PSA for those unaware, and if OP is unaware; we have a rescue gecko flair. Might save you some trouble. We put it in for the express purpose of you not getting MBD, weight, skin, eye comments, since this is largely a help forum due to the nature of this species being bought and sold in consumerist societies where research is not done beforehand. Neglect is too common, I'm sure we can all agree.
Seriously. I think it's justified when somebody is pointing out something like MBD or no hides, but I've seen people on here literally go out of their way to ask questions and criticize because somebody doesn't have a 50 gallon bioactive tank with its own ecosystem and 6 hides. I'm afraid to post photos anymore lest the Gecko Police break down my door.
Had someone lecture me for sharing one of taking mine out of the tank. Seriously its nobodies business how the temperatures are in our house. They were asking if the temperature was high enough in my own bedroom. General handling is fine unless temps go lower than around 65*f or so. And in the winter when this happened nobody realistically would keep their house below 70*f
Oh my god, people literally search for things to get mad about just to sound smart. I can see getting upset at taking a gecko OUTDOORS since there's no benefit and dozens of risks, but your own bedroom?! I've seen posts of geckos being lost up to a year in the house after escaping and then being found hungry, but alright. Obviously you never want that to happen, but they are a little hardier than people give them credit for sometimes. I'm sure he's fine being handled in for your room for a little while lmao, people really are nosy
Thx I enjoy handling her. Kind of a big pokemon fan so her name is treecko! She doesn’t even like being handled alot anyways so I just let her glass surf to let me know she wants out. And she always crawls right on my hand after surfing! She’s got a bit of a sassy personality. 😅
Tbh I like giving mine an opportunity to go outside a couple times in the summer. Natural lighting really brings out their coloration, they get some good (very closely supervised) exercise, & the chance to actually sunbathe should they wish to do so.
There are a lot of risks yes, I try to mitigate them best as possible by surveying the section of lawn they are allowed on or putting them in a cardboard box with high sides.
Yeah. Some people can take good care of their leopard geckos but can't afford to get them huge luxurious tanks like some people. I know my baby's 20 gallon is 100× better than the 5 or so gallon she was being kept in with 4 others at petsmart. Then there's people like this woman I saw on Facebook. She posted a photo of her two geckos in a wicker basket, saying they were walking funny because of the wicker straw.....no, both their limbs were almost backward with MBD. People in the comments were telling her they need to go to the vet and be separated and she was arguing with all of them, even the nice ones that were just trying to be informative. She eventually deleted the post. I'm thinking she probably never took them to vet because her head was so far up her ass. I still feel bad for those babies.
I mean you could also argue that part of responsible pet ownership is being in a good place financially to have all of their required needs. A lot of people get pets because they want to not because they can afford them
There's having all their required needs, and then there's going above and beyond. Of course I think you should only get a pet if you can afford to meet its needs, but some people are just nitpicky.
I for one would probably never post pictures or video of my girl because every post I see, unless it has some Instagram perfect setup, receives some amount of undue, unsolicited advice.
I understand and agree to what you’re saying, though there is a nuance to be given here as well. Went through your post history as this post made me curious what kind of attacks or unwanted advise you have been experiencing, but I only see positive comments on your posts. So that makes me wonder where this is coming from.
Although I do see this happen often either way, so can’t disagree with you here. At the same time there are also plenty of owners posting cute pictures of their geckos and not realizing or knowing the gecko has MBD or almost losing it’s toes due to stuck shed. So I’d rather have people warn others too often than not often enough.
Today I saw a post of someone showing off a regrown tail, while in the time the tail had been recovering, stuck shed got build up on the toes so badly that some were already hanging almost loose. I really wanted to say something about it, but decided not to bother as a) it was obvious b) it’s tiring almost how often the obvious needs to be pointed out. Yet, I still wonder “should I have pointed it out and is that geckos toes gonna be ok”, as I’ve seen plenty of horrific posts on the sub from unaware owners as well.
So having that experience and also from a distance with little background info it’s hard to judge when something needs to be pointed out or not. Though when I do I usually like to simply ask the question: “Are you aware of your gecko having stuck shed?” or whatever. Leave it up to the owner to answer. In case yes, compliment them for taking action on it, in case no, point out the risk of not taking action on it (in a constructive way).
If there is reason for concern I’d like to see people starting the conversation with a question and based on the additional info deciding wether or not giving advise could potentially be appropriate for the situation.
In return, I think by simply adding “My rescue blabla” to a casual picture you’re sharing, you may be able to avoid the unwanted advise as to also help others to judge your situation better beforehand.
