Your one stop reptile community

BadKarma · #1 (**permalink**) 11-23-2002, 08:22 PM

This has been troubling me for a while and I decided to post it. We have done a couple of shows lately and really enjoy them. One of them allowed vens at the show. A close friend of ours put it on. All the necessary safety measures were in place, ie ven tags, handling equipment and a hot room. No animals were handled out of the hot room. The other was a nonven. show. I really don't have a preference between them as I enjoy looking at hots to. The problem I had is that I kept getting asked to trade a boa for a hot. I'm not a hot keeper nor do I intend to be so I said as nicely as possible no thanks. Some of the people who offered the hot looked at me like I had two heads. (like doesn't everyone keep hots) This actually happened more at the nonven show. I had people ask if I wanted mambas, rattlesnakes, cobras and one guy went down his entire list and after I said we don't keep hots he asked if I wanted a 14' alligator. I said no and he said "well I have a real nice gaboon viper I'll trade you." The biggest problem was that these people do this right in front of young children. Some of them probably would sell said vens to children. I told my friend who put on the ven show about it and he was not impressed nor was he surprised. He says no matter what you do these people still show up and deal. I'm a supporter of the ven community as some of you know but these people are giving it a bad rap. I've considered getting a bunch of pix from friends who have been bitten or know people who have and setting a book of them on our table. On the book I thought I'd put why we don't keep hots. I know its extreme but maybe it would deter a few inexperienced keepers. What do you think?

Sorry for the long post. JD [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img]
[addsig]

BWSmith · #2 (**permalink**) 11-24-2002, 02:15 AM

There are many people who keep hots that should not. Most people that want to trade hots for nots probably dont give vens the respect they deserve for you to stay unbitten. Unfortunately, the popularity of vens has reached an alltime high and people look at those on TV and think that they can do the same thing. Personally, I think that you should have to be a member of a venomous organization to buy hots. At least then you will have experienced people telling you if you are being an idiot! What did we learn last week? DON'T KISS RATTLERS!!! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] Luckily that one was just a punk kid who caught it rather than bought it. But I have been in the parking lot of hot shows and seen people reach into deli cups and pull out their new little copperhead [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img] Unfortunately, I don't have the answer to the problem. All I can do is keep Educating.

BTW: I didn't realize there was a hot show in FL.
[addsig]

BadKarma · #3 (**permalink**) 11-24-2002, 06:25 AM

I knew you would have something to say BW. I just wish there was a good solution. I wasn't in Florida. I was in Missouri at the time. I won't be in Florida for a while. So what do you think about the book idea? I always have people ask me if my boas or corns are ven but that doesn't bother me so much. I'ts just the blatent disregard of the few setting bad examples of the many. I will continue to support the "respectable" ven community but this tends to make it hard. You have to really watch some of these people to know just how respectable the are. As always BW I appreciate your input and hopefully someday we'll have the answer. JD [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_cool.gif[/img]
[addsig]

Advertisement