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Thread: Florida tegus...Life or death

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  1. #1

    Default Florida tegus...Life or death

    I built the link below to bring attention to the situation here in south Florida.
    I hope it helps you understand why I do what I do.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFjD2PTVBbY

    Thanks,
    Rodney Irwin Tegusonly.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    San Antonio,TX
    Posts
    9,505

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    I don't want to be rude Rodney but you didn't had to shoot around next to the Tegu just to make your point. A lot of people are thankful for what you do for the Tegus ( including my self ). Maybe it's just me. But sometimes I have the feeling that you think that people are stupid and don't understand what you do. But we do.
    Rich is not how much you have, or where you are going, or what you are.Rich is who you have beside you.

    Our videos :

    http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgirl

  3. #3

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    You are not being rude, You just missed the point. It's not about me or what I do, Its about the killing Florida tegus by people encouraged and/or
    paid to do so when it is not necessary. I don't think people are stupid. Just unaware if what is happening here. That is what
    I am trying to change.. I created The Life or Death video to focus on the killing of tegus issue and do so with visual impact.
    I want people to remember and talk about it. It got your attention, right?. As far as shooting around next to the tegu, I used a
    small caliber weapon with a scope at less than 100 feet. The tegu was in no danger. My bullets go where I tell them.
    Watch the video again and look closely for the reaction of the tegu. There was none. With respect to the method used to make the point,
    high impact unique visuals are much more effective than conventional means using
    babies, puppies, half naked women or straight up interviews.
    I apologize if it upset anyone, but not for the product. Perhaps, after viewing the video,
    there will be those who will agree that killing tegus is not the answer and do something about it.
    I am just the messenger. The video is the envelope. http://youtu.be/WFjD2PTVBbY
    Rodney Irwin

  4. #4

    Default Florida tegus...Life or death

    So you shot a rifle towards but next to a caged animal....for effect?

    I know there is a smh emoji around here somewhere...I'm sorry, I'm not fluent in youth.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    San Antonio,TX
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    Trust me. I do get the point with or without you shooting the weapon. I really would appreciate it if you could post something about a subject one time and not repeat yourself so many time. You already posted something like this in your other post. People will listen and remember what you have to say as long as it is in a adult manner. People know what killing something means without having to see you play around with your weapon. I think people will remember you more in a nicer way if/when they see how much passion you have for saving the Tegus. Then them/us remembering you as shooting around and making us feel like we don't get the point other wise.
    Rich is not how much you have, or where you are going, or what you are.Rich is who you have beside you.

    Our videos :

    http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgirl

  6. #6

    Default

    Not sure if my reply went thru, I did not see it when I checked so I am posting again. If this is a duplicate, I apologize.
    Hey,
    Who you are you calling youth ? Just turned 60. Don’t have any idea
    what a smh emoji is.

    Have you ever run a vacuum cleaner in the same room with a tegu ?That would be
    traumatic, along with dogs, music, television, and God forbid, screaming kids.
    I can’t imagine the terror of being caged and subjected to any of those things.

    So you shot a rifle towards but next to a caged animal....for effect? Hell yes I did.
    Study human psychology and communication. When dealing with an unprecedented situation of real substance, ( such as assassinating tegus in high numbers ),
    one of the most effective means to focus attention on the situation is to
    use strong visual images. The ASPCA, PETA, FEED THE CHILDREN
    and many others employ high impact visuals because they work.

    For most people, At least those who have commented on
    this to me, feel that the presentation made them think. Made them aware.
    Hundreds or, most probably, thousands of Argentine black and whites
    { T.m. ) will die this season as part of coordinated effort to remove as
    many as possible as fast as possible at the least cost. The point is that I think it is a
    bit silly to commit time and effort on a tegu that was never in danger and have no
    interest in doing anything helpful about all of the ones about to die.
    In fact, I have had only 2 negative comments, both coming from you
    and someone else from your site. I am sure that you support tegu rescue
    people who may save five or ten a year. Why are you so quiet about saving
    hundreds or thousands? I would think that people such as you,
    fully aware of the slaughter taking place, would support the effort to stop it.
    Instead, you are focused on bashing me for 12 seconds of video in which the
    tegu was not harmed in any way. The tegu came back with me.
    No one will ever shoot at it again. Yes, I created a video about the slaughter
    of tegus to educate, not only thetegucommunity, but a much larger audience.
    It would kinda defeat the purpose, were I to kill one in the process.
    I guess I will have to say this again : The tegu was never in danger.
    I used a small caliber weapon with a big scope at a range of under one
    hundred feet. My bullets go where I tell them. Please weight the benefit
    of a message designed to inform those not aware of what is happening
    down here, with the intent of enlisting support to help stop it, versus
    whatever issue you have with a few seconds of video.
    I do not really care how the people on your site remember me from a few
    post that may have similar context if my message is being heard by a
    larger group within the overall Herp. community and decent people
    who just care about animals.



