Brian, thanks for the clear, calm response.



I guess I really should clarify MY position on Burmese, as I think most of my posts have made it seem that I am anti-Burmese. That's not really the case.



Some background first:



1) I'm a high school science teacher. I love working with young people, and went back to teaching after a 1 year hiatus, which proved to me how much I needed to be working with adolescents. Last year I shaved my head to help one of my students in her fight against brain cancer. She lost her fight in January, but I didn't regret for a second what I'd done, and I'd do it again. I *love* working with this age group (I teach mostly 9th graders), and I know the wide range of maturity levels found amongst teens. Further, I love encouraging youngsters to get into herping- which I frequently do. (I recently gave away my very first leopard gecko hatchling to one of my students - this is a kid most teachers "write off" because he looks different (he's a Goth). I didn't do that, and now have a young person who thinks of me as a friend and role model. I'm flattered.



2) I've been doing rescue for 6 years now, in two different states. I've seen the best of care and the worst of care, and everything in between. I've seen well-meaning folks and people who were intentially evil. Most folks are on the better end of that scale.



3) I've been handling reptiles since I was old enough to walk, and have been keeping them since I was 16..



Now, my position on Burmese and other large boidae: 99% of the human population should NOT have these snakes, period, because they can't/won't give them appropriate husbandry (caging, atmospheric variables, handling, cleaning, etc.) Unfortunately, most of the large boids I take in come from people who INTENDED to do the right thing, wanted a large snake, and thought they could handle it. (Then there are the fewer (fortunately) idiots who got one just because it was "cool" to have a big snake so they could scare people with it.) These well-meaning folks found that their circumstances changed beyond their control, for various reasons (baby being born, new spouse/partner, living arrangements changed, etc.) Some are very concerned that they find themselves unable to live up to the committment they made when they bought the animal. Others just see that "it's just an animal", and they plan to get another one when their circumstances change again. :::sigh:::



The bottom line is that life circumstances do change unexpectedly sometimes. Other times, interests fade, money becomes an issue, etc. This is the same for other hobbies, but the difference is that the result is a LARGE, POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS animal now needs a new home because of it. It's one thing when I have to rehome a ball python or colubrid - it's quite another to find a home for an animal that I know has the potential to kill someone else. The weight of this possibility is one I feel every day - it's a responsibility to the person as much as it is to the animal. If I fail to turn someone away from owning a large snake, and they ultimately pay the price for it, I have failed three communities: 1) The herping community, 2) The family/friends of that person and 3) the animals involved.



So, for those folks who have a stable situation in life (not saying that stable people can't have changes, but fewer than others), AND have enough time/space/money/interest to make a possible 40-year committment to a large predatory animal, I say GO FOR IT!! I love these animals, I think they are fantastic examples of the "Great Danes" of the snake world (big, dumb, but generally docile). But, I do not feel that most people SHOULD take on this responsibility - as most folks, especially young people, can't imagine where they'll be in 5 years, 10 years, etc..



As for me, I probably wouldn't have Burmese for these reasons. But, since I have possession of these animals, I accept responsibility for being the 2nd-to-last stop on their path to finding a home for life. While they are here, they will be respected, admired, and lovingly cared for. But they will never be confused as being "pets".




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Bonnie Keller

VA Reptile Rescue

www.vareptilerescue.org

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