A Comment on this Forum
Here’s my situation: I’m new to leos, and to reptiles in general. I have some experience with behaviour and none with breeding. I do, however, have some experience with getting cage temps right and have answered questions (several times, the same answer) about setting up cage temps. I’ve also experience both crix and mealies, and feel that I can competently compare the two.
I’ve only been using this board for the past few months, and already I’m hesitant to answer questions. The same ones keep popping up, and people come to this board having done zero research. If I see ‘I’m thinking about getting a leo, what kind of cage, temps, food, humidity, etc, etc, etc’ I just ignore it. There’s a reason google exists. If you do the research, you’ll find that there are contradicting views on just about every aspect of leo care. This is because there are more than one ‘right’ answers and options to everything.
Whenever someone comes on and says ‘how come nobody will help me???’, I just kind of shake my head because often there’s a good reason. Some of these reasons have already been summed up in previous posts, but here’s what some of us are dealing with:
1)It’s exam time and a good deal of the people on this forum are students. We found that out last month when I asked ‘what does everyone do’ and 75% were ‘student’. It’s exam time right now for university/college students. During exams I typically spend 14 hours a day locked in my room studying for 3+ weeks. That means I have no time free time to sift through the forum and say ‘you should use mealworms because….’. When I do get free time, I spend it with my gecko. That is the point of having one…Although I still try to post the theories and ideas that I’ve found. But if you asked questions and got answers quickly 3-4 weeks ago, realize that was before exams started, and people had time then.
2)It’s the holidays. When I’m not writing exams or working I’m moving stuff to my parents place to get ready to move back for a couple weeks over the break. If I’m not doing that, I’m probably doing my xmas shopping.
3)The same questions constantly surface. “If I use an UTH, what wattage of bulb/CHE should I use?”- Unless someone has the EXACT same setup as you, it’s trial and error. Nobody can answer this exactly. “Should I feed mealworms or crickets?” – There’s no right answer. It’s your call. Search the net and read through the previous forum pages and archives to see what others think. ‘Sand or Pellets or Paper towels or slate or gravel’.- It’s in the archives…I could keep this section going forever…
So what’s my point? My point is that I can understand why the most experienced people here aren’t that interested in answering questions. It’s true that if you ask questions about genetics, you’ll probably get a quick response. That’s because the breeders are intrigued by this discussion and can offer new and valuable input. If you ask for life or death advice, you’ll get answers. But if it’s ‘When is my egg going to hatch?’ or ‘What exact size of light do I need?’, don’t be surprised if nobody knows. You’re not being snubbed, it’s just that nobody knows exactly. I didn’t post responses to the CHE question because not too long before it I had posted an answer about using a bulb and a UTH in combination and I’d never used CHE’s.
I know this is getting long, but I had to rant. I’ve been perusing the other forums (Uro and BD as I’m seriously looking into those animals) and the same thing is going on in the BD. People complain that nobody answers. The experts complain that they’re not required to answer and are tired of answering the same questions when the answers are easily attainable with a little research. So nobody should get all excited that they’re being snubbed or that the experienced people are all high and mighty. I agree that some people have been harshly criticized for their questions, but generally I’d say this forum is fair. If you show up and ask uneducated questions without doing research, you will be ignored or talked down to, that’s just the way it is.
In closing, thank you to the voices of reason. I’m sure I’ll miss some names, but here’s a short list of people who’s opinions I consider to be beyond reproach (or at least solid):
- Ross of LeosAnonymous
- Justyn of Intense Herpetoculture
- Monte of PowerGeckos
- Marcia of GoldenGateGeckos
- Fritz of…..well….Fritz
- Xelda
- DaveCable
- KelliH
Okay, I’m tired of typing. There are more, but those are the names that came to mind first as being people who’s advice has been helpful and logical. And man, do I ever love logic!
So I’ll continue to regurgitate knowledge and theories that I’ve heard as well as experiences I’ve had with my new pet, and hopefully everyone in the forum can take one of Monte’s hippie zen pills and employ his ‘chill’ philosophy. So to everyone out there complaining about not getting help, and everyone who’s complaining about being asked the same old questions (including myself): Chill. It’ll all work out fine. Now let’s all just get along.
Have a Merry xmas, Crazy Kwanza, Happy Chanukah, Solemn but dignified Ramadan, Spectacular Festivus, or whatever floats your boat.
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Blaine
0.0.1 High Yellow Juvenile Leo (Echo)
it's all the same. before i got my leo, i did about 2 months of research in random books, online care sheets, and previous discussions in the beginner lizard forum which is archived here in kingsnake (which is how i started up in here)... when i got worried or was curious about something, i posted here 2 ask... but at the same time i answered a lot of questions and directed them to google like what you're saying... and it's pretty much been the same.