Are we all mad???

are you weird?

First of all, she has the problem not you! If someone asks you such a personal question as to what you will be doing in your free time then they must be open to hearing whatever you have to say without judgement. You are not weird! You are different than she is with different interests. Glad you are here.
 
What he means Motherlode. Some may perceive, that it is weird to speak to someone like that. Its great he was brutally honest but some may think "why are we talking about cleaning poop?" I dont even know you...:confused:

Personally..
1. Do i find what he does in the morning weird? No.
2. Do i find what he chose as conversation with someone he doesnt know... I little bit.

Okay it just sounded as a weird position to take (taking care of your chameleons during multiple time of the day is weird) on these Forums. I normally stay away from the poop conversations on these Forums while others chat about. However necessary sometimes that topic can bring about the weird, strange or bizarre remarks.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich
 
Thank you ataraxia. I SPECIFICALLY said it's not strange the things we do to care for our animals, I spend hours a day taking care of mine. Would you like me to go into detail about changing 30 bird bowls a day? lol Seriously, their water bowls are disgusting after 24 hours. :) I have pairs that dump their water or food regularly, so I'm constantly having to check on them. I said those morning tasks wouldn't take very long, so how would that answer the question "What are you doing tomorrow" from a stranger? I never said those tasks were all it took to care for her animals.

The OP clearly stated they did not know the person personally, they clearly stated the items they told the person when asked "What are you doing tomorrow"? It was very difficult for me to post that honest response, but YES, I would find it weird if I was in the same situation and was trying to make conversation with someone, and they went into that much detail about caring for their animals. Or once again if I was trying to make conversation and asked a stranger "What are you doing tomorrow?" I wouldn't expect for them to reply that they were "bathing". I just don't know how else to convey my opinion. Sorry. I guess in this situation, some might find this conversation "TMI".
 
Thank you ataraxia. I SPECIFICALLY said it's not strange the things we do to care for our animals, I spend hours a day taking care of mine. Would you like me to go into detail about changing 30 bird bowls a day? lol Seriously, their water bowls are disgusting after 24 hours. :) I have pairs that dump their water or food regularly, so I'm constantly having to check on them. I said those morning tasks wouldn't take very long, so how would that answer the question "What are you doing tomorrow" from a stranger? I never said those tasks were all it took to care for her animals.

The OP clearly stated they did not know the person personally, they clearly stated the items they told the person when asked "What are you doing tomorrow"? It was very difficult for me to post that honest response, but YES, I would find it weird if I was in the same situation and was trying to make conversation with someone, and they went into that much detail about caring for their animals. Or once again if I was trying to make conversation and asked a stranger "What are you doing tomorrow?" I wouldn't expect for them to reply that they were "bathing". I just don't know how else to convey my opinion. Sorry. I guess in this situation, some might find this conversation "TMI".

You are entitled to your opinion, of course, however in my own defence as to what I said to my work colleague - I am a naturally chatty and effusive person. Maybe I did overstep the mark and give her too much information, however, I have had similar conversations with other work colleagues about my chameleons, with similar levels of detail and they have all seemed very interested and have ended up asking me questions about why I do certain things, for example the need to spray the vivs etc., and what that is essential.

Oh, and apologies for the typo about the shower, of course I don't take two showers per day, was there any need to point that out and try and belittle me for making a mistake in my posting? I had had a couple of glasses of wine when I typed it.
 
I don't think your weird, but that's coming from someone who is nearly certifiably crazy :eek: :eek:

You could have simply said, "I attend to my animals in the morning", and let the conversation progress from there.
Also, isn't it a bit odd, esp in today's workplace, for a stranger to ask 'what are you doing tomorrow'?
That would have raised a red flag to me.
And her reaction to your detailed answer is equally suspect :confused:
 
I don't think your weird, but that's coming from someone who is nearly certifiably crazy :eek: :eek:

You could have simply said, "I attend to my animals in the morning", and let the conversation progress from there.
Also, isn't it a bit odd, esp in today's workplace, for a stranger to ask 'what are you doing tomorrow'?
That would have raised a red flag to me.
And her reaction to your detailed answer is equally suspect :confused:

Thanks Bunny. She's not a stranger, I work with her but she's in a different team to me - so I don't know her as well as I do some others. We have spoken before when using the communal kitchen, but not in any great depth.

With hindsight, I should have kept my trap shut, its one of my (many) failings! Unfortunately, I tend to think that people are as outgoing as I am, as was seen yesterday, this is not the case.

Will be more careful in the future.
 
Thanks Bunny. She's not a stranger, I work with her but she's in a different team to me - so I don't know her as well as I do some others. We have spoken before when using the communal kitchen, but not in any great depth.

With hindsight, I should have kept my trap shut, its one of my (many) failings! Unfortunately, I tend to think that people are as outgoing as I am, as was seen yesterday, this is not the case.

Will be more careful in the future.



I understand that, I am the same way. I tend to talk to everyone as if they have known me for ever and I get freaked out when I get an odd reaction to what I say. I also tend to trust and believe people, I guess because I know they can trust and believe me :)

Could it be she was hitting on you? :eek: ;)
 
why care about what people think ? most people do stuff that others might think odd . is getting up early and walking an animal on a 20 degree day maybe a little odd ? not to those who do it . I have snakes , lizards (including chameleons) and dart frogs so everyone here knows some of my routines . I also fly RC planes and actually build them - nobody builds and repairs things anymore - they buy them , break them and throw them out . hell I even fix my own cars . I guess it does make me a little bizarre . so all of us here on the forum are a bit mad . the hell with those who decide to judge us negatively .
 
