First how can anyone say an animal must be able to flourish in the entire country to be considered invasive? They have made a home out of the entire range they are adapted to live in and done it very quickly. We all know that the cold this winter hurt their numbers badly. But we also know that a winter this cold has never happened before and will more than likely not happen again for quite some time. With that said, it is logical to think they will spread further north, perhaps up to the Sarasota level as I've personally caught Burms that were pet releases sunning themselves on Feb days when the temp at night was getting down to the 30's and daytime highs in the 60's and these animals did quite well in captivity.

Also, burms are not native to the area so any animal they consume is taking away a resource for the environment and that is a problem. Regardless of whether or not a burm is eaten by a gator, if a burm eats a gator that is a problem. I do not think there should be a ban of these animals but you people have got to realize there is a problem with them being there. I understand that there are bigger problems with the glades but that has nothing to do with this ban, the burms do though. We must stand together and quit nit picking over all the problems and thinking we will just go to congress and say well the dikes and alligator ally and Tamaiami Trail and Big Sugar are the problems so please leave our snakes alone. THEY WILL NOT!!!!! The federal government wants to ban these snakes and they are spending money to get the "research" done so that they can achieve their goal. What Reptile association or Pet association that is funded by our money has solicited (sp) any scientists to actually go there and study the impact of the burms or the suitability of expansion of their range? NONE HAVE!!!! We keep yelling about wanting to get results of THEIR research but are not doing any ourselves. I am a member of PIJAC and USARK but will not renew because of this. We need real world research not dinners with congressmen and photo shoots with the same politicians over and over. I guarantee that PETA or HSUS has contributed funds to the Everglades Restoration and in doing so they get to speak in congressional hearings related to Burmese pythons. Why do they get to? Are they python experts? No but they pay for the oppertunity to speak. They put commercials all over the ty and internet so people have no choice but to see their message, or at least they one the want portrayed. When have you seen a commercial about save our pythons? We have alot of people who have donated $20-100 and that can do alot, but we need step up further. I figure I make about 1/1000th of what some of the big guys do off my animals and because of this, I will donate $1 for every $1000 that a large commercial breeder donates to USARK for a nationwide commercial fund (USARK can let me know which breeder I must match funds with and proof of donation must be provided) and challenge everyone else to do the same. WE MUST GET OUR VOICE OUT THERE!!!! Like I said earlier, this forum bickering is useless. We do not have the famous celebs donating $100,000's as we are not the PC group. So we must do this ourselves.
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Josh & Krysty Hutto


Various Ball Pythons, boas, dogs, cats, fish, a couple sulcatas and a few other odds and ends.


a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

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