Arrrgh! Article in March 2005 edition of 'Which' magazine

Okay, for those who aren't from the UK, 'Which' magazine is the official publication of the "Consumers' Association" over here and has a huge readership. It gives impartial information on 'best buys', comparing different brands of stuff like dishwashers, digital cameras etc.

Anyway, in the most recent edition it has a small article titled 'How ro buy...an Exotic Pet'. So, where's the problem I hear you ask. Well let me quote from the start of the article and include the information they provide on reptiles:

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"Had enough of passe pets? Fear not, more exotic critters abound. (Actually, do fear a little bit....)

1) Scaly Pets
A python costs 60 pounds, but can be on the deadly side. A boa constrictor (from 60 pounds) is a safer option - you'll need a supply of frozen mice (1 pound a week). Lizards are more fun, though a bearded dragon (75 pounds plus) eats live locusts (10 pounds a week)."

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After this profound advice on reptiles the article goes on to do the same for parrots, sugargliders and spiders etc. Nowhere in the article does it suggest you find out more before purchasing. Nowhere does it give anymore care information about any of the animals recommended as pets. In the UK we already have the RSPCA trying to put a bill through parliament to restrict and legislate reptile ownership because of the number of reptiles incorrectly kept by people who don't know how to care for them...and now we have the 'Which' magazine encouraging first time owers to go out and buy a Boa constrictor as a first snake. Telling them to feed it on mice all its life. Not tellig them what size of viv they'll need, not telling them heating requirements etc.

Also recommending buyung a beardie without mentioning vital lighting requirements and food supplements.

Heck I'm all for providing information on exotic pets and I'm so disappointed that the magazine missed a great opportunity to provide useful information to people thinking of possibly buying a reptile or whatever and instead settled for a pathetic and spurious article like this, sigh...

Anyway, rant over. I've written a letter of complaint to them. If anyone else from the UK is interested the magazine's postal address is :

Which Magazine
Letters
PO Box 44
Hertford X
SG14 1SH

and their email addy is: [email protected]

Thanks for listening to me grouch, lol. Sorry it was so long

Stubby UK

Do they do back issues? I would like a copy so i can make a complaint with a photo copy of the artical thrown in for good measure.

It's pathetic that a publication like which didn't do the required resurce when they get a lot of other thing's right.

Not sure if they do back issues:-

Here's their website: Which

You can probably pick up a copy from your library. We keep two year's worth of back issues at ours.

Hope that helps

StubbyUK

I'm not from the UK, but I still sent them a note. I feel that they have a responsibility to everyone for the proper information to be dispensed. Just because the publication is printed there, it doesn't meant that it's not distributed outside the UK. I know I read a lot of Equine magazines from the UK here.

Thanks for taking the time to do that Meg. I guess the more people that comment on the article the better. I should be used to reptiles getting bad press by now, but that magazine is well respected for providing good advice to people. That's what disappointed me so much.

StubbyUK

I never knew Which recommended anything live... From the adverts I just figured they gave advice on TVs and stuff.... They should've stuck to that.

I never knew Which recommended anything live... From the adverts I just figured they gave advice on TVs and stuff.... They should've stuck to that

Click to expand...

I agree, stick to what they know about. Now where did i put my library card....

I've written their consumer feedback people a long e-amil stating that although I'm not a reader and not even in the UK, I would be happy to help them re-edit and re-publicate the article so that it's both accurate and complete. I appealed to their sence of wanting to be a reputable publication...yada-yada. With a bit of luck they'll write back...with a lot of luck they'll take me up on the offer and I could help out......If they don't answer, I think it's the kind of scandal that the current affairs /gossip programs would love....imagine the spin!

I think they wrote it as a space filler or something. Its only half a page, but they managed to fit in misinformation in an article only 5 paragraphs long besides not including information in there that I would consider useful.

The article comes with a picture of Clint Eastwood with an oran-utan, presumbly from the film 'Which way but loose'. So it starts off by implicating that oran-utans can be pets...ack ack.

I don't usually get worked up about things, but maybe I'm over reacting to a short piece that was supposed to be light and entertaining, but the whole thing just seems irresponsible to me :shrugs:

StubbyUK

StubbyUK, with the political climate such as it is over here in the UK we all have every right to be upset by publications who use our hobby as a "space-filler" written by an idiotic copywriter who obviously had a deadline ending in five minutes and no thought to the consequences of their words.

Hear here Tanya. Our hobby deserves as much respect as any other. By misinforming the public, they only create problems in the future when their advice is taken by a reader and the result is an 8 year old being bitten on the face by a boa constrictor imperator which was recommeded as a good 'starter snake'...then the people who are established in the hobby have to take the flack....

Just so everyone can judge fairly whether I'm going of the deep end for no reason I'm going to quote the whole thing, its not that long....

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"Had enough of passe pets? Fear not, more exotic critters abound. (Actually, do fear a little bit..)

1) Scaly Pets
A python costs around 150 pounds, but can be on the dedly side. A boa constrictor (from 60 pounds) is a safer option - you'll need a supply of frozen mice (1 pouund a week). Lizards are more fun, though; a beared dragon (75 pounds plus) eats live locust (10 pounds a week).

2) Talking Pets
The most talkative parrots, such as the African Grey, cost around 650 pounds. That sounds steep until you consider they can live to 80 (equivalent to 30,000 fairground goldfish). Parrots are sociable and need lots of attention - if you're short of time, consider a less needy cockatoo (200 pounds plus).

3) Fury Pets
If you like your pets hairy, try a sugar glider (125 pounds). They look like flying squirrels, boast monkey-like intelligence, and eat an inexpensive mix of fruit and insects. They're nocturnal too - so they'll sleep all day and be up for petting action in the evening.

4) Pets that crawl
There's nothing like a tarantula to get the old pulse going (and them stop it). The Chilean rose variety costs 15 pounds and eats only a cricket of two a week (a tin of 50 costs 2 pounds). But their dull personalilties and poisonous nature mean they're not ideal for kids.

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So there you go, that's the whole thing. What do folks think?

StubbyUK

Why they would pick pythons or boas as ideal for reptile pets is beyond me. Any smaller snake (corns included)would be a better choice. Cockatiels are definitely better than Greys that tend to be neurotic and pull feathers out. Grey's also require special diets such as calcium and such to keep them healthy. Never had a sugar glider so I can't comment on that. Tarantulas are fine, but they are quite delicate. A child dropping them poses a deadly threat. More than the threat of poisoning to the child. I don't think tarantula's are dull either! I'm sure that will set off a few lovers of the 8 legged critters!

My brother has Tarantula, fromthe chillian rose and mexican red knee's through to both the goliath and salmon pink bird eaters, i'm sure he'll be interested in reading this artical just as much as i am (going photocopying this afternoon).

I wish people would resurch a little before publishing something like this :shrugs: .

actually, that reads get a COCKATOO which are a LARGER bird, and can be way more violent with less handling/wrong handling. this whole thing makes me ill.

An angry, scared or unsocialised cocky can take a finger off a kid. I have personal experience of this :sidestep: .

I haven't heard anything back fromthe magazine BTW....a-holes...

I missed the part about cockatoo. I thought it said Cockatiel. Yeah, that could be a problem. Even cockatiels can hurt when they bite.

Even a budgie can give you a worse injury than cornsnake (that's a parakeet for all you Americans who don't know that that cute little native Australian grassland parrot is called a 'Budgerigar')

Well I wrote in so its just a case of waiting to see if I get a reply from them. I'll post that on here if they do get back to me

StubbyUK

Good luck, they didn't respond to my e-mail...