A suggestion to everyone...

You know I get people asking em about leopard gecko all the time beause before I was big on getting into boas I started with leopards. and a lot of times I direct them to the herpindex run by Ron Tremper and on that index he has a lot of care info link and  one of them is Melissa Kapelin ( I hope I spell it right if not I'm sorry Melissa) She has a large data base complie of a lot of reptile care and info. So next time people ask you for care info direct them to herpindex.com
That is actually were my reptile experience began because the info was direct foward and simplified for me.  

Let me know if this help ya'll out in directing new herp owner on care info

Have a great one <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

Winston

Ok....Since we're on the topic of advice given and people "demanding" help. &nbsp;I would like everyone to realize that things are also a little more confusing in the Venomous dealers world. &nbsp;Some of these animals are so understudied that there are still arguments over scientific names and what to call them, yet you still get people asking you VERY detailed questions about a certain species you keep, expecting you to be a geneticist, a biologist, a bio-chemist, and such. &nbsp;There are some questions that NOBODY knows the answers to. &nbsp;For instance, when I was approached by somebody that had a question about an ammodytes viper we were sold, they wanted to know the locality. &nbsp;Since these snakes are few and far between in the trade, I simply didn't know. &nbsp;The person we bought it off of didn't know, so they didn't tell me. &nbsp;But when the individual asked me and I told him I had no clue, he basically questioned why I'd even sell something I didn't know about. &nbsp;I mean come on.......it's a long nosed viper, I know that you need to breed ones from the same European mountain ranges, but if you know the ranges, then you SHOULD know the snakes.

This is the part that irritates me, just like Riches little episode. &nbsp;THERE IS TONS OF INFO ON THE NET ABOUT BREEDING CORNSNAKES........people are just too darned lazy to find it themselves. &nbsp;LOOK IT UP....BUT A BOOK....doesn't the corn snake manuel have some good info?<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>??and it's what, $7. &nbsp;EVERY animal I own has been researched by ME....I bought books, I read web pages, care sheets, and SEARCHED FORUM ARCHIVES.......Even the Kingsnake.com Cornsnake forum HAD to have archived posts concerning EXACTLY what this woman wanted. &nbsp;Id it OUR responsibility to research THEIR animals for them?<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>?? &nbsp;What if they bought a tiger.....would they call the zoo to ask how to take care of it....if they did, the zoo would be there instantly to confiscate the animal......These people only accomplish one thing....proof of stupidity or laziness.....if you don't find out yourself how to breed cornsnakes, then maybe you just weren't meant to do it.....Since Rich gave teh advice, shouldn't he get the clutch....without him, it wouldn't have happened right? &nbsp;

Anyway, enough of my rant, I just wish that people would get off their lazt A$$ES and look some information up BEFORE wasting everybodies time with questions that have been answered already thoudsands of times.

Whoo.......now my fingers hurt...sorry so long

Hey for Venomus animals go to thesnake.org they provid many venomus info. everything from the chemical secretion to the first aid and some care on &nbsp;venomus species but then agian herpindex has some care on vipers and venomus snakes also

so it is your choice

Hope this helps <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

Winston

Todd,

Agree 100%. Problem is that these morons are your customers who pay for the food for the animals etc. (FYI this is a common problem in all industries). Your gonna have to deal with them somehow (frustrating as it is) so the trick to learn is how to deal with them in an efficient manner and at the same time they go away thinking you took care of them.

Wonder what would have happened if you agreed with the customer and said "your right. I don't think I should sell this snake. I'll keep him for study." <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> Sometimes it worth it to lose a sale just to see the expression on their faces.

