# have you stuffed up b4?



## junglelove (May 2, 2012)

just thought id put it out there for the newbies it seems that when they ask for help there seems to be a lot of insults flying back at them for their mistake.

im sure we have all had these teething problems b4 that is how we learn and then teach others. It is through trial and error that we learn.

for me i didnt close a cage proply and lost a snake for 2 days, did it again but lucky this one was bigger and its hard to miss a 8ft snake in the lounge room!! lol

the first time i fed my big guy 8kg carpet he struck out side of his cage half way and i couldnt get him back in so i had to wait for ages until he finished eating so i could close the door.

dont use heat matts they just keep getting hotter and hotter 47degrees plus! no burns tho.

so far that is it for me hopefully i dont get into any sticky situations with my babies but things happen


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## Shotta (May 2, 2012)

my childrens python escapes lol he doesn't go very far he just cruises around and tries to climb on my bed lol
he's done that about 5 or 6 times lol out of my 8 snakes he's the only one that does it!
oh yeah my coastal got out for the fist time few months back and i just found him chillin on my pillows on the bed


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## JAS101 (May 2, 2012)

junglelove said:


> just thought id put it out there for the newbies it seems that when they ask for help there seems to be a lot of insults flying back at them for their mistake.
> 
> im sure we have all had these teething problems b4 that is how we learn and then teach others. It is through trial and error that we learn.
> 
> ...


theres nothing wrong with heat matts when used in the right way 
when ever one of my snakes lung out when grabbing there food i just pick them up [ they are too busy tryingto kill there thawed out rodent ] and put them back in ...... 
i have found a lot of new pepole will ask the same " help question" that many other pepole have asked - and answered . a simple search would 9 times out of 10 answer there question - rather then making another thread about the same thing .


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## CrystalMoon (May 2, 2012)

I have made 2 major mistakes..... The first was not checking that my Daughter had closed the enclosure properly and my girl Whisper escaped and is still AWOL her cage mate at the time didnt bother leaving he just stayed in his Hut. The second was fastening my thermometer display to the inside of the enclosure by the sticky square provided it was never an issue till 12 months later when I put a new hatchling in there and it fell off and stuck to her head  she lost some skin but got over it by the next shed. We all make mistakes it is how we learn, you can read volumes of information but it wont make you mistake proof we just need to make sure we learn by them


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## Snake-Supplies (May 2, 2012)

Everyone has done somthing wrong...

Everyone starts somewhere.

I'm sure a few people on here have too much pride and wont admit it though...


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## Pythoninfinite (May 2, 2012)

A couple of things to mention already - sanosuke, most keepers who respect and value their animals would ensure that the first escape was the last. One day you will lose your Children's forever - you might even tread on it when it's on one of it's regular outings. Foolish indeed.

Secondly, junglelove... our animals cannot afford the costs of us learning "by trial and error." If you keep animals, you learn what you need to know before you get them... but this seems rare these days. Fundamental to the welfare of any animal is a secure enclosure or yard. If an animal escapes more than once, you are not being a responsible keeper/pet owner.

Jamie


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## MR_IAN_DAVO (May 2, 2012)

All of the above posts & most probably all the still to come ones are true & great examples of mistakes we make.

My mistakes are far too many to put on here & would make me look pretty silly, but they are mistakes that a lot of us make & if we are smart enough we learn from them.
My knowledge of keeping reptiles has magnified at least 10 fold by learning from my own mistakes & others. 
I have been very fortunate to meet some very nice intelegent people in the hobby & by talking to them & learning from these forums i have learned heaps & i think that i am a friendly enough guy to pass info on to others & help where i can or my knowledge permits.
I am still learning everyday, but hope that i don't make the same silly mistakes again.

Cheers
Ian


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## Kam333 (May 2, 2012)

junglelove said:


> just thought id put it out there for the newbies it seems that when they ask for help there seems to be a lot of insults flying back at them for their mistake.
> 
> im sure we have all had these teething problems b4 that is how we learn and then teach others. It is through trial and error that we learn.
> 
> ...



I do everything right including stuffing up.

People (esp newbies) ask Q's on forums as sometimes they wouldnt have a clue were to look. People on forums love to express themselves. Human nature steps in and it is almost a scene from from childhood days,
OP- "How do I. . . ?" 
respondent "Ever tried Google" (this will get a few likes).
OP- "yes but I wasnt sure what I needed to know"
respondent no 2 " obviously . . . isnt for you, you dont know what it's about and then you get on here and expect people to help you"
this last response will usually get a few agreed responses and a couple of likes, and then it begins.
Newbie is like ***, maybe even a little taken back especially as it takes some people to work up the courage.
Every body likes to express their opinions only some people can be quite righteously aggressive.They are often not helpfull but more like roosters strutting around the pen "look how good I am".


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## Pythoninfinite (May 2, 2012)

I should point out that, of course, I have made many "mistakes" myself in the past 50 years. These were way before the internet and the truly amazing access to info which is available today. The more complex husbandry things, which don't actually involve life & death matters for your reptiles. are far less of a concern than the indifference to life-threatening things like regular escapes, as demonstrated by the second poster here.

There are fundamental welfare principles which apply to any animal you keep. If you don't address those from the outset, you probably won't have your animals long enough to bother with the finer points of reptile husbandry.

Jamie


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## Shotta (May 2, 2012)

Pythoninfinite said:


> A couple of things to mention already - sanosuke, most keepers who respect and value their animals would ensure that the first escape was the last. One day you will lose your Children's forever - you might even tread on it when it's on one of it's regular outings. Foolish indeed.
> 
> Secondly, junglelove... our animals cannot afford the costs of us learning "by trial and error." If you keep animals, you learn what you need to know before you get them... but this seems rare these days. Fundamental to the welfare of any animal is a secure enclosure or yard. If an animal escapes more than once, you are not being a responsible keeper/pet owner.
> 
> Jamie



lol ill' take this into consideration


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## Pythoninfinite (May 2, 2012)

sanosuke said:


> lol ill' take this into consideration



The long-term welbeing of your reptile depends on you doing just that... but I see you think it's a laughing matter!

Jamie


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## Shotta (May 2, 2012)

Pythoninfinite said:


> The long-term welbeing of your reptile depends on you doing just that... but I see you think it's a laughing matter!
> 
> Jamie



yep because he hasn't got out in a long time 
oh i should've mentioned i have prevented him from escaping lol
im just goin to assume you are a professional breeder/reptile keeper?
make a thread to help us newbies out  please


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## richardsc (May 2, 2012)

whats even funnier about that kam is alot of inexperienced folk actually jump on the band wagon and say the same thing,eg try search,google ect ect,some questions do get asked alot though,and sometimes the same questions had an identical thread on the same page

why there needs to be ten posters on some threads saying check google though i do not know,and if it irratates folk so much u have to wonder why they bother looking at the thread let alone responding to it to begin with

alot of folk mention promoting reptiles to the general public,possable newbies to the hobby,yet someone asks a question and can sometimes cop some abuse over it

funny way of promiting reptiles if u ask me,everyone has started out,they should remember that instead of being so high and mighty,or attempting to come off as so high and mighty

the old if u havnt got anything nice to say,dont say anything at all

these forums are about reptiles arent they,for EVERYONE to learn from

back on topic,yes made plenty of mistakes,every one has,some just wont admit it


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## Wild~Touch (May 2, 2012)

Hi there young man sanosuke

PLEASE don't insult the intelligence of a man such as Pythoninfinite

Obviously you have never experienced that gut wrenching sick feeling when you find an empty cage

Go ahead and laugh it off and may you experience that "sick in the gut feeling"

Cheers
Sandee


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## Pythoninfinite (May 2, 2012)

sanosuke said:


> yep because he hasn't got out in a long time
> oh i should've mentioned i have prevented him from escaping lol
> im just goin to assume you are a professional breeder/reptile keeper?
> make a thread to help us newbies out  please



No, I'm not a professional breeder, but I've been keeping reptiles, birds, dogs and other animals for a long time. Despite the tone of my response to you, it contains advice fundamental to the welfare of any captive animal, even our domestic pets, so there is good advice for newbies contained therein. However, any "newbie" reading your first post in this thread would probably think that regular escapes are a funny part of reptile keeping. The single biggest threat is to the animal itself - it could easily come to grief in your home, it could fall victim to cats or dogs outside, or a neighbour could cut it in half with a shovel if he finds it in his garage... 

I'm glad you finally fixed the problem sansuke, but I don't see why you still think it's a laughing matter...

Jamie


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## smithson (May 2, 2012)

richardsc said:


> whats even funnier about that kam is alot of inexperienced folk actually jump on the band wagon and say the same thing,eg try search,google ect ect,some questions do get asked alot though,and sometimes the same questions had an identical thread on the same pagewhy there needs to be ten posters on some threads saying check google though i do not know,and if it irratates folk so much u have to wonder why they bother looking at the thread let alone responding to it to begin withalot of folk mention promoting reptiles to the general public,possable newbies to the hobby,yet someone asks a question and can sometimes cop some abuse over itfunny way of promiting reptiles if u ask me,everyone has started out,they should remember that instead of being so high and mighty,or attempting to come off as so high and mightythe old if u havnt got anything nice to say,dont say anything at allthese forums are about reptiles arent they,for EVERYONE to learn fromback on topic,yes made plenty of mistakes,every one has,some just wont admit it


1+


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## GeckPhotographer (May 2, 2012)

xkcd: The Cloud

Unfortunately I don't wear a hat, so yes I've made a mistake.


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## CrystalMoon (May 2, 2012)

Wild~Touch said:


> Hi there young man sanosuke
> 
> PLEASE don't insult the intelligence of a man such as Pythoninfinite
> 
> ...


Ohhh gosh I never want to experience it ever again  but your so right it is a gut wrenching sick to the stomach feeling.... It is the hardest lesson I have learned thus far  I wouldnt wish it on any-one. I cannot stress strongly enough for Newbies to check latches/locks etc even if they appear to be closed double check specially if Children are involved... We had a dodgy clip and even though I supervised the putting of the snake back, I failed to check the clip properly after my Daughter put her snake away  I am probably over the top now, but I truly am heartbroken over our escapee  and worry about her endlessly


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## Shotta (May 2, 2012)

Pythoninfinite said:


> No, I'm not a professional breeder, but I've been keeping reptiles, birds, dogs and other animals for a long time. Despite the tone of my response to you, it contains advice fundamental to the welfare of any captive animal, even our domestic pets, so there is good advice for newbies contained therein. However, any "newbie" reading your first post in this thread would probably think that regular escapes are a funny part of reptile keeping. The single biggest threat is to the animal itself - it could easily come to grief in your home, it could fall victim to cats or dogs outside, or a neighbour could cut it in half with a shovel if he finds it in his garage...
> 
> I'm glad you finally fixed the problem sansuke, but I don't see why you still think it's a laughing matter...
> 
> Jamie



thanks lol 
sorry have the habit of sayin lol 
and its not meant to be mean



Wild~Touch said:


> Hi there young man sanosuke
> 
> PLEASE don't insult the intelligence of a man such as Pythoninfinite
> 
> ...



lol i was not insulting anyone
if they thought i was then they should say something not you lol
sorry for laughiing

lol maybe i should stop browsing this site while im FLy!!


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## citrus (May 2, 2012)

I think the problem is people that have no idea what they are talking about (but have huge egos and think they do) ask questions but don't like to listen to the answer unless it's what they wanted to here.


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## Coppersimon (May 2, 2012)

I love talking reptiles to people but when I'm asked which forum they should go to to ask questions I can't recommend this one. I love this forum it is by far my favorite but when I need help I go to another because I don't need the crap you cop for asking questions here.
Yes there are a lot of very experienced people here but that doesn't give them the right to blast you for asking question. Of course most of the people offering advise are not like this but there are some. 
Oh and my biggest mistake other than admitting I use another forum from time to time is under estimating the ability of a stimi to escape.


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## Pythoninfinite (May 2, 2012)

Ha! Stimmis live under rocks mostly, so they have a remarkable ability to flatten out and squeeze through very small gaps - especially the gap between sliding glass fronts... been there done that !

Jamie


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## pretzels (May 2, 2012)

iv made heaps of mistakes with my first snake. none of which i am proud about. i thought i knew what i was getting myself into. i spent months and months reading up on snakes and what they needed in their enclosures and all that jazz..but at the end of the day no animal is ever going to do exactly as the books say because they are all individuals. just like babies. none of them flipping go by the books i swear!

i have had heaps of helpful advice from you guys on here but at the same time iv been ridiculed for not knowing something. and nothing anyone says on here is the same as actually having someone on hand who knows what their talking about. i tried for months to understand why my snake wasnt handling. i tried everything i had read here and on the net. but in the end it was a better choice to ask my mate for help because he is able to watch they way i do things and help me like that.


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## disintegratus (May 2, 2012)

I'm only a newbie myself, but so far the worst mistake I've made has cost my two Jacky Dragons their lives. I'd wanted Jacky Dragons for months, and I finally got a pair, but didn't have a uv light to fit the tank they were in yet. That was fine, I was taking them outside regularly to get some sun in a soft crate on top of the table, but one day I forgot about them while I was doing stuff, and nipped up to the shops. I came home to find one of the dogs lying on top of the crate on the ground (it was a bit windy, so I assume it the wind pushed it off the table), my Jackys squished inside it. The dogs hadn't attacked them or anything, no damage to the crate, just lay on top of it. What made it worse was that both of them were gravid, I could see the eggs that came out with their insides. I still haven't forgiven myself for that idiot mistake, and I probably never will. 
If anyone on here says they've never made a mistake, I'll gladly call them a liar. Everyone makes them, and it doesn't matter how much research you do, at some point in your life, you will probably make an idiotic mistake. Hopefully it doesn't cost anyone as dearly as it did me. It doesn't make it okay, but at least if we learn from them, some good can come from them.


