Myth 19: “Best Advice I Get from Keepers Like Me in FB Groups and Forums”
Mistake: You get lots of experience shared—but you're in serious danger of getting wrong information.
In forums and Facebook groups, the most active people are not always the most competent. Often, they're simply the ones with the most free time and the loudest voices. You may receive advice filled with good intentions—but good intentions don't equal good knowledge. And too often, they come wrapped in ignorance, arrogance, or ego.
Don't be fooled by people who claim to do "rescue work" as proof of expertise. Don't be fooled by seniority or the image of an old wise wizard. Go for certified admins. Go for real knowledge. Go for proven expertise. Go for admins in reputable groups.
Beware of Bad Sources
- Outdated and mismanaged or dead platforms
- Chaotic and unreliable spaces like Reddit
- Groups run by unstable personalities—including ex-military types with unresolved issues (some bigest FB Groups,
- Self-appointed pseudoexperts like Neptune the Chameleon
- Vets—some are brilliant, but many have no clue about chameleons
Where to Go Instead
www.chameleons.info (for universal info, biology, captivity, interdisciplinarity)
Chameleon Academy(for practical caging and captive management)
www.madcham.de (for some Madagascar species)
IUCN Red Data Book
The Reptile Database
iNaturalist
FB groups with certified admins
Authors of books and scholarly articles
Long-term breeders with evidence and track records
Be Careful with Commercial Breeders
They often claim expertise but are full of pride. They rarely share real info. They may mislead you to protect their business interests.
A Scientific Parallel
Peer review works—for safe, conventional papers. But for revolutionary discoveries, it fails. Why? Because admitting someone else is right means admitting you were wrong.
Think of Giordano Bruno—burned at the stake, tongue pierced to silence him. Think of Einstein and Mendel—mocked before being celebrated. Truth doesn't always come from consensus. Often, it comes from courage.
What About Beginner Groups?
If you're in a beginner group, how relevant is the advice of another beginner? The will to talk and pretend expertiseoften far exceeds the actual expertise.
What About Show-Off Groups?
If you're in a group where everyone just praises pretty pictures and romanticizes sick animals, and calls anyone who criticizes a "hater"—what kind of info will you get?
Just bullshit. Harmful info.
What About Layman Groups?
If no one in the group is a biologist or vet, and everyone's an amateur—what's the reliability?
Low. Dangerous. Misleading.
Beware the Internet Minefield
The web is an ocean filled with mines. There are more traps than truths. Even Wikipedia can mislead. Even AI can parrot nonsense.
The Best Sources for Chameleon Info
www.chameleons.info
www.madcham.de
IUCN Red Data Book
The Reptile Database
iNaturalist
Most amateur pages are either commercial traps or built on unreliable info.
And Don't Rely on GPT or Any AI Blindly
They often just echo the most frequent nonsense. The result? Pitiful.
Happy Ending
But here's the good news: If you seek truth, you'll find it. If you ask the right people, you'll get the right answers. If you care enough to learn, your chameleon will thrive. And when your chameleon is healthy, you'll be happy too.