Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I took this pic this morning on my fence where we had watered the hibiscus we use for lizard food. Great Python weather isn't it?...LOL

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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2010/01/manatees_pythons_cold_weather_florida.php

Check out the photo from this article - its clearly a boa constrictor, and clearly frozen. Text below.

Manatees to Pythons: A Rough Weekend For Local Wildlife
By Gail Shepherd in Broward, Environment, Florida, Man and Beast, Palm Beach
Sat., Jan. 9 2010 @ 1:25PM
Baby, it's cold outside.

Iguanas falling from the sky.

Pythons slithering from the swamps and into suburban yards in search of warmth.

It would make a great horror movie if it weren't true life. It's been so frigid in South Florida this week that 250 sea turtles in cold shock have already been picked up in Broward County, and two freezing manatees were rescued in Stuart on Thursday, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife officials. As if avoiding boaters weren't enough, manatees get cold stress syndrome in water temps under 68 degrees, so they're heading in droves for the warmer waters near power plants -- like the one near the Florida Power and Light plant in Riviera Beach.

Nobody's shedding any tears over iguanas losing their grip and plummeting from trees, though. The cold snap is providing the easiest disposal method yet.

Burmese pythons in the keys and elsewhere are taking up residence in neighborhood yards and garages, or sunbathing in other open areas they don't normally frequent. The pythons are usually nocturnal hunters and don't get around much during the day -- but there's some evidence that colder temperatures are driving the reptiles south, where they haven't had a significant presence so far.

Florida Fish and Wildlife released a reminder this week to licensed hunters that it's still legal to hunt the pythons and other nuisance reptiles -- the fact that the cold blooded snakes have slowed down significantly should make picking them off a lot easier.

There should be plenty of snakecicles and Python-pops in the glades this week
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Marc Duhon
Lafayette, Louisiana
SURINAMBOAS.COM
kaiyudsai@SURINAMBOAS.COM

That's crazy.

That is exactly what happens when a "python" kills and eats someone who is taking Viagra. Wait till the HSUS gets hold of this one!

Dude,you got barb wire around your house? Where do you live?

We have a small 2 acre Reptile Breeding Farm with a concrete wall around the perimeter that is 4.5' high with chain link and barb wire at the top for security reasons as we have LOTS of expensive outside herps. Hit the website link and it's self explainatory...
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

I think we need to all use this article, combined with the paper published by Dave Barker which says that these animals do not have the instincts necessary to seek out shelter from cold weather to illustrate that temperatures will restrict the movement of tropical boids out of South Florida.

Then, topping that off with the paper by Pyron et al will just add scientific evidence to empirical evidence and the legislators in other states will have NO argument whatsoever to combat those points. This will lead to the logical conclusion that these snakes existence, although unfortunate, is only a problem in South Florida and thus, does not require a federal law to address them.

After all, if "South Florida weather" kills these animals, why should states with more extreme weather have to worry?

I think this article is FANTASTIC!

Another point, if you're speaking with Republicans, you should START and END your discussion about S373/HR2811 with the statement that these bills are attempting to usurp already existing scientific and legal processes. Republicans in general, HATE additional and unnecessary legislation and will probably vote against it JUST based on that point alone.

Also, if you're an analogy person like me, my newest analogy scenario is to ask your legislators if they think making it a felony to transport house cats across state lines would impact the population of feral cats in the Everglades.

jb
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What's written above is purely my opinion. In fact, MOST of what you read on the internet is someone's opinion. Don't take it too seriously

Jonathan Brady
DeviantConstrictors.com
Deviant Constrictors picturetrail

This picture needs to be put at the forefront of every discussion with every senator or congressman from here on out. We need to take the photo and e-mail it to every senator and even Obama so that they see first hand what the wrong environment will do to these animals.

This is the first picture of any frozen snakes from South Florida that I have seen so far. My concern is that now that there is documented proof that what we said would happen has actually happened in this case, will there be more photos that make their way to public view or will any others that exist be covered up by Nelson, the HSUS and the rest of his crew.

USARK and/or PIJAC should offer small rewards for photo documented proof from South Florida that there are more snakes (especially if they are Burm's) in this condition. These photos should be documented as to where they were taken and if there were any other frozen reptiles in the same area. We shouldn't stop at just photos of any of the 9 ROC snakes. Any other reptiles that could be deemed as exotics that are found frozen like this need to be documented as well so we can stop any future bills similar to S373. These photos need to be archived in several places so we can pull them back up at any time when the situation calls for it.

I say send any of the photos of frozen reptiles to news channels and local papers so they can be published in mass so the entire public can see them with a caption like "Mother Nature is giving us the hint that S373 should not be passed, will Senator Nelson try to trump Mother Nature?"

Chris

The problem here is this , chain of evidence. That picture shows a
guy holding a frozen Boa. I'm certain he found it on the ground ,
but just as easily anybody could stage something like this.

Specific documentation needs to occur with a wildlife officer /
Game Warden or maybe police Officer present

Pictures of where the animal was found undesturbed ,
what was around etc...

. . . Lar M
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Boas By Klevitz
Boas By Klevitz

should we change "kill S373" to "freeze S373"?

Just kidding, in any event this is good news for everyone but the pythons and other reptiles. Doubtful the HSUS and Nelson will see it that way.

Great analogy JB.....
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Marc Duhon
Lafayette, Louisiana
SURINAMBOAS.COM
kaiyudsai@SURINAMBOAS.COM

Someone should send that to senator Nelson, tell him that this is exactly what we told him would happen in these conditions and then tell him to kill S373 and stick that boa in his...Ummm, Uhhhh, Errr.. hat..
(But you all know what I was thinking)!!!!

I think that this picture also needs to be e-mailed to every state senator so they can clearly see what these temps do to these animals.

Chris

I think it would be awesome if in the near future scientists start noting a "unexplained lack of feral burmese pythons in the Everglades".

Then we'll get; "The fact we cannot find them is no proof they are gone. WE MUST BAN...."

Then Gordon Rodda will publish a new paper with new findings using the recent south Florida freeze and the subsequent lack of pythons is "proof positive my original paper was spot on and Burmese pythons can and will inhabit San Francisco".

Of course.
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AMAZON REPTILE CENTER

If (and I'm not counting on it) but just IF the cold got every single boid in the Everglades it could actually hurt the cause a bit. As it was, the ban does no good because they are already there in supposedly insurmountable numbers. If they are all gone the claim can be made we got a once in a lifetime (or 30 years more likely) clean slate and now need to protect the Everglades all the more.

If that happened, it would HAVE to be a state law because other states know that they regularly receive the kind of weather that the Everglades has received recently. So they'll know that there is no long term risk of colonization from Burms. IF THEY USE THAT SPAGHETTI LOOKING THING INSIDE THEIR SKULLS. And that's a BIIIIIIG IF!

Personally, I'd like to see the article linked above used to overturn the recent legislation enacted in Delaware.
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What's written above is purely my opinion. In fact, MOST of what you read on the internet is someone's opinion. Don't take it too seriously

Jonathan Brady
DeviantConstrictors.com
Deviant Constrictors picturetrail

Tom I hope all your reptile are doing ok down there. Now if all the wild pythons don't freeze down there they should be dead from RI soon. Now what is the Senator going to use / go after to get his play money Oh I mean his grant money for the everglades. The female Protobothrops flavimaculata on your Reptile pricelist is one of the most beautiful snakes I have ever seen thank you for sending me the e-mail. I would love to own one but HOT'S are not good for me as I need to be able to hold my snakes.

Take care
Tom
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McCarthyBoas.com

Thanks for the kind words...
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com