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When do you...
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by Timber_Rattlesnake on September 8, 2002
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call yourself a proffesional herpetologist, or when someone refers to you as a professional?
What you've learned?
what snakes you handle?
degrees in college?
Dan
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RE: When do you...
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by TomT on September 8, 2002
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I always figured that when you made your living doing something that you were/are a professional. I don't know if that applies in this instance.
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RE: When do you...
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by Charper on September 8, 2002
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"When you have a degree and have published a research paper" seems to be the officially accepted position. However,that would exclude L.M. Klauber, Dean Ripa and a few others since they don't have degrees. But I don't think that anyone would argue that they aren't professional herpetologists. The word "amateur" insinutates a lower knowlege level and that certainly is not the case with many "amateur herpetologists" that I know.
There is another school of thought that a person who keeps and studies snakes, and makes a living by it, is a professional herpetologist. I'm sure that the individuals that are degreed, employed by educational institutions, and have published research, would take issue with that view though.
Most "professional herpetologists" in reality have degrees in wildlife biology, wildlife ecology and/or zoology. But they have published research that deals with the study of reptiles and amphibians, and therefore are considered herpetologists.
Confusing isn't it.
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RE: When do you...
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by wls967 on September 8, 2002
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i have been catching reptiles since i was 8, i caught my first venomous when i was 14 (21 years ago). i consider myself to be very proficient in handling southeastern venomous snakes, however, i am no more than an educated amateur, in my own opinion. even a degree doesn't make you professional. i know several people who have degrees (in biology, herpetology or zoology),i have more experience handling, but they have more education. some of them have handled few or no venomous snakes. when you achieve the status of Bill Haast, Mark O'Shea, Jeff Corwin, Steve Irwin, etc., OR, combine education with hands on experience, maybe then, you can call yourself a professional. i guess that came across kind of strong, i didn't mean for it to. what i was trying to say is that i've been at this a long time, but i wouldn't dare consider myself to be anywhere near professional. hope this helps. p.s. a formal education will surely put you ahead of the game.
wls
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RE: When do you...
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by Timber_Rattlesnake on September 8, 2002
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(educational)
What info would you need to know? scientific names? everything about every single snake on the planet?
(Hands on)
So many snakes you handle make you a professional?
Handeling the most deadliest? Traveling across the world looking for them?
(requirements for becoming a professional)
The reason, I'm asking is that I'd like to be a professional one day.
thanks
Dan
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RE: When do you...
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by Naja_oxiana on September 8, 2002
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<(educational)
What info would you need to know? scientific names? everything about every single snake on the planet?
>
Not only must you know the scientific names, but you must make up names for all of them. (And females must never be named "Betty";-) Go to school, get a degree in something and try to go on from there. I think you're putting a bit too much stock in the "professional" thing...
<(Hands on)
So many snakes you handle make you a professional?
Handeling the most deadliest? Traveling across the world looking for them?
>
True professionals handle their snakes when their work calls for it. I can think of a few professionals who really only work with reptiles native to their region.
(requirements for becoming a professional)
Click your heels together three times, pat your head and rub your stomach and say, "I want to be a professional herpetologist" over and over again. Hold your breath, lock your knees andclose your eyes. When you open them you'll be a professional herpetologist.
Cheers
Roger
The reason, I'm asking is that I'd like to be a professional one day.
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RE: When do you...
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by Langaha on September 8, 2002
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Well, becoming a professional doesn't happen over night. Just take it one day at a time. Don't try to learn everything in the world at once. There is so much information on biology and natural history, taxonomy, etc. to learn about snakes, that often you find yourself learning something new every year. Also new studies are being done all the time, new species being classified, arguments of forming new families, and we still don't know everything about the effects of many snakes venom.
Start by reading several pieces of literature on herpetology or snakes, this will give you a good overview of everything in general. Don't be afraid of the big thick books either. Reading can do a lot, and can be very enjoyable. You can never study too much. Watch any educational documentaries as you can, and of coarse get out in the field as much as possible. Keep it steady and keep up on your knowledge, and you will come to the point some day where you feel confident enough in your experience and knowledge that you can teach others.
All that really matters is that your happy with your "professional status", and with what you have accomplished. As well as the example you set around others. Getting your degree will help out a lot if you want to get paid big bucks to do what you love. I definetely recommend it. ---Anthony
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RE: When do you...
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by jared on September 9, 2002
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Hmmmmmmm, good question. I have a degree in Zoology with a focus on herpetology but I dont think that would entirely qualify me as 100% professional herpetologist (though, it does help). I know several researchers who dont have degrees but have done thousands of more hours of research on snakes than i have, but dont have degrees. I think several factors should be considered. First alot of degree holding doctorates would be upset to hear someone who has not paid for a degree be called a professional herpetologist. well quite frankly i feel there is a ton of people who know alot more about behavior, finding, and keeping animals than someone who does scale counts all day on formaldihyde specimens. now this isnt all of them, but i have encountered those with doctorates in Zoology who thought me crazy for hooking a live rattler, as they only had worked with dead or tranked specimens. Now there are tons of other researchers who have experience with both live snakes, and lab snakes. I think overall it is a combination of factors, such as how many reptiles you have worked with, how long, field experience, published any data, etc etc. To say someone is a professional based soley on a degree is to say someone is a great mechanic as long as they are ASE certified. Get my drift,
jared w
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RE: When do you...
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by wls967 on September 9, 2002
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roger, you never stop amazing me. i'm sure there is a serious bone in your body, but once in a while, you need to point to it. i've been clicking my heels, locking my knees, (be damned if i'll close my eyes with hots) for two days, and all i got out of it was sore legs, bad knees and a four foot canebrake strike that missed, thankfully. why can't they understand you're just cleaning their enclosure "for them". i would like to say that "Jared" put it into words, what i was thinking, but didn't have the vocabulary to express. you're right on the money jared.... 6:30pm central is past my bedtime, so later guys.
wls
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