• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
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    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Acceptance finally, they loved the geckos!

RedQuake

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I had a family party today for my parents (anniversary and b-day all in one). Now my extended family hasn't been to interested in my keeping reptiles........they kind of looked at me with that *your crazy* look.

So after a HUGE lunch/dinner, cake and tons of other food, we got talking about my geckos. My mother suggested i bring one up so people could see. I broght up five of my girls, Boo, Milo and my two female aft's (all in separate containers). Well, everyone was in awe. They thought their colours were cool. My one aunt even held one of the aft's. Can you believe it?????? They went from kind of ridiculing me to taking part in a display. The only one not *into* it was my uncle hehehe, he asked if they made good fishing bait LOL. He was joking........

I'm soooooooooooo happy.....to be accepted. I'm still in shock that my aunt actually handled one. This is great eh?!? All of the geckos are back in their homes and are fine, no worse from the experience. I actually enjoyed having them out on the deck in the natural light.....their colours really came out.

Red :)
 
My family is somewhat the same. I can’t get most of my family members to hold one though. I take one out and their like “You’re taking it out! Can’t you just leave it in its box?” My sister won’t even go near them. She thinks they’re “nasty”. :crying: And the bugs, especially the roaches, don’t even bring them out. Great way to scare someone though.

While most of the family doesn’t care for them my parents love them. They are always holding them, looking, and asking questions. It’s great! I guess that’s what parents are supposed to do. :)
 
Thats great Lianne, glad tohear they liked the little buggers

Cody, last thanksgiving..lobster roaches..prank..you get the picture.. LOL

half of my family thinks reptiles are slimy..mainly the half i never speak to or see much for that matter.
i brought my old 9 foot burm upstate to my grandmothers sisters place like 4 years ago..befor boids became illegal here, and everyone freaked out (mainly the older women and teenage girls) ..they all thought it was slimy..i really couldnt belive it, lol
i have since made my grandparents hold all my ball pythons and geckos, they like them and they're in their mid 70's, lol so thats cool, my mom dad and two sisters also like my reptiles..just not when i feed my snakes..they stop talkin to me for about 2 days(my two sisters), lol, i do feel like a reject sometimes, but then again i consider myself lucky to have such a great understanding for herps unlike others, the only thing that sucks is i have to keep them secret here, i dont want anyone knowing i have large iguanas and boids so they dont get to go out as much anymore only when we go upstate, but herps are great and i think everyone should have at least one, lol
 
I think they are starting to mellow out with age. That and the fact that many of the family have passed away and my aunts are realizing how important it is to acknowledge the things that make us happy. I explained how much time and effort is spent caring for the geckos and that they are a very important part of my life.

They also liked how Boo posed for pictures hehehe. Once he sees a camera he'll stand up in a pose, wait for the flash and get into another pose. Its very cute. They also couldn't get over how big they all were.

I've only ever played pranks on my mom......she's not a fan of snakes so of course we used to put toy snakes everywhere hehe.


Red :)
 
I know what'cha mean Dan! Here in NYC its hard to get someone to appreciate the wonders of Herps, when your are in the middle of a city! Everyone here is used to cute little furries :( They just can't see the cuteness in Herps. My dad and I are the only ones in the family that enjoy having herps in the house!
 
I'm the weirdo in my family too!

My family all think I'm nuts for liking reptiles. I have to keep them far far away from them.

It kind of stinks because I am the only person I know around where I live that are into them, I wish more people would accept them. I would like to have someone in my area that shares the same interest as me.

Oh well, hopefully some day.
 
my mom HATES snakes although with some coaxing i convinced her to hold a western hognose but she still gets scared when it moves too fast.

when it comes to leopard geckos its hilarious. she asks to babysit them and actually chases my grandmother around the house with them laughing saying..."what? its just a gecko!" and "look hes smiling at you!"
 
Jeanne, i know what you mean. Other than the fact that my family i live with like them i'm really the only person around in my area that keeps them. It sucks big time cause i'd like to find a guy/bf thats into them so we have something in common and he doesn't freak out when i spend $300 or more on them LOL. I also plan to have my house full of them, not confined to just one room so he's got to be Ok with that. Now try to find a guy like that in this area is like pulling teeth. I almost feel destined to remain single forever LOL

Chad.......my mother has always been scared of snakes. We went on a road trip out west and stopped at a reptile place where they had shows and huge displays. They had a snake show where you could hold the boa, named sophie. Mom was like ya you all go hold it and i will do once your all done.......So as my brothers, dad and i all went to take our turn, my mother snuck out of the building......figured. I did convince her to come with me to the June reptile expo and not two minutes after walking in the door some gentleman walked by with a boa around his neck. I was expecting my mom to take off but she didn't. She actually thought one of the albino snakes she saw looked neat. She still won't let me have one here though LOL.

All in all my family here are cool. They ask how the geckos are doing and don't freak when i take them out. My extended family was never like that, and i'm still in shock about my aunt. She's changed so much lately its amazing. We are planning a few more parties for the summer and i'm hoping that i can get people down here to see the setups etc. We'll see but for now i'm just happy that they didn't put me down for having reptiles. Thats a huge thing :)

Red :)
 
I'm lucky that my family is cool with my leos. My mom knows my geckos just as well as I do and she loves to handle them. And today my dad suggested, "Hey, why don't you breed them?" Hehe.. I -love- my family.
 
You are lucky.......very lucky. When i mentioned breeding my father asked where i was going to put all of the babies LOL

Red :)
 
Ya, my mom was my first obstacle, it took her a while, but now shes really into it. My parents/family are probably a bit too into it. Every night they beg to see them and when we have company over, they want to see everyone. I ususally hold back and say since they are nocturnal, they dont like the light on and loud noises, so thats my excuse for not parading them around the house.

When my dad's friends come over, he tries to act all macho and pretends that my geckos are his, but hey, as long as I'm accepted.

Now for going to Daytona this year... my parents are a bit skeptical. They want me to save my money for a car, psh-- I'm most likely going to go nuts at Daytona and spend most of what I get... I kinda enjoy being cheofureed (sp) around...

Dont worry Red, with due time, you'll be fully accepted. Actually my mom asked me if I wanted to make a huge display case for a wall in my house instead of a picture.

Everyone at school calls me lizard boy and think I purposely watch the leos mate. (i dont do it on purpose... all the time) They are all over my room so its kinda hard not to catch a glimpse once in a while.

Wow, major babling going on over here.
Michael
 
Haha, don't get a car unless you absolutely have to. Otherwise, you'll be the one chauffeuring everyone around. I wish I could go to Daytona. I'm still kinda playing around with the idea, because I've never been to a big show.
 
Ya my biggest show was a small local show, and I've heard great things about Daytona... I cant wait to be overwhelmed by the heat and smell of a bunch herps... yumm

About the car, I'm a january baby andall my friends are youngins, so I'll be wearing the taxi hat for a while. herps need no driving... except to shows. :)

Michael
 
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