Bad Guy Reptidoc Dr. Darryl G. Walker

[KelliH]

Most longtime herpetoculturists I know subscribe to the "feed the animal, not the feed card" mentality, as do most experienced zookeepers. Perhaps the snake was blue during that monthlong period of no feedings and he knew the animal would refuse?

Something about this thread just rubs me the wrong way. It seems quite odd to me that Josh would make something like this up out of the blue and post it here. Just doesn't smell right to me, sorry.

And Josh, for those that are disparaging you about receiving unemployment... well, let's just say that is a crappy thing for anyone to knock you for. "There but for the grace of God go I" is a phrase that maybe some of those folks should remind themselves, in this terrible economy at least.

No offense meant to anyone, I am just stating my opinion here. Peace and Love!

 

[Southern Wolf]

Most longtime herpetoculturists I know subscribe to the "feed the animal, not the feed card" mentality, as do most experienced zookeepers. Perhaps the snake was blue during that monthlong period of no feedings and he knew the animal would refuse?

Something about this thread just rubs me the wrong way. It seems quite odd to me that Josh would make something like this up out of the blue and post it here. Just doesn't smell right to me, sorry.

Kelli... you missed something. I'll bold it for ya

I had a trip of a live time that I could not turn down. I was out of town for 3 weeks. I have no one that I know in my area that know anything about snakes to come and feed my whole collection. So yes everyone went with out food. But as much as my girl friend hated it she watered them for me one a week. Once again sorry I do not have any sign notarized documents to back this up. Not that it matters. I give you all of this documents and still you find something that I did wrong. Besides she has eaten 30 mice or more in my care. In 6 months time with her eating atleast 30 mice that comes out to a mouse every 6 days. I am also not trying to feed them t6 much and make them over weight.

I just realized for I was told I feed my snakes to much now I am being told not enough. I am pretty much giving up nothing I do is good enough for you people. You want documents I provide them. The documents in your eyes are either fake or not good enough. Then I learn how to take pics of my computer screen (thanks Judy) and provide you will even more documents and you find something else to pick at me about.

What do you people want from me? Nothing makes you happy. Nothing even changes your mind in any way. I have done more then what is called for to prove I am right. i have jumped through every hoop you have asked me to. I have taken every insult you have dished out. Why dont we see some documents of Doc. Hell even just a bill of sale for god sakes. He is the one on trial. I stated this BOI about him. Yet no one has asked him for anything. If he was not the reputable name some think that he is you would be asking him everything as well. I am the only one that has shown you any proof of anything. He has only used his words and you believe everything that comes out of his mouth (or should I say fingers lol).

 

[KelliH]

Kelli... you missed something. I'll bold it for ya

OK, so the guy was out of town for 3 weeks and didn't feed anything for that long. A snake is not going to die without food for 3 weeks! I dunno man, I think what's pissing me off here is the "know it all" attitude that some people here seem to have. "No WONDER the snake hasn't grown!" etc. etc. Ridiculous.

 

[KelliH]

I mean, go back and look at the feed card for that snake in question. It had regular feedings with the exception of that one 3 week gap! (Sorry I had this thought after I hit submit) ;-)

 

[JudyC]

Most longtime herpetoculturists I know subscribe to the "feed the animal, not the feed card" mentality, as do most experienced zookeepers. Perhaps the snake was blue during that monthlong period of no feedings and he knew the animal would refuse?

What snake stays "blue" for a month? Besides which, he flat out said he decided to go on a trip and CHOSE to not feed his snakes while he was gone. He can offer up all the excuses he can think of, but to me, it is inexcusable, especially when he KNOWS he is dealing with baby snakes that are not thriving. It's not anywhere near the same as leaving a collection of adult breeders.

Something about this thread just rubs me the wrong way. It seems quite odd to me that Josh would make something like this up out of the blue and post it here. Just doesn't smell right to me, sorry.

