I admit that additional experimentation on animals is no ideal.

However, wouldn't it be simple enough to replicate this study? A climate controlled room with the ability to frost and even freeze would be easy enough to create. A dozen rooms of this type, a dozen snakes. Create an "environmental plan" meant to mimic the typical weather in several locations in the south east. Monitor the snakes frequently for URIs, the ability to feed and/or weight loss, etc. It would take money, but only a fraction as much as many studies of this size.

Additionally, they could re-use the room to check the invasion potential of other tropical and sub-tropical species.
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Lincoln, NE
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