Well, I just dont know where to start
First off , I am Rodney Irwin,
owner of Tegusonly.com.
Let me present the facts about what I do. Its not that complicated.
For a period of years ending in 2005, a large breeding operation
released hundreds of Tupinambis merianae into the wild just outside of the
Everglades National Park. This was done intentionally by a few breeders
knowing that the animals would thrive in the adjacent habitat and their
offspring could be captured in future years, thereby eliminating the
expense of feeding and housing them. The business owner was cited by Florida
Fish and Wildlife authorities, abandoned the business and left the state.
However, the damage was done.
The climate and environment here are perfect for tegus. Their habitat is without
natural predators and rich with abundant food sources.
Unfortunately, our native species are the abundant food sources.
The very thing that makes tegus such incredible animals ( a very, very high
level of intelligence ), also makes them outstanding predators.
My family has lived here for over 110 years. The natives we grew up with
are being decimated by a tegu population estimated to be over ten thousand
and growing. Highest impact is on the egg laying species. Flamingo, spoonbill,
ibis, all native snakes, alligators and the remaining American Crocodiles.
When an adult enters a nest, it will eat as many eggs as it can ingest and
destroy the remainder by its bulk and sharp claws in the process.
Each nest lost represents an entire generation of animals from species that are
already in serious decline. Additionally, tegus are very adept at taking down small
animals such as mice, rats, young raccoons, opossums and others that are
essential to the food chain in the Everglades. The state of Florida classifies
these tegus as a non-native invasive species that can be killed on sight.
This year will see the largest increase in the organized effort to control the
population through eradication. Period. That is the plan.
As a South Florida native myself, it would have been easy for me to
be part of this. After all, they are killing many of my favorite animals.
Except for one thing. I fell in love with the little guys just like you.
I see both sides of the coin. ( Pretty much alone as far as I can tell ).
So far, I have captured almost eight hundred tegus. Some were sold to
wholesalers, others went to John LaRocca, and some went to reputable
breeders and reptile dealers. The rest I try to sell at a very reasonable price
to customers thru my website : Tegusonly.com
I never make claims that my tegus (high whites, really,really large.
or Firebellys, are the result of my breeder skills. All my tegus are as
they occurred in nature.
Seldom, but occasionally I will capture tegus that are not in the best shape.
When this happens, keep them until I have a few, then I have a Scratch and Dent
sale. I generate a special page under that name on my site and sell them for 50.00
to people that want and love them knowing they are not grade A animals.
This is the best option.
If the pictures used in the face book attack page are my tegus,
that is where they came from..
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...5660667&type=3
Of course, my competitors do not like to see 50.00 tegus on the market.
Since LaRocca or anyone from the tegutalk site never contacted me
or provided any answers to my requests for what should have been
provided in the first place, like names, pictures, the video they said they
had but could not produce and basic documentation of the charges against me.
Instead of providing dissatisfied customers or anything else that could
back up their allegations, they simply banned me from the site.
A common tactic they use often. see link below.
http://www.teguterra.com/apps/forums...s/show/4273790
Obviously you care about tegus. I would suggest that if you want to
follow a talk site or forum and make opinions based on what is said,
do so with Fauna or any site that requires anyone posting negative feedback
to use their actual name. Be sure, before you get on the bandwagon to crucify
a person of business you dont know, based on stuff seen on talk sites by people
you dont know.
Also you may want to check to see if the site
was started, owned, controlled by someone selling tegus in the marketplace.
Ask these questions about Tegutalk John LaRocca and
the TeguCommunity site and Bobby Hill.
As a new business, it is absolutely critical to develop and maintain the best
reputation possible.
I considered building a talk/chat forum for my customers to exchange tegu
Information and communicate with each other. On the surface, it sounded like a
good idea. However, these forums can provide a platform to attack others without
reason, make accusations without evidence, and provide a covert method to slander
competitors while hiding behind the anonymity of a talk site. If my site were to
have moderators, I would expect them to be fair to all and challenge vague and
unsupported allegations posted on the site. In short, the site represents the owner as
he or she influences or controls the content and moderators.
A few conventional breeders ( my competition, those who breed for profit only ),
have never understood that by saving tegus that are being hunted in the wild,
my work is beneficial to the breed. This is something they can never accomplish.
Instead of supporting my actions, as someone who cares about the fate of these
wonderful little creatures would, they attack with lies and attempt to drive away
people who want to buy a Florida tegu for reasons of their own.
There is great example of a talksite can be used as a weapons platform
when armed with Moderators that do not moderate with friends that can
say anything without challenge or real world consequences.
When questions becomes inconvenient, just close the thread.
http://www.tegutalk.com/threads/anyo...company.14026/
Please take a few minutes and go to Tegusonly.com
Look at who I am and what I do.
Continue to be passionate about tegus.
If you have any questions, contact me at 305 772 8140 or Irwinisland@gmail.com
Thank you,
Rodney Irwin
Truth exists, only falsehoods need be invented
owner of Tegusonly.com.
