Does Age = Experience ?

[prfctChins]

I know many of you think that age doesn't necessarily mean you have more knowledge,but can a younger person really have THAT much info?
Two different examples:
A) A 15 year old has had chins for 2 years,but within that 2 years she has dealt with malloclusion,fur-chewing,prolapses,all kinds of things...And a 45 year old has had chins for 12 years,and hasn't dealt with any of that.

B) An 18 year old reads everything they can about chins,but only owns 12,and a 53 year old has 63 chins and has been speaking to others for 25 years & gathering info...

(Sorry about the bad examples,I'm not very creative...lol)

[Midwest Exotics]

i dont think age matters. It all boils down (in my eyes) to how mature the person is, what they have been through with their pet, how much they educate themselves, & how responsible they are.

Of course all cases & situations are a bit different here & there.

[CTChin]

In most instances age doesn't mean anything.

However, when I was 20 something, I thought I knew everything. Now in my late 30's and I can see I really didn't know as much as I thought. Probably when I'm in my late 40's, I'll think I didn't know so much in my 30's also LOL!!
Life is a learning process. What matters is your dedication to your pet of choice. You should never assume you know it all. Keep learning, reading, asking and be open to different opinions.

[PrettyHate]

Age no, Maturity yes.

[zneill84]

It depends so much on the situation-life situations, i think that age does matter for most. Animals, not so much. You could be 150 and still not have a clue. Something that I don't believe in is "experts" to a certain extent. I think vets and the most experienced are the closest things we have to experts. Thats why animals are so great-you are constantly learning new things, not even depending on the animal. Perfect example-a woman at my barn who has been around horses all her life. Does not have a freaking clue ABOUT anything. Is actually dangerous because she doesn't have any knowledge, and this is someone that has been around horses 35+ years. On the other hand, there is a 12 year old little girl, who reads absolutely everything and anything about horses, pesters me, the vet, the grooms, anyone with questions-she has more knowledge already in her pinkie than the woman. Thats why i love this forum-you learn something new every day and why i love animals-you never ever stop learning.

[chinheart]

I do believe age is factor on how much a person 'knows', but also I agree that maturity and amount of experience are determining factors.

Age

I think age matters for a variety of physiological, and emotional reasons. To borrow from your examples: Someone who's 15 and has had chins for two years and has had to deal with things like prolapse and malocollusion is going to deal with it emotionally, physically, financially, etc. completely different from a person who's 35 and has to go through the same experiences. Someone 15 is invariably going to have major differences, namely: someone else to pay the vet bill, no repurcussion on things like putting a roof over their head and food in their mouth as a result of the experience. They'll have more energy and vitality because of their age, and the stressors may take less of a physical toll of them for having gone through it. With age lessons are learned profoundly, almost with a finality. If you've really lived it (of your own volition, financial, etc), you know you can do it again and will have the tools to survive it next time. A younger person may have more 'info' but someone older will have more 'knowledge' of a situation because the adult will have a more complex and firm grasp on the meaning and gravity of a situation as it is in the 'real world.'

Maturity

Attitude is a huge measure of maturity. Someone with a nasty attitude isn't going to be useful to others when it comes to conveying information or resolving situations because they obviously lack the emotional maturity to communicate effectively. Someone who lacks maturity also lacks the ability to make correct and quick decisions pertaining to their pets, medical emergencies, etc. on their own. Without the ability to solve a problem on your own, even if you've had a lot of problems in the past, you don't really have the necessary tools to cope and to pass on that useful information.

Experience

If you hit even the most dense rock in the garden enough times it'll learn to move. ;) Not the best example, but even someone who lacks age and maturity, if thrown enough chins with malocullsion will learn the signs to recognize it and some useful tools to alleviate discomfort and pain prior to euthanization. But without age and maturity, someone who can recognize signs and knows some tricks still isn't capable of caring for the animal in the necessary way.

Where there's smoke, there's fire. I don't think it's coincidence that most responsible breeders wont sell chins to children, or people under 18. How is a child going to pay for the necessary vet bills if mom/dad decide mortgage payments are more important? How's a child going to drive the animal to the vet if they don't have a license? How is a child going to deal with leaving the animal behind when they go to college? I'd like to hear mom/dad's response to a child saying they aren't going to college because they can't take their animals.