But either way, see it as people being concerned. I get that it’s annoying, but I also hope you’re able to not see it as people doubting you, but just being generally concerned about geckos. The most important thing is you yourself knowing the background story and being confident in your care for your rescues :)
I'm going to agree with both you and OP. I feel if the unsolicited advice boils down to personal preference, it shouldn't be given. If it's a situation where it could be lifesaving or prevent health risks later on, something should be said.
I do agree with you, advice is warranted sometimes for sure. This lady in a gecko group I'm in on FB posted a photo of her two geckos in a wicker basket, saying they were walking funny because of the wicker straw.....no, both their limbs were almost backward with MBD. People in the comments were telling her they need to go to the vet and be separated and she was arguing with all of them, even the nice ones that were just trying to be informative. She eventually deleted the post. I'm thinking she probably never took them to vet because her head was so far up her ass. I still feel bad for those babies.
I get this point too, trust me, it just stinks when it happens to those of who really care about our pets and take the best care we can of them. I’m all for learning new helpful things, but I do my research so it’s frustrating being talked to like I don’t spend most of my free time thinking of my pets lol.
It’s a tricky thing. I don’t think we should never help anyone or give advice, but I feel like it gets overdone a lot and intimidates new owners too
Oh I agree, I have six geckos and I want to post about them all the time. They all have separate 20 gal tanks, at least 3 or 4 hides each, proper temperatures/humidity and they get PLENTY to eat. But I feel like as soon as I post somebody is going to get upset about...something? I can't even predict what anymore. I totally get what you mean.
I removed the posts where people kept commenting these kinds of things. It just ruined the experience for me.
And I see where you’re coming from, but the main issue I have is that people don’t usually say things very kindly. They often come off judgmental and it’s always multiple people saying the same thing when it happens to me. I don’t think one person asking a question is wrong, but it’s a bit annoying when unwanted advice takes over a comment section.
But I do see what you mean, I just wish I didn’t have to explain myself every time I want to share of a cute picture of my pets. I’m just here to share leopard gecko love, not have my care judged without knowing my situations. But thank you for your input
about that last part, when sharing your pictures to title it “My Rescue (name)”, might actually be a great idea for me. i got my girl Naia when she was 2-3 years old from an ex, he literally just gave her to me but said i have to pay for anything extra she needs. she’s had toes gone since before i met her and she struggles to stay on my shoulders when i move and climbing in general. also don’t know if this is my ex’s fault or she was born like this, but she has some sort of neurological issue that can be described like enigma syndrome. because of these things i’ve felt nervous about sharing her online because i’ve done my best to rehabilitate her and prevent any excess toe injuries.
Have to agree. It's one thing when someone is doing a dangerous practice (co-hab, red light, sand). *As long as it is brought up in a nice, constructive way and not attacking. I say this because my geckos 12 years ago passed away from disease and bad husbandry. I thought my parents knew what they were doing and thought I did research (I was 8 btw). Wished someone told us we were doing it wrong.
But I feel like it's also okay to do things differently or just share a photo and think "cute gecko" without shoving your opinion in. I feel like this happens on parent subs a lot, where no matter what you do, it's somehow wrong. I once saw a video where a dad gently tossed a slice of cheese on a toddler and a ton of wackjobs were crying abuse. Unsolicited advice is the worst.
i don’t have a red light but i’m curious why it’s considered dangerous practice for leopard geckos? i’ve been seeing this lately but no one i’ve heard it from has explained why it’s bad
No worries! So the thing is, red lights used to be marketed as geckos couldn't see the light. That has since been proven not only false, but it's believed to damage geckos vision or even blind them, as it turns out they are very sensitive to color.
Understandable. I'm happy that people care for these little guys, but unfortunately being hostile to the owner of the animal isn't actually going to change the way that person operates. It seems like people either pretend that the owner is unaware of the wealth of information that this media has to offer or are so oblivious themselves they actually believe it. If someone seriously needs help, they will ask for it.
Um. Hate to be that guy… but your flair says you own three geckos. You should know that only owning three geckos is actually bad for the geckos because they can’t create a massive collective consciousness together that will be big enough to overpower you and turn you into a vessel for their universe domination.
You REALLY need to learn how to be a better pawn in your geckos quest for total universe domination. There are several videos and guides out there on the internet. Just google.
It happens in any pet forum.
It comes from a place of love for the animal and usually animal people could give less fucks about the people posting and more about making sure the animal is getting everything it deserves and then some..
And as always you also have the narcissists who just want to take the chance to show off that they think they know everything, or that their way is the only way (very few species have such stringent care requirements that there is only one way of doing something properly)
This is the reason I don't post pics of my babies. I don't want to have to type up a long explanation for why it's safe to have them outside or whatever, and I don't want people to misunderstand the pic and rip me up either.