Let me present the facts about what I do. Its not that complicated.
For a period of years ending in 2005, a large breeding operation
released hundreds of Tupinambis merianae into the wild just outside of the
Everglades National Park. This was done intentionally by a few breeders
knowing that the animals would thrive in the adjacent habitat and their
offspring could be captured in future years, thereby eliminating the
expense of feeding and housing them. The business owner was cited by Florida
Fish and Wildlife authorities, abandoned the business and left the state.
However, the damage was done.
The climate and environment here are perfect for tegus. Their habitat is without
natural predators and rich with abundant food sources.
Unfortunately, our native species are the abundant food sources.
The very thing that makes tegus such incredible animals ( a very, very high
level of intelligence ), also makes them outstanding predators.
My family has lived here for over 110 years. The natives we grew up with
are being decimated by a tegu population estimated to be over ten thousand
and growing. Highest impact is on the egg laying species. Flamingo, spoonbill,
ibis, all native snakes, alligators and the remaining American Crocodiles.
When an adult enters a nest, it will eat as many eggs as it can ingest and
destroy the remainder by its bulk and sharp claws in the process.
Each nest lost represents an entire generation of animals from species that are
already in serious decline. Additionally, tegus are very adept at taking down small
animals such as mice, rats, young raccoons, opossums and others that are
essential to the food chain in the Everglades. The state of Florida classifies
these tegus as a non-native invasive species that can be killed on sight.
This year will see the largest increase in the organized effort to control the
population through eradication. Period. That is the plan.
As a South Florida native myself, it would have been easy for me to
be part of this. After all, they are killing many of my favorite animals.
Except for one thing. I fell in love with the little guys just like you.
I see both sides of the coin. ( Pretty much alone as far as I can tell ).
So far, I have captured almost eight hundred tegus. Some were sold to
wholesalers, others went to John LaRocca, and some went to reputable
breeders and reptile dealers. The rest I try to sell at a very reasonable price
to customers thru my website : Tegusonly.com
I never make claims that my tegus (high whites, really,really large.
or Firebellys, are the result of my breeder skills. All my tegus are as
they occurred in nature.
Seldom, but occasionally I will capture tegus that are not in the best shape.
When this happens, keep them until I have a few, then I have a Scratch and Dent
sale. I generate a special page under that name on my site and sell them for 50.00
to people that want and love them knowing they are not grade A animals.
This is the best option.
If the pictures used in the face book attack page are my tegus,
that is where they came from..
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...5660667&type=3
Of course, my competitors do not like to see 50.00 tegus on the market.
Since LaRocca or anyone from the tegutalk site never contacted me
or provided any answers to my requests for what should have been
provided in the first place, like names, pictures, the video they said they
had but could not produce and basic documentation of the charges against me.
Instead of providing dissatisfied customers or anything else that could
back up their allegations, they simply banned me from the site.
A common tactic they use often. see link below.
http://www.teguterra.com/apps/forums...s/show/4273790
Obviously you care about tegus. I would suggest that if you want to
follow a talk site or forum and make opinions based on what is said,
do so with Fauna or any site that requires anyone posting negative feedback
to use their actual name. Be sure, before you get on the bandwagon to crucify
a person of business you dont know, based on stuff seen on talk sites by people
you dont know.
Also you may want to check to see if the site
was started, owned, controlled by someone selling tegus in the marketplace.
Ask these questions about Tegutalk John LaRocca and
the TeguCommunity site and Bobby Hill.
As a new business, it is absolutely critical to develop and maintain the best
reputation possible.
I considered building a talk/chat forum for my customers to exchange tegu
Information and communicate with each other. On the surface, it sounded like a
good idea. However, these forums can provide a platform to attack others without
reason, make accusations without evidence, and provide a covert method to slander
competitors while hiding behind the anonymity of a talk site. If my site were to
have moderators, I would expect them to be fair to all and challenge vague and
unsupported allegations posted on the site. In short, the site represents the owner as
he or she influences or controls the content and moderators.
A few conventional breeders ( my competition, those who breed for profit only ),
have never understood that by saving tegus that are being hunted in the wild,
my work is beneficial to the breed. This is something they can never accomplish.
Instead of supporting my actions, as someone who cares about the fate of these
wonderful little creatures would, they attack with lies and attempt to drive away
people who want to buy a Florida tegu for reasons of their own.
There is great example of a talksite can be used as a weapons platform
when armed with Moderators that do not moderate with friends that can
say anything without challenge or real world consequences.
When questions becomes inconvenient, just close the thread.
http://www.tegutalk.com/threads/anyo...company.14026/
Please take a few minutes and go to Tegusonly.com
Look at who I am and what I do.
Continue to be passionate about tegus.
If you have any questions, contact me at 305 772 8140 or Irwinisland@gmail.com
Thank you,
Rodney Irwin
Truth exists, only falsehoods need be invented