'Designer Corns'

I've just been on a site (whose name will be kept a secret) that says it's working to produce 'designer' corns. Is it just me or are these people really horrid and a bit carried away. I mean, I'm all for experimenting with different colour morphs in order to find new, weird and wonderful phases but I think It's going too far and becoming very inhumane calling them 'designer'; they're animals, not clothes!!
Just needed to get that off my chest. Thanks.
Neil

I agree, Neil. Designer sounds too merchandising and materialistic. I've seen that site and winced when I read the word "designer". Snakes are a living, natural part of our world!
- Ginny

Glad to hear you feel the same way.
Neil

i agree, it is absolutely awful people can call them designer, when they are living creatures. it shows how caring the people are toward the snakes, i bet they keep them in terrible conditions too!

I think it's just used to show that they aren't your average run of the mill corns, though I do understand the points you all make. But from what I've seen/heard, those people do have some awesome animals.

semantics

The first time I heard the term designer applied to herps was in relation to Leopard Geckos. I guess I had pretty much the same reaction. (eww - what an aweful word to describe an animal!)

Why though? It's just a word. We can get so caught up in semantics that sometimes we forget it's nothing more than an attempt to communicate (the use of language.)

I don't know what site you are referring to, but I'll postulate that persons who base their entire reality around linguistics might have had a bad childhood. Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to intone anything deragatory about the persons in this thread, but the "thrust" of it (the thread) gives me the very same impression as the people who love to proclaim that they make their business descisions based upon the grammatical finesse of the other party.

To me that just seems shamefully shortsighted. Correct me if I'm wrong, but do you really think you can have succesfull breeding programs if you treat your livestock like animals? (Yes, pun intended...) But seriously - unhappy herps make aweful breeders, from everything I've heard. Oh wait, did the term "livestock" throw you off? Then you're probably among those persons who would never buy from me because I'm a high school dropout; trust me - I can do without that type of business. If you can't see beyond a few mispelled words to see that I care more about my animals than selling them then it's just as likely that your pompous arse would neglect them because you apparently know more than everyone else?

Honestly, I'm not flinging stones at anyone whose posted in this thread, but I think you owe it to yourself to consider that a word is a word is a word. Words only have power when we give it to them. I think basing an opinion on someone because the word "designer" is in their website is pretty short-sighted, frankly.

^Curtis

Ouch, I think I've been hit with a stone! You're assuming a lot Curtis since you don't know me. I winced at the word designer because it seems to be directed at people who may not be normally interested in snakes. People who might have enough money and time on their hands to get involved in a "fad" or what's cool at the moment. To show off to their friends, and then go on to the next fad. Snakes live a long time, so you have to be committed to doing what's right for your pet in the long run. Your right that it's just a word, but words do have power and they influence people, unfortunately. I agree we can't judge how these people care for their snakes because of their website. But I never have liked the word designer (it's usually used to make something seem better than just ordinary) even on clothes.
By the way I couldn't care less about spelling or if you did or did not graduate from school (I have my own horror stories about formal education) but spelling just happens to be easy for me, and I feel you are assuming other things about me just because of the way I type or talk. Who is judging who?
Just felt like I needed to defend myself a bit since you know me as well as I know you. Okay, can we be friends now? - Ginny

I'm sorry you felt attacked, GinnyO.

I basically agree with you and Neil - I think the connotations of the word designer could be done without; where I take exception is simply with the the notion that one word really means so much as to garner such harsh posts:


Neil said:

Is it just me or are these people really horrid and a bit carried away?

Click to expand...

You said:

...sounds too merchandising and materialistic. I've seen that site and winced...

Click to expand...

Maybe I'm reading too much into your posts but it sounds like you'd tar and feather these people if you had the chance! Are you aware that LOTS of people use the term designer simply to assert that they have "special" or "un-ordinary" genes in their herps? I seriously doubt the website in question was the first place to apply the term designer to herps; they probably don't deserve to be the focus of your wrath

Again, I basically agree with you - the industry could do without the term designer applied in in any way to herps. I'm sorry you feel I'm on the attack - I'm just trying to provide a little defense for the nameless website.

I don't know you, and never meant to imply I did. I was generalizing that I'd seen similar posts insofar as wild conclusions being drawn from insignificant "evidence" (such as improper grammer or other linguistic shortfalls).... Maybe my point is that from where I'm standing it all looks like the same flavor of gestapo-linguistics short-circuiting logic and common sense.

I'm not assuming anything about you. I'm generalizing. I read a post that while I felt it had an interesting point perhaps it went a little overboard. I responded with what was on my mind which was a responce not only to the thread, to you, and to Neil (et. al.) but perhaps as well was meant a reminder to all of us to lighten up and not be so ready to take everything at face value.

These people (whoever they are) didn't start the trend that has your panties in a knot... here are hundreds of herp pages with the word designer in them:

google results

^Curtis

First of all, don't you ever assume that someone's had a bad childhood just because they have an opinion of their own. Actually, I have had a bad childhood so I take that remark personally.
All I meant to say is that it just sounds a bit like a factory, churning out thousands of animals, I never said that they are souless, uncaring bastards or anything.
Neil

And i NEVER said it was just one site.

I think if there was a "wrath" contest you'd win, Curtis. I stand by my opinion. - Ginny

OK, I've settled down a bit now and would like to apologise to HomeBreeder. You make sense when you say that it's only a word and that we shouldn't get carried away with it. I just think there a better words to use.
Let's not bear a grudge, eh?
Neil

I'm speechless.

I'm going to go crawl back under my rock now. Have a nice life, Ginny.

^Curtis

wait I do have something to say....

First of all, don't you ever assume that someone's had a bad childhood just because they have an opinion of their own.

Click to expand...

Oh for christs' sake.... does this REALLY have to get personal? How many times, and how many ways do I have to say that I'm voicing MY OPINION and GENRALIZING? I had simply stated:

I don't know what site you are referring to, but I'll postulate that persons who base their entire reality around linguistics might have had a bad childhood.

Click to expand...

I admit communication isn't my forte, but in the above remark I was aiming for a touch of levity. If you seriously took that comment as a personal attack then you probably ought to stop readling my posts because I GUARANTEE we will have more such misunderstandings in the future.

For another thing,

And i NEVER said it was just one site.

Click to expand...

Well then it's my turn to be the language nazi! OK Professor Tolkein... re-read this statement from your first post:

I've just been on a site (whose name will be kept a secret)

Click to expand...

I don't know where you learned to write English, but they seem to have a different book than they had in my schools; where I come from "a" infers singularity. If you are talking in plurals the statement should be something more like, "I've just been on an other site (who's name will be kept secret)".

Since I'm actually trying to be condececnding this time I'll go on to add that you posted your opinion on a public forum. I responded with my own opinion. The two of you need to either keep your opinions to yourselves or be ready to have people disagree with you now and then. That is after all THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF A MESSAGE BOARD.

I'm not one to bear a grudge. Neil, you apologized, so if you can forgive me for my above comments I can certainly forgive you for misunderstanding me too.

Ginny, similar words came off your fingers, but then you turned right around and ignored not only the fact that I had apologized, but in fact you re-posted for the single express purpose of busting my balls. You talk about my wrath, but I think there is an undeniable pot-kettle-black relationship here.

By all means "stand by your opinion" - it was never my desire to change it, so what should I care. If however, you can't cope with people having a somewhat different opinion from your own then perhaps a message board isn't the best place to share them. "Can we be friends now?" indeed.

Please refer to the above advice.... If you can't handle my opinions you are best served to ignore them because I'm not going anywhere. If you insist on taking my comments as a personal assault I have no way to stop you. If you start firing at me though don't expect me to roll over; I might not be too smart, but I have more pride than I know what to do with sometimes and therefore I can't guarantee that I'll keep my mouth shut.

Sigh....
^Curtis

Oh man,Oh man, I just love this forum!!!!!
Jimmy C.

Ok hehe i love debates hehe

Ok my opinion about the term designer. Ok When I see the word designer I admit the first thing that came to mind was a new secquence type of handbag LoL. But that is where it was left. (and I been to site you are refering to). I agree I dont thing that term should be used as a lable for any animal, but it is no different thant saying that Rich has the best looking snakes and color morphs then anyone else. After all we are still talking about snakes. Wouldnt they all be wonderful to have? Or is their appearence that important to you? If so then it is no different then saying Rich has the best designer Morphs around! See they basically meant the same thing. If you question the quality of care that these breeders are giving to the herps then ask people who may have perchest said animals. Ask them what was the condition of they herps when they recived them. Ask them how their buisiness experience was. And many questions like this. If you do not know anyone who may have bought anything from these breeders then that could be explanation enough that these breeders might not have good care for their animals. But then you are just asking people in the limited group you know. Perhaps purches an animal from them. See how things go. If you have a bad experence with them or if the animal is in bad condition not reselting from the travel alone then you have every rite to shout it to the world how horrible they are. Because you have experienced it first hand. I hope I am being clear.

As for where they education aspect came into this discussion came in I am not really sure. I might have just missread things. But I didnt see eanything about anyone being smarter ot not. You are one of the most clearly and detailed writers I have seen Curtis, so lighten up about yourself. I love reading your posts they are very clear and to the point but not dry.

Cant we all just get along!?

BTW I never proof read because I cant spell, but then again I have see people who are perfict spellers who can only type with one finger LoL

I really enjoyed reading the post on this thread.
I am always amaised at how hard it is for people to agree to disagree.
Thank God we all have different opinions because the world be very dull if we didnt.
I guess as we read replies to our post, we tend to add tone, and thats when we become a little p-ssed.
I know that I do it all the time.
Maybe we need to step back and realise that the other person is only giving their opinion and that if we take a minute we may see things another way. Or we may totally disagree and thats ok.

We are all here for the same purpose to have healthy snakes.

Jimmy C.

Yes, well put. I just thought my wrath contest comment was mildly humorous, but you can't know how your comments will be taken. I honestly had no "wrath" from beginning to end. I just don't care for the word "designer" for the reasons I mentioned earlier. My daughter has informed me that my comment sounded mean, but after adjusting my "knotted panties", I felt it was pretty innocent! LOL Here's to healthy snakes, good arguments, and agreeing to disagree. I'll shut up now. - Ginny

Way to go Ginny!!
Jimmy C.

This was a pleasure to read!

Thanks Y'all!

Ya know, I'm not 100% sure what people mean when they say 'designer' geckos or 'designer' corns. The best I can tell is that they mean 'you can pick out the one you want by looking'...

Someone tell me if that's inaccurate, but inherant connotations or no, that's my best guess as to what the word means in the context of the reptile industry.

That having been said, I'm also not entirely sure what constitutes a 'Volcano' corn, though photos I've seen suggest they're F1's from bloodred X normals...

And I have yet to find someone willing and able to provide a definition for the so-called Tallahasee phase of normal cornsnake...