Sick of rules!!!

[Marrissa]

I remember when I first got Allure (my first snake and I'd never touched a snake till the day he arrived). I sat there holding him for several minutes after unboxing because I knew I was supposed to wait to handle him from all the million beginner posts. I remember freaking out thinking I'd messed him up when the incurable urge to hold him got to strong and I cheated a little each day. Oh boy do they get on new people about that. I think all this wait two weeks crap is so stressful on new people. Why not let him settle in over night and then keep your handling sessions small until they get used to you. Stop if they stop eating. That two weeks no handling thing is way too hard when you're a beginner and want to spend all day watching your new obsession.

I've fed all my new arrivals on day one since I got my second snake. Only one that didn't eat on day one was my leopard girl, who took food a few days later (she also had just taken her only prekilled meal before being shipped to me and I was offering her first F/T).

I agree there is too much "you have to do it this way". I don't follow all of that stuff anymore. It was a good starting point and now I've moved on. I adjust for the individual snake and go by what I've gained so far. (still a newb though since I'm only around a year and half in)

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I think you are missing the bigger picture here.

Those are not rules, those are guidelines that experienced people know will work with new owners to get them on track as easy and as fast as possible.

Does that mean you should not experiment when you have experience under your belt? NO

Do it mean people who provide those guidelines apply them to themselves? NO

I feed the evening of an arrival, I don't use a hot spot most of the year and I do many other things I would not recommend.
Why don't I recommend them to less experienced people? Because they probably would have issues and my goal here is to help new owners get started until they have sufficient knowledge and understanding of their animals.

[Rob]

I think you are missing the bigger picture here.

Those are not rules, those are guidelines that experienced people know will work with new owners to get them on track as easy and as fast as possible.

Does that mean you should not experiment when you have experience under your belt? NO

Do it mean people who provide those guidelines apply them to themselves? NO

I completely get what your saying, and I agree that most people that are experienced are more open to hearing why someone chooses to do something non conventional. My biggest issue is it seems to me that when you come out and say " I do X" that isn't by the book. A lot of people are quick to jump on that person for not following the set rules. The rules are a great starting point,I just hope to bring it to attention that there are more than one ways to skin a cat. And if something is working you they shouldn't feel like they will be barraded if they admit to it.

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[Rob]

Double post

[Evenstar]

I think you are missing the bigger picture here.

Those are not rules, those are guidelines that experienced people know will work with new owners to get them on track as easy and as fast as possible.

Does that mean you should not experiment when you have experience under your belt? NO

Do it mean people who provide those guidelines apply them to themselves? NO

I feed the evening of an arrival, I don't use a hot spot most of the year and I do many other things I would not recommend.
Why don't I recommend them to less experienced people? Because they probably would have issues and my goal here is to help new owners get started until they have sufficient knowledge and understanding of their animals.

^^^ Extremely well said.

I completely get what your saying, and I agree that most people that are experienced are more open to hearing why someone chooses to do something non conventional. My biggest issue is it seems to me that when you come out and say " I do X" that isn't by the book. A lot of people are quick to jump on that person for not following the set rules. The rules are a great starting point,I just hope to bring it to attention that there are more than one ways to skin a cat. And if something is working you they shouldn't feel like they will be barraded if they admit to it.

I think what happens here is one of two things:

1) The person stating "I do X" may have already come across as a newbie - either they've asked newbie questions (note: nothing wrong with that!!) or they've made certain comments that make them appear new to the hobby. Therefore, they get hit with more experienced people saying "you need to follow these guidelines..."

2) The people offering the rules or guidelines as advice may be new themselves and a) don't know what else to say because they don't know any differently or b) are trying to sound more experienced than what they are.


"Rules" I don't follow (for boa constrictors as they are mainly what I work with): My temps are a touch cooler than the recommended norm (ambient is usually around 76-77). I do use a hotspot year round, but its not usually set as high as the standard 90. I don't feed on a very regular schedule, I feed when my snakes appear hungry. I don't always wait for them to drop a poo before feeding again. I feed when they are in shed. I tend to feed prey that is smaller than the norm (which is a guideline I WILL recommend to newbies since boas are too often overfed, lol). And I usually offer a new arrival a feeding the next night or within the next day or two.

Just my .02

[PitOnTheProwl]

I am "two faced" on this.......................

There are the "general guidelines" that I will tell people the how and to dos.

Then there is the other side............ "What works in one house wont work in another"

Example, I nebulized the one RI I had and the couple brought to me BUT I will always recommend a trip to the vet.