Thinking of giving up

[sammy1969]

I am seriously thinking of giving up on reptiles, nothing seems to be going right just now and it is really depressing not only has my little royal girl gone awol but now i find out that my rescued iggy has got some form of mites, well two types of by the looks of it, some are red in colour and some are black.
I just cant beleive my luck is this bad over the past few months i have lost six non feeders, which were bought for me (yes i know this happens but still doesnt make me feel any better)even though they were being force fed think the stress just got too much for them.And two more from some infection.
Just feel like i am not supposed to keep reptiles anymore as obviously i am doing something wrong but dont know what.
Anyone ever feel like this?
sam

[Sam&Si]

I recently sold up my collection. My reason was things just got to much. It seemed reps took over my house..and OH was working longer hours so was left all down to me.

you have to do whats right for you and the reps. If its just as things going a bit pear shaped dont rush into a decision. We thought about it for months before i finally said they had to go.

clear your iggy of mites and have a good think before you rush in and regret it. I remember having mites on our big boa....and it got me down the keep cleaning and de miting..but once gone they were gone...and didnt come back

sam

[Shelley]

i lost 3 of my collard hatchlings at the end of last year and i too questioned whether to carry on or sell up.
I couldn't bear the thought of losing anymore but i decided to carry on and be grateful for the 2 i have left and the 3 adults i've got.
Think hard on which is the best option for you and if you decide to keep them,think positive and attack those mites with a vengeance
Good luck x

[Athravan]

I think we all think about selling up when we're down, don't make any rush decisions you might regret though... I hope your royal will turn up, and the mites will hopefully get cleared up in a few weeks with a bit of treatment so that'll take that stress away from you.

[kelly]

i know exactly how you are feeling. im feeling the same myself at the moment and have for a few weeks. lost a beardie and agama in december 2 non feding corns and a rabbit. ive decided to rehome all the rabbits its just weather to sell all the reps.

its really hard decision to make but i know you will make the right one for yourself. im here if you need someone to moan or cry at

[gaz]

get a grip,where there's livestock,there's dead stock. Its a fact of being in this sort of game.
regards gaz

[candoia aspera]

Originally Posted by gaz

get a grip,where there's livestock,there's dead stock. Its a fact of being in this sort of game.
regards gaz

not the most sensitive approach gaz

but it's the plain honist truth

especially if you take in 6 non feeders that are being force fed, you should kind of expect this to happen

[kelly]

it is true gaz but still dont make it any easier. i dont think id get rid of my reps its something i enjoy doing and if i didnt have them then id have nothing really. just hard when things die.

[gaz]

always go into things with your eyes open innit,recueing things brings far more risk of failure than any other pastime,so should not be suprised when things dont go to plan every now and then.
Possibly i was a tad harsh,but theres no point beating round the bush,if we all ran away every time things went tits up the world would be in a fine mess.........but then again it IS
anyway get back on your horse and ride an all that.
regards gaz

[Mason]

can I make a suggestion?

Perhaps you need to look at the way you go about your herping.

Losing non feeders is par for the course..why buy/aquire the non feeders in the first place?

A rescue animals with a problem?

It's going to happen, while rescuing is admirable, as is taking on non feeders you don't do either unless you are prepared to deal with both sides.

Yes a non feeder is a way of giving a snake a chance, or getting a cheap snake. It's also a way to spend hours and hours of your life labouring on a snake only to have it die.

Leave the recuiing to rescue centers, or don't do it unless you are prepared for vets bills, hassle, trauma and loss. IT all comes hand in hand.

Seems to me you are not emotionally prepared to deal with the types of situation you are letting yourself in for.

Always a chance non feeders wont make it and there is every chance an animal that needed rescuing will have a problem or two..and mite is a very very minor issue in the grand scheme of what could be wrong with a rescue iggy. the correct tools and plenty of elbow grease and they are gone.

Perhaps you need to bear these kind of situations in mind before making any future commitments.

If you can't bear to loose animals, or to have things not go right, or for things to be hard rather than easy then consider this when getting newe animals rather than after. Buy healthy reptiles and look after them well and they will reward you.

Perhaps the thing you are doing wrong is either not thinking through completely the implications of what you are doing be that taking on these things out of the goodness of your heart, or in pursuit of a cheap reptile or any mixture of the two.