Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Has anyone done this and release the babies if they live in an area like i do, where they are native??
-----
1.4 various boas(Flicka,Felony,Nova,Alias,Alibi)
0.1 BRB Abalone; ABBI
1.0 Rott X (OSO)
2.0 cats (Simba, Morris)
fish & feeders
~:~~~~~~~ ~:~~~~~~~~

You should check your local and state laws. It is unlawful to release animals that have been in captivity for 24/48 hours in most places. The real issue is that you can introduce potential disease vectors into the wild populations this way. You catch a gravid female and put her into a cage that once held an animal carrying something then back to the wild with her and her hatchlings and what ever disease vector they picked up. Many aniamal can carry things and be asymptomatic which is to say they do not seem sick but can spead the disease or pathogen.

There is some speculation that the issues with Upper respiratory disease currently creating havok in the Mojave population of desert tortoise is the result of sick captives being released.

Although it seems like a noble effort with the best of intentions you really should not do that for sound biological reason. If you really want to make a difference that counts, leave the gravid females in the wild to do their own thing and schedule educational snake talks with local schools, homeowners assocciations, and other groups and do what ever you can to lessen your consumer footprint.

I am glade you posted and I hope you and others give the above ideas some thought.
Cheers, Ginter

Not to mention the fact that mortality rates for re-released captive animals (if not re-released in the same area where caught) is very high...

-AzAtrox

Once captive, always captive

.
-----
Thanks,

Frank Roberts
Roberts' Realm Of Reptile Research

Don't.

The number of Species X that are in your area will be however many your area can sustain. With very rare exceptions, generally far more young are produced in the wild than the wild can support, the excess die off. When an adult is removed, it makes room for another young to grow up.

Unless the species is in serious decline, your collection of a few specimens from the wild is going to have zero impact on the wild population - and if the species is in serious decline, it very well may die out anyway if the cause isn't identified and resolved.

What impacts the wild population most is destruction of habitat, as that lowers the number of Species X that your locale can support.

While catch - breed - release may seem like a way to give back some of what you took, a better alternative is to catch - breed - distribute. That way other hobbyists can enjoy the husbandry of your locale without needing to take from the wild.
-----
3.6 L. getula californiae - 16 eggs (Cal. King)
1.1 L. getula nigrita (MBK)
1.0 Pantherophis guttatus guttatus (Corn)
0.1 Pituophis catenifer catenifer (Pacific gopher)
3.3 Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata - 14 eggs (Cal. Alligator Lizard)