People piss me off!

I, myself would be included.........

What the hell happened to us. I'm sure I'm not alone, think of when you were a kid. I was 9 when I busted a painted turtle laying eggs near my house. I ran my happy ass back home and ragged on my mom til she decided to go and help my dig them up and transplant them in our yard. I watched for hours on end, waiting for those heads to poke out in the chicken wire we had around them. I was young but I new what was gonna happen. After months of waiting we started digging, it seems at this point my other siblings and parents are more excited than I. Low and behold 6 out og 8 eggs were already hatching (we were not too bright and had packed the dirt a bit to firm over the eggs) It was better than Christmas. I was allowed to keep 3 ( Murtle, Buckwheat and Bashful) <----oh yeah, shut up, I was 9.......... and they were one of the best things to ever happen to me. I kept them alive and well for over 6 years.( I think they all expired as they have never hibernated and I let them go....)

Now, I get caught up in breeding balls which seemed like a ton of fun. Within no time it goes from fun to disgusting in a matter of a few years. Scams, fake hets, people with to many animals, GREED.

Long story short, I'm one of those who go from fun to asshole in minutes, it happened tonight. What I ask of all that read this is to think back at the passion for whatever brought you to reptiles and think of that daily.

Oh yeah, this were just my random thoughts and no replies are needed.

I know exactly how ya feel man.

Originally Posted by NEWReptiles

Long story short, I'm one of those who go from fun to asshole in minutes, it happened tonight. What I ask of all that read this is to think back at the passion for whatever brought you to reptiles and think of that daily.

Al,

The feelings are still there. I returned to reptiles a couple years ago aftet many years not having them.
They are awesome. One day, perhaps I will breed some, I've never seen a baby snake pop out of an egg, or a dragon baby hatch.

There are all those bad things you speak of as well, but that happens unfortunately throughout life. All I can say is concentrate on the good things in your life and try to avoid scammers and people who would do you wrong.

Al -

You have good reason to be aggravated, if not incensed.

Just remember - there are plenty of folks in the reptile world and on Fauna who are decent folks. The positive thing about when stuff like this happens is it exposes those who are indeed either cognitively or ethically challenged.

As much as I don't want to have to deal with scammers - I equally disdain the thought of dealing with the cognitively challenged. I'm fortunate in that for me this is a hobby - I truly have empathy for those who make a livelihood in the reptile industry.

I'm not a litigation zealot, but if this had happened to me - I'd at least have some strongly worded letters drafted (as in cease and desist your defamatory practices) and delivered to the principles in this matter via registered mail. I guess the problem with that plan would be that the recipients would actually have to comprehend that there are implications to their actions, which clearly they do not.

My butterfly nets, my many 2-1/2 and 5 gallon buckets with sections of screen for lids (held in place with over sized rubber bands), my snake hook (better known as a hockey stick), my ugly brown rubber boots with the bright yellow stripe around the top (which always seemed to end up with as much water and mud in them as on them), hearing my mothers always supportive voice ("Om my god, what the hell is that!!!") ..... countless hours in and around the creek, fields and woods...... oh yes, fond memories indeed.

Being a stupid angsty teen myself, I can't think back on 'Dem good ole days' as well as others. Though, I was have always been interested in bugs of all kinds, and can remember one fond moment in my life of stupidity. I was 8 and found a partially squished caterpillar. I took the caterpillar, got some antibiotic gel on to it's gaping wound, and smacked a band aid on, then leaving it to return to the wild

Unfortunately, scammers and bad guys will always be around. It is sad that they leave a black spot on the clean record of fauna.