I don't believe Josh is making up the accusations he made in the first post. It makes no sense for him to do so. However, I DO believe his PERCEPTIONS of "fault" are completely off base. And even IF Doc is completely responsible for sending weak, sickly snakes....Josh utterly dropped the ball in the way he chose to deal with it, on many different levels, to the point that he essentially let Doc off the hook and now is able to do nothing except flail that hook around in the air and stab himself with it.

And Josh, for those that are disparaging you about receiving unemployment... well, let's just say that is a crappy thing for anyone to knock you for. "There but for the grace of God go I" is a phrase that maybe some of those folks should remind themselves, in this terrible economy at least.

I do agree with this statement. It's WAY easier for someone to say, "Just go get a job!" than it is for some people to actually find that job. I've no reason to believe that Josh is not doing everything he can to find gainful employment. And so long as he can somehow scrape up the money to continue to feed and care for his collection, I have no issues with his unemployment.

But none of that has anything to do with some of the rather reprehensible philosophies and attitudes he has expressed here....THAT is what I have a problem with.

 

[Southern Wolf]

OK, so the guy was out of town for 3 weeks and didn't feed anything for that long. A snake is not going to die without food for 3 weeks! I dunno man, I think what's pissing me off here is the "know it all" attitude that some people here seem to have. "No WONDER the snake hasn't grown!" etc. etc. Ridiculous.

I was pointing that out in reguards to what I bolded below.

Most longtime herpetoculturists I know subscribe to the "feed the animal, not the feed card" mentality, as do most experienced zookeepers. Perhaps the snake was blue during that monthlong period of no feedings and he knew the animal would refuse?
Something about this thread just rubs me the wrong way. It seems quite odd to me that Josh would make something like this up out of the blue and post it here. Just doesn't smell right to me, sorry.

And Josh, for those that are disparaging you about receiving unemployment... well, let's just say that is a crappy thing for anyone to knock you for. "There but for the grace of God go I" is a phrase that maybe some of those folks should remind themselves, in this terrible economy at least.

No offense meant to anyone, I am just stating my opinion here. Peace and Love!

Im not saying that is the reason the snake died. His records show it eating several times after that month long spell.

All I have said is that his husbandy seems to be lacking... and it is apparent that the animals take a back seat to everything else.

 

[KelliH]

What snake stays "blue" for a month? Besides which, he flat out said he decided to go on a trip and CHOSE to not feed his snakes while he was gone. He can offer up all the excuses he can think of, but to me, it is inexcusable, especially when he KNOWS he is dealing with baby snakes that are not thriving. It's not anywhere near the same as leaving a collection of adult breeders.

I don't believe Josh is making up the accusations he made in the first post. It makes no sense for him to do so. However, I DO believe his PERCEPTIONS of "fault" are completely off base. And even IF Doc is completely responsible for sending weak, sickly snakes....Josh utterly dropped the ball in the way he chose to deal with it, on many different levels, to the point that he essentially let Doc off the hook and now is able to do nothing except flail that hook around in the air and stab himself with it.

I do agree with this statement. It's WAY easier for someone to say, "Just go get a job!" than it is for some people to actually find that job. I've no reason to believe that Josh is not doing everything he can to find gainful employment. And so long as he can somehow scrape up the money to continue to feed and care for his collection, I have no issues with his unemployment.

But none of that has anything to do with some of the rather reprehensible philosophies and attitudes he has expressed here....THAT is what I have a problem with.

I didn't say it was "blue" for a month (yes, I am old school and use the word "blue" when a snake is going through a shed cycle ), I said perhaps it was blue during that month.

As for the rest of your post it, like mine, is your opinion.

 

[KelliH]

I was pointing that out in reguards to what I bolded below.



Im not saying that is the reason the snake died. His records show it eating several times after that month long spell.

All I have said is that his husbandy seems to be lacking... and it is apparent that the animals take a back seat to everything else.

I get it dude.

I don't think a 3 week break in feeding on a snake that is being fed regularly the rest of the year (or however long the feed card states, I didn't go back and look) is a huge deal. Just how I feel about it.

