Some sad news,

[shaydeesnail]

Hi everyone,
I'm not sure if anybody remembers me, I haven't been active here in some years.
Some of you who were around back then may also remember Vallery, one of the kindest and most wonderful people I ever had the luck of meeting online.
Unfortunately Vallery has passed away after a long and hard battle with leukaemia. She remained positive and cheerful right up until the end, as she always did. I will miss her so much, nothing put a smile on my face like an email or a package from Vallery.

[morningcoffee]

Hi shaydee, I remember both you and Vallery well. Hope you're doing good!
Thanks so much for letting us know, although obviously it's extremely sad news. I'd noticed that she stopped posting a couple of years ago and often found myself wondering how she was doing. I'm really sorry to hear that it was because she was unwell. It's lovely that you were able to form such a great friendship via the forum though! Many condolences for your loss. It sounds like she was a wonderful friend.

[Cashell]

Though I haven't spoken to you very much, I've been around long enough to remember both of you. I've actually spoken to Vallery on the board sometimes, so this is sad news. R.I.P Vallery. At least we now know why she's been absent. 😕

[jroberts]

Jul 7, 2017 8:14:49 GMT shaydeesnail said:

Hi everyone,
I'm not sure if anybody remembers me, I haven't been active here in some years.
Some of you who were around back then may also remember Vallery, one of the kindest and most wonderful people I ever had the luck of meeting online.
Unfortunately Vallery has passed away after a long and hard battle with leukaemia. She remained positive and cheerful right up until the end, as she always did. I will miss her so much, nothing put a smile on my face like an email or a package from Vallery.

Hi there shaydeesnail,
In case you don't know who I am, its Jonathan Roberts (AKA axoloa).
Vallery was a good friend to all and I am absolutely devastated to learn that she had to battle cancer and has now passed on. 
I always planned on getting back in touch with her so I could surprise her by visiting her in Ontario. Vallery was actually the person I most hoped to find still active on this forum when I re-joined and I just cannot get my head around the fact that we will never speak again.
To this day, I still have a Canadian flag on my wall and a wooden vented pot pourri box with dried lavender flowers inside that she picked herself before sending to me wrapped in the flag - a gift for sending 6x yellow shelled Pleuronte Isabella, and 12x yellow/pink single tone Nemoralis.
I somewhat regret the fact that we lost contact when I went away to Mexico and can only try to take some solace in the fact that she is no longer suffering. I know she was suffering long before she got cancer and spent allot of her life wheel chair bound.
Wherever she is now, may she rest in peace and be able to continue doing what she loved most - her works of art and her photography.

[jroberts]

P.S. its disappointing just how quiet this forum is these days. There used to be up to 50 posts daily, and people used to join and continue to return. Now there only seems to be a couple of regulars and half of the new comers don't bother to stick around.
And then there are the people on hear purely for profit who clearly don't care at all about snails and just see them as a way of trying to make money (eg; refusing to share information about a snails diet so people who own the snail will have to go to buy that persons formula -he who shall not be named).
If you ask me, it was people like Vallery that made this forum so popular and such a wonderful community to be a part off. I doubt this forum will ever be the way it was when she was hear.

[robinwhiskers]

I didn't know her but she sounds great. Snails are amazing family members and I do believe the heart of this forum is what makes it very special.

[pearthesnail]

Hi Shaydee, I remember when you sold me Sonny I'm so sorry to hear about Vallery - I didn't really know her personally but, from what I've seen on the forum and read, she sounds like she was such a wonderful person. I'm so sorry to hear of such a great loss

[Liguus]

Jul 7, 2017 19:08:05 GMT jroberts said:

And then there are the people on hear purely for profit who clearly don't care at all about snails and just see them as a way of trying to make money (eg; refusing to share information about a snails diet so people who own the snail will have to go to buy that persons formula -he who shall not be named).

I hope you are not talking about me. If you are, then you could address it directly in another post or pm instead of vague posts like this. Since most people don't use the term "formula" like I have, it's pretty obvious who this is directed at so don't try to avoid the issue now.


1). If the formula was public then there would be an increase in poaching and over-collection of tree snails. No way to control what people are doing and people who actually want to make a profit (like escargot collectors, people who use snails as feeders for reptiles, and the pet snail sellers on ebay...which all have contacted me trying to get information to help their business and info about snail sites) would be happy to have the info public so that they could have another species to mass-collect and sell.  Since last year the FWS is already having a problem over-collection and is considering relisting certain species.