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## Megzz (May 2, 2012)

The biggest mistake I ever have made (and ever will) cost me the life of my first ever stimmie. It was 14 months ago now that I woke up to a terrible burning smell, ran to the reptile enclosure knowing in my gut what that smell had to be. I found my 10 month old stimmie burned to death inside his light cage. When I was composed enough I called my ex who had made and installed the cage for me to come and take it out. When he took it out I noticed a tiny hole at the very top of the cage. He said he didnt think it was a big deal when he installed it because it was so small he thought a snake wouldnt get through it (he knew nothing about reptiles, was just good at building things). I felt so guilty over this I've only just gotten a new reptile last week. This is the first time I've told anyone outside of my close friends what happened to my beautiful stimmie and I hope it helps people to never ever make the same mistake.


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## CrystalMoon (May 2, 2012)

Megzz said:


> The biggest mistake I ever have made (and ever will) cost me the life of my first ever stimmie. It was 14 months ago now that I woke up to a terrible burning smell, ran to the reptile enclosure knowing in my gut what that smell had to be. I found my 10 month old stimmie burned to death inside his light cage. When I was composed enough I called my ex who had made and installed the cage for me to come and take it out. When he took it out I noticed a tiny hole at the very top of the cage. He said he didnt think it was a big deal when he installed it because it was so small he thought a snake wouldnt get through it (he knew nothing about reptiles, was just good at building things). I felt so guilty over this I've only just gotten a new reptile last week. This is the first time I've told anyone outside of my close friends what happened to my beautiful stimmie and I hope it helps people to never ever make the same mistake.


I feel so much for you, it would be such a very hard loss to deal with. Thank you for sharing  hugs to you too....


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## Kam333 (May 2, 2012)

citrus said:


> I think the problem is people that have no idea what they are talking about (but have huge egos and think they do) ask questions but don't like to listen to the answer unless it's what they wanted to here.



Are you missing me Citrus ? :cry:


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## bigjoediver (May 2, 2012)

Every one makes mistakes, caught my stimmie half out of his enclosure once, it now has a key lock on it. Keeping reptiles indoors in a box is a relatively new past time, it's not a natural environment and mistakes are bound to be made. Forums such as these are a good place for people to learn and share ideas and experiences. Some people need to remember that no one was born being a herpetologist and we all have to start somewhere. Bagging someone for starting a post that's been done to death before doesn't help anyone let alone the OP, perhaps give a brief piece of advice and mention the existence of previous threads. If it gives you the s...ts that much don't read the thread or don't reply. The trouble with the Internet it allows people to hide behind a keyboard and say whatever they like without fear of reprisal. A lot of these flame type replies would never have been given face to face.


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## Kam333 (May 2, 2012)

6Hajime6Saito6 said:


> thanks lol
> sorry have the habit of sayin lol
> and its not meant to be mean
> 
> ...



And this is me jumping in to join the "Forumite Mongol hoard" to swarm in and cut you down. . . and the hiten mitsurugi isnt going to save you. . nah just kidding. But this show's how easy this type of thing can happen. LOL. . . according to txt language the world has become a place of laughing lunatics, it's got so bad that i will email or txt and the only reply I get is LOL. . really, like really you think walking the dog etc is funny:?


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## Australis (May 2, 2012)

People can be so cruel.


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## PythonLegs (May 2, 2012)

Kam333 said:


> I do everything right including stuffing up.
> 
> People (esp newbies) ask Q's on forums as sometimes they wouldnt have a clue were to look. People on forums love to express themselves. Human nature steps in and it is almost a scene from from childhood days,
> OP- "How do I. . . ?"
> ...



Awww...someone get kam a bandaid for his old wound, it hasn't healed yet.

Why are people so unkind.


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## SpilotaFreak78 (May 2, 2012)

WHile I am no expert and have a few little follies, all I can add to the list is being lax with changing bedding every few months like I am supposed to, sometimes I've left it a little longer than that, occaisionally Ive left water to be changed for a week instead of changing it every 2nd or 3rd day. What else? Not heating enclosures enough, my Honey Jungle stopped eating for almost 2 months last year because her enclosure wasn't hot enough< I'm trying not to make the same mistake with my Darwins. Not wearing gloves when handling new snakes, had my hand mauled one time when I got my Diamond girl. I didn't blame her, she was new and hungry and could smell the feed tub before I could get her completely in there. Not taking animals to the vet as often as I should, two are sick at the moment, not my fault though. Not serious but I got them there in time I guess, not cheap either, especially when all 9 of my girls are due for checkups. People look at you weirdly when you are carrying a pile of tubs and get freaked out when they realise what you are carrying. Asking too many questions got me banned from another snake forum, God only knows why. Some douche there claimed to the admins I was someone else when I wasn't, even offered to show them my ID or have one of them call me to see I was definitely female and not some male troll. I've left enclosures open plenty of times, but for some reason my girls just stay in there, not that they could get far, they are all kept in a seperate room of the house, so if they do get out, can't wander. I've been told never to handle a snakes heads, but have done so many times to my girls to get them used to being touched there. Most of them let me do a light but firm hold with my fingers on the top of the head and under the bottom of the jaw with my forefinger and thumb. Most of my follies happened in the first few months or so, not much happening lately, but I am coming up on my first year of snake ownership. Cheers to no serious accidents!


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## reptalica (May 2, 2012)

And here I was thinking the thread was about "have I stuffed up generally in day to day life?" (not herps)

Sheesh, where do I start............


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## Kruger88 (May 2, 2012)

Pythoninfinite said:


> A couple of things to mention already - sanosuke, most keepers who respect and value their animals would ensure that the first escape was the last. One day you will lose your Children's forever - you might even tread on it when it's on one of it's regular outings. Foolish indeed.
> 
> Secondly, junglelove... our animals cannot afford the costs of us learning "by trial and error." If you keep animals, you learn what you need to know before you get them... but this seems rare these days. Fundamental to the welfare of any animal is a secure enclosure or yard. If an animal escapes more than once, you are not being a responsible keeper/pet owner.
> 
> Jamie



As a zookeeper I would hate to think of the damage an escaped animal could cause (more so if it was a carnivore) however everyone will make mistakes we just have to make sure they never happen again. Always double check locks!!! and visually sight your animals when doing so.


