First I am not anti- keeping of herps. I have herps. Almost all my life. The keeping of herps opened the world of nature and environmental activism to me. I kept looking for the reason why I couldn't find herps in the wild when I went out, doing what is now called "Field Herping" which I believe to mean hunting for herps in the wild is OK, just as long as you leave them there. Take pictures. Not trophies. Do not disturb their environment (such as ripping apart their dens to find everyone and leaving it that way.) And as I learned more and saw the bigger picture. For example the entire issue to solar engergy, the fight over the installations of solar farms in the desert, their impact,on desert tortoises and other desert herps.

But I can't publish only such "big picture" articles in HD. I have to concentrate on herps, news good or bad. Would you consider my publication of the abstracts on herps and roads papers anti-herp keeping?

And the positive articles I find on herp keeping are honestly banal, and just repetitive of Reptile Magazine.

The few times I have tried to join in the discussions on these or any Kingsnake forums. I get attacked. spammed, its not worth it. Vilified as you rightly describe it.



But when say ARAV makes a policy statement against the laws against large boas, I print it. When the papers, that are peer reviewed came out saying the the spread of large pythons and boas throughout the US won't happen. I print those abstracts.



Yes I report busts of smugglers, news about new laws that are anti-herp keeping. But I rarely comment on it past here is the address to send your comments.



Letters? Almost all pro-herp & anti keeping ones I get r rants.



I believe in responsible herp keeping. Which I practice. I could go on, such as why elitist if it means more knowledgeable such as you are is not bad. But my space here is limited, as my time, and I have to go produce another issue of HD.



But thanks for what I believe is a sort of a compliment.

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