Wish I knew what I was doing.

[razeraze]

Ever post something and people treat you like a complete idiot? I made a post on another forum, to my ignorance I learned snakes do not need room to stretch, decor to rub off skin on, bowls to soak in, or anything relating to exercise.

Man 8 years keeping and all of a sudden I am a complete ignoramus. Just thought I could vent here, Sorry.:cursing::cursing::confused1::confused1:

[trendkill]

In general, boas are kept and thrive in the conditions that were posted on the other forum... the keepers and breeders with 20, 30 years experience agree and keep their small boas in a such set ups. So everyone will listen to them.. and bash your opinion, even if your way works just as well.

[razeraze]

It seems every site I go to, I get attacked by the Care Sheet Nazis. It seems because snakes do well in simple conditions and care sheets recommend it, we all must follow it. I did not change my mind until I started caring for monitors. Now I know, the cages have helped keep my boa and retic in great shape and get sheds off easily. To me it is all about giving a snake options not getting as many snakes as possible and giving just the basics.

I am by no means bashing anyone but a stick or fake skull does wonders for getting off a stubborn shed.

[Johnny Utah]

I always thought your setups were awesome. Someday when I have the room, I plan on trying out something similar.

[razeraze]

Thank you, I did not know I should feel bad for giving more. I do not demand people follow my lead but, I believe I should not be bashed for looking at something differently.

[bleeding_sarcasm]

one of my major problem with care sheets, is that they are more like "guidelines" and only an individuals OPINION,. It may be a commonly accepted opinion, but its still an opinion. If you want FACTS, read a book. I ALWAYS start most of my advice is "this is my opinion this is what I have found works well, this is what I have found that doesnt" for my personal care sheets I say "there are multiple ways to keep reptiles, much of which are adequate, for detailed descriptions of different set ups and care techniques, get blah blah book, I will outline my PERSONAL care habits for x species" just as I advise anyone to take anything they find on the internet [including what i say] with a grain of salt, and do your research .

All reptile keeping started from trial and error, you try something, and either it works, or it doesnt. Based on how the animals react, you decide whether or not its good or bad. An animal that lives its life in a tub, isnt going to move around, or do very much, an animal that is giving a huge enclosure with branches and shelves and all sorts of things, is going to use every inch of that cage, and make for an interesting display. assuming that the animal in the tub is unhappy in anthropomorphism, it probably doesnt know any different.


animals will eat, deficate, shed, and grow in boxes with no stimulation, they will probably even breed under those circumstances. Is it the best? probably not, I personally dont feel that taking an animal out of the wild just to live its life out in a box is fair to the animal, but who am I to say? the best I can do is treat MY animals the best that I can.

I dont like the term "basic" basic, to me, is for quarantine. A sentence I use often is : "Just because something isnt REQUIRED doesnt mean that its not BENEFICIAL" Usually that is for my favorite "UVB" debate, but it applies just about anywhere.

I treat my reptiles like fish tanks, big, beautiful elaborate, naturalistic fish tanks. I get reptiles because I think they are beautiful, and I like to look at them. Looking at paper towels, or news paper, is not something that I find remotely appealing, and tho I dont believe they care one way or another, its my preference and I do what I want.

This kindof got off track, and I got distracted, ill add to it later.

[ilovemylizard]

I once made the mistake of saying on another forum that Anacondas, yellow and green, would probably be happier with a large waterpool big enough to completely immerse themselves in...and that, in my opinion, they should not be kept in dry setups just for convenience...

Man I regretted the day I opened my mouth about that...

But it is still my stance to this day...It's just my personal belief that keepers should make some reasonable effort to simulate an animals natural habitat...I had a Yellow Annie for 2 years and keeping that waterpool clean was one smelly back breaking bucket brigade...but I don't regret a minute of it because I knew that was where she would have wanted to be...I would never have given up the pool, I just tried to find better ways to clean it, using syphons, etc. But there were so many 'expert' keepers who kept telling me to house her like a terrestrial snake--it was just sad to me that people were giving me this advise and looking down their nose with contempt...

I guess I'm just trying to say I've been there, been screeched at, and just don't go to those forums anymore.

[BrianV]

snakes are the type of animal that you can make a home for them and have a lot of fun doing it and make it fun for them to live their. besides dont listen to people their mostly not trustworthy follow the main guidelines and as long as you keep your snake healthy who cares what enviornment you give them. i feel they should have a good envirnment that would include everything they would have in the wild.........also just by the pic it looks like the setups for ur snakes are really awesom

[danktat]

If I didn't have so many snakes I would probably have better "looking" setups as well. The simple fact is that newspaper is much easier to clean than excessive cage furniture. Many who would be considered "experts" would find it rather impractical to have, say, 15 setups like you have and then also house all of the babies that are produced in decorated habitats. I don't really think is is a matter of "better" or "worse" as much as it is working the best that you can under the conditions that you have. Looks like you are doing just that. The only thing I would be concerned about with that much stuff going on is that if something like an outbreak of mites occours it will be quite a bit more difficult to eradicate them from so much "stuff". Plenty of places to hide and escape fumes, powders, solutions, sprays etc....Other than that there really is no problem with how you keep your animals.

once again JMO

[louise]

my snakes have plenty of room and i give them all kinds of logs and stuff to climb on and hide in. they do help with shedding. i am sure your boas love the extra room. your set-ups are awesome and i am sure your snakes agree. the people who told you that crap arn't the ones who have to live in a confined area.