 

[Em Wright]

He also made a notation that every "no feed" was when the snake was in blue and refused to eat.

So you're telling me, if you had a snake that was underfed, small, and sickly you would only feed it every 9 to 11 days, then feed it for 5-7 days throughout? But then some days you would feed every 2 to 3 days? There's no consistency to his feed schedule and a small, sick animal needs consistency in my book. And if you had a snake that kept regurging (and had a lump in its stomach) would you feed it every 2-4 days even though it continued to regurge it's meals?

I think Judy hit the nail on the head...

I don't believe Josh is making up the accusations he made in the first post. It makes no sense for him to do so. However, I DO believe his PERCEPTIONS of "fault" are completely off base. And even IF Doc is completely responsible for sending weak, sickly snakes....Josh utterly dropped the ball in the way he chose to deal with it, on many different levels, to the point that he essentially let Doc off the hook and now is able to do nothing except flail that hook around in the air and stab himself with it.

But none of that has anything to do with some of the rather reprehensible philosophies and attitudes he has expressed here....THAT is what I have a problem with.

 

[KelliH]

He also made a notation that every "no feed" was when the snake was in blue and refused to eat.

So you're telling me, if you had a snake that was underfed, small, and sickly you would only feed it every 9 to 11 days, then feed it for 5-7 days throughout? But then some days you would feed every 2 to 3 days? There's no consistency to his feed schedule and a small, sick animal needs consistency in my book. And if you had a snake that kept regurging (and had a lump in its stomach) would you feed it every 2-4 days even though it continued to regurge it's meals?

I think Judy hit the nail on the head...

No. If I had a snake that was underfed, small, and sickly I would try to determine what is wrong with the animal (perhaps taking it to our vet), and if the animal could not be helped I would put it in the freezer. But, I am someone that has nearly 20 years of snake breeding experience. I am not Josh, who obviously does not have that much experience.

 

[Em Wright]

I get it dude.

I don't think a 3 week break in feeding on a snake that is being fed regularly the rest of the year (or however long the feed card states, I didn't go back and look) is a huge deal. Just how I feel about it.

If these snakes were sick and weak to begin with the irregular feedings and long periods of time between feedings may have exacerbated their condition.

I've not personally seen snakes with parasites, but I have seen a kitten with worms that very nearly died. Even after getting dewormer she had to be fed frequently throughout the day to build her muscles and strength back up. If she'd been fed once a day like an adult cat she would have stayed thin and weak. I imagine it's similar for other types of animals, including snakes.

Josh has also stated that he didn't take them to the vet, that he didn't feel an attachment to them and the vet, in his words (paraphrased), is for animals you have an attachment to.

 

[Em Wright]

No. If I had a snake that was underfed, small, and sickly I would try to determine what is wrong with the animal (perhaps taking it to our vet), and if the animal could not be helped I would put it in the freezer. But, I am someone that has nearly 20 years of snake breeding experience. I am not Josh, who obviously does not have that much experience.

Josh refused to take the animal to the Vet in spite of its sick/weak condition.

 

[JudyC]

No. If I had a snake that was underfed, small, and sickly I would try to determine what is wrong with the animal (perhaps taking it to our vet), and if the animal could not be helped I would put it in the freezer. But, I am someone that has nearly 20 years of snake breeding experience. I am not Josh, who obviously does not have that much experience.

Should it take 20 years of snake-breeding experience to know you should take an "underfed, small, and sickly" animal to the vet?

 

[Em Wright]

I have about two years or so experience with snakes... and if I even suspected one of my snakes to be sick I would be on the phone with the vet immediately to see if I could bring it in to be checked out. It's called common sense and caring about the animals under your care.

 

[KelliH]

Should it take 20 years of snake-breeding experience to know you should take an "underfed, small, and sickly" animal to the vet?

Gee, I didn't see that one coming.

The thing is Judy, is that I have enough confidence in my own experienceand knowledge that I don't have any issue speaking my mind here, and my OPiNION, as I see it of course. It's simply my PERCEPTION.

