Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I dunno, sometimes when I look at the classified ads that feature animals caught on spec, I get a little . . . sad, disappointed, angry (?). Since moving to FLA, I've had the opportunity to see a lot more reptiles in situ versus what I came across all those years on the streets of NYC. I kinda like 'em in the wild.

I recently posted this pic of my thumb getting bit by a wild eastern glass lizard under my shed. I always wanted a glass lizard as a pet, and I've come across this guy a few times. Once he was ENTIRELY out, and I did pick him up with his perfect tail and all--he stayed that way--and I thought: he's better off under the shed than inside in a cage. when I was younger, I would've thought the cage was better (for me, at least).

I never could keep anything I caught, even if it was just a fence lizard or garter snake, for more than a few days. I would always end up feeling guilty about stressing them out and taking the opportunity of a real life away from the little guys... And I'm still young! I feel ya though!

I like reptiles living in my backyard that i can see year after year. it is almost like keeping them in a cage . If i was in a better location i would introduce lizards from surrounding areas to inhabit by property.

i am sure others have done this and will chime in.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

I have a family of black racers that have lived in the back yard for years.It's neat in the spring when the little ones start showing up. I caged a big one(Malcolm X,he was big,black and hated white people!)A real pain caged but once back outside I see him all the time.

yeah it's great. Especially when those animals get used to you.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

I must admit in my youngster days i would have caged up as many as my mom would let me have. But now that im older i only take in injured or animals about to lay or give birth to insure that the eggs and babies have a good start before returning to the wild. The injured ones i take to the nearest college/vet to get medical treatment where they release at where the animal was found. I guess i see them as wild and free and think they should stay that way. But i have no problem with other taking snakes out as long as they are taken care of. but its just not for me anymore to take them out of the wild anymore.

Really gets me when I see w/c snakes for sale. It is against the law to sell w/c in MD and should be everywhere. Been through the dabate before and not going to do it again. Just my opinion.

i do agree with ya about the wild caught snakes for sale. It shouldnt be that way. I guess i should have said i have no problem of someone taking a few wild caughts to diversify there genepool in breeding. but id still rather not see wc snakes taken anymore also.

That's what I meant about being taken on spec: speculation somebody might possibly want to buy it.

If legal to collect and someone needs something for a project (and especially if someone comes across something like a mutation), I understand and don't so much mind. But to have seen water snakes in the wild and hearing tales of scarlet kings in Bradenton, and then to see them in captivity on the hopes someone wants it, I don't know, it kinda got to me, that's all. I'm not out for a debate, just airing some thoughts. I love snakes and snake keeping.

n/p

I don't know. It bothers me with species that are regularly CB--why the hell does anyone still sell WC corns or california kings or balls or burms? But there are some damn neat species out there that aren't available CB yet. North America has dozens of reptile species that are cool captives but aren't CB regularly. Most of our skinks (I love great plains skinks), long nose snakes, whiptails, coachwhips, shovel nosed snakes, any fence lizards... I don't keep them because most of what I've just listed is in the wild near me. But not everyone is that lucky. Back when I lived in the Rockies I'd have jumped at the chance to keep a Great Plains Skink or a Texas long nosed snake.

Why doesn't firefox's spell check recognize skink? Or for that matter firefox?

I caught tons of those skinks while I was in KS and the farmer wanted me to relocate them. I took them down the road and released them into some rock formations. They were huge (11-13 inches long) and bite very hard!!

At my first apartment in college, near Amarillo, the shed where the owner housed his (or her, don't know) maintence stuff--lawnmower, ice melt, all that--had a group of them living under it. Always made my day seeing one or two of them.