Dont listen to what anybody says on this forum

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Once you have accumulated so much knowledge and experience, and you'be been on a forum for so long, you tend to stop sugar coating and just tell it like it is. There really isn't anything wrong with that. Yes it's good to treat all of us as a big family but that should never stand in the way of husbandry or our animals. I have said this to many, many people: I'm not here to insult, I am not here because of your feelings. I am here for your Animals and I will always put them first even if it means people will not agree with me or take offense to what I have said. I get this crap all the time on Facebook. Not too long ago I saw someone in one of my groups post a pic bragging about how they collected that garter snake as a "treat" to feed to their milksnake. Out of the 70 something people that saw the post not one came forward and said a thing until I stepped in. I asked everyone.... Why has no one said anything? Not only is this illegal in his state, the snake is already a good feeder on mice. The risk to his pet snake alone isn't worth it, let alone collecting an adult female of protected species in your state and treating it like a piece of chocolate. I took a lot of heat from this idiot's supporters, but you wouldn't believe how many people also started to say "you know what, she's right, that isn't okay!" Sometimes you have to be the jerk. I have been that jerk many times. And frankly I just don't give a damn anymore if people can't handle that. On this forum, I tend to be a lot more mellow than on some others. But now that I've got some thamnophis here again after the accident, I'm here more. I usuAlly come through my phone which is why new threads havent happened, And If I can ever sneak onto my laptop for something other than running cold-blooded creation, ( this takes up pretty much all of my computer time but my customers are important and it's my full time job now) I can't wait to update everyone and post photos of my occellatus, obscurus, scotti, and melanistic sirtalis! And of course Banana, my big fat amel radix. I'm not a fan of amels Anymore but she's a darling.

[BUSHSNAKE]

I cant believe how fake people can be....its sick....it is a moderator issue like tom said

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I cant believe how fake people can be....its sick....it is a moderator issue like tom said

Look here sugarplum, Censorship = no good. Moderators shouldn't delete posts just because they don't agree with what's being said or because someone is posting nonsense. That's abuse of moderation and nobody wants to use a forum where posts randomly disappear! But I don't gotta tell you that, you hate the computer aspect of our hobby already! I absolutely hate sites with trigger happy moderators that delete posts, especially if members are debating. Forums are for people to discuss things, not for moderators to feel important and feed their ego. Call me tonight!

[BUSHSNAKE]

Look here sugarplum, Censorship = no good. Moderators shouldn't delete posts just because they don't agree with what's being said or because someone is posting nonsense. That's abuse of moderation and nobody wants to use a forum where posts randomly disappear! But I don't gotta tell you that, you hate the computer aspect of our hobby already! I absolutely hate sites with trigger happy moderators that delete posts, especially if members are debating. Forums are for people to discuss things, not for moderators to feel important and feed their ego. Call me tonight!

Oh i wasnt talking about deleting posts...but i hear a parrot...its annoying

[RedSidedSPR]

I'm on a forum that deletes posts all day, has banned me 5 times for "offensive posts", any time I'm blunt in my opinion, and another that's banned me repeatedly for "off topic posts" . The moderators here are excellent and handle the stuff they should as a moderator, rather than deleting the person they're arguing with's posts, or in this case delelting every little piece of information he doesn't agree with.

It's not a moderator problem.

Like y'all say, there's some bad info here, but most of the time it's pretty solid and there's sure as hell a lot more than two people I'd "vouch for".

This is by far the best source for garter snake care, and the only site I ever recommend to anyone who has a garter, save the multiple care sheets. But them again, the only care sheets I link are written by people on this forum.

Sure there's a lot of snake deaths here, but I don't think any have happened because of info given here.

To Wayne's point -- I DO care about every snakes well being here, more than the people's feelings, frankly. which is probably why I avoid posting in or even reading the "my snake died" thread.

That doesn't mean I don't care about the people's feelings either, just it's not my biggest concern.

Nobody here could make a valid point to why you shouldn't listen to "anyone on this forum". There is none. It's a forum with a bunch of people. Most of them knowledgable, some of them not so much. You're gonna get mixed opinions, and with that, bad ones. But while some people have some damn good opinions, no one will ever be entirely "right" about anything. There is a wrong way, however, and that will be, and is, known. But I don't think anything straight up wrong or bad is encouraged here.

[guidofatherof5]

Am I missing something in this thread. How is this the mods. fault? This an open forum and to ask mods. to gleam the good from the bad seem to go against the idea of an open forum. I understand if someones a complete nut/*** but I don't feel it's the mods. job to give each post a thumbs up or down. Some, if not most of that responsibility has to fall on the members.
This is our forum and confronting practices that seem wrong or dangerous is the responsibility of the members. To which I feel has been done well.
If something seem wrong speak out against it in the same way you would speak up for good practices. Most post are professional and not demeaning.

I for one came to this forum with a lack of knowledge for garters even though I've kept them for most of my life. It was the forum members that helped me to understand my mistakes and gave me the knowledge to do better. That education continues today and will continue for the rest of my life. This forum has a wealth of experience and knowledge which we all use.
There are times I shake my head at some of the things I read but I'm sure people shook their head at me when I first joined and may still.
"If something seem wrong speak out against it in the same way you would speak up for good practices" I think the mods. do a good job. Remember, this is an unpaid and sometimes unappreciated position.
If you have a problem with a post and you don't want to reply to it. You can always contact a mod. and express your concerns to them.
There have been times I've contacted a mod. for advice on a post I have read. Their advice has always been sound. Sometimes I contact them thinking it's their problem to deal with only to learn it was an issue for me to address.
I hope this forum never gets to a point where mods. pick and choose what will be posted and what won't. Yes, they do have to take care of some issues but the members need to take care of the rest.
Just my opinion.

[BUSHSNAKE]

Lol Steve you outta know me by now...i think Shannon understood my point..i think you should be moderator steve

[Invisible Snake]

Was anyone under the impression that everyone on the forum is an expert and you should follow their advice blindly?

Smh sheeps.

[ConcinusMan]

Certainly not. I still have more respect for certain people's opinions than others but it's not the moderators job to dictate who's knowlegeable and who isn't. It's not Tom's job either.

The only warning I have seen against tilapia was about an additive sometimes added to packaged fish ad a preservative. This additive *might* have negative impact on garters. (If educated guess, not proven by testing.)

I say there is no "might". Trisodium phosphate, (and other sodium, even table salt is harmful too) added to keep fish from drying out when frozen, kills reptiles and possibly birds too. The effect is almost immediate. It causes renal failure. It results in seizure like symptoms followed by rapid renal failure and death. This is because of the way their kidneys work. It is considered harmless to animals that produce liquid urine. As far as farmed or wild goes, wild fish almost always much higher in heavy metals and sometimes PCB's due to their diet. Carnivorous fish are more likely to be contaminated with heavy metals than plant eating fish (tilapia are vegetarians) and it's a fact that wild salmon has more contaminants than farmed. The only exception might be with wild Alaskan salmon. Level of metals and PCB's in fish can be researched online. They are tested regularly.

If anyone doubts what I have said, they can always do the research themselves to verify.

Nice to see you here Shannon.

[guidofatherof5]

Expert:

An x is a has-been and a spurt is what comes out of the end of a hose.