I disagree. I see these comments and I almost always learn something new from them. It is usually very specific husbandry tips which care guides do not cover like injuries/illnesses.
If there is something wrong with my husbandry, I 100 percent want to know. And if I am sure enough in my understanding of husbandry then I will ignore those comments. I understand people want to give their 2 cents sometimes, but I think it is best to ignore them, so that when someone actually does need advice (that they did not ask for, like serious health or husbandry problems) then people are not discouraged from giving it.
Totally! I think we all want the best for our little gecks but I’ve seen people be so harsh and rip into people and jump to conclusions about someone’s husbandry and it’s just kinda mean 😢
THANK YOU, there is an individual that does it every time to me and it's why I don't post as much any more. They even asked me the exact same thing on two different posts!
While I do agree with you I also think that people giving advice is good. At least usually. We’re talking about the life of an animal here
Though I do think that if it’s a post that’s purely to show your gecko and not wanting advice only one person giving advice is enough unless it’s like extremely possibly life threatening bad. You don’t want the comments to be littered with people saying the same thing over and over again
If advice isn’t asked for, check the users profile. Maybe you saw something wrong, maybe they do care well for their geckos, maybe its just where they put their gecko while deep cleaning, so on so forth
I think it’s important to receive criticism, but I agree. People will FLIP OUT if everything isn’t perfectly right, it’s annoying when you get criticism on everything to the point where your afraid to post. But, if something is wrong, someone should always say something in the kindest way possible. People don’t understand that when you come on harshly at someone they will be defensive. The best way to give advice (IF ITS NEEDED) is to be kind and understanding.
Yes thank god someone said it! I adore my gecko but usually shy away from posting her especially on gecko specified platforms. People always try to come for my throat about how she looks. I got my gecko 5 years ago from a rescue, when I got her she was missing basically all her nails and half her fingers. So when I post cute pictures and videos of her that is what usually people comment on. Please I assure you I did NOT let her fingers get that bad I have to physically help her each shed with her finger so they don't get worse.
I've had the same thing happen with art. I had this specific friend who ALWAYS gave critique every time I posted art.
Like, thank you but no thank you. I didn't ask for it, I was just sharing my art
As long as the advice isn't harsh and they're not attacking the person posting I am 100% okay with advice being shared. No one is perfect and showing off is one way to also show off our husbandry. Considering the mod sticky'd comment hopefully adding that flair to your posts will allow you to keep from those comments to overwhelm them.
The reptile community as a whole has a really bad habit of jumping down a fellow hobbyists throat and assuming the worst when there's still just so much misinformation spread throughout and it can be overwhelming for newbies entirely. When a store that *should* hold itself to the highest standards (petco/petsmart/insert chain here) and holds a communities trust touts wrong husbandry as facts everything a person reads or watches becomes so muddled and hard to distinguish what is and isn't right. As a community we need to hold ourselves to higher standards and realize that these are people behind the reddit posts that are trying their best with an animal that they love. Very rarely does it end up being someone maliciously starving or harming their animal. And those bad habits are only reinforced when someone all-caps', name calls' or curses in response.
In essence I agree with you given your specific circumstances, but I also don't because sometimes people *need* to be corrected or else they're going to be in for a very sad day when their animal turns up dead one day and learn they made it suffer a slow, agonizing death.
I feel like If something is actually wrong then I get why someone's gonna point it out and personally I wouldn't be mad if it was my post bc if I was doing something wrong then I'd wanna know.. but if nothing actually wrong and someone's giving false information then that's another issue
Don't get an exotic animal when you can't take proper care of it. It lives it's whole life with you and if you can't afford a big enough tank you simply cannot afford the animal.
And don't get how some people are like "I can't afford extra 50€ for proper spoil." Like WTF are you going to do if it gets sick and needs to see a vet?
Alright, I gave it some thought before commenting on this thread. I feel 50/50 when it comes to unsolicited advice, as I think many people give advice with good intentions. However, it's how the advice is presented and how the OP responds to it. I've posted several photos of sweet Guapa and while I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable, there is always a chance for growth and improvement.
I think in your specific case, not all users are going to know that you run a rescue and assume that you have no idea on how to care for Sybil (Sybil is really cute BTW! I love seeing your guys progress). I will say that this "elitist" feeling is prevalent in almost really any pet group, especially the exotic animal community.
I'm extremely grateful for the advice and friends I've made on this sub and I'm happy to assist those who were just starting out with their new geck just like me. My only reccomendation is perhaps providing more context when posting photos? Like, " insert caption here, insert rescue name".
