# 10 Tips To Becoming A Top Exotic Pet Keeper...



## I Love Reptiles (Dec 30, 2008)

*Hi guys, i have decided to post this thread - and give people my top 10 tips to become a top exotic pet keeper!







*

*SO - HERE ARE MY TOP 10 TIPS:*
*1.* - *Make A Commitment:* To first thing you need to do to become a prime reptile keeper is to have the need and the want to do it and expand in the hobby! Show concistancey and keep telling yourself how much you want to learn, enjoy and get better at keeping them!
*2.* - *Read, Read, Read Again And Some More:* You won't expand your knowledge at all by sitting around in front of the box - and you won't expand it that much by just going out and buying a new reptile! This forum will help you, also! You need to get out there - reaserch and learn the best techniques and facts in every aspect of keeping exotics! Via books, the internet, this forum or freinds and family!
*3.* - *Join A Club:* If you know of a local herp club - join it! If your an experienced reptile keeper, you'll have fun teaching the techniqes of the hobby to the learners and vise versa!
*4.* - *Keep Notes:* Try to have a diary or record book or log - to keep the knowledge of your reptiles and your ways of keeping them. This will make it easier to diagnose an illness for a reptile vet - if they have a breif history of your pet, and its a good way of comparing results and understanding how they live!
*5.* - *Know Your Eqwiptment:* Not even the best reptile keeping eqwiptment in the world will be of any use to you if you don't know how to use it and what it's for! Like with _tip number 2_, reading - get out there and find out! You'll benifit from it!
*6.* - *Learning New Skills:* Never, ever give up! Your probley fed up of hearing that - but if you, say - can't hold a snake - you won't learn to do so by sitting there and moaning about it! Take your time - and progress - with everyting!
*7.* - *Know The Risks:* If you buy, say - a small python - and you love it more than anything- but one day it bites you - and you hate it? Is that the case? It is a lot of the time but it shouldn't be! Don't buy an exotic until your sure of the risks and your still not scard of buying one - that shows that you are a devoted and commited herp keeper who cares about the reptiles and their well-being - not the bites if they should ever do so!
*8.* - *Specilise:* Once you've learnt how to care for your simple reptiles such as small snakes and lizards - think about the reptile you love most and learn more about it and specilise in it's species!
*9.* - *Get A Magazine:* Like with _tip number 3_, joining a club, a herp magazine can benifit you extremly by exchanging the top tips and techniqes of keeping exotics!
*10.* - *Travel:* Don't just stick to learning about the reptiles in your area - travel around the UK or even worldwide gathering information and knowledge of the different worldwide species and tactics of careing for them!

*So, this is my guide to becoming a top exotic pet keeper! What do you think?







*

*Good luck and i hope this information helps!







*


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## linzys-snakes (Oct 18, 2007)

lol.....


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

11. Learn to use a dictionary


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## HERP-man (Dec 22, 2008)

LOL @ comment above & spelling.


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

selina20 said:


> 11. Learn to use a dictionary


give the chap a break he is trying to help people no need 2 take the p**s out of his spelling


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## kaimarion (Dec 31, 2007)

selina20 said:


> 11. Learn to use a dictionary


Or use Google Chrome as it checks your spelling :no1:.

Not too bad but 3.5/5 from me here.


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## Zak (Jan 7, 2008)

cubeykc said:


> give the chap a break he is trying to help people no need 2 take the p**s out of his spelling


You say that but as people have said spelling is easy to rectify with spell checkers etc. It all adds or detracts from how the article reads, would you trust and believe a poorly written book on article or reptile care? Or think 'hey if they cant even spell what chance have they got of writting down the correct thing.'

Efforts good but some of the points like 3 and 9 arent the easiest to achieve. A point about planning perhaps, like sorting out a vets before getting the animal, holiday provisions, emergency health care items etc.


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

Zak said:


> You say that but as people have said spelling is easy to rectify with spell checkers etc. It all adds or detracts from how the article reads, *would you trust and believe a poorly written book on article* *or reptile care? Or think 'hey if they cant even spell what chance have they got of writting down the correct thing.'*
> 
> Efforts good but some of the points like 3 and 9 arent the easiest to achieve. A point about planning perhaps, like sorting out a vets before getting the animal, holiday provisions, emergency health care items etc.


 
not being funny tho we dont know the reasons why he/she cant spell yes there is spell check but he may not know how to use it 

and i cant spell to save my life so i can understand how hard it is for some one but he is trying to help people and he should not be critersize or have fun made out of him for poor spelling


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## lynneowen1 (Jun 5, 2008)

A+ for effort hun.


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## I Love Reptiles (Dec 30, 2008)

*Thank you to everyone that is helping to back me up on this. e.g - cubeykc.*



*But to be honest, i don't appriciate you taking the mick out of me for this. am 13 - and i've never been a good speller - but i do try - c'mon - give me credit for that for god sakes! *



*I didn't have to write this thread to try and help people!*



*And no - i didn't even know this thing had a spell checker so wouldn't have known how to use it!*



*Yes - i can use a dictonary - I'm just not going to sit here with one in front of me and take 5 mins to look up every single word i can't spell! At least i tried.*



*Plus - i type really fast so i may ACCIDENTLY add or miss out or get some letters wrong.*


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

I Love Reptiles said:


> *Thank you to everyone that is helping to back me up on this. e.g - cubeykc.*
> 
> *But to be honest, i don't appriciate you taking the mick out of me for this. am 13 - and i've never been a good speller - but i do try - c'mon - give me credit for that for god sakes! *
> 
> ...


no probs m8 keep up the good work


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## Zak (Jan 7, 2008)

We're not having a go, some of the criticism hasnt been 100% constructive but it rarely is. We've all said well done for effort but have also pointed out where you could better it. Would it be better we just said well done and not try and make it better? I think a good ten points would be a great sticky in the newbie section but it would need to not have spelling mistakes and the like.