Anyone that knows me here (and those that I give a crap about here DO know me) know that I do whatever it takes to be successful at producing beautiful, healthy animals.

Don't bother heaving cheap shots about vet care my way. Let's just say that my exotic veterinarian is the best of the best of the best. I take my animals to the vet when that is needed. There are times when it is obvious that vet care will be fruitless.

Nothing personal, but for you to insinuate what you did is absurd.

I have every right to add my opinion here to this thread. Conversely, you have every right to inject your opinion here as well.

i respect your perception, how about you respect mine/

Peace and Love.

 

[kmurphy]

Should it take 20 years of snake-breeding experience to know you should take an "underfed, small, and sickly" animal to the vet?

Kelli, I didn't take Judy's post the way you did. I didn't think she was questioning your husbandry but was commenting on her opinion of Josh's husbandry and kind of quoting you in doing so.

Josh has mad his own bed here and is taking some heat for things that he probably shouldn't be as a result.

 

[JudyC]

Don't bother heaving cheap shots about vet care my way.

Kelli, I have a great deal of respect for you and all the experience you bring to the board. I just don't always understand your comments, I guess. I was NOT taking any cheap shots at you, or even your opinion. I just meant to point out that it seemed a completely irrelevant comment to make.

The guy had what he describes as a VERY sick snake (more than one, in fact)....but he made a conscious decision to NOT seek professional medical attention for them because he didn't really care about them. (His words, not mine)

That's not something that should be explained away as simply "lack of experience" on his part. (My opinion, of course! )

 

[KelliH]

It's all good, Judy.
You bring a lot to the board and i admit I sometimes misconstrue posts and should take more time to think about the meaning behind them before I reply. I mean no harm.

 

[Suncoast Herpetological]

I have had some of the best and biggest breeders and names in this industry tell me you should never routinly feed your snakes. A. they dont eat like that in the wild B. it becomes a chore when routinly feed then the love of watching them eat is replaced with and everyday chore.

Name two.

I'm betting you can't. The reason being is that there are no large breeders of corn snakes out there that would support that statement. All of the larger breeders offer food at very regular intervals (myself included). There is no other way to track and maintain a large number of babies. An 8 to 15 gram corn will simply not grow well on a schedule that feeds it every 9 or ten days. That is called maintenance feeding. Maintenance, by definition, means to maintain. Your feeding schedule is all over the board.

Not at all disparaging the fact that you are currently in a prolonged financially difficult period in your life, The simple math is that you do not have the capability to feed and care for your animals properly at the moment. Your other statements support the fact that this does not bother you a whole heck of a lot

And incidentally, a month without food for an animal that size is more than enough time to cause irreparable damage. When their digestive tracts have been empty for that length of time, the next meal, if not far smaller than usual, has an excellent chance of resulting in a gurge.

Josh, regardless of any input from the seller, you have pretty much demonstrated, by your own posts, that the animals are not a particularly high priority for you. Take it as bashing if you will but the only damaged reputation in this thread belongs to you.

Do yourself and your animals a favor. Cut your numbers to something you are capable of maintaining properly. You can always rebuild later if you wish. Personally, after reading all your self righteous and indignant posts, I tend to agree with those that stated you might look for a hobby where lack of attention to detail does not result in the deaths of innocent animals.

 

[Reptileman81]

Most longtime herpetoculturists I know subscribe to the "feed the animal, not the feed card" mentality, as do most experienced zookeepers. Perhaps the snake was blue during that monthlong period of no feedings and he knew the animal would refuse?

THIS IS EXACTLY HOW I FEED AND WHY. OLD SCHOOL PEOPLE WHICH ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ANYONE YOUNG IN THIS INDUSTRY LOVE AND RESPECT FEED THIS WAY. IT IS NOT HEALTHY TO FEED A SNAKE ON A ROUTINE.

Something about this thread just rubs me the wrong way. It seems quite odd to me that Josh would make something like this up out of the blue and post it here. Just doesn't smell right to me, sorry.