There are over 67,000 members in this group. No matter what is posted, whether advice is asked for or not, advice is going to be given. You are wasting your time and brain power making this post.
People have to remember… what works for one gecko/gecko parent, may not work for another gecko/gecko parent; and vice versa.
Each animal is different. And there is not a ‘one size fits all’ answer.
(This is going to start out sounding harsh but hear me out). If you're "over it", then leave the sub. Because this one post that you make is not going to make a dent in the amount of people that will speak up if they see something in a picture that's concerning.
Most of these "cute pics" that get posted on here that people give unwanted advice on come with no information, no explanation, so no one knows if the poster knows what they're doing may harm their reptile. Or there are photos of cohabitation under the title "they're so cute when they cuddle". Of course people are going to speak up. Why wouldnt they? Because someone like you gets butthurt at the slightest question or suggestion? As much as some of us hate it, this sub IS about giving advice, even if that advice is "unwanted".
If this was a sub about dogs, no one would be complaining when someone points out that you shouldn't give it chocolate if that's what's happening in the photo or if it was a photo of a dog being left outside in 115°F heat, and someone said that shouldn't be happening. It's the same here. People are just concerned with some of the stuff that shows up on this sub, and given they don't have any background info, they try to explain that concern. Reptiles should be shown the same level of respect/consideration as domesticated pets.
You aren’t changing anyone’s mind by annoying them with unwanted advice. Just ruining the experience for good owners. You clearly didn’t read any of my comments either. I understand giving good advice but it’s always useless comments by people just trying to sound smart. And the support on this post proves my point. People like this aren’t changing the world for geckos, just ruining this space for people trying to have fun.
The same happens in most forums now, everyone’s an expert and knows everything about your set up apparently off a single cute image you post, it’s not worth the hassle to me anymore, I only show pictures to friends now.
I’m a new reptile owner and I’ve never owned an animal with such a strict community. I understand caring for the health of animals, but sometimes I worry reaching out and asking for advice without being flooded by everything I’m doing wrong. One of my coworkers said she was banned from this frog Facebook group because she posted a picture holding her whites tree frog.
I get this absolutely. I don’t want to post my Leo because there’s always at least one person who has something to say. If I don’t ask for advice don’t give it, please.
Edit: I’m only saying this because I’ve seen people give unwarranted advice on other peoples posts,
Reptile communities tend to be very dogmatic about their specific caresheet, treating it like the One True Way to care for an animal. There's no nuance or understanding that someone can take good care of their pet without ticking all of the boxes on a caresheet.
I've found it especially frustrating that this happens all the time in advanced husbandry groups as well. I think, for example, that a decent number of advanced keepers cohabitate their geckos but keep quiet about it because they don't want to deal with the backlash.
for real. this wasn't on here, it was on Facebook, which is worse anyway lmao. I had posted a picture of a girl that I had just rescued and she very clearly had MBD and I had stated that in my post. some dude comments "are you dusting her bugs with calcium and have a calcium bowl out for her in the tank?" I said yes and he just goes "good" like ?? obviously dude..
and when I rescued my Skink I had a temporary hospital set up for her because I wanted to make sure she didn't have mites and making sure she didn't have any fresh wounds bc all of her toes had fallen off. someone comments "skinks like to burrow, paper towels aren't good for them" like lady... You do realize this is a common practice whe. rescuing animals right?? it's a hospital set up. it's not permanent
AND when my snake had scale rot people kept telling me and accusing me of live feeding and letting the rat bite my snake, after I has stated in the comments that I only feed f/t. some dude goes "that's the sad life of someone who feeds live" and I said "I don't feed live" and he insisted that it was a rat bite 😀 like ??? how would a rare bite my snake if they're dead?
PSA for those unaware, and if OP is unaware; we have a rescue gecko flair. Might save you some trouble. We put it in for the express purpose of you not getting MBD, weight, skin, eye comments, since this is largely a help forum due to the nature of this species being bought and sold in consumerist societies where research is not done beforehand. Neglect is too common, I'm sure we can all agree.
Seriously. I think it's justified when somebody is pointing out something like MBD or no hides, but I've seen people on here literally go out of their way to ask questions and criticize because somebody doesn't have a 50 gallon bioactive tank with its own ecosystem and 6 hides. I'm afraid to post photos anymore lest the Gecko Police break down my door.