So I will confess I have been the person to think reptile folks are weird. My husband always wanted a chameleon but was talked into a blue iguana while browsing at petco one day. He just got home from a year long deployment so I agreed he could get it. I didn't bother to research it, and didn't want to touch the thing. I knew it was$150, once it got sick I did massive research. I purchased the correct lighting, food, terrarium and considered it an investment. I knew he always wanted a chameleon, but was told a iguana was much easier. The thought of something that gets 6 ft long, with a whip for a tail, and claws running around my house gave me the creeps. I came across tons of chameleon information while researching iguana information. I asked how earth he got talked into a lizard that needs constant handling, high temps, whips you, is fast, gives your wife the creeps, needs a huge huge terrarium vs a beautiful majestic chameleon.

I could live with a chameleon, they don't like to be held, they aren't as demanding (imo),and much less intimidating. So I decided I wanted a chameleon. I did intense research before ever considering, I know it's what he actually wanted, and I know as a army wife I would be the one providing care during many of his deployments. I however didn't ever feel confident in caring for the iguana. I researched and found him a wonderful rescue. I did what any responsible pet owner would do and I paid vet expenses, food, lighting or any other expenses that came up while he was being fostered. I knew It wouldn't be fair for the iguana with me caring for it. It took it getting very sick for me to even consider putting my hand in the terrarium with it. I was squeamish but wasn't going to let an animal suffer. My husband was on a training mission, so I nursed hi back to health just in time for him to go to the rescue.

Anyways we eventually ended up with a veilded chameleon. I'm confident with care. My husband is happy and um mm I'm a reptile person lol. I would dare touch a reptile before. My family and friends are amazed about how I've devoted time and hours of care and research. I often thought of reptile owners as being "mad" but I guess I've joined the madhouse.
 
I have also been lucky and our June hand feeds, and loves to be handled. I know there are different temperaments, and I'm sure there are certain chameleons that are very demanding. I've been lucky, and hope to remain just as lucky lol.
 
I was talking to a work colleague today at lunch... don't know her particularly well but we were chatting whilst we shared a table at lunchtime.

she asked me what I would be doing tomorrow.

This is how the conversation went, more or less....

Me - "well, I'll get up at around 7am, turn Zig and Ghengis lights on, go downstairs and make a cup of tea, fill my sprayer with warm water, spray them. Go for a shower, go downstairs and prepare their breakfast (told her what this entails and because I have two very different sized lizards meant that I do this twice), go and prepare their vivs for the day (removing soaked paper towels, removing poop from the previous day, turning their drippers on, emptying the plastic water bowls that catch the dripper drips etc) and then put their food in. Then, I get in the shower and prepare myself for the day."

She looked at me as though I had just landed from outer space!!!

I was like... "what??"

She said "why on earth do you put yourself through all that, especially at that time in the morning?"

I said - "well, that's what they need - I am out all day, so that is what keeps them healthy."

Do you know what she did??

She gathered up all her lunch things, threw me a filthy look and said....

"YOU'RE WEIRD|!!"

Am I???? I sat there thinking WTF????

Does she not feed her cat when she leaves for work??? Yes, you can bet your bile duct she does?

Why does it make me weird because I see to my chameleons before I go to work, however long this takes me on a morning (and again at night lol!)

So I guess my question is, does anyone you know think you're bonkers for spending as much time as you do in keeping your chameleons happy and healthy??? Discussions and opinions welcome!!

Sad to say but my husband is a lot like her. He tolerates my "hobby" since I love them. But he does not like the amount of time I spend with and on them. Taking care of all the feeders is way time consuming. If you are mad - well I wrote the book.:eek:
 
I have MANY animals including 2 cats, a parrot, and a PREGNANT chameleon.I care for them every morning and am practically late for school just to feed them and give them what they need.I just swiped sand from a park and heated it in the oven and microwave for my little chamey to lay her eggs in.....maybe I am a weirdo, but I sure do love my weirdo life and that all that matters!:) :) :)
 
Mad is not an accurate word for this situation. How about devoted, has got a passion or passionate, even obsessed? Weird or Mad No!

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich
 
Embrace the madness. My chameleons were my little dirty secret for years... Bottom line- people I care about think it is cool, the people who have a problem with chams are not people I want in my life anyway.
 
I dont associate with people like that. Chicks like that will give you a headache anyways.

A real friend likes you for your weirdness! ;)
I do all kinds of weird things, i bring live crickets into my office.... (its a really nice office too so not somthing you would expect someone there to do)

I'm digging your profile picture. As of Monday, 13 October. I hope that you don't change it to something gruesome in the future and people read this thinking I am a sick freak for liking a horrible image. :p

I haven't had anyone who think that I am weird for taking care of a chameleon yet. So far, people think it's cool or they just don't care. I definitely would rather have that than being called weird just for taking care of a pet though. As the old guy said, you could be doing much more "alarming things." I wonder what she does in her spare time……..maybe she's actually forming a cult that is trying to separate humans from their reptiles? And in order to try and get you to willingly get rid of them she made you feel weird for taking care of them? Just like N from Pokemon Black & White? Or am I just having too much fun with my imagination again? XD
 
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