that was 'mean' and struck all the time. I tried every trick I heard of(short of stupid ones that would be harmful, of course) and ended up leaving her alone except for needed water/feeding/cleaning. I would have quite happily sold her if I could have gotten a decent price for a bitey snake. She wasn't a pet, she didn't want to be a pet, and would likely never become a pet. She was still a magnificent animal and I didn't take it personally that she didn't want this giant naked monkey grabbing her and messing about with her. She was just a python and I respected her nature.

But I can guarantee there were days that when she'd nailed my wrist yet again, that I would tell her quite loudly what I would like to do to her. I never once harmed her, never intended to harm her. It was just frustrated words.

Now if someone has some sort of proof that he was killing snakes for nothing but the 'crime' of being bitey, then he's a jerk who should have his name plastered everywhere so people don't sell him their own animals. IF he just made a stupid remark, no harm.

[Tikall]

I feel like people are starting to miss the point since the video was removed. I don't think anyone who saw the video thought he was ACTUALLY going to kill the snake if it bit.

The issues are husbandry based, a general disrespect for the animals, and how judgmental he is of other users who do well with this species.

Let's see. He hates rack set ups because he saw a video of a guy trying to sell cages say racks shouldn't be used for bloods. Even so, he makes sure to make jabs about people who keep bloods in racks. Gosh, you'd probably expect someone like that to keep his snakes in nice cages. Nope, he keeps them in glass tanks.

He says people who keep a lot of snakes do not provide adequate care for their animals and they are sub-par. He has let several well respected members on here know that he thinks their keeping is inferior to his based on the fact that they keep several alone. What does he do? He gets a bunch of animals and turns out to be a flipper.

He buys an animal for a charity auction and then talks about how ugly it is because it isn't normal in that very video.

He says you should have water dishes big enough for the blood to soak, but if anyone looked at the video I showed where he is housing an ADULT with a near HATCHLING, there is no way the adult can use any of the provided hides or the water dish because the fish tank is just too small for it.

Speaking of housing animals together, he has done it before for extended periods. Note that bloods have been known to cannibalize.

So while criticizing people who keep many snakes and who use racks, this guy still houses them improperly. There is NO REASON an adult should be squished in that tank with a baby for any amount of time.

He also feeds small meals every day, saying it is how snakes were meant to be and criticized people who fed large meals less often. Mmmmm.

He is letting a sick snake out at 75 degrees, on a bedding which is more likely to harbor infection. If he changes it daily, could be okay. I do not care if the temperature was temporary, why would you even do that to a sick snake? ALSO did NO ONE notice he touched a healthy snake immediately after handling the sick one in that video??

My beefs are not with his stupid joke, it is with his keeping, his lack of care about the animals, and his general poor advise and criticism of people who are actually giving good advice.

He can be well written which is why I am pointing these things out at all. People who don't know much of bloods may not know how detrimental some of his keeping practices are, or how he has no reason to feel so superior. This can be confusing for keepers new to bloods, and this had to be pointed out.

[DNACurtusK]

That's the thing....how can you CONSTANTLY insult everyone who keeps snakes in racks, or everyone that has more than a handfull of animals, or folks who keep other types than normals, in your posts and videos, and NOT expect people to say something to you about it? It's like you are ASKING to get called out.

Then, when even more attention is drawn to your vids, people will start noticing the poor husbandry, etc, and start calling you out on that too.

Especially in your video where you're talking about the het albino you have that you won from our charity auction.....how you call the breeder a derogatory name for having bred albino into the animal? That's just sheer disrespect, and utter ignorance to a fellow keeper.

Reminds me of when a child starts behaving badly, because they want attention, wether it's negative or not.

[Kaorte]

It is one thing to curse your snakes over your breathe when they bite you.. it is another to videotape it and put it out for the world to see.

Sure I say some things that most people wouldn't find kosher.. but the difference is that I don't advertise that. I don't videotape that or write about it all over the internet.

Also the bashing of how people keep their animals.. this is an old old debate. We've concluded long ago that anyone can keep their animals however they want as long as their basic needs and temps are met. If Joe here thinks that housing his animals together is something he can handle, so be it. I don't feel the need (like joe here) to impose my keeping practices on everyone who doesn't do things the same way I do.

Joe, you should show the same courtesy to your fellow reptile keepers by not bashing their keeping practices or what animals they choose to breed. If you want to be taken seriously that is.

[Tikall]

Also the bashing of how people keep their animals.. this is an old old debate. We've concluded long ago that anyone can keep their animals however they want as long as their basic needs and temps are met. If Joe here thinks that housing his animals together is something he can handle, so be it. I don't feel the need (like joe here) to impose my keeping practices on everyone who doesn't do things the same way I do.

Joe, you should show the same courtesy to your fellow reptile keepers by not bashing their keeping practices or what animals they choose to breed. If you want to be taken seriously that is.

I agree with the exception of the treatment of the sick snake and housing two animals with vast size differences together (just asking for trouble). Anything else, it doesn't matter. If he can house them correctly in fish tanks, let him. If his animals do well fed every day, good for him. I completely agree he really should show more courtesy for other tried and true methods instead of dishing out criticism for everything, and that is why he grates on so many users.

It is also frustrating to see him criticize a user for "bad" husbandry, say what is "the right way to do it," and then seeing something else entirely in his videos! At least be consistent. If you think people who have lots of snakes provide poor husbandry and do not care about their animals as much as you do, how about don't get a ton of snakes and flip them yourself. If you think bloods should be able to soak in their dishes and you criticize others for not doing so, then give YOUR snakes bowls that are actually big enough. Etc...