The thing is, most of the time these people aren't even potential customers......They just think that since you sell or breed ANY animal that you have all the answers.....YOU MIGHT, but you had to learn theem somewhere. &nbsp;I just wish people today would do a little brainwork for themselve, THEN ask question when the information they gather confuses them. &nbsp;Nothing make me happier then to answer somebodies wuestion when they have the basics already. &nbsp;For instance, in Rich's case, somebody would ask him "tell me everything you know" &nbsp;now, maybe Rich would anser them if they asked something to the effect of "hey, I understand the ptoential offspring outcome when you cross snake X with snake Y, but what it snake X was het for trait A and snake Y was het for trait B. &nbsp;If trsit A is polygenic, what would be the outcome of the offspring"

You see, the person would have SOME knowledge of morphs, genetics and statistics basicaly just to ask the question, and Rich would LOVE to show off his knowledge by answering it....but just asking, "hey dude what do you know," would lead me to say "a heck of a lot more than you obviously. &nbsp;The thing is, WE had to WORK to get the knowledge we have, but some people just take that for granted and expect us to be teachers....know what I mean, or am I WAY out of line. &nbsp;Point is, they can find the same answers (and more) that we looked for years ago to get us to this point. &nbsp;All it takes is the desire to WANT to find the answers on your own....it's like kids and homework.....should they ask the parents to help them, or do it for them......I for one will NEVER do my childs homework FOR them....they have to learn something from the experience of having to do it for themselves.

just my thoughts, I might just be mean, but that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it........

LOL!!

Good one, Todd!

You have no idea how many emails I get each year that say something like "Hey dood! &nbsp;I have a term paper due, like next Tuesday on Corn Snakes. &nbsp;Can you send me everything you know so I can get a good grade on it?" &nbsp;I am not making this up! &nbsp;I have often thought of making up a file of the best ones I have received over the years.

Now I love the technical questions, at least the ones I can answer, but man, how many times have you been at a show and someone tries to dazzle you with a real techie question and half way through your explanation you notice the glazed eyes? &nbsp;Sometimes I go into TOO MUCH detail, I guess.

People just need to be able to think for themselves. &nbsp;Or at least know how to FIND information and do research. &nbsp;I guess I never expected people to spoon feed information to me, and I just can't cope when I run into people that think differently. &nbsp;Heck I dropped out of college EARLY when it became obvious that the instructors weren't teaching me how to learn. &nbsp;They were teaching me to memorize. &nbsp; So maybe the schools have gotten even worse than they were 30 years ago.

WOW.....you're old....kidding, please don't ban me for that......

I'm only 26 and you wouldn't believe the questions I get from people in their 40s even.....it's absolutely amazing how little people want to find out on their own......and yes, the glazed over look is quite common with us.....

Thanks

Todd,

Your not out of line at all. The point I was trying to make is if you brush the ones that haven't done their homework off in such a manner that they don't view your brush off in a negative manner it helps your business.

And my moron comment was not sarcastic. My cousin and I have a running bet on who has the most unthinking customers (unrelated indsutries). So far we can't decide on a winner because we always because a new one comes along every day. &nbsp;<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> Right now the topper is a customer of mine that said a shopping cart system we built sends her blank receipts (turns out she needed ink in her printer). &nbsp;It's all you can do not to drive your car off a bridge just to end the pain <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

I get a ton of e-mails from people asking for information on animals that we don't even keep! &nbsp;Sometimes it drives me a little nuts, any search engine could return the information they're looking for. &nbsp;Now I just save "general" responses, which are basically a list of links that I send to them. &nbsp;Now I'm more than happy to answer specific questions, but questions like "I need all the info i can find on (insert herp here)'s care, breeding, housing, etc." You're going to get a list of links and a short message. &nbsp;I know it seems somewhat rude, but I get 10-15 e-mails a day like this, and I just don't have the time to do everyone's research for them. &nbsp;I guess if you look at it another way, at least they are trying to find information, so they're not going to just throw something in a cage and wonder why it dies a week later.

Hey Dan...how bout THIS ONE??? This past Sunday, a guy walks into my store with a snake wrapped around his hand and forearm, proclaiming he JUST FOUND IT outside and wanted to know what it was???!!! He said...(you're gonna LOVE this one&#33<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>....my friend said it's a Florida Scarlet Kingsnake and they make great pets! Well, needless to say...it WASN'T A SCARLET KINGSNAKE!! Any of you geniuses want to guess what it was??? DUH!! When I told him what it REALLY was....he ALMOST had a coronary ON THE SPOT! Remember....he STILL had it around his hand!! I got it off him without a scratch, though! (lucky man&#33<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>...Neil