AND IT SHOULDNT. WHO WOULD MAKE SOMETHING UP OUT OF THE BLUE LIKE THIS. ESPECIALLY SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN MAKING A SMALL NAME AROUND HERE. IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN BOTHERING ME SENSE THE FIRST WEEK I HAD THE SNAKES. I WAS JUST SCARED OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I ACCUSED DOC OF ANYTHING BEING A REPUTABLE NAME AND ALL. I WAS RIGHT FOR BEING AFRAID IS WHAT YOU PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN ME. I HAVE GOTTEN NOTHING BUT DISBILIF AND BASH FOR THIS.

And Josh, for those that are disparaging you about receiving unemployment... well, let's just say that is a crappy thing for anyone to knock you for. "There but for the grace of God go I" is a phrase that maybe some of those folks should remind themselves, in this terrible economy at least.

THANK YOU SO MUCH KELLI. I AM GLAD TO SEE SOMEONE THAT KNOWS A THING OR TO AROUND HERE.

No offense meant to anyone, I am just stating my opinion here. Peace and Love!

OK, so the guy was out of town for 3 weeks and didn't feed anything for that long. A snake is not going to die without food for 3 weeks! I dunno man, I think what's pissing me off here is the "know it all" attitude that some people here seem to have. "No WONDER the snake hasn't grown!" etc. etc. Ridiculous.

ONCE AGAIN THINK YOU. A ADULT CORN CAN GO MORE THEN A YEAR WITHOUT FOOD. A BABY AS LONG AS IT HAS GOOD WEIGHT ON IT FOR ITS SIZE THEN IT WILL BE GOOD. BESIDES I WAS NOT HAVING REALLY ANY PROBLEMS WITH ANY SNAKE AT THAT TIME. BESIDES THE FACT THAT THEY WERE NOT AS BIG AS THEY SHOULD OF BEEN. BUT THE ONES THAT WERE LEFT WERE NOT SKINNY IN ANYWAY. BUT A BABY CAN GO FOR ABOUT 3-4 MONTHS WITHOUT FOOD. BESIDES LIKE NONE OF YOU LEAVE YOU COLLECTION FOR A VACATION.

I mean, go back and look at the feed card for that snake in question. It had regular feedings with the exception of that one 3 week gap! (Sorry I had this thought after I hit submit) ;-)

Once again another great point. As I said before the lavender motley which is the one everyone is talking about by the way is still alive. She is just not growing. She has eaten 30+ mice in my care in 6 months. That would make her eating every 6 days. Some snakes go months in the wild with no food. You people are crazy if you think a snake will die if you dont feed it ever 5 days or every 7 days or every 14 days depending on how you feed. Which is the statement "depending on how you feed". I have not told anyone of you that your feeding habbits are wrong. They are not wrong just different. I for one am not just trying to bulk up my snakes so they are ready to breed in 2 years like some of you.

What snake stays "blue" for a month? Besides which, he flat out said he decided to go on a trip and CHOSE to not feed his snakes while he was gone. He can offer up all the excuses he can think of, but to me, it is inexcusable, especially when he KNOWS he is dealing with baby snakes that are not thriving. It's not anywhere near the same as leaving a collection of adult breeders.



I don't believe Josh is making up the accusations he made in the first post. It makes no sense for him to do so. However, I DO believe his PERCEPTIONS of "fault" are completely off base. And even IF Doc is completely responsible for sending weak, sickly snakes....Josh utterly dropped the ball in the way he chose to deal with it, on many different levels, to the point that he essentially let Doc off the hook and now is able to do nothing except flail that hook around in the air and stab himself with it.



I do agree with this statement. It's WAY easier for someone to say, "Just go get a job!" than it is for some people to actually find that job. I've no reason to believe that Josh is not doing everything he can to find gainful employment. And so long as he can somehow scrape up the money to continue to feed and care for his collection, I have no issues with his unemployment.

But none of that has anything to do with some of the rather reprehensible philosophies and attitudes he has expressed here....THAT is what I have a problem with.