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## Defective (May 2, 2012)

the one and only mistake i've made was when i misjudged how much bearded dragons can flatten themselves out. mum bought a rabbit enclosure and after ensuring it was pretty much escape proof my beardie Yoda got out the front bars...i was devastated and was out looking for him til dark fell, luckily we caught him the next morning and he hasn't been in anything enclosure wise until i can afford a mesh exo terra that is secure and can't escape from


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## Shotta (May 2, 2012)

Kam333 said:


> And this is me jumping in to join the "Forumite Mongol hoard" to swarm in and cut you down. . . and the hiten mitsurugi isnt going to save you. . nah just kidding. But this show's how easy this type of thing can happen. LOL. . . according to txt language the world has become a place of laughing lunatics, it's got so bad that i will email or txt and the only reply I get is LOL. . really, like really you think walking the dog etc is funny:?



i believe it will save me
Hiten misturugi style!!!


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## scorps (May 2, 2012)

My biggest one was when I first started keeping herps, I got my first olive python (second snake) and didn't shut cage, found it two days later in my hatcho ackie enclosure,

No more ackies, fat hatchie olive though lol

Havent had a snake escape since lol


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## Kam333 (May 2, 2012)

PythonLegs said:


> Awww...someone get kam a bandaid for his old wound, it hasn't healed yet.
> 
> Why are people so unkind.



Nah, Im fine the battle keeps raging. . . just need to understand final goal :?


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## mrs_davo (May 2, 2012)

Pythoninfinite.....I have to disagree with you somewhat....sometimes no matter how carefull you are - animals excape ( whether through not closing an enclosure properly or just plain having a houdini reptile ) - THIS DOES NOT MAKE PEOPLE IRRISPONSIBLE PET KEEPERS.....and I actually take offence at you suggesting this....
We did our research before getting our reptiles - but learning about them is a continual thing...
You cannot tell me that you know everything...I know we dont...



Pythoninfinite said:


> A couple of things to mention already - sanosuke, most keepers who respect and value their animals would ensure that the first escape was the last. One day you will lose your Children's forever - you might even tread on it when it's on one of it's regular outings. Foolish indeed.
> 
> Secondly, junglelove... our animals cannot afford the costs of us learning "by trial and error." If you keep animals, you learn what you need to know before you get them... but this seems rare these days. Fundamental to the welfare of any animal is a secure enclosure or yard. If an animal escapes more than once, you are not being a responsible keeper/pet owner.
> 
> Jamie


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## pretzels (May 2, 2012)

mrs_davo said:


> Pythoninfinite.....I have to disagree with you somewhat....sometimes no matter how carefull you are - animals excape ( whether through not closing an enclosure properly or just plain having a houdini reptile ) - THIS DOES NOT MAKE PEOPLE IRRISPONSIBLE PET KEEPERS.....and I actually take offence at you suggesting this....
> We did our research before getting our reptiles - but learning about them is a continual thing...
> You cannot tell me that you know everything...I know we dont...




woohoo you tell them mrs davo! it is true. no one is perfect and no one knows everything! its really not fair to get up ppl for asking for help or for making mistakes because we're all human. we are bound to make mistakes. this is life!


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## Chris1 (May 2, 2012)

ive been incredibly lucky with some of my stuff ups,...

i had a sunning cage sitting on the bbq of my top floor unit with my 2 2 month old central beardies in it,...all was well, i was just inside making sure no birds harrassed them when a gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew it off,....i bolted down the 3 flights of stairs with my heart in my throat to find the 2 of them no worse for wear,...the sunning cage hit some trees on the way down, plus they were still really light,..the 2 factors i believe saved them. (i never put the sunning cage on the bbq after that, when the sun on the floor ran out, they came back inside_)

i also temporarily lost my first ever snake after i let him out for a supervised cruise one slightly drunken evening, and woke up 3 hours later,....i dont think ive ever panicked so much in my life, 2 hours of searching,...positive id never see him again,...i saw his nose poke out from the gap under the built in oven,...i grabbed the head and somehow managed to coax him out over a 20 min period,....needless to say if he dosent come out if im tired or tipsy, and if hes out and im getting tired he gets put away.

then there was a moonless night i had all 7 out for a supervised night time cruise in the backyard, all was going well, the back porch lights up the back yard beautifully,...and suddenly, blackout,.....i still dont know how i managed to find them all, but i did,...and the next time they got outside at night it was in their brand new safe aviary,....and i bought a bunch of torches so theres always one in easy reach,....

then the aviary stuffups,...after winter one year the grass had died and the soil under it sunk a bit,...i had checked for gaps, bbut obviously not well enough,..my boy diamond got out, i found him next door heading towards the bush,...now pavers cover the edges where the walls meet the ground,..

then my bf hit the aviary wire with the whipper snipper and i didnt notice the hole in the wire, i got home after being out for 3 hours to find one of my bredli (my fave at that) trying desperately to get in the back door, he went straight past the plum tree that leads to the neighbours roof,...

i dont think im careless when it comes to my critters,....but sometimes things go wrong,...


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## Wrightpython (May 2, 2012)

no i havent stuffed up and i reserve the right to be obnoxious about it


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## Skeptic (May 2, 2012)

I've never made a mistake in anything. I'm perfect in every way. I've also never been wrong. Except one time I thought I was wrong about something but it turned out I was right all along, so I guess I was wrong about being wrong. 

Seriously though, the other day I was cleaning out all my snakes and I put one of my young Bredli's on the dining room chair while I was cleaning his cage out. I then realised I was all out of paper towel and the shops were about to close so I rushed out the door and drove about 3 k's before screaming **** and hitting the brakes. I got home and he was still chilling on the chair. Close call


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## Red-Ink (May 2, 2012)

We all make mistakes... We are all continually learning

The same mistake that keeps happening several times is not learning... That is Bart and the cupcake, Hamster 1 Bart 0


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## CaptainRatbag (May 2, 2012)

My biggest boo boo was putting a 60w IR heatlamp a bit too close to the glass on my spotteds enclosure.... I heard a 'crack' from my room and went in to find the glass broken :shock: luckily it wasnt hardened glass, so it didnt explode into marbles.... it just cracked and stayed in place.... although had I not been there at the time, clyde would have pushed out the broken triangle of glass and prolly would have got out.

The other mishap was when I took advice to feed my snakes out of thier enclosure.... I tried it, but on picking my (full) coastal up after his feed, the next morning he had chucked his rat :shock: That was the first ever chuck from my snakes, now I just feed back in enclosure and never a prob  

I reckon the MAIN reason for ME having made so few mistakes so far, is from reading on here of others mistakes. By reading of other peoples mistakes, I think alot more about what CAN happen. For that, I am extremely gratefull 

Newbs should be allowed to feel free to ask the simplest questions without being cremated by the 'all knowing'


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## disintegratus (May 2, 2012)

Wrightpython said:


> no i havent stuffed up and i reserve the right to be obnoxious about it



I remember you mentioning in another thread that a friend/purchaser of yours was tagged by one of your hatchy vens...
...does that mean you did it on purpose?


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## Kam333 (May 2, 2012)

Red-Ink said:


> We all make mistakes... We are all continually learning
> 
> The same mistake that keeps happening several times is not learning... That is Bart and the cupcake, Hamster 1 Bart 0



Reminds me of a chinese saying that I drum into my students - " a man is only a fool if he makes the same mistake twice"


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## Dippy (May 2, 2012)

My little Diamond got out and went AWOL for about a weekend a half, it's only because I moved my bluey to a new tank and forgot to fix the lid on the old one that I found her. She must have climbed the cord of the heat lamp and fallen in but couldn't get out haha


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## Pauls_Pythons (May 2, 2012)

Well as we are owning up to all the silly things we have done I may as well let this little pearl-er in.........................
Many years ago in a previous life when I was still a pom I had a rather large Burmese female. She was too big to clean the tank with her inside so the routine was she has a wander around the lounge with doors all closed while I clean up the mess that comes with a healthy 14ft python who loved to eat.
We had also recently acquired a beautiful rottweiler puppy who was then around 4 months old I guess, (you know where this is going don't you?) 
Anyway, to cut a long story short I thought I had locked the dog in the back of the house but obviously I hadn't. When I came to return Petra, (short for petrified) the Python to her enclosure I find her and the puppy laid together both fast asleep!!
How lucky was I that she was either so well fed she didn't feel the need to take an extra meal while out of her tank or maybe she was accustomed to the smell of dogs and knew they weren't food. I guess I will never know the reason but that was too close for me.


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## Jeannine (May 3, 2012)

*ive made mistakes, not quite brave enough to out them but i have learned

the only 'problem' i see with coming into a site, any site, and asking advice is 20 people will give u advice but its 20 DIFFERENT pieces of advice and then its up to the person asking to work out what to follow first etc and that can make it more confusing and in the end it could cost a reptile its life while the owner is trying their best 

all advice is helpful yes but pray tell exactly 'who' do the newbies listen to first?, i mean if 8 of those 20 people give the same advice then its obviously the first thing to try and im guessing a lot of times the situation is resolved, part of my 'mistake' was following what i then believed to have been the right advice but it wasnt 
*


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## MR_IAN_DAVO (May 3, 2012)

Jeannine said:


> *ive made mistakes, not quite brave enough to out them but i have learned
> 
> the only 'problem' i see with coming into a site, any site, and asking advice is 20 people will give u advice but its 20 DIFFERENT pieces of advice and then its up to the person asking to work out what to follow first etc and that can make it more confusing and in the end it could cost a reptile its life while the owner is trying their best
> 
> ...



*This is allways a hard thing to work out with whatever advise you get. The best thing is to ask lots, try to work out who you trust the most & also to use your own common sence to help you make a decision. It can be very hard on forums esp for newbies, but you can check profiles & ask others if they know of or trust that person. The more info you can gather should help you make a better decision. The trouble is some people think that they know & are genuinly trying to help & some just have no idea. Confusing isn't it.

Cheers
Ian*


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## Pythoninfinite (May 3, 2012)

mrs_davo said:


> Pythoninfinite.....I have to disagree with you somewhat....sometimes no matter how carefull you are - animals excape ( whether through not closing an enclosure properly or just plain having a houdini reptile ) - THIS DOES NOT MAKE PEOPLE IRRISPONSIBLE PET KEEPERS.....and I actually take offence at you suggesting this....
> We did our research before getting our reptiles - but learning about them is a continual thing...
> You cannot tell me that you know everything...I know we dont...



You have totally missed my point... Of course "things happen" from time to time, regardless of how experienced and/or careful a keeper may be - they happen to me as much as they happen with anyone else. Probably my biggest consistent problem was not checking to see if both sections of sliding glass are fully closed after cleaning - I overcame that by cutting the tongue on the sliding glass locks just long enough to engage the lock when both sides were fully closed... problem solved once and for all.

In my book, an irresponsible pet keeper is one who, knowing that a problem exists with an enclosure from which an animal frequently escapes, allows it to happen again... and again... then comes on here and treats it as a joke, as though the escape is some sort of snake naughty behaviour. It's just the same thing as a dog being able to escape the yard and roam free in the neighbourhood, or cats being left out at night - the consequences may be different but the principles are the same. If you have animals in your care, you have a duty to know where they are at all times, for the welfare of the animals, and the wellbeing of those around them.

I know a bit about reptiles, but I'd be the last person to suggest that I know it all. You have no need to be so defensive... unless I touched a nerve... and even then, if you looked objectively at what I have written in this thread, you would see that I have never suggested I know it all.

By the way, there is no such thing as "just plain having a Houdini reptile" - but there are people who acquire reptiles and who totally underestimate their abilities to escape from enclosures. 

Jamie


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## ForgottenXo (May 3, 2012)

We have all made mistakes before...like forgetting to replace a click clack lid...leaving an enlosure open...

The biggest one, and one i will never EVER make again, was buying mice, thinking they looked off and feeding them anyway AND not checking the temps in my enclosures...

I lost my jungle because of this, she got a case of "food poisoning' from the mice, was mid shed, and the temps were fluctuating wayy too high...she got a RI and couldnt fight it off, and she died.

I am very lucky that I currently have some VERY knowledgable people behind me that i know i can call at any time and ask questions. Im a newbie...only 5 years in the hobby and i still have alot to learn. Complacentcy is the biggest issue...Never get to the point where you arent VIGILENT with your collection and never take it for granted. Have a back up plan, strict quarantine procedures and get into a routine...

Dont sweat the small stuff, its when you get complacent, 3 little mistakes can come together and cause alot of heartache...

Kayte Xo


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## Waterrat (May 3, 2012)

I am making mistake right now. :shock: So is he.


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## SpilotaFreak78 (May 3, 2012)

I don't know if this is a mistake or whatever you want to call it but I put too many snakes in one 3ft enclosure. They are all between one and two yrs old, somewhat small in size because I control their diets (I want them to kind of age as natural as possible, not be overfed and grow too large too quick atm). I blame my Bredli, shes so companionable that the other three will not part with her, they pine when ever I take them away from her. Before anyone says I need to move them, I will, I have two new cages on order. Just waiting on bits and pieces for those cages too. This housing is only temporary.

I know there are unspoken rules about putting more than one python together in a cage but I've never had any problems. I guess once they become breeders then they will have to be separated, but they are fine now, no hissing, fighting or anything.

What else have I done that I cna admit to. Only handling snakes after feeding them. None have chucked up yet, but this was mainly when I had to put them back into their cages after feeding them in their own tubs.


