• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Quick Intro

W

Wabujitsu

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Hi! My name is Jeff Cook; I live in Sarasota County, FL. I used to be an avid and very active herp collector. I became interested in herpetofauna when I was hired by Sarasota Jungle Gardens in the early 80's, to do the reptile show and assist with husbandry in the reptile house. Yes, I was hired with ZERO experience - more on that if anyone has questions ;-)

After gaining some experience I built up a decent personal collection of venomous and non-venomous snakes, and lizards. After Jungle Gardens I did some free educational lectures locally; the culminating part of my lecture was to free-hand an adult Chinese monocellate cobra.

Since "growing up and moving on," I recently revisited my love of reptile husbandry; I currently have a small breeder population of leopard geckos of various morphs (nothing expensive or special), and of course since I live out in the woods I have some wild-caught red and yellow rat snakes and scarlet kingsnakes. Strangely enough, I seem to have a significant population of scarlet kingsnakes on my property. I don't actively look for any of the snakes I pick up on my property, but in spite of that I have captured three adult scarlets in the last three months, six red rat snakes, and roughly a dozen yellow rat snakes in the same time period (I only have two red rat snakes and two scarlets in captivity though).

Of note, I have had a 100% success rate feeding the scarlet kingsnakes; they are THRIVING on brown anoles, with no difficulty or coaxing whatsoever!

I am looking forward to y'all modernizing my knowledge of herpetofauna!

Jeff Cook
 
Here is an old picture of me from the early '80's.

Jeff Cook
 

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Here is a current photo of me; I am active duty Army, Florida Army National Guard - I work full-time at the Bradenton, FL armory. My rank is Sergeant First Class; I have 26 years in, still going strong. Feel free to make fun of my hair in the previous picture ;)

Jeff Cook
 

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Welcome! Let me be the first to say I commend you for everything you do and have done for our country good sir.

Beautiful cobra also. What species? I love how you are so focused on him in the picture. Rather hard to smile at the camera with one of them in your hands. Considering he could be on your back by the time the camera flash was over lol.

Not sure I could free hand something that fast/smart/deadly.
 
Thank you very much sir!

The cobra was a 5.5 foot Chinese Monocellate (Monocled) Cobra - Naja naja kaouthia. The danger in handling many cobras is in HOW EASY it is to do so - the danger lies in becoming complacent, lazy, and careless. Cobras are VERY smart opportunists!

Jeff Cook
 
Hey Jeff welcome! My brother is in the Army\Guard and his group and others jumped at the drop of a hat to go help the flood victims up here in Colorado last year so I wanna say thank you for your service to the country! If it wasn't for you and others in uniform we wouldn't be where we are and have the freedom to enjoy this hobby! Again you are appreciated thank you!
 
Thank you very much sir; more to come! And thank you to your brother for his service. Is he by chance with the 20th Special Forces Group?

Jeff Cook
 
He's not special forces I guess. I believe he's a firearm specialist but I'll have to ask him what his ranking is.
 
Welcome Jeff. Nice to have you here.
Thank you for severing our country. I appreciate it myself.

My son is a Marine and he loves being in the service. It's cause if long timers like yourself that he wanted to join. He hopes to go the distance. I believe it's been 3 years now and many more to come. We hope. It's a crazy world out there. Be safe brother.

And I guess I will be the first. That was a hell of a do. Lol. Looks better now. Do you know that guy Jonh Holmes? You kinda look like him with that for. Busting chops. If your like a lot of us,only half would grow back.:yesnod:
 
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