I also believe it is insulting to the several young people on the list as well. Not every kid with a gecko has an extra $30.00 to pay for membership.
I have great concern for young gexers. I was one once! ;-) I got
tons of unhealthy reptiles and even more bad advice. I was taken advantage
of and I cried and cried when my reptiles died, most of these situations
were totally avoidable if some pet shops had a clue, which is another subject.
:(
I see lots of bright eyed younguns at my booth all the time. They ask me "What kind of gecko can I buy for $10?" I tell them a book, so they can read and learn how to take care of geckos before they buy them. They don't want to hear this at all, but someone has to say it to them. Organizations like the GGA and local herp societies need to be particularly aware of children and make sure they get started the right way. They need education first, reptiles second! So often they fall into the cheap wc trap that has the typical not so pretty ending. Reptile shows are now a great contributor to this bad outcome as well as pet shops. Please speak to your local show promoters about this. No-one wins if the herps die right after the show. I don't allow children to purchase geckos without parental permission, and they or their parents must be willing to do what is necessary to keep the gecko properly as a purchase condition.
Now, that having been said, I'm sure there are plenty of children who could afford to be a junior member of a herp society or the GGA, especially by not wasting $ on the wrong type of herps or supplies. Am I remembering right, is there a discount for kids joining the GGA? I know if you just get Chit Chat it is cheaper. Is there a kids type article in Chit Chat? If not, there should be.
Julie Bergman
http://www.geckoranch.com
GGA lifetime member
