I want to thank everybody for contributing to this thread. I have found it very educational in many aspects. In fact, I may just print it out and share it with my 8th grade students and teach a lesson on using the internet to find information.
One of the biggest problems with the internet and education in my opinion, is that there is way too much mis-information provided with little effort by today's students to verify that information as accurate. I may use this thread to show this in 'real time'.
1. You must consider the source of the information.
Hurley as a source of information over the last 3 years I have been present here has been extremely respectful towards people . . . even when disagreeing or telling them they are wrong.
Vinman as a source of information from most of the posts I've read has been argumentative and 'this is what I do and I'm right' tone.
2. Is the information verifiable from another source?
Hurley provided a book reference to her information on Vitamin C importance and where it can be found.
Vinman has provided . . . 'figure it out yourself' and 'read the posts'.
3. Is the person disseminating information an 'expert' in their field?
I began reading this thread thinking it was an infomercial . . . "I have something great that revolutionizes the herp industry, but I can't share it with you just yet. Send $19.95 and I'll tell ya' was the tone I got from the beginning of the thread. I then began reading . . .
From what I learned on this forum a lot of people who are in this hobby for 1 to 3 years thinks their an expert. screw the fact you have 20 years of breeding exp. in the hobby. Thats what is wrong with this country people forget to respect the knowledge you get over the years. Like when you get told how you feed your snake col. by a beginer with 2 to 10 corns. If more people realy want to know and are willing to learn and not tell me I dont know what I am doing I wll shaire my info with you.
Let me just say that I work with teachers that have taught the same thing every year for 30+ years, you're darn right I probably know more than them. I haven't taught the same thing the same way in my 9 years.
But then later, Vinman states . . .
As time goes on people get use to do things the same way all the time I dont care how old or young a person is people a not used to change. this whole hobby was based on trial and error some ideas worked and some did not .
Which is it? Are you the expert that doesn't need to listen to anyone else since you've been breeding for 22+ years, or are you open to suggestions from someone like me that's only been doing this for 4 years and have been relatively successful? Personally, if Rich or Kathy or Don came out with this information I'd probably give it a shot. But compared to them, you are also a small fish in a big pond with only 60 snakes (even when you had 250) . . .
The statement concerning snakes being lactose intolerant and not eating baby pinks that have a full stomach is laughable. I can just see that little snake picking out pinks . . . 'oops not that one, too much milk, that's gonna hit me later!' Someone already stated it, but with the information I've read, herps are pretty opportunistic feeders. While they may prefer one prey item over another, I just can't see an animal surviving in the wild if it's going to be picky . . . and that's really just common sense!
Really quite the study in disseminating information over the internet.
Personally, I can't see myself trying this . . . ever. Several reasons really. I don't care what kind of magical potion worth of vitamins you give as a supplement, I don't think there's any replacement for the guts, brains, bones etc. you'd find in a mouse or full chick. Feeding just meat, whether it's from a chicken, turkey, or pig CANNOT replace what's found in a whole prey item even with the supplements given. (Same reason I can't understand the vegetarian diet as being healthy long term.) I also agree that the long term affects cannot be known in this case with only 2 1/2 years of 'study'. That's without even considering the heavy resource consumption by a breeding female. I've also read posts on people feeding whole chicks to their snakes and the that the smell coming out the other end is atrocious . . . not my cup of tea really. Most importantly I cannot see jeopardizing my sizeable investment in snakes/pets based on the information provided here concerning feeding chicken/turkey/pork meat to snakes.
Lastly, I need to comment on Dayoh wanting to visit Vinman's operation. My question is, after having been duct taped at knife point and beaten, who in their right mind posts their phone number and full address on the internet with everyone to see? Really?!
Now with all that said, it's really just my two cents, but it seems to be a really fishy/misinformed situation in my opinion.
D80
This is just a discussion!