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## citrus (May 3, 2012)

Kam333 said:


> Are you missing me Citrus ? :cry:



sorry mate I wasnt talking about you directly.


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## MR_IAN_DAVO (May 3, 2012)

Sometimes it is a mistake posting on this forum. But who really cares but the newbies trying to get some help?
A shame on us all !!!
& sometimes some old newbies, but bugger it all we know best & just leave us alone?????
Cheers
Ian


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## killimike (May 3, 2012)

MR_IAN_DAVO said:


> Sometimes it is a mistake posting on this forum. But who really cares but the newbies trying to get some help?
> A shame on us all !!!
> & sometimes some old newbies, but bugger it all we know best & just leave us alone?????
> Cheers
> Ian



Between this thread and the one about a snake shipped without air holes, it's good to know nothing changes around here. It's strangely reassuring


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## junglelove (May 3, 2012)

Pythoninfinite said:


> A couple of things to mention already - sanosuke, most keepers who respect and value their animals would ensure that the first escape was the last. One day you will lose your Children's forever - you might even tread on it when it's on one of it's regular outings. Foolish indeed.
> 
> Secondly, junglelove... our animals cannot afford the costs of us learning "by trial and error." If you keep animals, you learn what you need to know before you get them... but this seems rare these days. Fundamental to the welfare of any animal is a secure enclosure or yard. If an animal escapes more than once, you are not being a responsible keeper/pet owner.
> 
> Jamie


 
wow i think you might be one of the ones joshua was talking about  but i wont say anything negative to that one.

it doesnt matter if we are carefull driving somthings are out of our controll and we crash, or ur in a rush lock the keys in the car, lose children at the shops, OR even one of the most common and yes funniest im always carfull where i walk but still manage to trip over a flat surface!! if u get what im saying


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## FAY (May 3, 2012)

We were out the back and I decided to come into the loungeroom with the dog walking beside me. All of a sudden the dog starting acting strange......here was one of our womas resting on the dog's bed.
Hmmm must of left one of the glass sliding doors open. Picked up the woma, put it back in it's enclosure and shut the 6mm glass doors.
Went into the loungeroom and was watching TV...when lo and behold, here comes the same woma sliding along into the loungeroom. Ah ha..can open the glass doors itself as I know for a fact I mad sure they were shut properly..on go locks from now on.
To think that it's enclosure is on the verandah, so had to cross that, cross the reptile room come into the hallway and then into the loungeroom.....


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## CaptainRatbag (May 3, 2012)

+1 locks

I often see my 2 spotteds trying to open the sliding glass door to thier enclosures :shock: Who says pythons arent intelligent..... I reckon you can see it in thier eyes they are 'thinking' and can learn to do simple tasks (like how a door works) :lol:


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## sarah1234 (May 3, 2012)

My hatchy BHP has outsmarted me twice now and managed to escape his click clack. First time he was missing for 24hrs, thought he was a gonner for sure. Second time I found he had escaped just as he got out and he was soon found. I will never take a risk with a questionable click clack ever again!


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## PythonLegs (May 3, 2012)

SpilotaFreak78 said:


> I don't know if this is a mistake or whatever you want to call it but I put too many snakes in one 3ft enclosure. They are all between one and two yrs old, somewhat small in size because I control their diets (I want them to kind of age as natural as possible, not be overfed and grow too large too quick atm). I blame my Bredli, shes so companionable that the other three will not part with her, they pine when ever I take them away from her



OHH..oh...ahh...my..sides..ouch..argh...


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## CrystalMoon (May 3, 2012)

PythonLegs said:


> OHH..oh...ahh...my..sides..ouch..argh...


Are you in pain  rofl..... (couldnt resist lol)


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## Wrightpython (May 3, 2012)

disintegratus said:


> I remember you mentioning in another thread that a friend/purchaser of yours was tagged by one of your hatchy vens...
> ...does that mean you did it on purpose?


It's actually his hatchy now and I didn't didn't get tagged so how is it my stuff up, if you get bitten is that my fault to


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## Rocky (May 15, 2012)

The biggest mistake I have made was horrifying. I cooked my Bearded Dragon alive. He was taken outside for some natural UV so he would be nice and strong to mate hours later. The enclosure outside was a big one, and I had fastened a towel over half of the enclosure so that he could escape the heat. It was not a windy day. I sat with him for a while reading a book. About 15 minutes later I went inside. When I came back out 20 minutes later, I found that the towel had blown off the enclosure, and my Bearded dragon was stiff as a brick, his snout and mouth were blackened. The guilt was intense. I had my L's at the time, stole my parents car and drove 40 minutes to the Exotic reptile vet in Crows nest. Driving with one hand, using a syringe to get electrolytes into his mouth with my other hand. It was too late by the time I got to the Vet. I quit my reptile hobby after this for over two years so ashamed of what I had done, and too scared that I would kill again. It was a horrible learning experience.


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## CaptainRatbag (May 15, 2012)

Wow, that was a bugga Rocky  Glad you got back into it tho


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## mysnakesau (May 15, 2012)

There is no such thing as too experienced to stuff up. Keeping animals is a lifetime experience. There is always something new to learn about them. So don't consider yourself safe from stuff ups just because you've had snakes for a few years or more.

I lost a 6ft snake from not closing the door properly, three years ago. To this day I have never seen him once.


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## Crystal..Discus (May 15, 2012)

One of these threads pops up every couple of months... 

"We're being treated unfairly! You're all mean!" 

"Then stop asking questions like, 'what should I name my snake?' and we're cool." 

"No, I was brave enough to ask it on the internet, therefore it's important and you're offensive." 






Newbies become somewhat more experienced, next wave of newbies come in, and the circle of life continues onwards.

Spoiler: I don't make mistakes, I'm perfect.


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## CrystalMoon (May 15, 2012)

To be honest, I dont think the thread is a bad idea... repetitive? maybe? I have only been here for 12 months.... perhaps I am unqualified to answer as I might still be classed as a "newbie"? However at the risk of sounding mealy mouthed I will add that I find it would help other new comers to the reptile world to know others have made mistakes, even the hierarchy of the forum. It also helps people learn and that I thought is why we're all here? welllll for the most part lol I get for long timer's it maybe tedious and repetitive, there is always the option of not reading the post. Just scroll(not troll ha ha ha)on by.........


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## Albino93 (May 15, 2012)

i agree with crystalmoon...


when my spotted was only 3-4 months i found her squeezed in the gap half way up the side of the window, lucky the window was closed at the time. turns out i left the sliding door open by about 1cm.
funny thing is, i was sitting in front of that window for ages without realising she was there.


