# Giving Reptile Owners A Bad Name



## ghostmonkey (Mar 7, 2015)

Hi everyone 
I am a newbie to the reptile hobby after years of thinking about it finally got a female ball python which I adore. I know she is going to just be the start in terms of building a collection of reptiles as pets that I'll have for their natural life span.
Which is the issue I wanted to bring up on here. Going on gumtree and preloved etc, I cant believe the amount of reptile pets people seem to get rid of after a year or two. There is always some sort of reason i.e to busy with job etc and this may occasionally be true but I'll bet most of the time its down to loss of interest, not realizing the effort needed to care for the animal or loss of control due to size increase. For **** sake do some research and think about it for a few months before you buy a creature that will live 20 years.This kind of thing gives the real hobbyists such as most of the people on here a bad name to be used by organizations such as the APA to paint us all in a bad light to the general public. Its actually depressed me to the point that I've stopped looking on these sites and am just using this forum as present.
Sorry rant over and much love and respect to all of you on here for your knowledge and insight into this amazing world.


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## Central Scotland Reptiles (Nov 23, 2008)

I agree although I don't think, unfortunately, this mentality is specific to reptiles (although I appreciate we are on a reptile related forum!!) 

In all honesty, I think instead of asking: "Is this animal right for me?" people need to ask themsleves (and be brutally honest) "Am I right for this animal?" 

The species I feel sorry for the most are the hundreds of dogs and cats who establish an actual relationship with their owner only to be rehomed when the owner can't be bothered commiting the time and effort to the requirements of the particular breed / species. 



ghostmonkey said:


> Hi everyone
> I am a newbie to the reptile hobby after years of thinking about it finally got a female ball python which I adore. I know she is going to just be the start in terms of building a collection of reptiles as pets that I'll have for their natural life span.
> Which is the issue I wanted to bring up on here. Going on gumtree and preloved etc, I cant believe the amount of reptile pets people seem to get rid of after a year or two. There is always some sort of reason i.e to busy with job etc and this may occasionally be true but I'll bet most of the time its down to loss of interest, not realizing the effort needed to care for the animal or loss of control due to size increase. For **** sake do some research and think about it for a few months before you buy a creature that will live 20 years.This kind of thing gives the real hobbyists such as most of the people on here a bad name to be used by organizations such as the APA to paint us all in a bad light to the general public. Its actually depressed me to the point that I've stopped looking on these sites and am just using this forum as present.
> Sorry rant over and much love and respect to all of you on here for your knowledge and insight into this amazing world.


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## ghostmonkey (Mar 7, 2015)

Agree with you totally on cats and dogs. I would love a dog but being single and working 10 hour days means it would be unpractical and cruel to leave a dog on its own that much. Unfortunately I know of people who think its OK to do that then wonder why the dog wrecks their house or shows behavioral problems.


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## Badgerroy (Mar 16, 2015)

It's not just reptile but animals in general. When I got my Rottweiler George he was 2 years old and I was his 5th registered owner on his microchip, he is very insecure and can't be left alone as he panics. however he is now my baby and you would have to prise him away from my cold dead fingers to get him away from me.


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

You can't compare cats and dogs to reptiles - cats and dogs develop an emotional bond with their keepers - reptiles don't


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## Badgerroy (Mar 16, 2015)

sharpstrain said:


> You can't compare cats and dogs to reptiles - cats and dogs develop an emotional bond with their keepers - reptiles don't


So that makes it ok to pass them on from keeper to keeper does it?


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

Badgerroy said:


> So that makes it ok to pass them on from keeper to keeper does it?



Don't put words into my mouth matey


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

What get's my back up.
There is very little effort in care involved with reptiles, much much less effort than any mammal species. 

Most would prefer to be left alone, for some reason i.e green iguanas, if you google any care sheet right now, there is a strong emphasis and generalised viewpoint that if they don't tame, you have failed as a keeper. 

Utter nonsense, people shouldn't even be expecting a tame animal, if they get one, that is a bonus! not a nessceity, providing the animal can be maintained, moved from A-B (enclosure to outside) (to the vets) that is what is needed. 

The days are long gone where people just can't keep, and recreate, a great wonderful piece of nature in the home, and observe a full repituare of full natural behavior in all of it's great wonderful glory. 
I have rescued and rehabilitated many of these animals, they don't want your interaction, they will be conditioned to your presences with constant routine anyways, there is nothing in terms of special effort in it. 

They don't really want our interaction. 
It defies the laws of their hardwired, biological, genetic coding. 
We are talking hundreds of millions of years in some cases, the human species is what? 200,000 years old, get out of here LOL, a handful of decades, captively keeping them, isn't going to change that, if you want a cuddly dog tame cat, then get one, not a reptile. 

And there is my rant over. : victory:


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## Khonsu (May 20, 2009)

I note the OP's sentiments & to a large extent agree however people are fickle creatures at best, today they love something more than they've ever loved anything in thier life, tomorrow it's old hat. People change hobbies like the UK weather, it's different every bloody day.

I've kept reptiles for many a year but I can't if I'm absolutely honest say i'll have them for ever, that's not to say that isn't the intention but nyou never know what tomorrow brings.

I do agree that too many peeps have bought a monkey, snake, fish, dog or kangaroo without thinking it through & after a day/month/year realise its not for them for whatever reason but then I guess it's better they sell it rather than neglect it. There are those who buy to make a quick buck "See my morphin Balls mortals & weep at the price" it generally isn't long before they are saying "Breeding project for sale" 

As said we as a whole are fickle bastards.


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## Badgerroy (Mar 16, 2015)

sharpstrain said:


> Don't put words into my mouth matey



I put nothing in your mouth (oo er Mrs) 

I was simply asking if that was what you meant as that was what it sounded like.


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