Dragons should be vegetarians

[Pinkdefender]

It really makes me wonder how this is working for them and their clients and pets, long and short term. Certainly, if it wasn't working long term and all the BD's were getting sick, they would change their recommendations? Or maybe they have but haven't modified it online?

Is it cynical of me to suggest that if the beardies get sick, the vets get more business... I'm sure they didn't misinform on purpose but also, I'm sure they wouldn't worry that people were coming back to them with their pets.

 

[tattykassy]

The vet who wrote this caresheet could possibly be biased in my opinion. I know a few customers that come into the store whom are vegans and have decided that their dog will be perfectly healthy on a vegan diet also. Despite all the research that has been done that shows that protein is important for a dog, and the fact that dog's are genetic decendents of wolves and wolves are most certainly meat eating individuals, they still insist that "oh no dogs are MUCH healthier on a vegan diet."
There isn't much you can say to convince them otherwise. You sort of have to, as sad as it is, let them experience the effects of the long term on their own in order for them to have a more true understanding as to how these various animals function and live. I think people make the mistake of thinking "well this is good for me, its working for me, so it must be good for my animal!" without understanding that animals and people are different, inside and out.

thats just my opinion though.... :?

 

[randommonks]

The vet who wrote this caresheet could possibly be biased in my opinion. I know a few customers that come into the store whom are vegans and have decided that their dog will be perfectly healthy on a vegan diet also. Despite all the research that has been done that shows that protein is important for a dog, and the fact that dog's are genetic decendents of wolves and wolves are most certainly meat eating individuals, they still insist that "oh no dogs are MUCH healthier on a vegan diet."
There isn't much you can say to convince them otherwise. You sort of have to, as sad as it is, let them experience the effects of the long term on their own in order for them to have a more true understanding as to how these various animals function and live. I think people make the mistake of thinking "well this is good for me, its working for me, so it must be good for my animal!" without understanding that animals and people are different, inside and out.

Your point reminds me of:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRSLQu-d6ZQ

 

[tattykassy]

LOL!! Totally!

 

[RowenJade]

The vet who wrote this caresheet could possibly be biased in my opinion. I know a few customers that come into the store whom are vegans and have decided that their dog will be perfectly healthy on a vegan diet also. Despite all the research that has been done that shows that protein is important for a dog, and the fact that dog's are genetic decendents of wolves and wolves are most certainly meat eating individuals, they still insist that "oh no dogs are MUCH healthier on a vegan diet."
There isn't much you can say to convince them otherwise. You sort of have to, as sad as it is, let them experience the effects of the long term on their own in order for them to have a more true understanding as to how these various animals function and live. I think people make the mistake of thinking "well this is good for me, its working for me, so it must be good for my animal!" without understanding that animals and people are different, inside and out.

thats just my opinion though.... :?

Totally agree with this. I'm vegan, and I feel it works for me but for a lizard that's supposed to be an insectivore?! How much variety of plant life can they find in the DESERT!? Obviously they were not meant to eat only vegetation.

 

[Carnivorouszoo]

This reminds me of the story I saw in a pet magazine about a woman who had bought a Boa and after having it for 4 months brought it to her vet because it would not eat. It was thin, dehydrated, and sick. When asked what size feeders it was getting and how often she replied, "Oh NO! MY snake is a vegetarian!" The vet convinced her to rehome the snake before it died because it was physically impossible for a Boa to become vegetarian.

 

[tattykassy]

Its sorta ironic, they think they are doing something "earth friendly" for their animal and making it a better animal when really its pretty much animal abuse. Denying it it's natural food source is cruel and *****ic.
Then you get those on the opposite end of the spectrum also, there are a few gentlemen that come into the store every week to buy live pinkie mice, I ask what sort of snake they have and they say "Oh no its for my bearded dragon." and I tell them that giving their beardie a pinkie mouse every day is unwise and unhealthy for the dragon and all they can say is "I dunno I think its COOL." These guys just get a kick out of watching their dragon hunt and kill the pinkie mouse so thats pretty much all they feed them, one guy said his was 2 years old and he's NEVER given it any sort of veggies because thats "stupid."
*sigh*
I've tried my best to learn as much as I can about these creatures in order to give my customers the best chance for their dragons and have referred many to this website who are thinking of getting one, but some just don't care and don't want to hear it. I spend alot of time with the baby beardies at our store making sure they're healthy and clean, when I started there they were pretty much feeding the group (5 of them) a few crickets a day and a heaping bowl of meal worms because the mealworms are "much easier to clean" when it comes time to do the cages. Apparently having to clean up crickets was "too much time and effort." Now, there are NO mealworms fed to the dragons and I make sure to give them a bath in the morning and clean up their poop out of the enclosure 4-6 times a day. They get fed crickets 3 times a day and the occational waxworm and are given calcium on a daily basis and actually given vitamins now. I figure if its too much work for my fellow employee's to do then I'll deal with it, problem solved.
I've actually nursed two rough looking little runts that I've affectionately named Peach and PeeWee. They were skin and bones, could hardly lift their heads, and wouldn't eat for over a week even after the relocation stress was done AND had broken tails. Now they're round, shedding, and actively hunting. Its a shame to think I put all these work into these little guys just to have someone come and buy one that could care less as to how to probably care for it. *grrr*
Its funny, I've only started to learn about these guys maybe a little over 2 months ago, and now I'm known as the "dragon lady" at the store because I'm the only one thats bothered to do any research on them. lol if only the other people I work with would put in that same effort then they could be dragon people too!

