Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been posting on other forums lately mainly one forum in particular almosts disgusts me. There are people who no and believe the health risk sand possess yet use it anyway. There are people asking questions about how much heating is required (they have the leopard gecko) yet do not have a single thermometer. There is someone who purchased a leo with a BODY thinner than a pencil, that person doesn't have a heat source, doesn't know what it should eat, doesn't know what temps it should be at, i am pretty sure it knows nothing about leopard geckos. IT is not only leopard geckos that people know little about but nearly all herps, people buying savanna monitors then asking questions that a simple caresheet would answer; like how big do they get, what size cage do i need, what do they eat, what temperatures are needed. And all of this is after they have the bought the herp. I am extremely glad i found kingsnake.com around christmas time it has taught be a lot. If i did not come here i would not have my ball python that i recently acquired, i would not be able to help the people who have been misleaded (by pet stores) keep their herp in good shape. Some people have never even read a single caresheet (it is extremely obvious who it is) about the acquired species. What angered me the most was when i saw a picture of that gecko with the body much thinner than a pencil and the owner of it thought nothing was wrong. The owner also said he/she was SAVING UP to buy a heat source for the gecko! Another thing that angers me is that i have only had my leopard gecko since september and i am more experienced in keeping them than anyone i noticed at that forum, i am not saying i know everything about them i am far from it. I think it is up to the posters at kingsnake.com who have the knowledge to help educate the posters at that forum and hopefully bring their leopard geckos into better health.

if anyone want the name of that forum feel free to e-mail me. Also it is not only leopard geckos that are being neglected by posters at that forum it is also ball pythons and tegus, but it is probably more because those are the only forums i went to.

--from a deeply saddened teenager--
jake
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0.1 Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 ball python (felix)
1.1 feral cats (Fuzzy, and Bear; it used to be fuzzy, wuzzy, bear)

i read all kinds of care sheets when ever i find them. the only prob is that so meny of them contradicts the others. for that reason im glad they have this forum. as ignorant as some ppl sound (im sure i have at one time or another) this forum is awsome and a great source for help, and just tips.
nevin
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1.1 brazilian rainbow baos-sunshine&chaos
1.1 leopard geckos-killer&sallean
1 blizzerd lizzard-grim
0.2.0 amazon tree boas-sweetness&?
0.1.0 kenyan sand boa-?
0.1.0 bearded dragon-?
1.0.0 uromastyx-chubby
2.0 brothers
0.2 sisters
3 cats-fat max, spiderman, &toby
1 miniture mutt-brutis

"dont be afraid to die, only be afraid to not live"

"dont ever get drunk with a hoodie on, eventually ur ganna think someone is behind you"

yes, peopole should READ ans ask more bfore they come to places like theses and ask some prety dumb@$$ qusetions just my 2cents-$Grant$
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numbers scare me....theres too many of them!

Yes, it is sad when there is so much information available for herp keepers, yet so many do not take the time or energy to learn. This is always going to happen... just look at Animal Planet where the cops go out and rescue some terribly neglected and abused animals.

Perhaps you can share your knowledge and experience with the people on that forum, and get the posters to realize that there is a wealth of information available out there. Maybe you can make a difference in their perspective, and willingness to learn. Believe me, I know how frustrating it can be to do that, and it takes a high level of patience and comittment, but we all started out the same way... not knowing the the proper way to care for our Leopard Geckos. It's OK not to know something, and to ask what might be perceived as 'dumb' questions. What isn't OK is not to consider the answer.
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com

I would very much appreciate it if you e-mailed me so i could give you the site name. I think someone of your knowledge in leopard geckos would help save the lives of some leos.
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0.1 Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 ball python (felix)
1.1 feral cats (Fuzzy, and Bear; it used to be fuzzy, wuzzy, bear)

You can email me with that information, and I would like to help. But, keep in mind that I have a whole lot on my plate with all of my geckos and keeping up on this forum (as well as another one.) I was hoping that you could help save the lives of many geckos by posting your advise from the knowledge you have gained.
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com

Hi

I agree with you Marcia. He can go there and give it a try at getting these people straightened around with some correct advice and then if there is an answer he can't help them with, he can come her and ask it and then take the answer back to that forum with him.

Also, if he happens to come across a really hard question or is having trouble knocking some good common sence into someone, then he can come here and ask that you go there and help him with that specific question.

No, I'am not saying everyone on that web page is dum or anything, they just need good help sometimes.

Every time I go to a board before getting a herp I get scorned for even asking about the care, this has happened at every board except the corn snake board, in fact one person from THIS board completely humiliated me on another board when asking questions.

I think ALL of us (including me) need to step back at times and remind ourselves that every one of us started out at the same place. Where it becomes frustrating is when people ask for help and advise, but don't take it or want to argue about it.
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com