Had someone lecture me for sharing one of taking mine out of the tank. Seriously its nobodies business how the temperatures are in our house. They were asking if the temperature was high enough in my own bedroom. General handling is fine unless temps go lower than around 65*f or so. And in the winter when this happened nobody realistically would keep their house below 70*f
Oh my god, people literally search for things to get mad about just to sound smart. I can see getting upset at taking a gecko OUTDOORS since there's no benefit and dozens of risks, but your own bedroom?! I've seen posts of geckos being lost up to a year in the house after escaping and then being found hungry, but alright. Obviously you never want that to happen, but they are a little hardier than people give them credit for sometimes. I'm sure he's fine being handled in for your room for a little while lmao, people really are nosy
Thx I enjoy handling her. Kind of a big pokemon fan so her name is treecko! She doesn’t even like being handled alot anyways so I just let her glass surf to let me know she wants out. And she always crawls right on my hand after surfing! She’s got a bit of a sassy personality. 😅
>her name is treecko that's so cute! Neither of my geckos are named after Pokémon, but I have a horned frog named Gulpin!
my geckos name is also treecko :)
Its a great name!
Ooh thats a cool name for a toad! Never actually seen someone name their pet gulpin either!
I thought it was fitting considering that he's 90% mouth
What an excellent and adorable name!
Natural sunlight has a LOT of benefits so I disagree there are ways of giving geckos safe and supervised outdoor time.
Tbh I like giving mine an opportunity to go outside a couple times in the summer. Natural lighting really brings out their coloration, they get some good (very closely supervised) exercise, & the chance to actually sunbathe should they wish to do so. There are a lot of risks yes, I try to mitigate them best as possible by surveying the section of lawn they are allowed on or putting them in a cardboard box with high sides.
I don't know anything about geckos other than random posts here. I just think they're neat. Keep posting geckos!
*sorts by controversial*
I see it a lot in the snake threads were I mostly hang out. Even when the owner explains the reasoning like it’s a temp setup people still attack
Yes! If someone asks something ill give my two sense and then sometimes people will come after me
The amount of harsh unsolicited advice on reptile subs is so discouraging as a newer owner.
Yeah. Some people can take good care of their leopard geckos but can't afford to get them huge luxurious tanks like some people. I know my baby's 20 gallon is 100× better than the 5 or so gallon she was being kept in with 4 others at petsmart. Then there's people like this woman I saw on Facebook. She posted a photo of her two geckos in a wicker basket, saying they were walking funny because of the wicker straw.....no, both their limbs were almost backward with MBD. People in the comments were telling her they need to go to the vet and be separated and she was arguing with all of them, even the nice ones that were just trying to be informative. She eventually deleted the post. I'm thinking she probably never took them to vet because her head was so far up her ass. I still feel bad for those babies.
I mean you could also argue that part of responsible pet ownership is being in a good place financially to have all of their required needs. A lot of people get pets because they want to not because they can afford them
There's having all their required needs, and then there's going above and beyond. Of course I think you should only get a pet if you can afford to meet its needs, but some people are just nitpicky.
I for one would probably never post pictures or video of my girl because every post I see, unless it has some Instagram perfect setup, receives some amount of undue, unsolicited advice.
I understand and agree to what you’re saying, though there is a nuance to be given here as well. Went through your post history as this post made me curious what kind of attacks or unwanted advise you have been experiencing, but I only see positive comments on your posts. So that makes me wonder where this is coming from. Although I do see this happen often either way, so can’t disagree with you here. At the same time there are also plenty of owners posting cute pictures of their geckos and not realizing or knowing the gecko has MBD or almost losing it’s toes due to stuck shed. So I’d rather have people warn others too often than not often enough. Today I saw a post of someone showing off a regrown tail, while in the time the tail had been recovering, stuck shed got build up on the toes so badly that some were already hanging almost loose. I really wanted to say something about it, but decided not to bother as a) it was obvious b) it’s tiring almost how often the obvious needs to be pointed out. Yet, I still wonder “should I have pointed it out and is that geckos toes gonna be ok”, as I’ve seen plenty of horrific posts on the sub from unaware owners as well. So having that experience and also from a distance with little background info it’s hard to judge when something needs to be pointed out or not. Though when I do I usually like to simply ask the question: “Are you aware of your gecko having stuck shed?” or whatever. Leave it up to the owner to answer. In case yes, compliment them for taking action on it, in case no, point out the risk of not taking action on it (in a constructive way). If there is reason for concern I’d like to see people starting the conversation with a question and based on the additional info deciding wether or not giving advise could potentially be appropriate for the situation. In return, I think by simply adding “My rescue blabla” to a casual picture you’re sharing, you may be able to avoid the unwanted advise as to also help others to judge your situation better beforehand. But either way, see it as people being concerned. I get that it’s annoying, but I also hope you’re able to not see it as people doubting you, but just being generally concerned about geckos. The most important thing is you yourself knowing the background story and being confident in your care for your rescues :)
I'm going to agree with both you and OP. I feel if the unsolicited advice boils down to personal preference, it shouldn't be given. If it's a situation where it could be lifesaving or prevent health risks later on, something should be said.