I'm sure some people will disagree and say "where there's a will there's a way." I miss that youthful exuberance. Too bad lifes not like a box o chocolates. ;)

[tunes]

Someone said it already - Age vs maturity. I know of some younger people who are wonderfully mature, have their heads on straight, and take care of business. I also know of some younger people who are impulsive, inconsiderate, attention hogging, know it alls.

As far as age vs experience - I keep hearing young people get knocked down for their age, as though that has anything to do with what they have had to deal with in their animals. I've also seen young people get knocked down for their age, when they've owned chins longer than the people knocking them down! They've known experienced breeders longer, they have had excellent mentors - what's the deal with that? Someone who went out and bought three chins from a pet store and read a book on "How to Care for Your Chinchilla" is not going to have near the experience of someone who is attending shows, going to breeders, dealing with various illnesses within their own herds (however small), having mentors - more than just reading information on a forum.

Keep in mind, I'm not talking about 9, 10, 11-year-olds who will tell you they have had chins for "years." I'm more referring to the 15 and up group. I think it's pretty rude to say "I'd never sell to anyone under 18." I'd sell to Megan in a heartbeat. I can think of a couple younger people, actually, that I'd sell to who are under 18. They work for their animals, they take care of them themselves, I also know some younger people who NOT to sell to - but guess what? There's a list of "older people" I wouldn't sell to either.

And BTW - I think it's ridiculous to keep harping on someone for something she said in another thread about her animals and college. Whether it was said spur of the moment or whether it was heart felt - that's really HER decision isn't it? Not a bunch of people on a forum. There's no need to keep making fun of her for it.

[Lutra]

I think it depends on what you're claiming to know, and what experiences you've had. You could be a 50 year old whose never left the house, then you certainly wouldn't know half of what a 25 year old travel enthusiast knows! It just depends, although in dealing with general world knowledge, I think we all agree that our parents really did know best, we just never believed them until we grew up! (and of course we'd never admit it now :rofl: )

[wink568]

I am only 19 years old, and Jake is only 20. We manage to pay for everything for the chins (They come first when it comes to my paycheck). I am leaving for college next year, but the farthest away I'll be is 2 hours. Jake is going to a community college, and taking his time so he can work as will, so he'll be here for the next two years, so he's taking care of the chins. Believe me, I took all these things into consideration before buying HanPan.

To be completly honest, I haven't matured much since I was 17, and I don't think the situation changes in just a year. Yes, I may be more mature than I was when I was 14, but I don't think there is a magic number for what age you can handle responsibility. I've heard of adults doing things that could harm their chinchilla. Things even a child would no better (IE: Giving alchohol and such).

[Megan.]

Chinheart- come right over to my house and listen to what my mom said when I told her where I go, my animals go.

She supports my decision. She knows I am planning on finding a college that I can live off campus as a freshman, so I can keep my animals. Will I go to college this spring if I can't find a place for my animals? No, I won't. Sorry my animals play a huge roll in my life, and I don't feel they are something that should be tossed out of the window for soemthing I dont HAVE to do.

I'm sorry I have parents who support me, and support my decision- Parents who realise how important my animals are to me. I've had chinchillas since 2001, longer than some people who seem to have a problem with me being 17, and owning animals...

Not to mention, I have supported my chinchillas since day one. When I handed the money over to the breeder of Jasper in 2001- It was the money I worked for. When I paid for Star's medical bills after she had kits turned sideways preventing pregnancy to continue- and when she had to be taken to the vets again to be put onto SubQ injections, and more antibotics- It was MY money, that I worked for that I paid those vet bills for. When I had a chin die, it was my money that went to the necrospy to find out what it died from, and to find out if my herd was at risk. When I have an eye infection, fungus, or a health problem- it is my money that fixes it. Not my parents.

To this day, the money I spend on my animals for breeding purposes, and to treat rescue animals if needed is money I've worked for. Mommy and Daddy are not paying for my animals, thank you.

Sorry i'm 17 and have worked since I was 12, and supported my animals I choose to buy.

From what I've found, most responsible breeders do not judge people based on age, but go by a case by case basis. I guess the people who have sold to me, are not responsible? I'm sure they'd love to hear that.

---

I feel people should be judged based on who they are, what their experience is, not by age. I know plenty of people who are over 18 that shouldn't have a pet rock let alone a living animal. I know people over 18 that are responsible. I know people under 18 that are responsible, and people who shouldn't own a pet rock.

Age is not a factor in my choice of who my animals go to. What is a factor is how much they know, how much they are willing to learn, and if they are younger- how involved their parents are willing to be.