Exactly why would I make any of this up. There is no point to. So you believe me but you think I am lying. Make up your mind. You are right I did drop that ball. As I have said this was one of the hardest things I had to do. Something that took me 6 months to get the courage to do. How am I going to talk badly about a reputable name without everyone hating me and calling me a lier. I had pretty much given up on the task and deed at hand. Until I had to put the Goldust Motley down. Well I guess there is no reasoning with most of you. I guess around here if you are reputable you are flawless. Although I thought that only god was flawless. I thought that man was incapable of being flawless. Once again I ask you Doc come forward and accept your flaws. I did with mine. I excepted that I waited to long. I excepted that I should of kept some of my pms, pics and documents. I excepted that maybe I should of taken the snake to the vet. Except your flaws ReptileDoc.

I was pointing that out in reguards to what I bolded below.



Im not saying that is the reason the snake died. His records show it eating several times after that month long spell.

All I have said is that his husbandy seems to be lacking... and it is apparent that the animals take a back seat to everything else.

The snake is not dead for the last time. When you people get invalved in a thread you should really read things clearly. Not half it. The one that we are speaking about right now is the Lavender Motley. She is not dead. I said this when I posted all of the info about her. I simply said that she is not gaining weight like she should. She is only 13g. Although the few that are doing good from Doc are ranging between 25-60g. Once again at the begining of this I stated all of the snakes weight at death or current. I did this somewhere on the second page I believe. You dont believe me go find it. I cant fake that document after all.

I get it dude.

I don't think a 3 week break in feeding on a snake that is being fed regularly the rest of the year (or however long the feed card states, I didn't go back and look) is a huge deal. Just how I feel about it.

Thank you yet again Kelli. You are very right. A hatchling can pretty much go 3 weeks without feeding and be just fine. So a snake that is at that time 7 months old maybe should be just fine to go 3 weeks.

He also made a notation that every "no feed" was when the snake was in blue and refused to eat.

So you're telling me, if you had a snake that was underfed, small, and sickly you would only feed it every 9 to 11 days, then feed it for 5-7 days throughout? But then some days you would feed every 2 to 3 days? There's no consistency to his feed schedule and a small, sick animal needs consistency in my book. And if you had a snake that kept regurging (and had a lump in its stomach) would you feed it every 2-4 days even though it continued to regurge it's meals?

I think Judy hit the nail on the head...

I had only started to put such a notation a few months ago by the way. So a few other times when she had went 11 days or something with out food could of been for the same reason. My records are not perfect. Once again I am man. At the time of the trip I did not have any snakes that were small and sickly just undersized. The snake at prezent time today is 14g and about 16in. This is not a sickly snake. She is just very undersized. At 16in she is at a perfect weight. She is like this cause of Doc's poor stock or his lack of feeding his snakes in the winter time. Only adults should come off of feed in the winter not babies. This snake is right around almost a year old now. So once again she is not sickly she is undersized and still alive and still healthy as far as I can tell.

No. If I had a snake that was underfed, small, and sickly I would try to determine what is wrong with the animal (perhaps taking it to our vet), and if the animal could not be helped I would put it in the freezer. But, I am someone that has nearly 20 years of snake breeding experience. I am not Josh, who obviously does not have that much experience.

Which is exactly what I did with the Goldust Motley (which is not the snake in question at this time) when I realized there was nothing that could be done with it. I let it go to sleep.

Kelli I have stated before that I have been in this industry for over 15 years. Right around 16-17 years to be exact. I know what I am doing. I just a. dont know how to articulate myself and b. have been made to look like I do not know what I am doing by everyone else here. I have worked in pet stores for over 5 years of my life. I at that time was in charge of the reptile area and fish room. I know plenty about this industry. I have owned in my life hundreds of snakes, dozens of lizards and frogs and not that it matters for the subject at hand but I have owned and maintained many many live reef tanks. I have never had the trouble with any of these animals like I have with Doc's poor quality. Well maybe with a fish/coral or 2.