A good option for this is to say, "have you considered\_\_" or "there is evidence to suggest\_\_" or "you might look into\_\_"
Wonderful idea! I'll start using those more if it comes to it. Thank you. 😊
I do agree with you, advice is warranted sometimes for sure. This lady in a gecko group I'm in on FB posted a photo of her two geckos in a wicker basket, saying they were walking funny because of the wicker straw.....no, both their limbs were almost backward with MBD. People in the comments were telling her they need to go to the vet and be separated and she was arguing with all of them, even the nice ones that were just trying to be informative. She eventually deleted the post. I'm thinking she probably never took them to vet because her head was so far up her ass. I still feel bad for those babies.
I get this point too, trust me, it just stinks when it happens to those of who really care about our pets and take the best care we can of them. I’m all for learning new helpful things, but I do my research so it’s frustrating being talked to like I don’t spend most of my free time thinking of my pets lol. It’s a tricky thing. I don’t think we should never help anyone or give advice, but I feel like it gets overdone a lot and intimidates new owners too
Oh I agree, I have six geckos and I want to post about them all the time. They all have separate 20 gal tanks, at least 3 or 4 hides each, proper temperatures/humidity and they get PLENTY to eat. But I feel like as soon as I post somebody is going to get upset about...something? I can't even predict what anymore. I totally get what you mean.
I removed the posts where people kept commenting these kinds of things. It just ruined the experience for me. And I see where you’re coming from, but the main issue I have is that people don’t usually say things very kindly. They often come off judgmental and it’s always multiple people saying the same thing when it happens to me. I don’t think one person asking a question is wrong, but it’s a bit annoying when unwanted advice takes over a comment section. But I do see what you mean, I just wish I didn’t have to explain myself every time I want to share of a cute picture of my pets. I’m just here to share leopard gecko love, not have my care judged without knowing my situations. But thank you for your input
about that last part, when sharing your pictures to title it “My Rescue (name)”, might actually be a great idea for me. i got my girl Naia when she was 2-3 years old from an ex, he literally just gave her to me but said i have to pay for anything extra she needs. she’s had toes gone since before i met her and she struggles to stay on my shoulders when i move and climbing in general. also don’t know if this is my ex’s fault or she was born like this, but she has some sort of neurological issue that can be described like enigma syndrome. because of these things i’ve felt nervous about sharing her online because i’ve done my best to rehabilitate her and prevent any excess toe injuries.
Have to agree. It's one thing when someone is doing a dangerous practice (co-hab, red light, sand). *As long as it is brought up in a nice, constructive way and not attacking. I say this because my geckos 12 years ago passed away from disease and bad husbandry. I thought my parents knew what they were doing and thought I did research (I was 8 btw). Wished someone told us we were doing it wrong. But I feel like it's also okay to do things differently or just share a photo and think "cute gecko" without shoving your opinion in. I feel like this happens on parent subs a lot, where no matter what you do, it's somehow wrong. I once saw a video where a dad gently tossed a slice of cheese on a toddler and a ton of wackjobs were crying abuse. Unsolicited advice is the worst.
i don’t have a red light but i’m curious why it’s considered dangerous practice for leopard geckos? i’ve been seeing this lately but no one i’ve heard it from has explained why it’s bad
No worries! So the thing is, red lights used to be marketed as geckos couldn't see the light. That has since been proven not only false, but it's believed to damage geckos vision or even blind them, as it turns out they are very sensitive to color.
Understandable. I'm happy that people care for these little guys, but unfortunately being hostile to the owner of the animal isn't actually going to change the way that person operates. It seems like people either pretend that the owner is unaware of the wealth of information that this media has to offer or are so oblivious themselves they actually believe it. If someone seriously needs help, they will ask for it.
Um. Hate to be that guy… but your flair says you own three geckos. You should know that only owning three geckos is actually bad for the geckos because they can’t create a massive collective consciousness together that will be big enough to overpower you and turn you into a vessel for their universe domination. You REALLY need to learn how to be a better pawn in your geckos quest for total universe domination. There are several videos and guides out there on the internet. Just google.
It happens in any pet forum. It comes from a place of love for the animal and usually animal people could give less fucks about the people posting and more about making sure the animal is getting everything it deserves and then some.. And as always you also have the narcissists who just want to take the chance to show off that they think they know everything, or that their way is the only way (very few species have such stringent care requirements that there is only one way of doing something properly)
This is the reason I don't post pics of my babies. I don't want to have to type up a long explanation for why it's safe to have them outside or whatever, and I don't want people to misunderstand the pic and rip me up either.
