>>The whole "dump" line IS the medias story.

But it doesn't matter what **size** they are dumped at -- burms could be dumped at nearly any size, not just the monsters.

>>Has a person here or there released a python in S. FL
>>Probably so. But the majority I believe were released by natural disaster. I don't believe 5000 or 500 or even 50 people have purposely let their snake go. Maybe I'm naive.

I think you are a bit naive in a general way about people dumping pets -- but I don't know which force (intentional pet release, weather-related accidental release, or whatever) was responsible for the majority of Glades burms.

>>I think the word dump for our purposes needs to mean released into the wild. Or even set free in an urban environment.

I think you also have to consider the forces that lead to releases into the wild. For instance, there are many shelters that accept dogs and/or cats without question -- but it may be harder to find a shelter to adopt large constrictors. Therefore, people who want to be rid of dogs or cats are likely to have more options than those with the big snakes.

>>With that definition in mind were your Amazons dumped or turned into a shelter.

Ha! Amazons that are set free aren't terribly likely to end up back in cages. One of mine was about to be euthed because the owner didn't want it back after it went through a long illness and ended up with only one eye (she ordered euthanasia, but I talked her out of it) -- and at that time, it was only about 2 years old (she's 12 now); the other one essentially came to me because the owner didn't want to deal with clipping its toenails on a regular basis. Neither one went through a shelter.

>>There are many reasons for an expensive dog to end up at a shelter particularly if it had already been spayed or neutered.

Yup. Just like there's many reasons for expensive herps to end up getting dumped.

>>Once again giving to a shelter or an amnesty day is much different than throwing your pet python over your back fence.

But remember -- those amnesty days just started recently, and shelters might not accept large snakes. The owners' options may be limited if they decide to be rid of their snake.
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0.1 Peruvian rainbow boa (Amaru)
2.0 Brazilian rainbow boas (Arco, Olho)
0.3 Honduran milksnakes (Chicchan, Chanir, Hari)
1.0 Thayeri kingsnake (Coatl)
2.7 corns (Cetto, Tolosa, Uce, TBA)
1,000,000.1,000,000 other critters

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