Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello all,

I was just reading the latest Reptile magazine, and someone posed a good question, to which the magazine didn't really give a definiative response to: Why is it ok to keep herps in cages? (In my case, a corn snake) I've been doing it most of my life because I like it, but that question got me thinking. We do it, it's fun, but is it ok? (Coincidentally, later in the issue there was an ad showing two humans in a cage watching TV with a lizard looking in at them.)

Any opinions?

>>Hello all,
>>
>>I was just reading the latest Reptile magazine, and someone posed a good question, to which the magazine didn't really give a definiative response to: Why is it ok to keep herps in cages? (In my case, a corn snake) I've been doing it most of my life because I like it, but that question got me thinking. We do it, it's fun, but is it ok? (Coincidentally, later in the issue there was an ad showing two humans in a cage watching TV with a lizard looking in at them.)
>>
>>Any opinions?

Well,
If snakes and lizards had the same thought processes as humans I would say no, it isn't right.
Humans know the difference between freedom and captivity.
Reptiles do not have advanced enough thought to reason aquarium or back yard.
They are programmed to find food, find shelter, find a mate and avoid predators.
We provide them with food, actually more food and more regular feedings then they would get in the wild.
We provide them with shelter.
We provide them with mates, at least the ones we decide to breed.
And we obviously protect them from predators.
They can be restless in captivity but if we provide adequate housing and stimulus even this can be alleviated.
Reptiles live longer healthier lives in captivity.
So, all in all I would say they are doing quite well under our care.
When I say "our" care I do mean the people who take the time and effort to provide properly for their captive reptiles.

-----
Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

Draybars Snakes

_____

Jimmy has it right. Under the right circumstances, it is fine. It is when people misstrest their herps, is when it is wrong. Putting a fully grown corn in a 10 gallon, over feeding, under feeding, not gettting appropriate medical attention, all that is wrong. For those that care for the animals, it gives them a life they would never have in the wild.
-----
****Misty****

www.sneakyserpents.com

"Yesterday was the deadline for all complaints"

Is it OK to keep birds in cages? How about hamsters? Rabbits? More than any of the above animals, snakes crave security and like small spaces.

Some people have a problem with those who keep "wild" animals like snakes. In truth snakes don't possess the mental capacity of birds and mammals. Just because dogs and can't are now domesticated, doesn't mean that it wasn't a long and painful process to make them "pets."

Think of the freedoms that were taken from these animals when they were removed from the wild, where in the case of dogs, they lived in social groups. Even today we routinely remove the reproductive organs of dogs and cats to make them better "pets."

We don't do that with snakes.

The path to domestication is a long road with mammals and birds. Just because we're at the end of that road with them, doesn't mean that countless animals didn't suffer greatly along the way.

I don't think snakes suffer this loss of freedom as much - especially if they're captive bred.

Tim

Third Eye

BUT we also dont have the problem of snakes running away and humping all the other snakes in the neighborhood. thats why we fix dogs and cats. personally in my household i have 15 cats. all because my husband would not fix his male cat and my female cat had a drs appt to get fixed. when i found out she was pregnant i decided what the hey! b/c i once worked at a vets office and i know how they abort lil kittens, and i couldnt do that.... and often momma cats dont survive. BUT thats another subject. i believe what we as a majority do for snakes is fine. heck! i have one who is about 12 years old... i highly doubt it would have lasted that long in the wild!!! but thats my opinion and opinions are like hiney holes- everyone has one.

~kin
-----
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SNAKIES~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Corns:
.1 Normal (Gertrude) [just a pet...she started it all]
1. unknown hypo? normal? (Romeo)
1.2 Miami Phase (Hector, Emily, Charlotte) thanks jeff!
1. Miami Phase partial zigzag (Starkey)[Emilys F2 baby]
1. Amel het Blizzard (Dunesbury)
1. Classic het Hypo, poss het Amel, Anery (Cobra)
1.1 Classics (Henry VIII, Cassy) [Emilys F1 babies]
.1 Amel (Pepperoni)
1.1 Hypo zig zags poss HET Caramel (Bernard, Abegail)
.1 Hypo HET Stripe (Gracie Lou)
1.1 Anery HET Motley (Lleroy, Persia)
.1 Candy Cane (Peaches HoneyBlossom) [Just a pet]
1. Abbotts Okeetee (Albert) [Charlottes son]
2 snows coming soon....

