The Reptile 'Community'

[Declan123]

Originally Posted by Herper666

hes got a room somewhere now

Pity, poor poor animals

[Athravan]

I'm not sure that any sense of true community still exists in this world. Where communities are successful, they are small groups of people who are pulled together by agreement. If you are a collector of thimbles, for example, I am sure, that there is little to disagree on with other collectors (it's a funny world though, so who knows!)

Reptile keeping is such as massive pool of people, across the world, from 10 years old to 100 years old, with one week experience to decades of experience, from little old ladies to gang members. How can you possibly expect people to get together and agree - and worse of all, on the internet?!

Reptile keeping is such a broad subject, it would be like getting a "music" forum, and expecting everyone to agree that one song was the best, you'd get people who loved country music (I think there are some..) fighting with rappers, fighting with pop girls with death metalists, you get my point.

At dire times, people can band together to fight for a cause or help each other out, calling upon their joint interests to overcome other things, and I think that this makes the forum a community at times, but you have to cut it some slack, and understand people are people.

The dictionary defines community as

a social, religious, occupational, or other group sharing common characteristics or interests and perceived or perceiving itself as distinct in some respect from the larger society within which it exists (usually prec. by the): the business community; the community of scholars.

And in that definition, we are a community. It says no where that we have to get along, or agree at all

[Declan123]

Originally Posted by Athravan

.

The dictionary defines community as


And in that definition, we are a community. It says no where that we have to get along, or agree at all

[kaimarion]

Originally Posted by Athravan

And in that definition, we are a community. It says no where that we have to get along, or agree at all

Agreed .

[Flutterbye]

I agree, sometimes this forum can be embarassing and discraceful. But then again, it can be brilliant and the people are wonderfully helpful.

To me thats just people, people can be utter and people can be amazing. Thats just the human race, you're not going to get hundreds of people in one community that are all as supportive, kind and caring towards others as eachother, there will be some bad eggs lol.

Calling it a community is spot on the majority group together to help out others, but it's not an idealistic community. We are all not perfect people, shame that it is. But i know where you're coming from.

[ratboy]

Originally Posted by Herper666

yes i know but it isnt just this forum. its youtube, ball-pythons.net(rarely though) etc

yoyutube would probably be the biggest contributer tbh

Given that this forum has about 1,000 active members and at the last count there were over 1,000,000 homes that have reptiles. The forum is just a drip in a very large ocean.

Next time you go to a reptile shop ask people there if they use forums or not. I can almost guarantee they will not know what you are talking about or they will laugh and say "You must be kidding."

[Declan123]

I love listen to peoples stories, and what animals they keep/kept...

And if i can, i will help anyone who needs info on anything..

What i cant stand, is when people post False Information about a certain animal, especially if that information can result in serious injury to either the animal or the keeper

Rant over, ive argued enough for one day

[Furrag]

I think it'd be nice if RFUK's more prominent members could unite and expand, fronting some sort of pro-snake/reptile 'movement'. I use movement loosely, as I don't know what, but something in place would be great.

Athravan, Wohic, Mason, Nerys, Rachel, Ratboy and the likes. People with experience, knowledge, and sensibility, not in it for the quick buck.

I don't know what I'm thinking, but some sort of education to the wider public. Perhaps representing RFUK. The point of RFUK to me, first and foremost, is to expand to those looking in snake keeping, and offering potential help for problem. It's the welfare of the animal first, and correcting humans is one way. If people are coming to RFUK, then hopefully they're open to potential husbandry issues.

- In the last week, the forum has been home to a snake trapped in a window which may have to be euthanised that the RSPCA didn't warrant as an emergency. It resulted in someone traveling many miles in the middle of the night, arriving home in the early hours, for the benefit of the snake.

- It's seen a mass look from the top down at captive farmed animals, and the potential problems and how to avoid them, which has been obviously frictional, but hugely educational to those who have read.

- The Boa constrictor which went missing in Kent, and the result expected negative media which comes with snakes.

How about starting up a website for the forums? A homepage. Funded by advert banners in a similar fashion to the forums sponsors. Printable care sheets and such, general myth dispelling etc.

Online though, it's a very come-to-us approach. The way I see the portrayal of the reptile community, which I find to be generally perceived as negative, is branching out and educating people by going to them. School visits with snakes and such. I'm sure the forum is home to only a minority of reptile keepers.

It seems to me RFUK as a community does have a great deal of potential. It's ability at the moment is bringing us together, and assisting us in a great deal with classifieds and such. I can't imagine what it would have been like without the internet. I imagine the care from loving, but possibly ignorant reptile keepers when a wealth of information was only available from pet shops and specialised clubs/meetings has probably lead to a hangover which is why they're viewed in the way they are today.

As I say, it'd be nice to have some sort of branch-network around Britain working for the same course. Rescues and such, as well as smaller groups with the agenda being education.

As I say, it's just an idea. The tallest building started from the bottom. It would be nice though.

*sits back and waits for somebody to make me aware of the flaws*

[Demon Reptiles]

i would happily do atb's for that movement!

[Furrag]

It just seems to me that we're all individuals, and there is no 'voice' as such to speak out and portray reptiles in a positive light. Todays Radio 2 radio 'debate' really highlighted the media which damages our hobby.

The potential problem too is what you have to do to 'join/represent', as any Tom, Dick or Harry would be potentially disastrous. I'm constantly learning every day, and in many ways I'm ignorant and unsuitable to give advice on many areas that only someone more knowledgeable and experienced could answer.

If anything as such did come to fruit, I'd imagine the best would be a small group of established keepers who're the founders, who then have to have a 2 or 3 agreeing on an invitational membership, similar to that of the Freemasons format.