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## Manda1032 (May 15, 2012)

yes I made a mistake..... I trusted the local vets when they said they could help with my bluetongue. Learnt the hard way


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## CrystalMoon (May 15, 2012)

Manda1032 said:


> yes I made a mistake..... I trusted the local vets when they said they could help with my bluetongue. Learnt the hard way


Thats really sad, but it really wasn't your mistake  you kinda think they would be able to help or at least confer with reptile vets?


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## Cypher69 (May 15, 2012)

One of the worst mistakes I made was over 12 years ago & to this day still haunts & hurts when I reflect on it.
I customised a wardrobe to house my 6ft carpet...she was one of the most placid & well tempered snakes I've ever had.
Anyway I built a wooden hide-box at one end of the enclosure & for some reason I decided to cut out a triangular entrance/hole. I guess I didn't have a jig-saw to cut a circular hole or even curve the arch out of the triangular hole I made....

Well my carpet lived in that enclosure for a good 8 months with no issues at all until that sad fateful afternoon.
She'd crawled half way into the hide box & then for some reason decided to crawl back out...the entrance being triangular in shape she got stuck, wedged in the entrance & the more she struggled the tighter the fit became & she suffocated to death.
It still pains me imagining what she went through.

The most important lesson I learnt was to keep my enclosures in plain view such as the living room rather than keeping it in a spare room that I wouldn't frequent as often.


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## konp69 (May 15, 2012)

Wrightpython said:


> It's actually his hatchy now and I didn't didn't get tagged so how is it my stuff up, if you get bitten is that my fault to



I don't even see how getting tagged by a hatchie is a problem. ****, the Bredli I just bought off a guy here tagged me because I absent-mindedly put my hand in his strike zone. It was entirely my fault but it was also entirely adorable to see this tiny little bredli gettin all threatening to my hand. I picked him BECAUSE he bit me - strong personalities in animals are great.


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## Jungletrans (May 15, 2012)

I thought I made a mistake once , but I was wrong :]


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## Cold-B-Hearts (May 15, 2012)

the one mistake iv made was when i was going to buy my first snake. it was sold to me as a 'jungle' on the movement advice it says its a bredli, but honest to god i got no idea what is is some type of hybrid. id done my research but when i went to pick the snake up i knew it was a carpet, but i wasnt sure i thought it might of been a jungle that just hadn't " coloured up yet" 
any way i just call him dakota. 
besides that im doing good


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## Albino93 (May 15, 2012)

Liamb561 said:


> the one mistake iv made was when i was going to buy my first snake. it was sold to me as a 'jungle' on the movement advice it says its a bredli, but honest to god i got no idea what is is some type of hybrid. id done my research but when i went to pick the snake up i knew it was a carpet, but i wasnt sure i thought it might of been a jungle that just hadn't " coloured up yet"
> any way i just call him dakota.
> besides that im doing good




do u have a pic of him?


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## mysnakesau (May 15, 2012)

bredli's are usually very easily picked for their lovely desert-red and white markings. Love them.


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## Wombok (Mar 2, 2013)

Today I was cleaning out my Jungle's 4 week old enclosure, and I decided I'd set it up a bit differently. The stick I had in there was moudly, so I chopped some bamboo and all was good. At this stage I had completely set it up. 
So I put the bamboo in, well.. Forced. And then bam, one side of the enclosure completely burst out. 
Thank god it had happened when my jungle was in a container, and the enclosure was still on the ground.
So now I have some Styrofoam in on the inside. A perfect fit. And cardboard on the outside.
It's only his temporary cage, as he's still young. But I think it'll work well, especially as it will hold in heat better.


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## bk201 (Mar 2, 2013)

My biggest mistake and i think the biggest mistake many people make is how they set up their collections.
When i first started i had heaps of skinks,dragons, gecko's frogs and then one day realised i don't know why i own half of these besides they were cheap and for sale when i had money... i ended up with 1 of this 2 of this and no real numbers to do any breeding to keep them long term.


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## JosPythons (Mar 2, 2013)

My biggest mistake occurred about 2 months ago......I had cleaned out all my enclosures and without realising it I hadn't closed one of the corners on my BHP's lid properly. She was a bit of a houdini and she escaped....I was away for a few days. When I got home and realised I turned the house upside down and couldn't find her. I noticed one of the flyscreens on a window was on the ground outside so I searched outside.....with absolutely no luck. I still go out every couple of nights with the torch and look for her......probably a waste of time as I live in rainforest but I keep hoping that maybe I'll get lucky one day and be outside just at the right time. She was a beautiful snake and I still miss her heaps  

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2


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## Bananapeel (Mar 2, 2013)

JosPythons said:


> My biggest mistake occurred about 2 months ago......I had cleaned out all my enclosures and without realising it I hadn't closed one of the corners on my BHP's lid properly. She was a bit of a houdini and she escaped....I was away for a few days. When I got home and realised I turned the house upside down and couldn't find her. I noticed one of the flyscreens on a window was on the ground outside so I searched outside.....with absolutely no luck. I still go out every couple of nights with the torch and look for her......probably a waste of time as I live in rainforest but I keep hoping that maybe I'll get lucky one day and be outside just at the right time. She was a beautiful snake and I still miss her heaps
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2



ohhh:cry: that made me so upset just reading. I can't imagine how you must be feeling. Just the part about you going out every night and hoping  hope that lucky day comes and your beautiful girl returns. Remember people have lost there snakes for like 18mths or something incredible. Miracles can occur! Keep your spirit high!


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## DeadlyDanny80 (Mar 2, 2013)

Agreed... I'm new to the game & some of the feedback I've read is certainly not called for... In saying that there are many persons on here who contribute a wealth of knowledge for which i am thankful for... With any application of information you receive it's best to draw from many resources & collaborate that together along with some common sense and make an informed decision... I place considerable value in experience...


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## PythonLegs (Mar 2, 2013)

I'd just like to point out how many posters from this thread are now suspended. And I though Fay was trigger happy...

Here comes the new boss...


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## dragonlover1 (Mar 2, 2013)

richardsc said:


> whats even funnier about that kam is alot of inexperienced folk actually jump on the band wagon and say the same thing,eg try search,google ect ect,some questions do get asked alot though,and sometimes the same questions had an identical thread on the same page
> 
> why there needs to be ten posters on some threads saying check google though i do not know,and if it irratates folk so much u have to wonder why they bother looking at the thread let alone responding to it to begin with
> 
> ...



that's 1 of the things about this site that annoys me too ,the abuse that's served up when people ask for help;we all have to start somewhere.How else do you get information and thus experience?


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## Venomous_RBB (Mar 2, 2013)

I have been keeping snakes/lizards for just under a year.
However I have had the hatchling sticky tape problem, the same one escaped out of my click clack and did not feed my yearling enough food but she is gaining weight well now thanks to someone on here who came and had a look at her.