2). It's illogical to think that someone is trying to make money by selling $20 snail formula for species which people rarely keep. A profit of $20-$40 per year is not a good business model.

3). There is no profit anyways, only a coverage of the materials. I have a spreadsheet with the price per lb of every ingredient and ratios that were used if someone doesn't believe me.
 
4). The formula is not mine to give away, and I was given instructions not to do so.

5). If I didn't care about snails at all and only wanted to make a profit you would see me on ebay year-round and not shutting down my snail store for the benefit of the snails.

6). People who collected tree snails did not take my advice anyways (using the wrong lights and then refusing to change them because they knew better, disagreeing on the dietary needs, disagreeing on the habitat, asking if they can substitute ingredients because they are too cheap to buy the ones that are required). It seems like people who want to keep tree snails are doomed from the start since they won't listen to someone who has had success with it. Why even bother giving them the recipe if they want to change it and keep them in an incorrect set-up regardless of advice? You are very incorrect. The snails are more important to me than the people who are killing them.

[jroberts]

Jul 9, 2017 15:35:25 GMT Liguus said:

I hope you are not talking about me. If you are, then you could address it directly in another post or pm instead of vague posts like this. Since most people don't use the term "formula" like I have, it's pretty obvious who this is directed at so don't try to avoid the issue now.

Oh but I was talking about you, and have absolutely no intentions of avoiding the issue, so whatever gave you that idea is behond me. 
However; with the greatest respect for Vallery, I am not prepared to argue about it here.

I have no problems in expressing my opinions elsewhere regardless of who agrees or does not, so please go ahead and challenge me in another thread if you really want this discussion.

[Liguus]

ok let's do it. pm sent. I can always make a thread if others are also having an issue. I'd also like to remind you that you are the one who brought up this issue in this specific thread. 

[jroberts]

Jul 9, 2017 17:56:36 GMT Liguus said:

ok let's do it. pm sent. I can always make a thread if others are also having an issue. I'd also like to remind you that you are the one who brought up this issue in this specific thread. 

PM returned. If you want to make a thread you do that. 
My words in this thread were merely personal reminisce of the days when this forum was very popular and full of people wanting to offer good advice. The classifieds section was always active and there were constantly events being launched (particularly by our dear friend Vallery who even designed shirts as prizes for competitions of most beautiful snails and such). 

petsnails.proboards.com/thread/16524/public-apologies

[Cashell]

Hmph... I saw this coming.

[shaydeesnail]

Jul 7, 2017 10:57:51 GMT morningcoffee said:

Hi shaydee, I remember both you and Vallery well. Hope you're doing good!
Thanks so much for letting us know, although obviously it's extremely sad news. I'd noticed that she stopped posting a couple of years ago and often found myself wondering how she was doing. I'm really sorry to hear that it was because she was unwell. It's lovely that you were able to form such a great friendship via the forum though! Many condolences for your loss. It sounds like she was a wonderful friend.

Ahh it's good to see there are still some people I remember hanging around here! She really was a great friend, for a while she would still log on here and have a read even when she didn't feel well enough to post. It made me feel a bit better to read through some of her old posts, I really admire how friendly she was to everyone, I've always been of slightly grumpy disposition but she really brightened the place up
I hope you and your snails are doing well!

[shaydeesnail]

Jul 7, 2017 18:25:30 GMT Cashell said:

Though I haven't spoken to you very much, I've been around long enough to remember both of you. I've actually spoken to Vallery on the board sometimes, so this is sad news. R.I.P Vallery. At least we now know why she's been absent. 😕

Ahh Cashell! I remember you She really was great at getting everybody involved and talking on here. I hope you're doing well!

[shaydeesnail]

Jul 7, 2017 18:54:41 GMT jroberts said:

Jul 7, 2017 8:14:49 GMT shaydeesnail said:

Hi everyone,
I'm not sure if anybody remembers me, I haven't been active here in some years.
Some of you who were around back then may also remember Vallery, one of the kindest and most wonderful people I ever had the luck of meeting online.
Unfortunately Vallery has passed away after a long and hard battle with leukaemia. She remained positive and cheerful right up until the end, as she always did. I will miss her so much, nothing put a smile on my face like an email or a package from Vallery.

