Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well finally, Florida is passing legislation to restrict large constrictors and Nile monitors. All new ones will have to be chipped for ID. If they are "let go" or lost the owners can be contacted. This is not a bad thing, but it stems from too many ignorant and irresponsible keepers here along with an environment that can actually support/sustain these animals. Also, there is some trivial paperwork when you purchase one of these animals showing you have some knowledge/experience with large, "deadly" reptiles as they worded it in the paper today. I am interested in how the show in Tampa will go March 10,11 with these new rules.

The other thing the microchipping will do is increase the price of these animals, hopefully making them less disposable??
Who is responsible for the microchipping? Is it the importer or the original seller? It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Pam
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1.1 varanus acanthurus brachyurus (Dorado & Dora)
1.1 u. macfadyeni (Amani & Abeba)
1.2 u. ornata (Husani, Zari, & Bintu)
0.0.1 geochelone carbonaria (Rojo)
0.0.1 cyclura hybrid lewisi x caymanensis x nubila (No Name)
1.1 hyla chrysoscelis (Pudge & Squirt)
Herps Are Awesome!

The new rules take effect Jan. 1, 2008.

If you own one of the following reptiles, you must obtain a permit to keep it.

"Reptiles of concern" include:
- Indian or Burmese python
- Reticulated python
- African rock python
- Amethystine or scrub python
- Green anaconda
- Nile monitor
Get a permit, Complete an application and a qualifying questionnaire, specify where the reptile will be held and provide appropriate caging. Applicants must also provide 1,000 hours of experience in caring for the species, or provide 500 hours of experience in addition to passing a written exam.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials say the rules will increase public safety, promote better pet care and protect Florida's wildlife and ecology from invasion by non-native species.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials say the rules will increase public safety, promote better pet care and protect Florida's wildlife and ecology from invasion by non-native species.

Increase public safety? Wow I'd like to see the empirical data that supports this claim. Must be some crazy snakes and lizards down there, attacking the public like that.

Promote better pet care? Sure, because there is a firm and proven correlation between silly pet owner legislation and better pet care. No leap of logic there.

Protect Florida's wildlife and ecology from invasion? PHEW, finally something that makes sense. Now where's the laws regarding house cats? Unlike reptiles, I think there might even be proof they do damage to the local animal populations across the entire country.

This makes me pretty sick...restrictive legislation born from hyped up garbage news stories couched in do-gooder language so no one can disagree. Well gee, public health is good, pet care is good, and I likes me some wildlife yuck yuck...

Tom

A men about the cats bro. Most invasive animal in our country. I wish someone would do something about that. I keep a pellet gun close by. They stay out of my yard, I like birds and other native wildlife.
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"Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Homebrew!" Charlie Papazian

I wonder how many current keepers are going to release their animals instead of getting the permits.
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Ed

sir that is golden, and so so true.

Oh and for the record I like cats, ha I have two myself and one of them is an excellent hunteress. I just wish she'd stop bringing in live chipmunks to show me.

Tom

I don't hate cats, only when they are outside. They destroy the environment. They (domestic cats) are pleasure hunters and not part of the ecosystem. It the irresponsible owners that suck. When I see a cat hunting in my yard I shoot it. Owners beware.
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"Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Homebrew!" Charlie Papazian

They already have a License to Possess Wildlife for Exhibition or Public Sale currently in place here in FL.. That some of us already have and pay for. The bad thing is the no cost pet permit is not mandatory.

Guess they think those that currently release them will be responsable enough to do this new process. I bet it will more likely be those of us that currently have a license or are responsable keepers doing it.

I wonder if the humane society saw a huge relief once dogs started being microchipped?

No doubt sponsored by the companies that make the tags, hahahahahahahaha.

In my opinion, its too late and has been too late for many decades.

It never was a problem caused by keepers, but far more a problem caused by importers and zoos. Remember, Fla, had/has a bizillion roadside zoos. I wonder how much high wind is responsible.

Feral reptiles and insects and mammals and birds and fish, have been a problem for many decades. As in, as far as most of the keepers and most of the lawmakers have been alive, it was a problem before they were born.

Now if you add the near total destruction of nature to "right" itself, the game is over. As I have said many times, in order to have native species, you have to have their ORIGINAL native habitat. You alter the habitat and you alter what it will support. Feel lucky to have what you have.

With the mass migration of the worst envasive/feral habitat destroying species, humans. The game and fish should be absolutely happy they have any wildlife to govern, feral, evasive, or not. If they(humans) keep it up, there will be no species as the weight of the humans will surely sink Most of Fla.

About danger to humans, alligators and crocs are a million times for dangerous to humans then burms and niles. So until King cobras establish themselves, "forget about it". Also, before there was so many humans, there were far more Cats and Bears, but sadly GONE now. Both of those are far superior to inflicting damage to humans(enough thought they don't, NORMALLY)

So if you ask me, and no one did, its merely another way for folks to collect a paycheck, without ever having to do anything. You know, step in the middle and say, pay me. Sincerely thats how simple it is. The path of all products is this, a builder and a consumer. Then a builder a middleman, then a consumer, then a builder, a union, two middlemen, a consumer. Then A builder, two unions, many middlemen, a promoter, a packager, advertising, advisor to the advertising, a union for the advisors, two lawyers for every advisor, etc, and lastly a consumer. Folks, its merely a design to part you from your hard earned money, and it works too. Cheers