Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This shows up in the orlando nephelim. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/osceola/os-anaconda-found-in-osceola-20100113,0,2987053.story

Considering how cold it has been here for as long as it lasted I cannot imagine this snake survived it some one HAD to turn it loose just before it was found. Having worked with green anacondas in the past I know how cold tolerant they can be but this last week was total helheim here in Fl. I just don't see an anaconda (or any large non-native reptile.) surviving that. I posted a few choice blogs at the end of the story accusing the wacktavists of setting it free. I am convinced it was either them or the reporters at the slantinel trying to save their dying jobs. Sorry for the bad news but I figured I'd pass it on an prepare everbody.

The third picture that they posted of the snake entitled "Snake Stretch" shows the officers addressing the large lump in the belly of the Anaconda. It appears to have recently eaten a sizable meal. I have primarilly stayed away from owning this species other than the time I housed a small hybrid for a friend for a few months. Most boas that I have ever kept over the years would voluntarily regurgitate their meals when exposed to extreme temps (high or low) and I'm not sure that I can see any way that this animal could have been on it's own in the cold for the past two weeks and still had the energy to catch and kill something the size of the lump in it's stomach unless it just got totally lucky. This animal seems to have been staged where it could be found. The other thing that bothers me about this article is that it states the the officer just happened to look in the drainage pipe. What was the officer doing that he just happened to look in a drain pipe to find that animal there. Sounds like they were looking for it on purpose.

"Englert said the snake was discovered in a drain pipe leading to a pond, which is probably where it eluded discovery — until the recent cold weather made him sluggish"

I could see a 12 footer being able to eat a regular wild duck or two. We raised the white version growing up. Most of these were never more than 5 pound full grown. We also raised Geese. We had African Gray geese that we at 20 puonds. We have plenty of wild Canadian Geese around here that run up to the 15 pound range. I'm not sure that I can see how their "Prize Goose" which was probably several years old and of considerable size at this point could have been eaten by a little 12 foot anaconda unless it was some sort of dwarf goose. Would there be any way that we can get ahold of this place and see in the next several weeks if they are still loosing ducks from the same pond. If they are then I would have to rule out that the anaconda had been there naturally for any length of time.

Here is my biggest concern. We have absolutely now way of knowin that there isn't someone working with the HSUS, Senator Nelson or any other animal rights group out there that hasn't pick up a permit to have such an animal, picked up the animal at some show and then purposefully released it for the good of their own interest.

I say that Florida needs to make it mandatory that microchip implants be placed in all of these potentially large boid species so that ownership can be tracked to some extent. I hate to beat on you fellow herpers in Florida but have you not been frequenting the local pet stores and reptile shows and beating it into everyones freeking heads that these actions are just not acceptable and will not be tolerated by anybody! I have a show in Indy this weekend and I have a 4 year old, 12 foot male Granite Burm that I've been trying to get rid of for some time. You can bet darn well that I won't be selling it to anybody that I don't feel has the capacity to care for an animal of this size. I thinl that that needs to be the attitude of each and every one of us in this hobby/business/industry if we want to continue to keep our rights to keep any if these animals.

Chris

I've been posting on the blog thing below the story back and forth with some guy about this all morning. He keeps calling me a conspiracy nut. It would be nice if some of you guys would post on there and give me a bit of support on there. I think if enough of us hit these stories in the slantinel (they love running them....they definitely have an anti reptile agenda.) maybe they will get annoyed and stop running them,
The funny thing about the ducks and Geese is the majority of ducks down here in the urban areas are muscovy ducks which are a bit big for me to buy that a snake that size would eat them, ditto what you said about the goose. The other thing the cold weather in this area from the last week and a half aside (mid to upper 20's f. at night 40's and low 50's f during the day with a few days not even that warm.) it has been typically cool here for the last few months as it is this time of year. I strongly doubt that anaconda was eating anything these last few months even though I have known them to feed at lower temps than other snakes it's still been a bit cooler than what they would feed at. My first suspicion on that based on first hand experience with ducks and geese would be a raccoon with a fox or coyote as follow up suspects. Considering the severity of the cold here however (for Florida anyway...I did live in Upstate N.Y. before this so I realize the perspective thing to the rest of the country.) I just don't buy that not being a deliberate release.

I'm the other conspiracy nut (eddie_indigo) who's made comments. Thanks for posting this, although it is quite aggravating and frustrating to have to deal with such ignorance and stupidity.

for giving me a hand in posting on there along with me. I usually hit any of those stories in the slantinel and the other local newsites when I spot them to try and answer some of that biased reporting against us with a bit of reason. Sometimes I feel a bit like Don Quixote chasing windmills out there.

the fl. roc law does require micro chips I am not a fan of them myself for my personal property (due to personal religious reasons.) but since I am currently not keeping any roc's it is not an issue with my animals. That aside I think the roc law has done a lot to keep down the number of thoughtless purchases of the large reptiles (burms and niles in particular.) I saw very few roc's at wayne's show last year. they were still available if you wanted them and had the permit but it shure keeps down on the bone heads getting them. The one problem I see is they have amnesty days for people who want to turn in their roc's but their is no amnesty that I am aware of for people who want to keep their roc's that are not in compliance but may want to come into compliance. considering that by FFWC's own estimates 90% of all roc owners are not in compliance you think they might want something like that.

The covert intrusion into Global Exotic's affairs in Arlington, TX is absolute proof of the Animal Rights peoples' means, methods, and motives.
Just like their Environmental Terrorist allies, the end justifies the means. Law, ethics, and moral convention mean nothing unless spun and used to their benefit.
It's that egotistical - "I know what's best..." mentality.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

To be truthful, Global was an accident waiting to happen. Had they gotten their act together, this wouldn't be as bad.

The surreptitious and clandestine infiltration of the company was no accident. It was a premeditated intentional intrusion and disruption of commerce by those with a philosophy, mentality, and agenda in complete opposition.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Yeah.....what John said....lol