| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Elicia |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 17:38:43
...Was my first reptile show and I wont be going to another! I know the majority of you are going to dis agree with me here ....
I really didnt like how the snakes are displayed  I am aware that the animals are only in the small plastic boxes just for the show..and dont permanently live in those boxes, but they must have been kept in them to travel to the show and then how long are they on display? All of the snakes I saw today were in tiny cartons, with no hides which must be quite scary for them. I saw some rather large lizards, in tiny boxes all looking as though they were desperately trying to escape. the whole thing just seemed like a massive meat market to me and I found it quite upsetting. I saw some stunning RP's all looked very unhappy in their little boxes, people picking them up and peering in. I understand for practical reasons that the snakes have to be in small tubs but why cant they have hides in them? I saw a lot that didn't even have substrate/paper in them.
Moan number two-why dont the IHS look for a larger venue? (well I doubt there will be another held at Doncaster anyway after this years fiasco with the APA) The amount of people crammed into that hall was ridiculous and there should have been a limit put on people entering. I heard one woman passed out. I felt so claustrophobic I had to get out after half an hour. The amount of people admitted into that hall was bordering on dangerous in my opinion.
Sorry to those of you who enjoyed it, Im just expressing my honest opinion. I dont know what I went there expecting, but it wasnt what I saw today... |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Spreebok |
Posted - 18/06/2012 : 19:22:06
Yeah, it's something that comes with the territory. But like has been said, they put up with maybe 24 hours max of being a bit squished (In the case of snakes, they're usually squished somewhere of their own accord anyway lol) but then go on to live long, well cared for lives when they get picked up by someone :)
As for headbutting royals, they're a bit derpy anyway haha |
| Callazagy |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 21:00:25
I had a pretty good time, crossed three species off my wishlist (all will be revealed later). As for the crowding, I totally expected and put up with it because its such a great show. I didnt pay any attention to the lizards so I didnt notice the small boxes, as for snakes I didn't see anything particularly disstressing. All of mine were put in new homes within the hour when I got back and all relaxed now. |
| Donnie |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 20:12:05
Nope, looked at hundreds of pairs of shoes but no pink high tops  |
| QueenVic |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 20:06:03
lol! didn't you see me then?
I get swallowed in a crowd anyway haha, im only 5ft3"
If loads of us go to the September one we'll all have to meet up or something, would be interesting to meet people of here :D |
| Donnie |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 19:56:39
I may have bumped into you as well queenvic as I had my head down a lot of the time looking for somebody wearing pink high tops  |
| QueenVic |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 19:28:13
Haha no worries if you did paulie ;) |
| paulie78 |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 19:21:22
2 minor niggles but on the whole i had a fantastic day i have to say i felt rather bad for bumping into people i cant help it im soo big i always apologise though lol so Queenvic apologies once again if i was one of the people who knocked you 99.9 percent of what i saw looked perfectly ok to me all things considered |
| QueenVic |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 19:17:09
I think its the beardies you're on about. at the Dragons Dwell stand.
There was one particularly large one in a tub only just big enough to hold it..
But about the royals and other snakes, I dint see any that were in tubs too small.
A lot of them were headbutting the lids, but then all snakes do that I think. Mine at home constantly look for a way out of the viv, and the hatchies ive got now have all been pushing at the lids of their tubs.
Keeping reptiles is always going to be slightly harsh, cos unlike domesticated animals they dont have any emotion towards you, so they dont WANT to be your pet or live in a box.
I'm not saying that owning a snake is cruel, obviously since I have 2 (or 6 if you class my hatchies), cos we provide them with the best captive life they could ask for, and they dont know any different..
So yeah it bothered me a little bit too to see some of them.. but it was only for a few hours at the end of the day, and the reps are still healthy.
But yeah its a controversial subject lol, and I agree with both sides. |
| oakleyman18 |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 19:13:23
That's just because RP's aren't very clever 
In all seriousness though, local Reptile shops are often MUCH worse in terms of looking after their animals than any of these breeders. The breeders at these shows don't just sell animals for profit on the whole, Shops will usually give you bad or incorrect advice just to get a sale- Thermostats being a prime example.
It might look a little distressing, and I personally think yes there should be some hides or something, maybe pictures on the top which show the animals.. Especially for the more shy ones. I feel more sorry for the people that go to Doncaster, they're MUCH more packed in than even the animals! |
| Elicia |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 18:51:20
I can see your points too but as an animal lover I just found it really upsetting. It was the way those lizards (im not sure what they were but they were big!) were scratching at the bare plastic floor and I saw some RPs repeatedly headbutting the lid of their tubs, it made me sad maybe im just too sensitive lol. I did intend to buy a Royal today but decided I would much rather go to my local rep shop for my new snakie.x |
| QueenVic |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 17:59:41
It is practically a meat market.
But its one day, and then a lot of them are taken home by rep enthusiasts and will be given the care they need.
I can see where you're coming from, they should have hides in them, but then who would buy a snake that they couldnt see?
And they would have to keep getting them out of the hide when people wanted to see them, thats more unfair than them being constantly on display.
I thought it was a brilliant day, but I hate people lol. It was far too congested for my liking, and full of ignorant people who kept walking into me and pushing me out the way (im rather small lol). I bumped into a few people but i had the curtesy to say sorry.. like most people do.
Anyway, I know where you're coming from but imo there isnt another way to do it. Loads of those reptiles now have loving homes, where as they would still be living in tiny containers with the breeders if they hadnt been at the show today.
Ill def be going to the one in September, I thought it was fantastic.
Didn't manage to get myself an adult female though :( all the breeders keep them. there were only males when i got there. |
| paulie78 |
Posted - 17/06/2012 : 17:43:39
Well i have to say i enjoyed myself met a few people from here which was awesome though i do agree to a point there was a lot of people crammed in however i did expect that lol id expect it off any gathering of that type
it did pee me off to see some beardies packed so tight into tubs they couldnt move but the majority of the breeders/sellers had perfectly reasonable rubs etc there was just soo many people there im glad we got there early unfortunately i didnt get any the the stuff on my must have list but i got one from my "backup list" lol |
