Hmmm... Someone has a chip on their shoulder.
Take a breath and I will address this point by point
May I ask what your credentials are? I mean, I'm just curious, with your holier-than-thou attitude in regards to snake keeping.
My attitude is not "holier-than-thou", my attitude is confidence which you have erroneously mistaken for arrogance.
As for my credentials; I have been keeping herps for 28 years. I have kept dozens of species in that time. To the best of my knowledge I hold the record longevity for a Banded Gecko. My collection is small right now (4 balls, 3 Phyllomedusa sauvagei, 1 corn, 1 grey banded king, and 1 chondro) but there have been times where the numbers were significant (I had over 100 garters for a coule years.) I also have a BS and a PhD in biological sciences and, while that is not exactly relevant to keeping per say, a well informed background on how biology works and all that does contribute to a greater understanding when you are a keeper.
This is twice now that you've come by and said that I, everything I know, and everyone I've spoken to, are entirely, ***-backwards, wrong. You've either something against me, or you just don't know how to share your opinion in a more respective tone.
I have nothing against you but I do have something against information that is in error.
As far as "respective tones"... As I said above, you mistook my tone. Not a lot I can do about that. After reading your reply, I suggest you heed your own advice though.
Whenever I have a question, I consult the snakecommunity. There's keepers all around the world, some of which have literally hundreds of snakes. There's a herpetologist, even, that works with hots. You're going to say that a collection of responsible keepers with invaluable experience on all aspects, are wrong, just because YOU say so?
I did say that the information you are relaying is in error. Maybe you were misinformed, maybe you misunderstood. I know all about the snake community, I am part of it as well and I participate in many forums in the circles. I know many keepers as well, from the small hobby guys all the way up to some of the big boys with the "hundreds of snakes" that you talk about. Heck, I live less than an hour from one of the largest ball python breeders out there and I visit his place pretty regularly. I know more than a few hot keepers and have a long standing relationship with the herp vet for Zoo Atlanta and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.
From all those sources and more, I put forth the information that I have. You do not like that it contradicts what you had to say? Fine. But I am coming from a place of experience, whether you choose to recognize that or not.
I'm not saying I know it all. I'm just saying that after 9+ years, learning from my errors, listening to vast and varying opinions, and reading a few books, I have a slight clue as to what I'm doing.
I never said you were clueless. I just put forth that some of your information was off. You used PAM, you love PAM, and you say all your contacts recommend PAM. I have heard enough horror stories involving PAM that I will never be using it. And I also know for a fact that any other product with the same active ingredient as PAM specifically say not to have direct contact with the solubile agent (which is regulated by the FDA) so using a product that advocates spraying it on an affected animal is, without question, not an good idea.
Her side-laying behavior is unusual, which is why I ASKED about it, but no one, including the vet, or yourself, has any explanation for it, and it's been deemed as non-life threatening.
Obviously you did not bother to follow that link I put up in the other thread because the behavior you described
was explained right there as plain as day:
Laying Inverted
This is another good sign! Chances are you will catch your female laying inverted. Although quite common, it isn't a sure sign of eventual ovulation. I've seen some of my males laying inverted on occasion. Usually after they have bred for 24 hours!!! Go figure!
I can provide you with the opportunity to expand your knowledge but if you chose to ignore said information there is nothing more I can do on the matter
And for the record, I did, in fact, get mites from the bedding.
It has happened to Sheba's prospective owners, and to a few people in the forum that I primarily go to. It happens; don't ask me how or why, but it does, and I'm not the only one.
Perhaps I mis-spoke there and for that I apologize. It is possible for bedding to act
as a vector for mites, I grant that and I should have been clear. But the point is the same that mite come from other infected animals. If it is that there are mite ridden animals at the same pet store that is selling the bedding, or from bringing a new animal home from an expo.
I didn't say anyone was wrong;
You kinda did accuse me of being wrong...
I shared what I did, which is what, down to the product, the majority of the keepers recommended.
And
I shared what
I did, down to the product, which is what I, in 28 years of keeping and maintaining communications with many varied people in the herp community have found to be the safest and most effective. I disagree that the majority of keepers recommend PAM, but I would believe that the majority of keepers
you communicate with recommend it. There is a difference.