Quote Originally Posted by Mendel's Balls View Post
Another question...that might hit a little closer to home for everyone on here...how can we possibly predict all possible economic and ecological outcomes of importing exotic snake species into the US?

I don't think many people on here realize that snakes often carry nasty parasites (ticks, protozoans) that can harm domesticated farm animals that play a huge part in many of our agricultural businesses and in many people's livelyhood (cattle ranchers, farmers, etc) Furthermore, our domesticated animals have no exposure or evolutionary history with these parasites.

Funny how it is that many people so opposed to genetically modified food and animals despite undergoing numerous safety trails from governmental regulatory bodies think that they are unsafe and messing too much with mother nature. But soon as you talk about restricting their rights to import animals they say the government is stupid and has too many laws and regulations.

See Rodents as intermediate hosts of Hepatozoon ayorgbor (Apicomplexa: Adeleina: Hepatozoidae) from the African ball python, Python regius? There are several links to other articles in there as well.

I'm not for any outright bans on the reptile trade...I think for proper risk assessment and cos- benefit analysis... sensible restrictions can be made to lessen the risks, protect other industries such as agriculture, and maintain the growth of the reptile industry.

But I do find it funny how people like to come up with all encompassing bans for things that they are not willing to give a chance too! Or willing to take the time to learn about and understand! Whether it be reptiles, snakes, genetically modified food, transgenic pets, etc! Just like distaste for all snakes is not a good reason to ban them, distaste for GMO is not a good reason to ban all of them!
I see what you're saying, but as far as outlawing the importation of ball pythons to prevent bringing in foreign germs and parasites, it's almost a non-issue as long as we keep bringing in boats with rodent, fish, mollusk, insect etc stowaways from every continent, animal and produce food products from all over the world, lumber, foreign and American vacationers from all over the world, etcetera, etcetera. Look at all the invasive species and diseases we have now, and the harm they've already caused, probably 99% from methods other than the pet trade.

And I'm not arguing with you, Mendel. I know when I'm out matched, and I know you are a lot more informed on these topics. I'm ignorant to a lot of this, but I still have opinions.