Reptile & Amphibian Forums

On the news here in B.C. tonight, a story ran with a Mission B.C. breeder, Henry Piorun and an expert snake handler who works in the film industry, Brad McDonald calling into question the actions taken by Springate at Rainforest Refuge. The story refered to Springates actions as a "stunt". He (Springate) appeared on the broadcast, this time sheepish, and less confident in the face of real facts. Finally some good press of us here in Canada!

I wish to congratulate and thank Henry Piorun and Brad McDonald for their efforts in this matter. I would also like to express appreciation to CTV news for airing our side of the story and calling a spade a spade.

My appologies, that is spelled Brad MacDonald.

Dear Giant python People;

I have not yet got a copy of the event above that kevyn speaks of, but if you want a quick video clip of the original news item, go to http://www.ctv.ca/canada and then slide down the right hand side of the page where the “Web Extras” are listed. Pick up ‘Reptilian Remedy”.

Cheers
Wes
Reptilian Remedy

OMG....that guy is a complete IDIOT. they should destroy HIM, not the eggs.

which make our jobs (that's "our" as in REAL educators) much harder. When they intentionally prey upon the fear of others knowingly, that's just sick. There are enough innate fears to go around but due to movies making animals like snakes, bats, sharks, etc. appear to be killing machines, it just seems like a neverending cycle of keeping that fear alive. But when you have someone that knows this and does it just to get publicity? Arg!

I love the part about Curvy "at least having an adult companion of her own kind around"...um..ok, well if they are not to be bred, separate them you dope! >

Hugs,

Amanda Rose - filling in her 2 cents

Ya, i found it funny how he said, they eat small children in africa,(ok...1 10 yr old get eaten, he acted like when they wake up every day they eat a kid)...and that they chase them up trees!!!

goodness. LOL!!!!! This guy looked like a 2yr old telling a "fib" about a whopper of a fish he caught. haha!

Hugs!

Amanda Rose

Chase kids up tree's, eat them, but at the same time the reporter said that they are almost extinct. How does that happen? Unfortunately those are the types of folks that get the attention and are heard. We need to be more assertive and show what these animals REALLY are. Not the child eating vicious demons of the wilderness but amazing beautiful animals.

I have more choice words for those "Reptile Refuge" workers but I'll take the high road this time.

DaveM

i have a question....so if they destroy these eggs everytime...while the hell are they letting her breed & carryout a pregnancy if they know in advance they are going to destroy the entire clutch?? that seems cruel to put her body through the task of pregnancy & then taking it away every year.....that dude who talked about them eating kids seems like the biggest fairy...it's not like rock pythons food of choice is kids....kid in the wrong place at the wrong time still sad but it happens...if I lived where they run wild my kid would sure as hell be taught to look out for em .....that guy really got me angry..lol crying like a lilttle school girl with a skinned knee..lol

the rainforest reptile refuge is an animal shelter, that means irresponsible people are buying reptiles and abusing them, neglecting them and abandoning them. we are saving them and giving them as natural of a life as possible. you ask why they arent separated, well the retards at CTV knew but they chose not to air why the snakes are housed together. the refuge has recently come under new management, the new management was left with these two snakes already housed together (who had already been together for 10 years). also the new management was left with no space on the property to build a new enclosure, even if there was space there is no money to build it (as we are non-profit and are run on admissions and donations), even if we had space and money we have no man-power or expertise to build a new enclosure, this is why they arent separated and this is what we told CTV. we are a reptile shelter, we get our animals because people who buy, sell and breed reptiles sell their pets to neglegant owners who know nothing about reptile care, they are just out to make a buck at the expense of a reptile life. these pythons have and can kill people, people need to know this because people are buying them as pets, they should be left in the wild (maybe we should stop telling people cigarettes cause cancer as well)

" these pythons have and can kill people, people need to know this because people are buying them as pets, they should be left in the wild (maybe we should stop telling people cigarettes cause cancer as well)"

It is true that they can and have. But really, how many people in north america are killed by a constrictor in a year?not too many... The report and the actions taken by the rescue seems more like anti-boid propaganda than anything else. It is understandable that they cant afford another large inclosure, but its not that expencive to build a temp enclosure to store the smaller of the male or female durring season... its irresponsible keeping plain and simple..

Im not going to go on about this because its not going to change anything as the rescue seems to think they are doing the right thing... but on a final note keeping large boids is nothing like smokeing.. the fact that you would even say that is sad...

good day...
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-echo-

I wasn't aware that African Rock Pythons are supposedly nearly extinct so they're going to destroy over 40 viable eggs? Then these idiots have an adult male "companion" in with her? Gee, I wonder where the eggs came from? Guess we gotta just keep destroying them, eh? Freeking Duh!

Hey smart guy....Dogs are domesticated...and they kill more people each year than large Boids do. They probably kill more people than Venomous reptiles....should we not be allowed to keep them either? They seem much more dangerous then Boads...

Shawn

"As far as these snakes killing people, yes they can. But 9 times out of 10 its the persons fault, not the snakes. Snakes run on instincts, and we know what these instincts are. If you go pet you bunny rabbits, and then stick your hand in your python enclosure, guess what, YOURE GOING TO GET BITTEN!!! This is not rocket science. " Ya a kid makes a wrong move shes dead, you just proved our point

"As far as not having the funds, or expertise to build an enclosure? How stupid are you. It doesnt really take much expertise to build a box. The enclosure doesnt have to be fancy, it doesnt have to be huge, it just has to work. And if you arent smart enough to build an enclosure, how are you qualified to go spouting your mouth on TV? You can build a decent cage for 100 bucks." We dont just build a box... i am sorry but DECENT is not good enough... we like when the snake can actually stretch out and no have to be coiled in a cheap cage.... and when peopel talk about... putting the snake through the stress of pregnacy just to distroy the eggs ONCE a year.... breeders do the same thing, multiple times a year,, except they sell the priceless animals to some stupid kid to be mistreated, for a profit

Jordan

are these the same "priceless animals" the you destroyed?
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-echo-

>>"are these the same "priceless animals" the you destroyed?
>>-----
>>-echo-"

My sentiments exactly. If as they said these African Rock pythons were so endangered shouldn't they be trying their hardest to reproduce them? Another thing I had to wonder about it just how many little kids are being chased up trees by nearly extinct species of snakes. LOL
I too am angered by the comparison between owning a snake and smoking. People die by the hundreds of thousands from smoking related problems. Even knowing that they still light up. Obviously it isn't going to stop, that is why there is honest education about it. The same should be said for ownership of ANY animal. Humans are always going to take animals in if for no other reason than to enjoy them. Education about said animals is the only thing that is going to help. Not propaganda and scare tactics.
-Cheyanne

The way I see it, they didn't destroy them-they aborted them. Even worse. The snakes didn't even get a chance.