Cruelty at shows?

[Jenns]

yes I have and yes most people don't use it correctly, but hey most people don't wash thier hands correctly either. Correctly used hand gels can be effective against some pathogens.

 

[sschind]

We all know that a quick squirt and 5 seconds of rubbing is all that most people give it (should this be in the adults only section?) but whose fault is that really? Like Jenns said, most people don't know how to use this stuff properly, but if you are the vendor requiring its use, it is up to you to tell the people how to use it properly. IMO this is a feel good measure that serves no real purpose given the incorrect usage of the product. If you are satisfied with the quick squirt and 5 seconds of rubbing, or if you are thinking that this is all that's needed to be effective then maybe you are the one that needs educating.

Here's an idea. If you are one of those people is paranoid about your snake catching some germs from having strangers handling them, why not lay in a supply of latex gloves for those wanting to handle the snakes. If potential buyer is serious they shouldn't have a problem putting on the gloves and it will prevent a lot of the lookey loos since most of them will simply move on to a table where the vendor isn't such and anal retentive jerk (their opinion not mine

Oh yeah, one more thing. If you ARE satisfied with a quick squirt and 5 seconds of rubbing, and you are a FEMALE, my number is 555.....

 

[Leibowem]

Just wanted to add something... I am also from MD and go to the "local" shows (if you can call Hamburg, Havre De Grace, and Manassas local). The don't know that recent shows have been all that bad, but I can say that about a year ago I saw one of the most disgraceful unnecessary things I have ever seen before. I am a crested gecko gal primarily, not really into animals that require rodents as food... but I saw a guy selling monitors (I don't remember what species...) but in the cage with about 10 small monitors were live fuzzy mice. Not only were the monitors clearly uninterested in the mice as food items, they were trampling them! I understand that rodents are food and don't have any qualms about it. I know that carnivores need to eat meat to survive (I eat meat too! yum yum) but I dont think that the food item should undergo unnecessary stress and cruelty. I can't imagine Monitors would be interested in eating at a show where they are crowded into a tank and I can't imagine anyone would try to feed them at that time! I was totally astounded at this guys actions and cruelty towards these animals.
In response to the holding of animals at shows... I am often surprised by the practice of reaching for animals without asking first. At the Havre De Grace show today I saw a little girl pick a spider up off a table and start waving it around at her sister. No parents in sight and the vendor was trying desperately to get this little girl to put the spider down without yelling too harshly at her. Finally, a stern "spiders are living animals, not toys" led the girl to put the cup back down. Parents much?
I like to physically inspect my animals before purchasing them, but I think that handling should be limited as much as possible to serious buyers. As a vendor at a few past shows, I am hesistant to let people hold my animals unless they are truly interested in purchasing one of my animals, but holding animals definetely does help out with the sale! I also work in an aquarium store where we do not allow our reptiles to be held (liability) and I have lost several sales because of this. I do have to say, its nice to have the "its not my policy" excuse so people can't get mad at me!

 

[TripleMoonsExotic]

I vend both of those shows too and can't say I've seen anything as bad as what I witnessed at Lititz. Nothing surprises me anymore though.

On the wild children left alone to run rampant at a reptile show...I feel you...It burns me to no end having careless fingers snatching up the animals on my table. That's why I have displays now with heavy acrylic tops. No worries about having unsupervised children picking up and shaking deli cups.

I only have one time that comes to mind where someone asked to hold one of my animals. I'll never do it again with babies, they're too fast and skittish for handling at a loud, crowded show.

 

[Wolfy-hound]

I wanted to put in the comment that if you are very experianced and casual about handling snakes, you can handle snakes with such nonchalance that it appears to be rough.
Knowing how to carefully scoop up a baby ball python properly, and having done it over and over and over, it's very easy for me to reach in and "snatch up" a baby, without harming it, without causing it stress. Unhooking a tail that's wrapped might only take a slight movement of one finger under the snake, but done quickly, it can appear that you just pulled it loose.
I know some folks are rough, but remember that the casual nature of handling of an experianced person can LOOK like they are careless, and the speed that they can pick up and manevour the snake can look rough. But the snake isn't harmed, and isn't even upset, IF it's done correctly.
I understand that snakes poo. They will poo even at a show in the beautiful display. But dried feces smeared around ins everal spots in a container, that's just nasty and should have been cleaned up! How can you sell an animal out of a filthy display?
Stepping on ANY reptile should be unacceptable, Unless it's actively chomping down and injuring someone(which makes it a maybe only).
I feel that hand sanitizer probably isn't greatly effective, but it's better than nothing. I only handle animals I'm genuinely interested in buying, and otherwise try not to touch anything.
I tend to stuff my hands in my pockets when I look at something I really want.. lol. Like the kid at grandma's house, you just know not to touch things... and I don't understand people just grabbing stuff. I DO pick up deli cups to look at animals... but I don't shake them, and I'd never jerk them around.
Kids? Parents should constantly keep them with them, stop this racing around and letting them grab up anything and torment animals. I can't stand to see the little monsters running amock and the parents will get angry if you say ANYTHING about it.