MJC Serpents...

Mindy, there is nothing wrong with having a heart and caring and even loving your animals. None of us would be in it if we didn't care. Don't worry about Andy, I really don't have a very high opinion of him even after all this. He is a grown man and should know better. Just keep doing the right things and you will fit into this community very well. Pay attention to your QT, and test whenever you suspect anything in your collection. And by all means, keep a heart, it makes you a better keeper and seller. Keep an open mind and keep learning.

Just remember that if it weren't for Andy, this would have never ended. And by "ended" I mean the tests being done. He is the one who is getting me on my feet.

I'm confident this site gave you a push, too!

Originally Posted by Guy Castro

I'm confident this site gave you a push, too!

^^^^^^^ This.


Mindy, there are a lot of members on this forum that don't mind (heck, some even love!) mentoring young herp enthusiasts. It's your age bracket that will rapidly replace the retiring keepers/breeders out there and determine the future of this industry.

If I could give you any advice, it would be to humble yourself and find one. You need a mentor, and your boss Andy isn't one. The way Andy and his wife behaved, if you were my 18 year old child I would let you associate with them! And all your Facebook antics??? Search the pages of any of the professional breeders you idolize and might like to become one day and see if you read any nasty language or curse words on their pages. Or if they have "a list" like the stupid one you created of the members here trying to push you in the right direction.

If you really had wanted to, you would have found a way to afford those tests without your boss's generosity. But that's all water under the bridge, you got negatives.

Now just conduct yourself in a mature, professional manner and get a mentor who can teach you things you've always wanted to know. Do that, and you'll go far. Good luck.

Originally Posted by Magic

Mindy, there are a lot of members on this forum that don't mind (heck, some even love!) mentoring young herp enthusiasts. It's your age bracket that will rapidly replace the retiring keepers/breeders out there and determine the future of this industry.

Very true!

Originally Posted by Magic

If I could give you any advice, it would be to humble yourself and find one. You need a mentor, and your boss Andy isn't one. The way Andy and his wife behaved, if you were my 18 year old child I would let you associate with them! And all your Facebook antics??? Search the pages of any of the professional breeders you idolize and might like to become one day and see if you read any nasty language or curse words on their pages. Or if they have "a list" like the stupid one you created of the members here trying to push you in the right direction.

I like many other breeders I know, consider cursing in our business dealings and on our pages unprofessional.

Andy may be able to advise you on operating a store, but not in professionalism.

Not trying to get anything fired up, actually trying to do the opposite. But isn't this thread about the health of my snakes? The rest can be dealt with elsewhere, no? This thread keeps getting off track and started back up again with things that don't pertain to the initial and biggest issue in this thread. I have and have posted publicly the results of the testing conducted to ensure the health of my snakes. I'm not going to try to shove it down peoples' throats, if they feel leary and don't want to buy from me - so be it. I appreciate those who have privately conversed with me about the matters being brought back up in this thread. Now, please, why can't this thread just end on a good conclusion with the negative tests results? Everything else is more than covered. The viewers can choose for themselves what decisions they make and I respect them. Repeating the same things over and over doesn't make me want to comply, it does the opposite - it frustrates me. It would be greatly appreciated and a lot less stressful for everyone if this ends on a good note and we all let the future bring whatever it decides to bring, and go from there.

The thread is about you as MJC Serpents, not just the health of your snakes, that was simply an issue that arose during discussion. It's for people to review, ask questions and give feedback on their dealings with you. People can also post questions and continue discussion as long as it remains on topic.

Its not fair to me at all that we keep bouncing back to the same stuff. People are speaking about the future when the future isn't here yet. That's just how I feel. The more this keeps going the more people reading may not know that tests were ever conducted. Not many are going to go trhough this whole thread. That's all. People are judging me for things that haven't happened yet, if they ever do, and so on. I want to better myself, but I can't with this weighing me down. People should be more willing to give someone a chance.

Mindy, there are many prominent herpers who end up with a negative thread at one point or another. How you continue to conduct yourself in the face of the inquiry that is inherent to human nature, and ESPECIALLY potential clients is just as, if not more, important than the results of one health screening.

It's great you did the test, it's relieving that it was negative. That doesn't give you permission to revert to the defensive, hostile attitude that got you into this mess to begin with.

People don't believe until they see. They'll push you and prod you because they want to prove that you haven't really changed. The only way to prove them wrong is to respond in a polite, diplomatic and honest manner. This will put you at an advantage when potential customers read the thread.

I am not getting defensive or hostile. But why are people being given permission to poke me with sticks and expect me not to say anything about it?