I understand your frustration. I would have driven from TX to help you guys string up loser boy(owner of alb. burm that killed little girl.)

But this is not that guy. I understand that in recent years FL has passed these laws. When 6 years ago, 3 years ago. The guy had already had the snake 10 years. I understand that FWC gave people a window of time to comply with the new laws. I also know when you're not a reptile person...

You say herpers are in a battle in FL.

I just don't believe this guy is a herper. If he is why hasn't someone said,"Oh that is Joe Blow's snake he does educational shows at the school". Or something to that effect.

This guy seems to be completely under the radar. I meet people like this quite often. They are not herpers they have one or two reptiles and they care for them reasonably well for an extraordinary length of time.

I do educational reptile shows I travel all over the country.

Last year doing a fair in CO a guy brought me a 6 foot Columbian boa, a female. He had it for 16 years!!! He got as a kid(14) and still has it. To be perfectly honest probably hadn't wanted it for years. But he was a responsible guy and he didn't know what to do with it. None of his friends were snake guys. Now he is married and his wife is pregnant she was never fond of the snake.

This year back in CO doing a different fair. A family brings me a 12 year old corn snake, and a 13 year old Columbian boa.

There kids had them when they were young the kids have been at college for years. They saw an opportunity to get rid of the snakes. So many times people wait to long to get rid of unwanted pets and the animals health deteriates because of this. In these 2 cases this was not the case. Two nonherpers that kept snakes for extended periods of time. i am certain if the laws had changed they would probably be unaware or not care. These were people keeping goldfish.

Obviously in FL I'm sure he was aware of changes in the laws. Was this to be his last snake and he didn't feel like messing with beauacratic nonsense? I don't know.

What I do know is if ALL FL keepers and importers were as responsible as this guy was for the first 16 years you wouldn't be in this fight right now.

Congrats to FWC on the possible return to the rightful owner. Now if it won't die or catch something at Glades...

Also I would be more inclined to pat FWC on the back if I HADN"T seen them drag the snake out of the kennel to measure and photograph it for the media.D.C.

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