    There is a bigger picture here. I would like to see you become part of it.
    Rodney Irwin

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
    Posts
    4,349

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    Rodney,

    I think your message and actions are good, but they just don't connect for some reason. I have criticized you. When I talked to Tom, recently, he said he told you the same criticisms. I'd rather talk to you in person than on email or the Internet. I don't think we communicate well that way and I think you put a tone into my words that isn't there. I'll be in Homestead on April 5th. I'm hoping to visit with Tom and Patty again. Do you want to meet up with us?

    Back to the point... I'm a school teacher. I teach science to jr high kids and I also teach 3rd/4th graders. If I talked to the young kids like I talked to teens, they wouldn't understand what I'm saying. If I talked to the teens like I talked to the kids, they would think I was treating them like 'babies'. If I want my message to be heard, sometimes I have to change the way I say things. I could just say "Whatever" and do what I feel like doing, but I also have to accept the consequence of losing my audience. I understand the point of getting the audience's attention, I really do. Not everyone has the background you do so hunting and guns are more startling. For those folks, the message is lost. It may or may not matter to you. Only you can decide if it is worth continuing in that direction or to change a bit.

    Your expertise is in trapping. You seem to be pretty good at it and are doing a good job of saving A LOT of tegus that would otherwise be killed. Myself and others have been studying and keeping tegus for a number of years. Not just keeping lizards, but understanding the biology of the animal. I'm not meaning to toot my own horn, but I'm also one of the top teachers at my school and being promoted to a dean status in 2 years. I have a Master's Degree in teaching. I only say that because just as your experience makes you a top trapper, mine makes me really good at getting messages across to students, families, parents, my boss. If I wanted to know how to trap an animal, I'd probably ask you. I have never trapped anything beyond the rats in my garage, haha. If someone who was able to communicate well offered me advice on improving my communication, I might listen. In no way shape, form, or anything am I saying that I have the answer for you or that you need to listen to me or anything even close to that. I am only pointing out that there different folks who have the ability to offer special help to each other in many different areas. Find someone that can help you with what you need and listen to what they have to say. It may help you and it may not. But listening never hurt.

    I sincerely wish you the best and especially the tegus. I have no personal agenda with you. I have never even met you.

    ~Laura
    Laura R (FL)
    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu
    1.4.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    1.2.0 Red Tegu
    1.2.0 B/WxRed Tegu
    1.0.0 Green Ameiva (yet another teiid)
    7 other lizards
    1 little gator
    3 FL box turtle
    1 Sulcata tortoise
    16 snakes
    5 fuzzy pets
    4 little frogs
    a bunch of creepy bugs
    and a partridge in a pear tree

  8. #8

    Default

    Hi Laura,

    Yes, I would love to meet up with you, Tom and Patty. It would be great if we could spend a little time together. I'd like to
    show you what I do and where I do it. I too, communicate better face to face as opposed to keyboard to keyboard.
    I apologize if my Life or Death... video upset some of the viewers. You see, I am upset too. The largest mass killing of
    tegus in U.S. history is on schedule, happening now and no one seems to care. They are being trapped, hunted and
    killed by people using weapons. That is a tough mental image for people who love tegus to think about. Human nature, being
    what it is, it is easier to keep that sort of graphic in the abstract. As a general rule, people tend to not take action on abstract thoughts.
    I look forward to meeting you.
    Rodney Irwn
    Last edited by nemogator; 03-19-2014 at 07:36 PM.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    San Antonio,TX
    Posts
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    I'm sorry if I overreacted Rodney. I think I just got so upset because all I see on TV are reports of to many shootings. Now every time I see someone with a weapon I get upset unless it's at a shooting range with regular targets. I do admire what you do. I even wanted to by a Tegu from you not to long ago. I saw a add for a Tegu from you on Kingsake.com and I contacted you to see if you have a female powder blue Tegu. But I didn't hear back from you. At that time I didn't know that you just have b/w Tegus. Trust me, if we would be living close to you my boyfriend and I would help you catch some Tegus. I would love to help. To bad I can't be meeting with you all, too.
    Rich is not how much you have, or where you are going, or what you are.Rich is who you have beside you.

    Our videos :

    http://www.youtube.com/user/txrepgirl

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