Hi there shaydeesnail,
In case you don't know who I am, its Jonathan Roberts (AKA axoloa).
Vallery was a good friend to all and I am absolutely devastated to learn that she had to battle cancer and has now passed on. 
I always planned on getting back in touch with her so I could surprise her by visiting her in Ontario. Vallery was actually the person I most hoped to find still active on this forum when I re-joined and I just cannot get my head around the fact that we will never speak again.
To this day, I still have a Canadian flag on my wall and a wooden vented pot pourri box with dried lavender flowers inside that she picked herself before sending to me wrapped in the flag - a gift for sending 6x yellow shelled Pleuronte Isabella, and 12x yellow/pink single tone Nemoralis.
I somewhat regret the fact that we lost contact when I went away to Mexico and can only try to take some solace in the fact that she is no longer suffering. I know she was suffering long before she got cancer and spent allot of her life wheel chair bound.
Wherever she is now, may she rest in peace and be able to continue doing what she loved most - her works of art and her photography.

Hey Jonathan! Vallery and I wondered where you'd been! A few years ago we sent a postcard from the both of us to the last address we had for you, we weren't sure if you'd get it though
It's heartbreaking to think that we won't get to speak to her again, I know she would have absolutely loved to know how you were doing. Glad I'm not the only one with the Canadian flag in my room! She was so good at picking gifts, always so thoughtful. I still have a box of gifts for her sat on my dining table that didn't get sent off in time that I need to deal with at some point.
I hope you and your family are doing good, I'd love to catch up and hear all about your travels sometime.

[shaydeesnail]

Jul 9, 2017 14:19:49 GMT pearthesnail said:

Hi Shaydee, I remember when you sold me Sonny I'm so sorry to hear about Vallery - I didn't really know her personally but, from what I've seen on the forum and read, she sounds like she was such a wonderful person. I'm so sorry to hear of such a great loss

Hello! I hope you're well? Just one of Sonny's parents is still alive but on his last legs (foot??), mostly sleeping now. Is Pear still going? Thank you so much for your kind words

[shaydeesnail]

I didn't realise how much I'd missed this place!

[pearthesnail]

Jul 10, 2017 13:24:50 GMT shaydeesnail said:

Jul 9, 2017 14:19:49 GMT pearthesnail said:

Hi Shaydee, I remember when you sold me Sonny I'm so sorry to hear about Vallery - I didn't really know her personally but, from what I've seen on the forum and read, she sounds like she was such a wonderful person. I'm so sorry to hear of such a great loss

Hello! I hope you're well? Just one of Sonny's parents is still alive but on his last legs (foot??), mostly sleeping now. Is Pear still going? Thank you so much for your kind words

I'm great thanks! Hope you are well too- its good to hear from you again Wow can't believe one of his parents is still going! and no sadly Pear passed away due to old age - I made a post dedicated to her called ‘Goodbye Little Pear' in the memorial section on this forum. I do have 4 baby snails now though who seem to be doing well called Grayson (rodatzi), Shamby (jadatzi), Neo (albino jade) and Pedro (albino jade) (bought online- Pear never had babies)

[jroberts]

Jul 10, 2017 13:22:07 GMT shaydeesnail said:

Hey Jonathan! Vallery and I wondered where you'd been! A few years ago we sent a postcard from the both of us to the last address we had for you, we weren't sure if you'd get it though
It's heartbreaking to think that we won't get to speak to her again, I know she would have absolutely loved to know how you were doing. Glad I'm not the only one with the Canadian flag in my room! She was so good at picking gifts, always so thoughtful. I still have a box of gifts for her sat on my dining table that didn't get sent off in time that I need to deal with at some point.
I hope you and your family are doing good, I'd love to catch up and hear all about your travels sometime.

Heyyy,
Sorry I took so long to reply. Its coming up to the end of school term and its been hectic organising year6's leaving doo and preparing for next year. 2 weeks before a nice 6 week holiday yipee. 

I didn't receive a postcard, because I wasn't hear unfortunately. My sister was dealing with the post for me, but must have overlooked this. 
I was in Jacona/michoacan (Mexico) and did not have any access to internet, so communication with my sister and anyone out of the country was very minimal.

Vallery certainly was good at picking gifts and was very generous. I had a nice collection of Mexican coins building up for her which I was going to send her if I could obtain her address again through this forum as coins are something she had sent to me in the past and she always expressed an interest in coin collection. 

Me and the family are at a bit of a rough patch at the moment because I'm hear and their there. Not ideal circumstance, but cut a long story short, Veronica overstayed her visa last time she was in England (extensively), so is not currently aloud into the UK. My mum is ill at the moment which is why I came back, though she is recovering well. 

How is everything with you at the moment? I hope you are well. 

I'd absolutely love to have a chat at some point so please PM me/send me your email address (whatever you see appropriate)