 

[Jpiroden]

This reminds me of the story I saw in a pet magazine about a woman who had bought a Boa and after having it for 4 months brought it to her vet because it would not eat. It was thin, dehydrated, and sick. When asked what size feeders it was getting and how often she replied, "Oh NO! MY snake is a vegetarian!" The vet convinced her to rehome the snake before it died because it was physically impossible for a Boa to become vegetarian.

Reptiles Magazine to be correct, the lady adopted it. it wasn't eating, brought it to the vet told vet it was vegetarian, vet convinced her to feed it live prey or rehome it, she order frozen mice, couldn't dare unfreezing them because "they look so helpless and sad in their cryogenic state" put up a ad on CL for someone to "Feed her snake" some herp experts answered, so kinky weirdos answered, and a wild life expert answered saying she wanted to take a look at the boa because boas are illeagle in that state XD (sorry i just read in yesterday)

 

[Carnivorouszoo]

This reminds me of the story I saw in a pet magazine about a woman who had bought a Boa and after having it for 4 months brought it to her vet because it would not eat. It was thin, dehydrated, and sick. When asked what size feeders it was getting and how often she replied, "Oh NO! MY snake is a vegetarian!" The vet convinced her to rehome the snake before it died because it was physically impossible for a Boa to become vegetarian.

Reptiles Magazine to be correct, the lady adopted it. it wasn't eating, brought it to the vet told vet it was vegetarian, vet convinced her to feed it live prey or rehome it, she order frozen mice, couldn't dare unfreezing them because "they look so helpless and sad in their cryogenic state" put up a ad on CL for someone to "Feed her snake" some herp experts answered, so kinky weirdos answered, and a wild life expert answered saying she wanted to take a look at the boa because boas are illeagle in that state XD (sorry i just read in yesterday)

No, it wasn't reptile magazine I saw this in as I have actually never read that magazine. The story I read the woman got it at a petshop not a rescue (can't adopt at a petshop) and had had it for quite some time trying to feed it vegetables. I read it like 4 years ago too.

 

[Jpiroden]

Ah well, simple mistake. They sounded so similar.

 

[Carnivorouszoo]

Ah well, simple mistake. They sounded so similar.

These days I am not surprised. Seems many extreme veggie/A.R./dumb folks (not to be con fused with those vegetarians here who have good heads on their shoulders) are trying to force evolution or adaptation of their pets to suit their needs like the guy who had pet rabbits and fed them fish stix and chicken nuggets cause that what he ate so they should to (although that was NOT a veg-head lol)

Stories like this abound and its scarier when you have one happen to where you know its true. Like a ferret that went bald and blind from being fed dog food which is devoid of any and all taurine, an essencial part of the ferret's diet. I know this happened because I personally nursed him for shy of 9 months before he gave in to the raging insulinoma and adrenal disease caused by the horrid diet.

 

[Claudiusx]

Hmm. I better stay out. LOL :wink:

Now if only I could have this willpower more often lol Topics about sand!

-Brandon

 

[Beardednoob]

Ah well, simple mistake. They sounded so similar.

These days I am not surprised. Seems many extreme veggie/A.R./dumb folks (not to be con fused with those vegetarians here who have good heads on their shoulders) are trying to force evolution or adaptation of their pets to suit their needs like the guy who had pet rabbits and fed them fish stix and chicken nuggets cause that what he ate so they should to (although that was NOT a veg-head lol)

Stories like this abound and its scarier when you have one happen to where you know its true. Like a ferret that went bald and blind from being fed dog food which is devoid of any and all taurine, an essencial part of the ferret's diet. I know this happened because I personally nursed him for shy of 9 months before he gave in to the raging insulinoma and adrenal disease caused by the horrid diet.

Crap I better get my ferret new food.! JK my ferret is a marshall ferret and eats nothing but, marshal ferret diet. Oh and right I'm staying out of here.... better go :arrow: