OK everyone . . .

Friends,

I know that some of you have already responded to Rich's appeal for help in relation to the financial upkeep of the cornsnake forums, but I just wanted to throw my two cents' worth out here.

I found this site by accident a few years ago. It helped me in several ways:

Provided me with an opportunity to "talk" to those who have had much more experience and understanding with/of my beloved snakes than I, allowing me the chance to grow in knowledge.

Provided me with a source to find quality snakes to purchase from respected breeders/dealers, allowing me to grow my private collection and breeding stock.

Provided me with an outlet of FREE advertising whereby I am able to find good homes to my animals, resulting in customers that will continue to look for me here at THIS site, allowing me to grow in my fledgling business pursuits.

Providing me a true forum for the expression of ideas in relation to a subject about which I am passionate: corns, allowing me to grow in passion day by day.

I am certain that many of you have experienced similar growth in your cornsnake hobbies/businesses. Won't you now help Rich keep this wonderful tool open for us all to use and enjoy? How many people have you "met" online because of this site? Is that not worth it to you to see your way clear to donate a few dollars to keep it alive?

It is to me, and I encourage all of you to give something, whatever you can, to give back a little to a FREE website. A source of information, entertainment, knowledge, and commraderie from which we ALL have deeply drawn.

Okay, I've only been on here for a month or so ... but have learnt far more than I have from any book or web site (and I've read a few). This site truly is fantastic, and I'd hate to see it go.

To me it would seem strange taking all this information for free, yet happily paying £10 for a book which may turn out to be awful (obviously not the beloved manual )

Rich, just an idea: If you found a clothing company who would print pictures of corn snakes on T shirts (I'm sure people would get their designing hats on again, even without the bribe of two lavenders) you could sign up as an affiliate and make some cash on each item that we all order

Just a thought - it may not even work ...

In the mean time, find a donation. It's only small, but I'm skint at the moment. More will follow.

On behalf of everyone here - cheers Rich

i agree with you darin. i found this site about three or four months ago. i have learned a lot more in those three or so mths. then i learned in 5 years of reading about corns. another thing i liked about this site was that i found people who share at least one thing in common with me.CORNS.Rich i think the idea of donations is an excellent choice. we cant expect you to pay for all the expenses when we are the one that are utilizing this info.i also think whiffins idea is a good one with one exception why not print your own tees.one other thing i thought about. myself and a lot of others have bought alot of corns from people that we would never have meet otherwise, why dont you cahrge a fee of like 10-15 dollars a year to post an ad in the for sale section. i dont think to many people wold disagree with this because a lot of the corns that are sold through this site might not have been sold otherwise. well keep an eye on that donation box cause mines coming in friday.it wont make it swell but i hope it helps.

gregg

Here is another idea:

It may not be feasible for all sorts of reasons, but what about making a corn snake calendar of some sort? It could be one formed completely on Rich's fabulous pictures, or it could be a compilation of shots donated to "the cause." I know I would be thrilled to have one of my "pride and joy" animals pinned up on everyone's refrigerators!

The cost of such a calendar would be minimal to Rich, and would be a great seller, I would think. It would even be a novelty to be sold at shows. It might just work. You already have nearly a thousand customers waiting for such an opportunity from these forums alone. Let's see, at $10 profit a piece, that would be . . .

Darin and Gregg,
You both have great ideas on how to help. I too have only been around for a little while and have learned more info from here than I would any where else. Plus I get to "met" great people who all care about corns and many other herps for that matter. I would buy a calendar in a heart beat. Or how about charging a minimal amount to be a member. and being a member gets you a slight discount from a serpenco purchase? I'm not talking a huge discount just a little something. Gregg's idea of charging for posting in the "for sale" section is a very good idea. I am hoping that in two years when I "HOPEFULLY" have babies, this site will be here and I am able to sell them through here. That way i would know that they are going to people that actually care about them and will give them a good home. My check is in the mail, it isn't much. Since my wife just told me we were buying a house but I hope it will help some what!!

Ken

but then, why not pay good money to keep this a FREE site?









Oh well, nothing lasts forever.

(I've never been able to figure out that "send money and receive absolutely Free" equation.)

Originally posted by Darin Chappell


I found this site by accident a few years ago. It helped me in several ways:

Just a quick question....because I am cornfused... is this even a few years old? I thought it was about a year old, are you talking about the Serpenco message board or Fuana Classifieds? Or am I missing something?
Please don't take offense, I don't mean to discredit you, I am just trying to figure out what I am missing.

Maybe Rich should look into www.cafepress.com

They let you set up a "store" to sell items such as t-shirts, hats, mugs, mousepads, etc., (and there is a calendar for the holiday season). You upload a picture or design, set a "profit price", and they print the items...for free. All their things have a "base price" on them, so that's how they make thier money (if you sell thier 3.99 wall calendar for 6.99, you get $3.)

I think a calendar is a great idea! Just imagine... the 12 months of cornsnake morphs... candycanes for december (christmas), lavenders for march or april (easter), ghosts for october (halloween)... or okeetee october, motley may, snow september...
I'd buy one.


Dawn (who will donate something as soon as she has spending money again... just bought more snakes!)

Carol,

I was referring to the whole package of the BOI, cornsnakes forum, et al. I am not even sure exactly how long I have been posting on these boards, now that you mention it. I know that the first incarnation of the BOI of which I was a part (I think there was even another one before that) has been scrapped, and my post numbers had to start all over. I think that was two years ago, or so. I THOUGHT the cornsnakes forums had been around for a couple of years too, but I could definitely be mistaken about that! I know FOR A FACT that I have been posting much longer than the current format shows me being active. I "joined" much earlier than April of this year. Hehe

However, the point remains the same; I have been around a while, and that time has been nothing but beneficial to me in many, many ways. I hope we can all keep it around for a long time to come.