Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I guess it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I lost my day planner with my driver's license, and other things. I had to replace the driver's license, and since it was right next to the Animal Control, I stopped by to see what they had.
I had thought I put my name on a list for someone to call if they got reptiles in, but was informed once there they "don't do that". They did have some reptiles in though.
They had a 6' Burmese python, a Red-tailed Boa, some Geckos, and some Corn snakes. The Burmese hissed at us, and since she was a large girl, I knew I couldn't handle her. The ONLY snake experience I have is with nice docile Balls!
The Red-tailed was kind of large as well. They said somone had their name on its card, so I figured that one would go to a good home.
I had to go get some mice for my snakes, so at Petland, I told the snake guy about the Burmese. He couldn't take the girl, so he called someone and left a message on their machine about the snakes.
I couldn't stand not doing anything else, so I had planned on bring their plight up at the Herpetological meeting on Tuesday. I then got the bright idea to call Josh, a local guy with snake experience. I had gotten my Iguana from him, seen his collection and new he would either know someone or would take them himself.
Sure enough, he went and saw the snakes, handled them some, and will be taking them home (along with the Geckos, the Corn snakes were little and turned loose) tomorrow! WOHOO!! I am SO HAPPY! It ALMOST makes up for the loss of my driver's license, other license and some credit cards along with my ATM card (they did try to use the ATM card, but didn't have my PIN number!)
Okay, okay, knowing they will get a good home DOES make up for the loss! I will be calling my county's Animal Control along with a neighboring county. Now I feel I have some kind of network set up, I feel MUCH more comfortable doing some thing like this.
Thanks for all the stories and the encouragement to go out and actually DO something, not just sit on the sidelines!

>> (along with the Geckos, the Corn snakes were little and turned loose)

An ANIMAL SHELTER released captive herps into the wild? What on earth were they thinking? That isn't ok! It's good that the big snakes got a good home, but you need to talk to them about letting small ones go. Would they let cats go?
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Peter: It's OK, I'll handle it. I read a book about something like this.
Brian: Are you sure it was a book? Are you sure it wasn't NOTHING?

Is your objection a concern for the well-being of the released animal? Or the upsetting of the natural populations with captive bred animals? Or something else that I'm missing? I just want to understand where your concern lies.

I released a captive anole once when I moved to Florida. He was rescued from my high school biology class. I had him for 5 years in Oregon, then let him loose when I had the chance. Obviously I would not release a non-native species, but is there more to it than that? What am I not seeing? Did I do something I shouldn't have?

Thanks!
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Torey
D'oh! 0.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Arthur)
0.1 Anolis Carolinensis (Leeloo)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

I don't know about anoles, but alot of captive snakes run the risk of not possessing the ability to survive in the wild. Especially if they are used to F/T feeding. For example, my corn was scared of a live pinkie and refused to eat it. I'm sure (or rather, I hope) that those corns were properly assessed by a vet with lots of herp background and dubbed okay to release. Chances are, though, that they will become easy pickin's for other predators. Too bad...corns are fab pets!
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~redmom~
My Email
Herps:
1.0 Normal corn snake "Ed"

Others:
1.0 Blue Betta fish "'Beta' test"
0.1 White/Lemon/beige splotched and spotted hound mix "Angel"

Human pets:
2.0 Children "Matthew" 7 yrs, "Duncan" > 1 yr
1.0 Hubby "Roger"

"Life will find a way." Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) Jurrasic Park

Thanks for the clarification. I don't think an anole would have a problem. I never handled him and he stalked and caught his own live prey - I just dropped it in the tank.

I met my first corn snake a couple weeks ago - they're so sweet!!
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Torey
D'oh! 0.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Arthur)
0.1 Anolis Carolinensis (Leeloo)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

I believe she meant that the guy that got the snakes from animal control released the corn snakes into the wild...NOT animal control...

Besides that, I released my wild caught kingsnakes young into the wild where there was a large population of them, and I went back all the time to see more and more kings getting larger and larger.
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Coastal Carpet Python 0.1 (Lillith)
Albino Burm 0.1 (Kimba)
Columbian RedTail 0.1 (Squishy)
Kenyan Sand Boa 1.0 (Shai'hulud)
Common Snapping Turtle 1.1 (Sherman and Abrahms)
RES 1.0 (speedy)

Hey lady! I'd like to speak w/you privately. Could you email me at your earliest convinence? Thanks! Use the link in my signature below.

Thanks again!
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~redmom~
My Email
Herps:
1.0 Normal corn snake "Ed"

Others:
1.0 Blue Betta fish "'Beta' test"
0.1 White/Lemon/beige splotched and spotted hound mix "Angel"

Human pets:
2.0 Children "Matthew" 7 yrs, "Duncan" > 1 yr
1.0 Hubby "Roger"

"Life will find a way." Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) Jurrasic Park

It is considered bad form to release any animal born into captivity, purchased from a show or pet store, or with an unknown history. In many states, it is illegal to release a "pet" of any kind.

Captive reptiles from unknown sources, from a pet store, or from a show where they may have passed through the hands of a wholesaler, may have been exposed to other animals and their pathogons that native populations cannot handle. By releasing a captive of questionable origins, you put native populations at risk.

Here in MD, a "pet" native reptile cannot be released "to the wild", unless permission is obtained from the Department of Natural Resources. Occasionally it is given for things such as snapping turtles kept as pets. However, certain conditions must be met, such as the animal not having come into contact with other reptiles.

Then, you also have an issue with genes of a particular population. Take eastern box turtles, for example. They may occur from MA to Florida, but obviously a population from the swamps of SC will have a different set of genes and a different survival set than a population from the woodlands of MA. By releasing animals not specific to a native population, you risk changing the unique genetic make-up of that population.

It's a big debate, and everyone has their own opinions on this.

Katrina
Maryland