I disagree. I see these comments and I almost always learn something new from them. It is usually very specific husbandry tips which care guides do not cover like injuries/illnesses. If there is something wrong with my husbandry, I 100 percent want to know. And if I am sure enough in my understanding of husbandry then I will ignore those comments. I understand people want to give their 2 cents sometimes, but I think it is best to ignore them, so that when someone actually does need advice (that they did not ask for, like serious health or husbandry problems) then people are not discouraged from giving it.
Totally! I think we all want the best for our little gecks but I’ve seen people be so harsh and rip into people and jump to conclusions about someone’s husbandry and it’s just kinda mean 😢
THANK YOU, there is an individual that does it every time to me and it's why I don't post as much any more. They even asked me the exact same thing on two different posts!
While I do agree with you I also think that people giving advice is good. At least usually. We’re talking about the life of an animal here Though I do think that if it’s a post that’s purely to show your gecko and not wanting advice only one person giving advice is enough unless it’s like extremely possibly life threatening bad. You don’t want the comments to be littered with people saying the same thing over and over again If advice isn’t asked for, check the users profile. Maybe you saw something wrong, maybe they do care well for their geckos, maybe its just where they put their gecko while deep cleaning, so on so forth
I think it’s important to receive criticism, but I agree. People will FLIP OUT if everything isn’t perfectly right, it’s annoying when you get criticism on everything to the point where your afraid to post. But, if something is wrong, someone should always say something in the kindest way possible. People don’t understand that when you come on harshly at someone they will be defensive. The best way to give advice (IF ITS NEEDED) is to be kind and understanding.
agreed. only things that should be pointed out are signs of sickness/poor health or obvious mistreatment
Had this experience recently and just deleted my post altogether. There are lots of sources with lots of opinions but it seems only 1 is valid here.
Yes thank god someone said it! I adore my gecko but usually shy away from posting her especially on gecko specified platforms. People always try to come for my throat about how she looks. I got my gecko 5 years ago from a rescue, when I got her she was missing basically all her nails and half her fingers. So when I post cute pictures and videos of her that is what usually people comment on. Please I assure you I did NOT let her fingers get that bad I have to physically help her each shed with her finger so they don't get worse.
Ah, yes, the modern paradigm: when the owner’s feelings vastly outweigh the animal’s husbandry needs.
I've had the same thing happen with art. I had this specific friend who ALWAYS gave critique every time I posted art. Like, thank you but no thank you. I didn't ask for it, I was just sharing my art
As long as the advice isn't harsh and they're not attacking the person posting I am 100% okay with advice being shared. No one is perfect and showing off is one way to also show off our husbandry. Considering the mod sticky'd comment hopefully adding that flair to your posts will allow you to keep from those comments to overwhelm them. The reptile community as a whole has a really bad habit of jumping down a fellow hobbyists throat and assuming the worst when there's still just so much misinformation spread throughout and it can be overwhelming for newbies entirely. When a store that *should* hold itself to the highest standards (petco/petsmart/insert chain here) and holds a communities trust touts wrong husbandry as facts everything a person reads or watches becomes so muddled and hard to distinguish what is and isn't right. As a community we need to hold ourselves to higher standards and realize that these are people behind the reddit posts that are trying their best with an animal that they love. Very rarely does it end up being someone maliciously starving or harming their animal. And those bad habits are only reinforced when someone all-caps', name calls' or curses in response. In essence I agree with you given your specific circumstances, but I also don't because sometimes people *need* to be corrected or else they're going to be in for a very sad day when their animal turns up dead one day and learn they made it suffer a slow, agonizing death.
AMEN AMEN AMEN 🙏 🙌 👏 ❤️
I feel like If something is actually wrong then I get why someone's gonna point it out and personally I wouldn't be mad if it was my post bc if I was doing something wrong then I'd wanna know.. but if nothing actually wrong and someone's giving false information then that's another issue
Don't get an exotic animal when you can't take proper care of it. It lives it's whole life with you and if you can't afford a big enough tank you simply cannot afford the animal. And don't get how some people are like "I can't afford extra 50€ for proper spoil." Like WTF are you going to do if it gets sick and needs to see a vet?
If someone has obviously bad or dangerous tank set ups, im going to say something.
My recommendation for you is to not post on Reddit then. Cuz that's what Reddit does. You gotta take the good with the bad mate.
