1dragonett
Active Member
I had a repairperson come around today to look at our fireplace, as it needs some minor repairs (well DUH, of course, why else would a repairman come over!! lol)
Anyway, he rocked up with his son/apprentice/worker - who was about 20ish I guess.
Well, I have the reptiles in the loungeroom where the fireplace is, and the son goes straight to them and starts tapping on the glass. I told him to stop and why, and he reluctantly did. Seeing an interested person, I asked if he knew anything about reptiles, and if he would like a hold. OMGoodness - I wish I had shut my mouth.
He immediently reached in and picked up my beadie with no front legs BY THE TIP OF HIS TAIL! The poor thing nearly had a freaking heartattack!! Not only did he do it SO badly, this little guy needs to be supported on his WHOLE body length as he has only his back legs for support. I snatched the poor thing away, and AGAIN had to explain why and how.
Well, this little know-all proceeds to tell me how he's had TONS of reptiles, and knows ALL about them. Then goes on and on and on about how badly my cages are set up, that my lizards are in poor condition (two are shedding at the moment and my common IS looking his age), and I SHOULD be feeding them this and that (mind you, he never even ASKED what I feed them) that the snake is overweight and should have this and that in its cage...... blah blah blah.
I let him rant on and on while his dad went up on the roof and did his thing. When he stopped for a breath (and I THINK he was contemplating opening the OTHER lizards door) I asked him how old his reptiles were. He replied that he didn't have any at the moment, but that his last beardie had been 3yrs old when it died, and that was a really good age for lizards. And I asked him how HE had HIS cages set up (the whole 'breathless useless female" thing) and he obliged me by telling me EVERYTHING he had set up.
*I really really struggled to breathe at this stage - and NOT punch him repeatedly in the head*
OMG!! I nearly cried!! I'm suprised that poor thing lived longer than 3 months!! HOW on earth it survived 3yrs is just testiment to how sturdy these poor bastards are! I won't go into too much detail - but suffice to say, WAAAAAAAY to hot, then waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too cold, little to NO water, and....wait for it...... Mince meat and CAT FOOD!!!!!!!!!
I explained that my babies were nearly 6 years old and in extremely good health. That in the setups I had were actually what you SHOULD have, and explained diet to him.
His dad had gotten back inside by this stage, and listened really closely, and asked lots of really intellegent questions - so I have a feeling HE understood what I was very politely trying to tell his son. But the know-it-all son brushed off all my explainations, and basically said that i didn't know what I was talking about.
I just pray that this 'person' never ever gets another reptile. I told him as they were leaving, that unfortuantly he sounded very much like a person who likes the knowledge of an 'alternative' pet, but lacks the understanding and willingness to learn about them. I told both of them that if they ever wanted to get another reptile, to please do their research first, or call me or come here or any of the hundreds of ways to learn more!
Lets just hope that Dad can speak some sense to the little poo head!
Anyway, he rocked up with his son/apprentice/worker - who was about 20ish I guess.
Well, I have the reptiles in the loungeroom where the fireplace is, and the son goes straight to them and starts tapping on the glass. I told him to stop and why, and he reluctantly did. Seeing an interested person, I asked if he knew anything about reptiles, and if he would like a hold. OMGoodness - I wish I had shut my mouth.
He immediently reached in and picked up my beadie with no front legs BY THE TIP OF HIS TAIL! The poor thing nearly had a freaking heartattack!! Not only did he do it SO badly, this little guy needs to be supported on his WHOLE body length as he has only his back legs for support. I snatched the poor thing away, and AGAIN had to explain why and how.
Well, this little know-all proceeds to tell me how he's had TONS of reptiles, and knows ALL about them. Then goes on and on and on about how badly my cages are set up, that my lizards are in poor condition (two are shedding at the moment and my common IS looking his age), and I SHOULD be feeding them this and that (mind you, he never even ASKED what I feed them) that the snake is overweight and should have this and that in its cage...... blah blah blah.
I let him rant on and on while his dad went up on the roof and did his thing. When he stopped for a breath (and I THINK he was contemplating opening the OTHER lizards door) I asked him how old his reptiles were. He replied that he didn't have any at the moment, but that his last beardie had been 3yrs old when it died, and that was a really good age for lizards. And I asked him how HE had HIS cages set up (the whole 'breathless useless female" thing) and he obliged me by telling me EVERYTHING he had set up.
*I really really struggled to breathe at this stage - and NOT punch him repeatedly in the head*
OMG!! I nearly cried!! I'm suprised that poor thing lived longer than 3 months!! HOW on earth it survived 3yrs is just testiment to how sturdy these poor bastards are! I won't go into too much detail - but suffice to say, WAAAAAAAY to hot, then waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too cold, little to NO water, and....wait for it...... Mince meat and CAT FOOD!!!!!!!!!
I explained that my babies were nearly 6 years old and in extremely good health. That in the setups I had were actually what you SHOULD have, and explained diet to him.
His dad had gotten back inside by this stage, and listened really closely, and asked lots of really intellegent questions - so I have a feeling HE understood what I was very politely trying to tell his son. But the know-it-all son brushed off all my explainations, and basically said that i didn't know what I was talking about.
I just pray that this 'person' never ever gets another reptile. I told him as they were leaving, that unfortuantly he sounded very much like a person who likes the knowledge of an 'alternative' pet, but lacks the understanding and willingness to learn about them. I told both of them that if they ever wanted to get another reptile, to please do their research first, or call me or come here or any of the hundreds of ways to learn more!
Lets just hope that Dad can speak some sense to the little poo head!
But he was a quick little bugger! I was already telling him off (so to speak) by the time he had lifted Leggy off his rock!
