Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Couldn't agree more about what is being said! Why is it that people have to have back ground checks and training to buy a gun, but anyone can go online, type in a few #'s and get a venomous...potentially lethal object mailed to there door step. No permits, no education, no experience necessary. We need to watch who we sell too to protect ourselves! We as herp keepers in general need to step in and take matters into our own hands. Common sense, isn't so common.....respectfully, not everyone can handle owning hot herps.

Chris
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0.0.2 Gila Monsters
1.2 KSB
1.0 Leopard Gecko -Dudly
1.0 Pacman Frog- Frigity
1.1 Rats -Killer(albino)- Twitch (babies are dinner)hehe

Maybe I stopped reading before I got to the part about how you can get a venomous herp shipped to your door...

Thats been illegal for quite some time here in the US (and it is a federal law).

And while I understand your concern for our hobby (I'm concerned too) I think you do it no service by reinforcing people's fears about how dangerous it is. For two dollars I can buy a gallon of gasoline and kill myself and a hundred other people. This has been done intentionally on several occasions, and people blow themselves up by accident all the time (welding gas tanks, cleaning BBQ grills...). The only reason hot herps are considered a public threat and gasoline is not is because few people have phobias about gasoline... It has very little to do with real danger (though obviously there is some),

>>Couldn't agree more about what is being said! Why is it that people have to have back ground checks and training to buy a gun, but anyone can go online, type in a few #'s and get a venomous...potentially lethal object mailed to there door step. No permits, no education, no experience necessary. We need to watch who we sell too to protect ourselves! We as herp keepers in general need to step in and take matters into our own hands. Common sense, isn't so common.....respectfully, not everyone can handle owning hot herps.

you make it seem like guns and hot herps are used for the same thing. I agree people need to get a good idea of who they are selling to because they are dealing with potentially dangerous animals...but a gun is a weapon and everyone knows how easily it can be a danger. Not so much a danger in the hands of someone less experienced...a danger in the hands of poor intent. For the most part hot snakes are shipped very cautiously (airport to airport in extremely secure and well labeled craits). I even remember being at a show and admiring some very nice tree vipers. I was looking for a while and I looked a tad younger than I was so the guy (will not mention who) asked someone older and well respected if they knew me and my experience. I did not buy any snakes that day eventhough he did speak for me...but I very much respect someone who will not sell to someone without a second opinion. This goes on more than you think and it really is the few who ruin it for everyone. I have a baby african rock I got as a bonus in a purchase. He is extremely calm and has yet to strike me. I have really no use for him but I have decided there is about a 98% chance I will keep him his entire life because my chances of finding someone who will want him and also has the means and experience to take care of him is pretty slim. So he will remain in my care where I know he will be in a secure and locked enclosure in a separate room the rest of his life instead of bouncing around through 10 different people and end up with a 16 year old who wanted one after that Jeff Corwin episode where the rock kept lunging at him.

I didn't mean to start anything....I am just saying there is a problem with the government completely banning our herps. You are completely right...everything is dangerous. Thats exactly why people should be educated before buying such things. Which currently isn't the case. You dont need to have any herp experience to buy a copperhead for $40.00. Which could kill you...even-though very unlikely. Not trying to start anything...but we need to use common sense....a cobra isn't a beginners pet. But who stops a beginner from buying one because it's "cool"?

Chris
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0.0.2 Gila Monsters
1.2 KSB
1.0 Leopard Gecko -Dudly
1.0 Pacman Frog- Frigity
1.1 Rats -Killer(albino)- Twitch (babies are dinner)hehe

The law will stop them from buying it. But like my other post said, it is the few that ruin it for everyone. Most people who sell hots are responsible. Most people do not sell cobras and especially not to minors. I honestly do not think the 40$ copperheads are a huge problem in the US. In fact, out of all the bites I have seen in the news...a copperhead was never listed. You can get plenty of scorpions at pet stores much cheaper than 40$ and just as dangerous of a toxin. You know (at least in my state) they card people when buying white-out or markers. There is a proposed law in my state which will require all people to feed vet approved food to their pets and a required anual vet visit which you must keep proof of. Reptiles are included in this. I have plenty of vet visit proof for quite a few of my animals and all my animals are very healthy. But I do not think I could possibly pay for a visit for each animal on top of the visits I need to pay for with the animals who actually need to see a vet. I think the laws are going too far and I just wish there was a better plan. I would vote for raising the age for certain species and I would vote for specific caging requirements for specific species, but the laws are not going that route so I cannot say I am a big supporter.