Rats:
1.1 Black rats (Willard, Cecily)

Cal Kings:
1.1 Striped Cal Kings (Dweezil, Skunky)
more coming soon...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~LEOPARD GECKOS~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Normal het Midnight Blizzard (Mr. Spot)
.1 Blizzard (Blitz) was attacked by a cat and still living!
.1? unknown very yellow and brown spots...hypo?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~TURTLES~~~~~~~~~~~~

.1 white cheeked mud (Opel)
.1 snapping turtle (no name, ideas welcome)

~~~~~~~~~~~~OTHER~~~~~~~~~~~~
0.0.1 American toad

I'm not saying people shouldn't "fix" their pets - I'm talking about the sacrifices dogs and cats make to be "domesticated."

Tim

HEHEHE I KNOW SOME "DOMESTICATED" MEN WHO HAVE TO GO THROUGH A SIMILAR PROCESS... just had to have a laugh out loud....hehhee ok back on the subject... I love corns!!!!

~kin
-----
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SNAKIES~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Corns:
.1 Normal (Gertrude) [just a pet...she started it all]
1. unknown hypo? normal? (Romeo)
1.2 Miami Phase (Hector, Emily, Charlotte) thanks jeff!
1. Miami Phase partial zigzag (Starkey)[Emilys F2 baby]
1. Amel het Blizzard (Dunesbury)
1. Classic het Hypo, poss het Amel, Anery (Cobra)
1.1 Classics (Henry VIII, Cassy) [Emilys F1 babies]
.1 Amel (Pepperoni)
1.1 Hypo zig zags poss HET Caramel (Bernard, Abegail)
.1 Hypo HET Stripe (Gracie Lou)
1.1 Anery HET Motley (Lleroy, Persia)
.1 Candy Cane (Peaches HoneyBlossom) [Just a pet]
1. Abbotts Okeetee (Albert) [Charlottes son]
2 snows coming soon....

Rats:
1.1 Black rats (Willard, Cecily)

Cal Kings:
1.1 Striped Cal Kings (Dweezil, Skunky)
more coming soon...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~LEOPARD GECKOS~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Normal het Midnight Blizzard (Mr. Spot)
.1 Blizzard (Blitz) was attacked by a cat and still living!
.1? unknown very yellow and brown spots...hypo?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~TURTLES~~~~~~~~~~~~

.1 white cheeked mud (Opel)
.1 snapping turtle (no name, ideas welcome)

~~~~~~~~~~~~OTHER~~~~~~~~~~~~
0.0.1 American toad

But I sure would not call her domesticated. And I'm the one suffering. I only post this becasue I know she never reads anything here. and she would,, LATER Wifey jsut walked in the room bye!!!!!!!!!
-----
Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.herpzilla.com

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA THANKS! i was having a bad morning until i read that...thanks!!

~kin
-----
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SNAKIES~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Corns:
.1 Normal (Gertrude) [just a pet...she started it all]
1. unknown hypo? normal? (Romeo)
1.2 Miami Phase (Hector, Emily, Charlotte) thanks jeff!
1. Miami Phase partial zigzag (Starkey)[Emilys F2 baby]
1. Amel het Blizzard (Dunesbury)
1. Classic het Hypo, poss het Amel, Anery (Cobra)
1.1 Classics (Henry VIII, Cassy) [Emilys F1 babies]
.1 Amel (Pepperoni)
1.1 Hypo zig zags poss HET Caramel (Bernard, Abegail)
.1 Hypo HET Stripe (Gracie Lou)
1.1 Anery HET Motley (Lleroy, Persia)
.1 Candy Cane (Peaches HoneyBlossom) [Just a pet]
1. Abbotts Okeetee (Albert) [Charlottes son]
2 snows coming soon....

Rats:
1.1 Black rats (Willard, Cecily)

Cal Kings:
1.1 Striped Cal Kings (Dweezil, Skunky)
more coming soon...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~LEOPARD GECKOS~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Normal het Midnight Blizzard (Mr. Spot)
.1 Blizzard (Blitz) was attacked by a cat and still living!
.1? unknown very yellow and brown spots...hypo?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~TURTLES~~~~~~~~~~~~

.1 white cheeked mud (Opel)
.1 snapping turtle (no name, ideas welcome)

~~~~~~~~~~~~OTHER~~~~~~~~~~~~
0.0.1 American toad

np
-----
Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.herpzilla.com