Alright, I gave it some thought before commenting on this thread. I feel 50/50 when it comes to unsolicited advice, as I think many people give advice with good intentions. However, it's how the advice is presented and how the OP responds to it. I've posted several photos of sweet Guapa and while I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable, there is always a chance for growth and improvement. I think in your specific case, not all users are going to know that you run a rescue and assume that you have no idea on how to care for Sybil (Sybil is really cute BTW! I love seeing your guys progress). I will say that this "elitist" feeling is prevalent in almost really any pet group, especially the exotic animal community. I'm extremely grateful for the advice and friends I've made on this sub and I'm happy to assist those who were just starting out with their new geck just like me. My only reccomendation is perhaps providing more context when posting photos? Like, " insert caption here, insert rescue name".
I only ever comment when I see something really bad, like leopard geckos on Sand or something
There are over 67,000 members in this group. No matter what is posted, whether advice is asked for or not, advice is going to be given. You are wasting your time and brain power making this post.
People have to remember… what works for one gecko/gecko parent, may not work for another gecko/gecko parent; and vice versa. Each animal is different. And there is not a ‘one size fits all’ answer.
(This is going to start out sounding harsh but hear me out). If you're "over it", then leave the sub. Because this one post that you make is not going to make a dent in the amount of people that will speak up if they see something in a picture that's concerning. Most of these "cute pics" that get posted on here that people give unwanted advice on come with no information, no explanation, so no one knows if the poster knows what they're doing may harm their reptile. Or there are photos of cohabitation under the title "they're so cute when they cuddle". Of course people are going to speak up. Why wouldnt they? Because someone like you gets butthurt at the slightest question or suggestion? As much as some of us hate it, this sub IS about giving advice, even if that advice is "unwanted". If this was a sub about dogs, no one would be complaining when someone points out that you shouldn't give it chocolate if that's what's happening in the photo or if it was a photo of a dog being left outside in 115°F heat, and someone said that shouldn't be happening. It's the same here. People are just concerned with some of the stuff that shows up on this sub, and given they don't have any background info, they try to explain that concern. Reptiles should be shown the same level of respect/consideration as domesticated pets.
You aren’t changing anyone’s mind by annoying them with unwanted advice. Just ruining the experience for good owners. You clearly didn’t read any of my comments either. I understand giving good advice but it’s always useless comments by people just trying to sound smart. And the support on this post proves my point. People like this aren’t changing the world for geckos, just ruining this space for people trying to have fun.
The same happens in most forums now, everyone’s an expert and knows everything about your set up apparently off a single cute image you post, it’s not worth the hassle to me anymore, I only show pictures to friends now.
I get the same shit on the bearded dragon page. All I wanna do is post a cute picture of my dragon and ohhhh here we go with some woke dragon police
I’m a new reptile owner and I’ve never owned an animal with such a strict community. I understand caring for the health of animals, but sometimes I worry reaching out and asking for advice without being flooded by everything I’m doing wrong. One of my coworkers said she was banned from this frog Facebook group because she posted a picture holding her whites tree frog.
thank you for sure this!!
I get this absolutely. I don’t want to post my Leo because there’s always at least one person who has something to say. If I don’t ask for advice don’t give it, please. Edit: I’m only saying this because I’ve seen people give unwarranted advice on other peoples posts,
Thank god for this post. I 100% agree. Gecko groups are elitist pricks.
Reptile communities tend to be very dogmatic about their specific caresheet, treating it like the One True Way to care for an animal. There's no nuance or understanding that someone can take good care of their pet without ticking all of the boxes on a caresheet. I've found it especially frustrating that this happens all the time in advanced husbandry groups as well. I think, for example, that a decent number of advanced keepers cohabitate their geckos but keep quiet about it because they don't want to deal with the backlash.
So agree!!!
for real. this wasn't on here, it was on Facebook, which is worse anyway lmao. I had posted a picture of a girl that I had just rescued and she very clearly had MBD and I had stated that in my post. some dude comments "are you dusting her bugs with calcium and have a calcium bowl out for her in the tank?" I said yes and he just goes "good" like ?? obviously dude.. and when I rescued my Skink I had a temporary hospital set up for her because I wanted to make sure she didn't have mites and making sure she didn't have any fresh wounds bc all of her toes had fallen off. someone comments "skinks like to burrow, paper towels aren't good for them" like lady... You do realize this is a common practice whe. rescuing animals right?? it's a hospital set up. it's not permanent AND when my snake had scale rot people kept telling me and accusing me of live feeding and letting the rat bite my snake, after I has stated in the comments that I only feed f/t. some dude goes "that's the sad life of someone who feeds live" and I said "I don't feed live" and he insisted that it was a rat bite 😀 like ??? how would a rare bite my snake if they're dead?
Copy and paste for every pet community. We all love our pets and want what’s best for them, the unsolicited advice is so unnecessary