If you type fast, then before you hit post go back and reread the thread and iron out spelling mistakes etc, it takes no time and it isnt a rush to get a post up on here.


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## iiisecondcreep (Oct 29, 2007)

Looks good, well done 




Ps, The spelling was better than it is in 99% of internet forum posts!


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## sami (Oct 23, 2006)

Some very good points there.. we do all of those! :2thumb:


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## Fraggle (Feb 24, 2008)

stop being such mean b:censor:s!!! as far as i am aware we have a 13 year old very keen on being a good rep keeper and all hes done is written a list of all the things you _should_ do that many of the 'wise old adults' on here dont...

i thought this was a reptile forum, not an online english examination board... are you saying you would trust someone with reps just because they can use a spellcheck? now that is what _i_ call stupid... lol


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

fraggle said:


> stop being such mean b:censor:s!!! as far as i am aware we have a 13 year old very keen on being a good rep keeper and all hes done is written a list of all the things you _should_ do that many of the 'wise old adults' on here dont...
> 
> i thought this was a reptile forum, not an online english examination board... are you saying you would trust someone with reps just because they can use a spellcheck? now that is what _i_ call stupid... lol


well said m8


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## Fraggle (Feb 24, 2008)

cubeykc said:


> well said m8


lol, well i personally know english teachers i wouldn't trust to tie my bloody shoelaces lol! brains and common sense are two entirely different things...


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## SWMorelia (May 15, 2007)

Not a bad effort, it shows you are thinking of it as a whole and not just 'my pet snake'
As for spelling use Mozilla firefox with the spell check built in.... I do and I spel grat..


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

fraggle said:


> lol, well i personally know english teachers i wouldn't trust to tie my bloody shoelaces lol! brains and common sense are two entirely different things...


your not wrong there lol


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## Fraggle (Feb 24, 2008)

SW-morelia said:


> Not a bad effort, it shows you are thinking of it as a whole and not just 'my pet snake'
> As for spelling use Mozilla firefox with the spell check built in.... I do and I spel grat..


haha!!! i dunno about you lot but i can spell just fine- my grades in English were great but i cant *type* to save my life!!!! i would gladly swap the 2 and wuss out on a spellcheck like all the 'experts' on here clearly do... lol

i just dont understand why its all that important- its a forum, not a proffessional book lol. i assumed it was a casual place where you could chat to other keepers about probs and your reps, if i realised you had to get your comments checked over by your head of English before you posted your final draft i would have joined a different forum, hehehehe!!!


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## SWMorelia (May 15, 2007)

fraggle said:


> haha!!! i dunno about you lot but i can spell just fine- my grades in English were great but i cant *type* to save my life!!!! i would gladly swap the 2 and wuss out on a spellcheck like all the 'experts' on here clearly do... lol
> 
> i just dont understand why its all that important- its a forum, not a proffessional book lol. i assumed it was a casual place where you could chat to other keepers about probs and your reps, if i realised you had to get your comments checked over by your head of English before you posted your final draft i would have joined a different forum, hehehehe!!!


My spelling is OK but a check is needed to keep me in line....
As for typing, I'm a two finger typist.... Luckily thats the speed my brain works at so they are synchronised...LOL


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## Fraggle (Feb 24, 2008)

SW-morelia said:


> My spelling is OK but a check is needed to keep me in line....
> As for typing, I'm a two finger typist.... Luckily thats the speed my brain works at so they are synchronised...LOL


hahaha!!! im useless at typing, well, anything computer related really!!! i couldnt find a spellcheck on here even if i wanted to- last time i used one was yr 9 in business studies and that was back when word in windows 92 and that crap programme with the turtle and co-ordinates was about as hi-tech as it got... lol! pleeeease say someone on this thread is old enough to remember that... :blush:


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## sanderson (Aug 5, 2008)

I'm sorry but I am shocked by the responses to this post, it is a good post and people who have commented on the bad spelling maybe don't realize how it feels. 

I am very dyslectic and can't spell to save my life and i know how it feels to have people make rude comments about my spelling, its a horrid feeling! I do try but fact is i can't spell some words and i don't even know where to start. He is only 13 give him a break... Is it worth hurting someones feelings just because you can't be bothered to figure out what the word should be? : victory:


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## lola (Dec 11, 2007)

I Love Reptiles - What you wrote contains lots of very valid points and is clearly put too : victory: I'm impressed - you obviously put a lot of thought into your ten tips!! 

And as for those having a go at your spelling and grammar - take it all with a pinch of salt, if those criticising it have only got that to complain about then I reckon you've done a flippin' good job with your advice sheet - so chin up & keep up the good work ok :2thumb:


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## Fraggle (Feb 24, 2008)

(?) said:


> You say that but as people have said spelling is easy to rectify with spell checkers etc. It all adds or detracts from how the article reads, would you trust and believe a poorly written book on article or reptile care? Or think 'hey if they cant even spell what chance have they got of writting down the correct thing.'
> 
> .


...and don't you just love how those going on about spell checkers _clearly_ use one themselves... :lol2:


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## Sid.lola (Jan 10, 2008)

My ex writes. He's dyslexic and has awful spelling. That's what proof-readers are for.

Some good tips in there!


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## I Love Reptiles (Dec 30, 2008)

Thank you. If there is anything i've missed out on here, please feel free to share it wth us on this thread. :2thumb:


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