Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It is unfortunate that we have so many irresponsible and cruel people that think letting any animal into the wild is ok. I lived in florida for twenty years in the 70s & 80s and many times was asked to remove a python or boa from somebodys property so this has been a problem for a long time now. I remeber drug smugglers stuffing drugs in large or poisonous snakes then killing or releasing them after they got what they needed! Yes hurricanes kill and yes we have destroyed alot of habitat but I dont think that we use those statistics to justify not doing anything about the problem. We have to recognize that we the resposible owners are and will be affected by the ban and we will also be the only one who will obey the laws of the ban! So what will that accomplish? it will result in even more animals being released by the ignorant wanting to avoid the added cost of "chipping" the animals or paying fines. I do not have the answer but I think education,resposible sales and some type of collection point may be a place to start. I do not want the government to dictate to majority for the crimes of the idiots so I feel we the herping community would have to provide those services to keep government out if it is not to late as it seems it already is. Anyway my humble thoughts sorry to ramble.
None of us is as strong as all of us!!
Joel Thomas

If and when we ever get to the point of having our own self-regulating bona fide professional organization, and that's a big if -- I'm pretty sure we'll have to place quotas on what and who may legitimately breed, so as not to produce more than the market can absorb. There is no difference between those unwanted snakes, like the sad Herp Shop case previously referred to, and the released animals; than from all the unwanted dogs and cats that wind up in shelters or loose on the street. Both are unwanted pets.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

"If and when we ever get to the point of having our own self-regulating bona fide professional organization, and that's a big if -- I'm pretty sure we'll have to place quotas on what and who may legitimately breed, so as not to produce more than the market can absorb."

This sounds like more of the same control freak/big government proponent pipe dreaming that has been occurring so often lately. Big government proponents are quick to bend over and take the idea that these pythons are all intentionally released pets, up the backside as truth. They then cry out that the hobby must be regulated because of these sins with silly ideas like the above. Government and more regulation is not the answer for every little thing that comes along. People that do not recognise this represent the greatest threat.

That is my point exactly -- Would you rather the Government regulate us, or would you rather we regulate ourselves?
As long as everybody does as they damn well please and goes in whatever direction they choose and act as irresponsible as possible, the Government WILL step in for the "Public Good" (an oxymoron) and regulate us.
It seems the most irresponsible ones are the ones that scream the loudest, and do nothing to improve our image or the public's impression.
Hopefully we'll get past the reactive, combative, defensive mentality and shift the paradigm to a more proactive cooperative persona, before it's too late.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

So basically your saying we regulate ourselves"somebody wants to produce a litter of Boas. This person has to go and get a permit" If the permits are all gone this person won't be aloud to produce those Boas that year.LOL,I'm sorry that doesn't sound much like America to me. Lar M
Boas By klevitz

But what about this...If the problem mainly refers to burmese pythons in the everglades, why dont they just put a ban on burms in Florida? How did boas, balls, etc get involved and why does it apply to interstate sales when the problem is only in one state? These boids cant even survive in the colder northern states.

Aside from that, how are they going to regulate interstate sales? How would they know you are shipping a boa as opposed to a corn snake, or a turtle? Even if there are chips placed in the snake, who is going to be scanning every single boid to make sure it lives in the state the chip was put in? The governemnt cant keep track of this market very easily, I think.