Bloodbankdragon video response

[bloodbankdragon]

Bloodbankdragons video

In my video I feed off an anole and a scorpion. I clipped the scorpions tail with a pair of fingernail clippers so that non of my bearded dragon would receive eye injuries or stings. The anole was fed off to educate on the veracious appetite of the bearded dragon. People are constantly surprised when an adult bearded would eat their smaller dragon. I hoped this portion of the video would save some heart break.

Bearded dragons are equipped to digest both of these food items withe ease. Similar to a trout eating a craw-fish.

In the second part of the video I show the breeding and egg laying. This is the most difficult part of most phone conversations. (describing how to handle the eggs, prepare the medium, ect.) People are always asking; how can I dig them up without rotating the eggs? The eggs can be handled vigorously for the first week. After a week or more the embryo floats to the bottom of the egg and attaches its self to the side wall. Then the eggs become fragile. I handled the eggs in my video with purpose to educate.

People commented that my shop must stink since I wear a "dust" mask in the video.

I wear a dust mask because I am allergic to insects. The video shows me working the same way I do every day. I put on my dust mask and do my thing. The shop has 2 people cleaning and feeding full time. Plus myself caring for the dragons and a 4th person taking care of the bugs. 8 hours a day every day. I also have 2 full time sales people taking care of all the photos and sales. This allows me lots of time to study my dragons, microscope feakles, consider parings, ect. My shop is one of the cleanest shops you will ever visit.

I was producing the same amount of dragons is a 10X20 shop and just recently was able to afford a new 20x30 facility with new cages. State of the art dishwasher and my own bug breeding project on the second storey for healtheyer more consistent feeders. Same dragons now with 3x the room.

I built this business from 3 dragons 8 years ago, to what it is today, with nothing but hard work and passion for breeding bearded dragons. I have since refined my collection and the shape of the bearded dragon.

I did not know about the no shock video policy on this forum. I apologized to the moderator who pointed it out and removed my post. I am only sorry I posted my video on this forum where it did not belong. I am not sorry for the content of my video.

Steven Barnes
bloodbankdragons

 

[lauraj1055]

I for one would never buy a bearded dragon from you after that video posted.. I just bought 2 bearded dragons who are the most gentle loving beardies ever.. Your video makes them seem ferocious and something I would never want to own. It gives people the total wrong idea about beardies, and now people think they can feed them these thingss???? Very disappointed and do not agree it was educational at all.. In fact I believe it totally misrepresents a bearded dragon and how loving they are.

 

[OgleRpets]

If you are trying to save people heart break then why aren't there any disclaimers anywhere?

 

[DeweysMom]

I have to agree with Laura. I actually do own a BloodBank beardie that I love dearly, but in all honesty if I had seen your video first I never would've bought him out of fear that he'd be far to agressive for me to handle. I know that breeding brings out the aggressiveness in most species so that part didn't really bother me, but the feeding scenes did. I don't know... maybe I did something wrong with Dewey, but he doesn't attack his food like the beardies in the video do, nowhere close! He's a very mellow boy and loves to be with me on my shoulder. I wouldn't want him any other way.

I really do feel that your video is a misrepresentation of the species as a whole and that you're putting beardies at risk from owners who really don't know any better. Considering your many years of experience, I would like to think that you'd be dedicated to showing the proper way to care for these guys instead of misleading the uneducated and putting bad ideas in people's heads.

Just my thoughts...

 

[lauraj1055]

Well said Deweys mom!!! If I didn't know anyone that owned a beardie, and I was thinking of buying one.. I would definately not after seeing that video!!

 

[JAE]

Ok you answered a few questions I had. Your seriously allergic to insects? Wow Ive got allergies but never heard of that. That sux.
I noticed none of your cages have any type of furniture, no rocks, sticks, hides etc. Was that just for the vid? Or is there a reason.
Im not squimish and theres all types of feeders. Ive used anoles for snakes.
But why use potentially harmful feeders when there is no need to?

 

[anderous]

wow, bloodbank screwed up bad, they just alienated everyone on bearded dragon.org and i agree with others, from that irresponsible video meant simply to "wow" people there gona lose bussiness, hopefully. I always hate when people do stupid and dangerous things just because others will think it looks cool, very bad husbandry there bloodbank, hope you either change your ways, or go belly up

 

[spurlee01]

Whatever your intent was, I was absolutely disgusted by the video. I always considered owning a bloodbank dragon as the ultimate beardie-owning goal, but not any longer.

 

[LaPrice]

After reading your post Blood Bank i feel better about the scorpion, i was surprised but not appalled like everyone else apparently (no offense guys). Beardies in the wild probably do eat scorpions like that, and they dont get the tail clipped for them either. The anole is used as a feeder for a lot of reptiles like snakes, spiders and probably larger lizards. So it may be a little inhumane for the anole, but they are technically lower on the food chain. I would still buy from blood bank, i'm poor as crap so i cant anytime soon (nor do we have the space).

