[Ned]

In conjunction with offbeatpets.com we are running a "Top 5" exotic pet related writing contest; with prizes of £40 for 1st place; £20 for 2nd place and a £15 bonus prize. This a great chance to showcase your passion for exotic pets, share your knowledge with the world whilst winning a little cash at the same time.



The Contest
To enter the contest we are looking for a short article relating to exotic pets on the theme "Top 5"; for example "My Top 5 Gecko Species", "Top 5 Tips for Building Rocks", "Top 5 Cutest Things my Pet has Done", "Top 5 Ways To Disinfect Your Terrarium". Along with your top 5 you should include at least 50 words (250 in total) per item explaining more about it or why it is in your top 5.


Your Top 5 must be related to exotic pets but does not have to specifically be about animals. Make it as interesting and informative as you can. Whilst their is a minimum amount of words there is no maximum so if you want to write more do so; the use of pictures may also appeal more to voters and are welcomed providing you have permission to use them.


We have included and example entry at the end of this post.


After the entry closing date (21/02/2009) all entries will be posted onto OffBetPets.com; a vote will be created on the geckos uk forums allowing members to vote for their favorite top 5 article; on the 07/03/2009 the top 5 article with the most votes will win £40 payable via paypal; the 2nd most voted for will receive £20. Bonus prize of £15 is also on offer; more details below.


How To Enter / The Process
Step 1 - First of all register your interest; head on over to this thread on Geckos UK Forums and post to say you are entering and what your "top 5" are going to be. You'll need to register on the forums first which only takes a few minutes. It may be a good idea to scan through any other posts to make sure somebody else isn't already doing the same top 5 as you.


Step 2 - Next step is to write your entry; this must be your own work and not have been posted anywhere else before. If you decide to use pictures to spruce up your entry then you must have permission to use them and give appropriate credit to the copyright holder.


Step 3 - Email your entries (preferably in Microsoft word format or HTML) to top5contest@offbeatpets.com before the Closing Date of 21/02/2009. Along with your entry include your forum username and the forum username of who told you about the contest. Entries will be posted on the offbeatpets.com after the closing date and will be viewable to the public.


Step 4 - Voting will commence on Geckos UK Forums shortly after the closing date; allowing forum members to vote for their favorite entry. Only one vote will be allowed per person.


1st and 2nd Place Prizes
Voting will close on 07/03/2009 and the 1st and 2nd place prize winners announced; winning £40 and £20 respectively.


Winning the £15 Bonus Prize
The person who encourages the most people to enter contest will win £15. As mentioned above; when submitting entries peoples should include the username of the person who told them about the competition. Help spread the word about the competition to your friends and colleagues who may be interested; make sure they mention your username when submitting their entry and you could win the £15 bonus prize.


Key Links

• Main Competition Info and Update Thread - Geckos UK Forums
• Competition Entry Thread - Geckos UK Forums

A Few Rules

• Competition will be closed to new entry's on 21/02/2009
• Winners will be announced after 07/03/2009
• Entries must be original work by yourself; Not copied from other articles; and will not be published on any other websites or forums before the 31/03/2009.
• You agree to your work being displayed on offbeatpets.com and geckosuk.com. Full credit will be given to you as author.
• Any images used must include relevant copyright information and permission obtained from the copyright holder for use on Geckosuk.com and Offbeatpets.com
• When encouraging others to enter the contest do not use spamming or other dodgy methods to promote your username.

[Ned]

Example Entry
This is a brief example entry to start your creative juices flowing. Providing your top 5 are related to exotic pets, their health, care, enrichment e.t.c. you are free to choose any topic and provide as much information as you wish.

“My Top 5 Venomous Snakes”

1. Inland Taipan
   Also known as the Fierce Snake the Inland Taipan is one of the deadliest snakes in the world. This is a timid yet highly venomous snake; a single bite could kill over 250,000 mice or around 100 humans. The Inland Taipan is native to Australia and ranges in colour between brown and olive; they change the colour of their skin seasonally just before shedding to help blend into the environment. These snakes typically grown to a length of 6ft but have some slightly larger specimens have been discovered up to 6ft 8″. Despite its venom being highly toxic it is not the most dangerous snake in the world with only 2 - 3 snake bite deaths in Australia each year.
2. King Brown Snake
   Also from Australia the King Brown snake grows to 2.5 - 3 meters in length and in a number of shades of colour between light brown and very dark brown. They are found in most Australian states with the exception of Victoria and Tasmania; The very dark brown shades of these snakes are generally from the cooler regions such as Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales. Approximately 10 snake bite deaths are reported each year in Australia for this Snake.
3. Taipan
   Once again from Australia these snakes grown to between 2.5 and 2.6 meter in length; and are a pale brown to copper in colour. They are fast movers and move in to strike their prey extremely quickly; once they have injected their venom they hold back and wait for it to start working before making the final move on their meal. Their main diet is Rat, Birds, Mice, Lizards and Small marsupials. With Rats often plentiful in Queenslands Cane fields Taipans are in abundance in these areas.
4. Eastern Tiger Snake
   Growing to 1meter in size with reports of some growing to 2 meters the Eastern Tiger Snake is also from Australia. This is a highly venomous snake and until recently held the record in Australia for the most snake bite casualties. Eastern Tiger snakes are often found around waterways and swamps in the wild; but often manage to find their way into homes in Melbourne. They do not generally dwell in trees but have been observed climbing up to 1 meter in shrubs and bushes. If bitten by an Eastern Tiger Snake the symptoms would be Sweating, Pain in the Neck and Foot regions, Tingling, Numbness followed by breathing difficulties and paralysis.
5. Krait
   Found on the Indian Sub Continent and South East Asia. Typically growing 1 - 1.5 meters in length these snakes are covered in smooth glossy scales arranged in a bold stripe like pattern. They are nocturnal, at which time they become much more aggressive compared to the daytime when they are considerably more docile.

[Ned]

Just a quick note following some questions via PM.

• Contest is open to anyone in any country (providing you are able to accept paypal payments if you win)

• Article topics can be about anything related to exotic pets and the theme "top 5". You are not limited to the suggestions in the thread; they are there just to provide some examples and inspiration.
• Article does not have to be about Geckos.