What do you consider an experienced herp keeper?

[RMorrow]

I will probably upset some people with this, but where do you draw the line between novice and experienced? So many herps are recommended for "experienced" keepers only and I have never seen a definition of this. To someone who has had a few corn snakes, a pair of ball pythons for 5 years, and is the only person in their neighborhood with herps, they may feel experienced. Heck, they might feel like the village expert. But, to someone else, this person is just a baby in the hobby. I know there is a wide range of herps that fit this description so the answers can vary tremendously, but where do you make that distinction? Using "hot" species as an example, I will share my line of demarcation. I believe that if you can, off the top of your head, name every species of herp you have ever kept, you are most likely not experienced enough to care for venomous species. And if you can remember every individual herp you have ever kept off the top of your head, then forget about it. Unless you are Rain Man.

 

[chloe]

someone that knows what they are doing and has respect for the animal.
i dont think there is such a thing as a beginner animal, providing u have done ur research, and can provide the right environment for the animal, aware how big it grows, that there is a possibility it can kill u (depending on animal), then go for it.
just make sure u know what ur doing. u can get a burm as a baby and grow with it.
i know its common for burms to get 6-8ft in their first year, but i see alot that only get 4ft in their first year.

i think everyones experience differs as to what u keep and possibly WHEN u kept it lol times change.
i consider myself a medium experiences keeper, but only in certain species (mainly the larger lol) of snake, although i keep corns and ball pythons too.
i know about boscs but nothing about any other lizard.
i only research what i want or is on my wishlist (thats y they r normally on my wishlist lol)

none of us will ever know everything. i learn something new everyday.
i adore burms and constantly looking to expand my collection, but today i found out u can get BEL burms!!! so i now have a new snake on my wishlist lol

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

I will probably upset some people with this, but where do you draw the line between novice and experienced? So many herps are recommended for "experienced" keepers only and I have never seen a definition of this. To someone who has had a few corn snakes, a pair of ball pythons for 5 years, and is the only person in their neighborhood with herps, they may feel experienced. Heck, they might feel like the village expert. But, to someone else, this person is just a baby in the hobby. I know there is a wide range of herps that fit this description so the answers can vary tremendously, but where do you make that distinction? Using "hot" species as an example, I will share my line of demarcation. I believe that if you can, off the top of your head, name every species of herp you have ever kept, you are most likely not experienced enough to care for venomous species. And if you can remember every individual herp you have ever kept off the top of your head, then forget about it. Unless you are Rain Man.

in this case, almost no one would be experienced enough to keep hots

IMO if uv had reptiles for awhile(2 or more years), did proper care than ur not a beginner. there is few experts. ur not an expert but ur not a beginner

 

[TTTT]

. ur not an expert but ur not a beginner

I think you'd be advanced if you're between beginner and expert.

 

[Conner]

It all depends on education and experience. If you've educated yourself properly, and have experience keeping reptiles (i.e. know how to properly heat, water, feed, etc etc), then I don't see what the difference is. Some people are more experienced, some less experienced. Some are very experienced with a single species, some have less experience but have dealt with a variety of species.

I don't know if there is a line demarcating "beginner" and "experienced". Its more like a sliding scale of experience.

 

[snakeguy101]

I think that you pass the point of being a beginner when you realize that you can't make up the rules as you go but that you need to take your time and put some resources and research into every animal that you care for. Once you start playing by the rules you can move up to more advanced animals. Some people can start out on this level but others will try to bend the rules of caring for an animal for years before they figure out that it won't work.

As far as naming all of the animals that have been kept, that was a test that my mentor used to see if I was ready to stat working with hots. When I approached him he asked what animals I had kept before so I listed them off- then he asked me what all of the scientific names were. If you CAN'T list all of them then it is a sign of inexperience. Importers and store owners are a bit different but for most people, you should know what you have kept.

 

[Noto]

Using "hot" species as an example, I will share my line of demarcation. I believe that if you can, off the top of your head, name every species of herp you have ever kept, you are most likely not experienced enough to care for venomous species.

I don't get your logic. You can keep every nonvenomous snake in existence and not be ready for hots, and conversely, if you work with an experienced handler and have the right temperament you could be ready to keep hots in a fairly short amount of time. The number of species you have kept is not a good measure of the kind of experience you need.

And of course there is a difference between species that require experience because they are dangerous vs. ones that require experience because they are fragile or have specialized requirements. Different kinds of experience come into play here. An experienced keeper of hot snakes might be completely lost when it comes to a microphagous lizard or cold-loving salamander.

 

[snakeguy101]

An experienced keeper of hot snakes might be completely lost when it comes to a microphagous lizard or cold-loving salamander.

^totally me^
I have lots of experience with a variety of animals but I will never call myself an expert on anything. There is still too much information that I don't know even though I have been keeping snakes all my life and working with hots for nearly 5 years.

 

[HPIZZLE]

if you can keep a big collection with 1 or less deaths a year, then i think your good.
ive been keeping lizards off and on for 7 years with 2 deaths and turtles for 9 years with only one death.

 

[EricIvins]

No such thing........I've been doing this for 13+ years now and I learn every day........

The distinction comes when you can read the animal both physically and mentally, and go from there.........Give it options to perform life functions, and let the animal tell you what it needs........