To everyone else:
Guys, the video might be upsetting to others, they posted a note about it with their video. You were warned that it contained reptiles eating reptiles (i know its not supposed to be posted here, but they apologized and removed the video from here). I will say that since this was a sort of advertisement for their reptiles that a note should be posted saying something to the effect that unless you take precautions that anoles and scorpions are not good feeders and that feeding them those things doesnt make them aggressive. Mating is usually aggressive from what i'm told, and i didnt know that you could handle eggs moderately rough with the first week. Doesnt mean you should, but to each his own.
Basically i'm saying everyone should calm themselves and think about beardies in the wild and what they would be eating and how they behave (yea we want them to be happy and loved, but if we didnt provide for them they'd eat anything they could catch). If you think about it the video is portraying the wilder side of them, that isnt a bad thing. It certainly doesnt mean that Blood Bank is selling mean beardies, if they were wouldnt there be complaints or something going on?

 

[bloodbankdragon]

Laprice. Half off any dragon you want. + Free shipping

Steven Barnes

 

[jazzibells82]

Honestly at this point I am a little disappointed in this forum. Bloodbankdragons was being slammed because of their video and people were demanding an apology and an explanation, Bloodbank speaks up and explains their side and they are still getting attacked. Bearded Dragons in the wild will probably eat just about anything that moves in front of them. I have thrown insects in with mine and watched them attack them with such intensity. I'm assuming that people who are upset and offended by the video are also offended and upset by national geographic or animal planet...predators killing defenseless animals. I personally own 3 BloodBankDragons and I'm proud of it, if and when I ever want another one I will return to them.

 

[TASTIGER]

i can say that i was very angry after watching the video not to metion several people mentioned having comments deleted that were explaining that feeding anoles could cause impactions and that it isnt safe...but it is true there is a side to bearded dragons that most of us dont like to see they WILL eat anything that moves
@bloodbankdragons i feel that the movie would have been accepted better if you explained in the video that you were showing people why they cant house beardies together that feeding small animals is not suggested because to the rest of us it looked like feeding anoles and scorpions was a regular thing. rarely do i ever hear about your dragons being unhealthy and i do think you guys produce some beautiful dragons

i do feel better about the subject now thankyou for explaining and i think everyone deserves a 2nd chance

 

[spurlee01]

Honestly at this point I am a little disappointed in this forum. Bloodbankdragons was being slammed because of their video and people were demanding an apology and an explanation, Bloodbank speaks up and explains their side and they are still getting attacked. Bearded Dragons in the wild will probably eat just about anything that moves in front of them. I have thrown insects in with mine and watched them attack them with such intensity. I'm assuming that people who are upset and offended by the video are also offended and upset by national geographic or animal planet...predators killing defenseless animals. I personally own 3 BloodBankDragons and I'm proud of it, if and when I ever want another one I will return to them.

When I first reported the video, I told the mod that bloodbank had been hacked because I honestly could not believe that they would post a video like that. I thought an explanation might somehow make it better, but the one given does NOT.

As a side note, .org-ers, this thread is being closely monitored so lets keep it clean (so far everyone has been great about that!)

 

[spyderk]

I'm assuming that people who are upset and offended by the video are also offended and upset by national geographic or animal planet...predators killing defenseless animals.

Not at all. We are an avid hunting family. I am against doing something for the thrill or heck of it, however. If my animal could be harmed by eating an anole, I wouldn't do it to show off to my friends because I know they'd think it was cool. I think that promoting responsible animal ownership is more important. In the same way, even though we hunt, we treat the process with respect, and we don't glorify in the killing aspect.

That said, I disagree with the video and the spirit it was made in. I know that a lot of others like it. I just hope that these dragon or potential dragon owners will educate themselves when it comes to diet and care.

Also, I am very allergic to roaches (according to an allergy test). Not sure about other insects. I don't have an issue feeding the dubia yet, though when Puff scratches me, I often have that area swell up and itch until I wash my hands.

 

[Gail]

I haven't really said much about this video yet but figured I would chime in. I really wasn't as disturbed by the live feeding as some but I also have snakes and seeing small animals die is common for me.
I was upset by the scorpion feeding but part of that is probably due to the fact that I've kept them as pets and do not see them as a feeder. I also know how hard their exoskeletons are and digestion is a concern for me. I was glad to hear the stinger was removed first.
I really wouldn't have much of a problem with the video if Barry would have explained that it was educational and why certain behaviors were being shown. As it stands, it does seem like it was filmed more for a cool factor and that I don't agree with.
One thing that really surprises me is that people though the dragons were being viscous and that the video would have scared them away from owning a dragon. Reptiles are primitive animals governed by instinct, not puppies. Personally I would love to have a dragon that tore into food like that instead of the picky non eater I have now.
I didn't watch the egg handling, I got bored by the time the females were laying and shut the vid off but seriously, why get offended over rough egg handling? If it was too rough, the eggs would die and the company would be out money, in this case I'm sure barry and staff know what they are doing.
Moral of this story, I think the vid was in poor taste but I don't believe bloodbanks is some kind of evil non caring company. The cages were all clean and the dragons healthy.