So yes, I have done some not so good things, the hatchie, I was able to get her off with only minimal scales being lost and I found her within 10 minutes (on top of the rats enclosure ^^)


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## sacred_DUC (Mar 2, 2013)

left cage a jar lost a scrub python for bit over a while found skinny but alert, still slow process of feeding them up slowely


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## Albino93 (Mar 2, 2013)

Thankfully ive learn't from my mistake (mentioned earlier in this thread) and it has never happened again, hopefully never will. 
I was very lucky to have found her considering how small she was. I now double check the sliding doors everytime i close them.


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## Shotta (Mar 2, 2013)

i left a few rats out to thaw one night fell asleep an the next day whoo boy did it stink it smelt like something when to the toilet didnt flush then died had to air out the entire house


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## someday (Mar 2, 2013)

Nilesh said:


> i left a few rats out to thaw one night fell asleep an the next day whoo boy did it stink it smelt like something when to the toilet didnt flush then died had to air out the entire house


Are you sure it was just 1 night?


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## montysrainbow (Mar 2, 2013)

i left my stimsons tank open a tiny bit one night and he escaped, but i found him the next morning! and bought locks for the enclosure soon after  i also cooked dinner one night with him around my neck and he fell in the stir fry :lol: JOKING people lol but the 1st bits true....and he could have fallen in my stir fry but he didnt lol.


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## Shotta (Mar 2, 2013)

someday said:


> Are you sure it was just 1 night?



well technically a night and a bit
yea i put the frozen rats in warm water i waited half an hour they thawed out but they were'nt quite warm so i refilled the bucket with hot water so they would get warmer faster and i fell asleep mind you i woke up about midday...


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## someday (Mar 2, 2013)

Nilesh said:


> well technically a night and a bit
> yea i put the frozen rats in warm water i waited half an hour they thawed out but they were'nt quite warm so i refilled the bucket with hot water so they would get warmer faster and i fell asleep mind you i woke up about midday...


ok. that explains it


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## JosPythons (Mar 3, 2013)

Thanks bananapeel.......reading the comments on other threads where people have found their snakes after a huge amount of time does keep my hopes up a little.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2


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## BloodRunsCold (Mar 12, 2013)

when i was 13 and first got my license my first snake was a spotted python anyway the python was eating well and doing fine it was in the loungeroom. one night my sister had a party outside and i was sound asleep she took my snake outside her and her friends played with it im not sure how long but in the morning there was something wrong with it basically it looked to me like it was struggling for air and lying on its side and it died :x i cried for the little guy and have always been angry about the matter but i accepted it to be my mistake and to my grave it will be seared into my mind and thats what makes you a better reptile carer just knowing how bad the feeling is and how much of a privelage it is caring for such beautiful misunderstood animals.


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## hayden123113 (Mar 12, 2013)

BloodRunsCold said:


> when i was 13 and first got my license my first snake was a spotted python anyway the python was eating well and doing fine it was in the loungeroom. one night my sister had a party outside and i was sound asleep she took my snake outside her and her friends played with it im not sure how long but in the morning there was something wrong with it basically it looked to me like it was struggling for air and lying on its side and it died :x i cried for the little guy and have always been angry about the matter but i accepted it to be my mistake and to my grave it will be seared into my mind and thats what makes you a better reptile carer just knowing how bad the feeling is and how much of a privilege it is caring for such beautiful misunderstood animals.


 that is not your fault mate, my mum brought a friend over when they went to the pub one night he tried to take the snake out of its enclose when i was not there (i have a outdoor enclosure) and he got bit by a snake that normally does not bite, then he screamed out like it was my fault serves him right trying to hold my snake without my permission while he was so drunk he could barely walk. I made a misake once of underfeeding my snake ( not to the point where it was going to die) but i took her to a regular vet check up (herp vet) and he said i need to up size her food.


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## p.price (Mar 19, 2013)

My Children's escaped and I couldn't find her for as month. She turned up in the downstairs garage. Never been so happy to see her in my life. To this day I don't know how she managed to get out of the unit, down 2 flights of stairs and stay alive without being run over by the 10 or so cars that drive in and out of that garage everyday for a whole MONTH!


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## harlemrain (Mar 19, 2013)

Kam333 said:


> I do everything right including stuffing up.
> 
> People (esp newbies) ask Q's on forums as sometimes they wouldnt have a clue were to look. People on forums love to express themselves. Human nature steps in and it is almost a scene from from childhood days,
> OP- "How do I. . . ?"
> ...



This is SO true sometimes! For example until recently I though quarantine meant keeping snakes in separate cages, I didn't realise this meant when you get a new snake you shouldn't go straight from one to the other without washing your hands and when I posted a thread about my other snakes reaction instead of being informed and encouraged I was shot down and made to feel stupid :/ it's not just me I see it happening to other too and I think that defeats the purpose of this forum 

But aside from that yes I've had a houdini moment with my coastal on the weekend actually, scared the life out of me! Haha we all live and learn


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## blackforest (Mar 19, 2013)

My stimmy got out. Acctually our cat opend the door just enough for her to get out. She was gone for 10 weeks then turned up under the stove last week.
Dont under estimate the curiosity of other pets in the house. The doors now have locks on them.


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## Mitch91 (Mar 19, 2013)

Hell I made the mistake of keeping 2 woma pythons in the same tank and was lucky enough that i was standing by when it did go wrong. I knew in the wild they could be cannibalistic but i got some bad advice that they would be fine if they were well fed and of course being a newbie i did not feed them properly. At that time i joined this forum and found 95% of people were understanding and happy to help. I took their advice, got a new large tank so they both had a home, got advice from breeders on feeding and learned from it. Its important to seek advice as a new starter but also equally important to pass on these learnings and have some empathy for others. Arrogance and rudeness has no place on this forum, it doesn't help anyone and help is what we're all here for


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## RedFox (Mar 19, 2013)

@ mitch91 I'm glad it worked out alright and didn't turn you off womas. They really are great snakes.

As for my mistake. When I picked up my first snake from Aae I opened the box in my car to check that my boy was alright. The calico bag he was in had half a dozen elastic bands holding it closed. When I tied it back up I thought that was a bit excessive so I only used two. Anyway he managed to escape out of the bag on the way home. Luckily all he did was bury himself under the shredded newspaper. I almost had a snake on the loose in the car. :shock:

But yeah lesson learnt.


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## tahnbug (Mar 28, 2013)

I love this thread! We are all human and as long as we are doing all we can, and educating ourselves as much as we can, we can forgive ourselves for making some mistakes!

When I first got my beardie babies they refused to eat for three days! The shop owner we bought them from told us to feed them this paste stuff once a day, and that they probably wouldn't eat for 2 days in their new home, but they wouldn't eat the stuff even though they seemed hungry. After some net research and some tears I got them baby crickets and they ate like crazy! 
I learned that pet shop owners don't always have the best information, and took it upon myself to find more reliable sources of info


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