Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I mentioned before I was a bartender for several years. I was also a paramedic in a jail for 3 years. And I worked at zoos and reptile parks for 8 years. I think I can safely say I've seen the ugliness of humanity. But they're not all bad.
I travel around the country doing educational reptile shows.
I meet a lot of people. ME to CA. FL to MT. I have even done shows in Canada.
A lot of people want to talk about their pets and a lot of people
have given me their pets. Some they have outgrown, some have outgrown them.
I'm not a rescue. But I do feel an obligation to the animals that have given me so much pleasure the last 45 years.
Some years ago a fair in Rocksprings Wy an older woman came up to me and asked if I would take her snakes. They were her husbands and he had been dead for 3 years and she did'nt like the snakes. She had a local kid feeding and cleaning for her.
I took the snakes. 2.2 adult Balls, and 2.2 adult Columbians.
She said they were all around 15 years old.
In CO few years ago a guy maybe 30 years old brought me his female Columbian. He had her 14 years. Now he was married his wife was expecting and she did'nt like the snake. He traveled for his job and he did'nt want to depend on his wife to care for the snake.
Another year in CO an albino corn and another female Columbian.
Both 12 years old. The kids had been to college for 3 years and the snakes were with the parents. They took good care of the snakes but did'nt want them.
All 3 of these families continued to take good care of the snakes.
So many times when someone finally gives up an animal the care and husbandry has been suffering for a while.
In my mind the first time you start to wonder, do I still want this animal?
That's when you need to find it a new home.
Anyway a lot of people out there do the right thing. D.C.

Danny, I think this is the sort of thing that really characterizes our hobby at it's core. Many dealers are screening potential owners not because there is some government bureaucrat looking over their shoulder but because they want to do the right thing. A lot of people participate in educational or rescue programs, others will just keep their snakes quietly as a loved member of their family. I'm really tired of just bashing ourselves on this board, if I wanted that I could just turn on any of the latest shock documentaries currently on TV. It is more than appropriate to take some credit for doing good things for the reptile community, in fact it is the type of leadership that will turn the tide with the current debate regarding state and federal bans.

I agree.
All these people could have done something else with these animals.
Even though situations had changed, interest had waned they were still vested enough to want the animal to go to a good home. D.C.

I take herps in a lot that I don't want and give them to folks who do. At present I have several Green Iguanas I really don't want but just keep here because the past owner heard about the guy with all the big lizards. Many of these folks were not herpers but just someone who bought an iguana on a whim..thanks
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com