Newbies-Idiots? hot topic

[sneeze]

I'm a newb - and possibly an idiot too. My son had surgery for a brain tumour and my hubby and I said that after treatment he could have anything he wanted. He wanted a pet blue tongue lizard. We started researching.

We read and read and read more. We spoke to our vet, breeders, the guys down the road who have reptiles, owners of blue tongues, we googled, spoke to pet stores to obtain as much info as we could. After a 6 month period we got the tank set up and got our gorgeous blue guy. We felt well prepared. Suddenly our bluey got sick on the public holidays. I jumped on this forum for advice, information and support until I could get him to the vet. I then got further advice on how to give antibotics. Everyone was more than helpful and polite, even had offers of help and phone numbers PMd to me.

Without that help I could have easily failed miserably in my care and duty to my blue tongue and to my son due to my rising panic. The help of more experienced pet owners was totally invaluable to me. The point is that no matter how prepared you think you are sometimes the unexpected pops up and in a panic you turn to other people for help and advice. I would hate for someone else to not get the level of help and care that I received. Today I was telling my vet how great this forum was.

I run a dog minding business and get asked the same questions a million times by clients. Sometimes the answer to the question seems so obvious. But I always answer as best I can and try to be helpful. I always have the dogs best interest in mind. If they don't accept my advice or question it, so be it. They will eventually pay the price with their dogs behaviour or health.

I hope those who find us newbies annoying will reconsider how they respond after reading how helpful I found this forum.

 

[sookie]

To impulse buy a reptile you must be walking around with some decent cash in your pocket.no store will let the impulse buyer walk out with just the snake.you have tanks,bowls,lights,sub strate,vines and plants,heatpads and the snake.oh and vitamins etc if they need it like beardies do.

 

[Retta4jungles]

what about making it a bit harder to get your license? I know in Qld it's just fill out a form, pay your money and wait. It might weed out those impulse buyers.

Yes DM, i was really surprised and a little horrified that it was so easy

 

[abnrmal91]

To impulse buy a reptile you must be walking around with some decent cash in your pocket.no store will let the impulse buyer walk out with just the snake.you have tanks,bowls,lights,sub strate,vines and plants,heatpads and the snake.oh and vitamins etc if they need it like beardies do.

People don't always buy from shops. In NSW they can't be sold in shops. So people do impulse buy and all they normally have is a snake, small heat pad and little enclosure. They then wonder why the snake won't eat.

You can easily pick up a hatchy for $100-$200 so it's not a great deal of money.

 

[Danger_Mouse]

To impulse buy a reptile you must be walking around with some decent cash in your pocket.no store will let the impulse buyer walk out with just the snake.you have tanks,bowls,lights,sub strate,vines and plants,heatpads and the snake.oh and vitamins etc if they need it like beardies do.

When I got my first snake I showed a friend. The next day he had filled and sent off his license application, within a week of getting it he bought his first snake, didn't last long before he wanted to get rid of it.

 

[Retta4jungles]

When I got my first snake I showed a friend. The next day he had filled and sent off his license application, within a week of getting it he bought his first snake, didn't last long before he wanted to get rid of it.

That is sad and i can understand why people would ge upset by people who do that sort of thing.

 

[longqi]

Exactly what is wrong with snake, heat, and small enclosure??
Probably the vast majority of snakes are kept in exactly those conditions?
Yet mine eat... Yours eat...Why theirs dont eat is the important question [if they dont eat]
.They are the three most important ingredients in any set up
It is how they are set up that is important
I have exactly 2 heat pads and a fair number of slitherers
Both heat pads were unwanted gifts that I dont waste my time using
I have thermostats that are only ever used in nesting boxes

Am I some cruel monster who doesnt look after his beasties?
Or do I like simplicity and knowing that I will never have to say "I cooked my snake"

Vitamins for beardies??
Take the poor little buggers outside in the sun and let them forage as they absorb natural 'vitamins' from the sun
They love dandelions etc
Good mixed diet is much better for any creature than something from a bottle
[excepting my beer of course]

 

[abnrmal91]

It's not that there is anything wrong with heat and enclosure. It's that they ate missing things thermostat (differing opinions but I use them), hides. Reptiles are expensive and quite often newer owners don't realize how much they have to spend to get everything right.

 

[Banjo]

what about making it a bit harder to get your license? I know in Qld it's just fill out a form, pay your money and wait. It might weed out those impulse buyers.

Totally agree with you DM.

 

[Renenet]

I disagree with that, have you ever tried to use the search function on here....it's absolutely useless.....And as far as researching the net goes , not everyone is computer savvy.

Agree on both counts. I consider myself computer savvy and I have trouble with the search facility. It must be really difficult for people who aren't computer literate to figure out how to use it. I find it more effective to search this site using Google.

 

[abnrmal91]

Saximus has said it a couple of times on different threads but you can use google to search for things but go into the advanced search and only search the APS website

 

[Just_Plain_Nuts]

Agree on both counts. I consider myself computer savvy and I have trouble with the search facility. It must be really difficult for people who aren't computer literate to figure out how to use it. I find it more effective to search this site using Google.

yes it is sadly

 

[dangles]

Agree on both counts. I consider myself computer savvy and I have trouble with the search facility. It must be really difficult for people who aren't computer literate to figure out how to use it. I find it more effective to search this site using Google.

ive just lodged a support ticket here to see if they can set the search engine on this site to be thread title by default which should make the search on this site better

 

[Retta4jungles]

ive just lodged a support ticket here to see if they can set the search engine on this site to be thread title by default which should make the search on this site better

Thank you dangles, im sure that would help im not computer savy at all, i just learnt how to change my avatar! lol so finding help on here can be alittle difficult for people like me

 

[Just_Plain_Nuts]

so we will see an avatar for you soon and you wont look so backward and computer illiterate...hahahaha

 

[Retta4jungles]

so we will see an avatar for you soon and you wont look so backward and computer illiterate...hahahaha

well i cant guarantee anything lol

People don't always buy from shops. In NSW they can't be sold in shops. So people do impulse buy and all they normally have is a snake, small heat pad and little enclosure. They then wonder why the snake won't eat.

You can easily pick up a hatchy for $100-$200 so it's not a great deal of money.

Qld would do well if they had that law here, i have not come across one pet shop that actually knew what they were talking about. All my pet shop experiences have not been good, money and advice wise...