SNAKE ATTACK in our classrooms!!!!!

For those of you that don't know me, I am an elementary school teacher in Louisiana. I frequently receive weekly issues of "Time For Kids" magazine. Just last month, I received this issue titled "Snake Attack!". Being that: 1) I am a lover of snakes, and 2) I am a teacher that filters what I let 4th graders read (regardless of what "they" say is appropriate or not) red flags quickly went up when I saw this issue.

I don't know all the facts about the pythons being found in the Everglades of Florida, but the following are the "facts" that the magazine presents:

-There are as many as 150,000 pythons in Florida's Everglades National Park.

-The snakes are "Challenging the top of the food chain out here" says Bergeron. "It's not natural".

-Burmese pythons are popular pets, but they can be difficults pets. They grow fast, and eat alot. Many python owners cannot care for their big pets, and dump them into the wild.

-The Everglades are a perfect habitat for pythons.

-Pythons are the biggest hunters in the Everglades. They eat mamals, birds, and other reptiles.

- As of Aug 09, 21 Pythons have been caught.

Now, I'm not one to rock the boat or anything but... Some of these "facts" seem a little far fetched to me. Whats your opinion about this? Looks like the media/government it trying to get something across.

If I am wrong, I stand corrected.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...1/dsc03038.jpg

Notice the red blood on the tree!

Quote:

---

-There are as many as 150,000 pythons in Florida's Everglades National Park.

---

Extremely unlikely. Experts (not some USGS scientist who thinks they're an expert) estimate 5,000 to 10,000 pythons - this number was likely affected by the recent cold snap in Florida.

Quote:

---

-The snakes are "Challenging the top of the food chain out here" says Bergeron. "It's not natural".

---

The top of the food chain in the Everglades consists of American alligators, American crocodiles, and Texas cougar/Florida panther hybrids. The bigger burms may eat some of the same food items, but it is unlikely any of the other species are being out-competed like that suggests. Alligators definitely feed on burms, and the fact that alligators are much heavier at the same lengths, and much more at home in an aquatic environment where a struggle would take place, it is without a doubt in my mind that should a Burmese python and an American alligator of the same size engage in a struggle, the alligator will win. However, when a burm goes after an alligator a fair bit smaller than it, the alligator does in fact end up as food for the burm (I believe 12 have been found with alligators in their stomachs, but I am not certain on that number).

Quote:

---

-Burmese pythons are popular pets, but they can be difficults pets. They grow fast, and eat alot. Many python owners cannot care for their big pets, and dump them into the wild.

---

It is illegal to release exotics into the Everglades. Nobody has ever been caught releasing a Burmese python into the Everglades. Does this mean it has never happened, no. It is not as commonplace as the article states, especially now after all of the legislation, and considering the fact the FWCC has amnesty days for people to turn over these animals without being penalized. Also, the statement that many python owners can't care for their animals is complete crap.

Quote:

---

-The Everglades are a perfect habitat for pythons.

---

The cold snap would indicate otherwise, but for the most part, it is good habitat for them.

Quote:

---

-Pythons are the biggest hunters in the Everglades. They eat mamals, birds, and other reptiles.

---

Someone forgot about American alligators and crocodiles, which are MUCH heavier than Burmese pythons. These both are definitely bigger hunters than any of the ENP Burms.

Quote:

---

- As of Aug 09, 21 Pythons have been caught.

---

I believe that number should be higher. I think somewhere around 200-300 to date have been captured.

You were right. Most of their "facts" are complete crap. Nice catch on that, and thank you for not submitting your 4th graders to that ignorant garbage.

Can you say propaganda? That is total garbage!

Throw it away and cancel your subscription. Then write them and tell them why.

BTW, the recent freeze in the Everglades has caused a huge death toll to all of the cold blooded residents, but the "media" is padding the #'s for the "killer" pythons.

The Burms are obviously planning take over the world, causing the global climactic shift and single speciously melting the ice caps. Not to mention, I'm sure pythons were the cause of the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile.

Seriously who believes this nonsense? :weirdface

I must say I am impressed... I have never held a burm before but I did not know they were so strong they could squeeze the blood out of a tree...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by marwari31

i must say i am impressed... I have never held a burm before but i did not know they were so strong they could squeeze the blood out of a tree...

---

haha!

Ugh... I can't believe that. Not even people who write articles for TIME magazine can get their facts straight.

I don't think I'll ever be friends with someone who works in the media.

So now are you all ready for the icing on the cake? The article begins as: "Ron Bergeron, Shawn Heflick and Greg Grazizni are on the lookout for pythons." Do you think Greg Granzizni really knew what he was getting himself into when he agreed to be in this article?

Also, there is a "Think!" section that says: "Sales of pythons reached $10 million in Florida last year. Should people buy the snakes? Why or why not?....

Can you guess how much I hate the media???????

He may have said a few words or more, but just like what happened with Jack Hannah, it's all about how the media presents it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Elise.m

He may have said a few words or more, but just like what happened with Jack Hannah, it's all about how the media presents it.

---

I totally agree.

I'd be surprised if Greg knows he was mentioned in the article. All one has to do is a simple google search to find out him and Shawn have been on the python hunts in the Everglades. I've spoken with both personally on the issue. Both are great guys, and are completely against all of the legislation that has been proposed on this animals.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Russ Lawson

I'd be surprised if Greg knows he was mentioned in the article. All one has to do is a simple google search to find out him and Shawn have been on the python hunts in the Everglades. I've met and spoken with both personally on the issue. Both are great guys, and are completely against all of the legislation that has been proposed on this animals.

---

I'm sure your correct by that. I have heard nothing but great things about him. They (Time mag) even put a pic of him and the others mentioned holding a 10 footer.

I know the picture you are speaking of, and that is also available through a few of the articles online about the python hunts. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Russ Lawson

I know the picture you are speaking of, and that is also available through a few of the articles online about the python hunts. :)

---

Wow. I wonder what are the laws against using a picture like that in multiple articles. Do you think he had to sign a waver or something like that? You have to agree that it does make you angry!?!

Personally, if it were me, I would bring the facts to light and use the magazine as a teaching tool to show kids that they can't absent mindedly believe everything they read. ;)

wow...that is quite interesting. You can always do what I did and counter that and all the other crap out there. I had a huge reptile show for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade. Over 40 reptiles and they learned about them and got to pet them all. Now 400 kids are saying...mommy....I wanna.....

lol

I have heard a lot of kids saying I want a burmese or I want a tegu. Im like....lol....lets start a little smaller first ok.:rolleyes:

God I hope teachers here filter that mag out the same my kids are likely to unload on some poor unsuspecting teacher for distribution of crap.

If everglades are the perfect habitat for them why arent they native to that area, and why did so many freeze to death a few months ago.

The media and government are doing what they do best blowing things out of proportion. I actually got an email back from tom udall when I sent the usark letters out, and they are so misinformed its ridiculous and they eat all the crap they are being fed like it is prime rib.

Sorry if I began to rant but man is it irritating. How does the saying go.... You cant fix stupid.

Its makes all of us angry, especially when good people are dragged into bad press and their words and actions are contorted to sound negative.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jjmitchell

If everglades are the perfect habitat for them why arent they native to that area, and why did so many freeze to death a few months ago.

---

The same reason there aren't any pythons native to the new world... There is a reason, however, that a population of one of the Caribbean boas of the genus Epicrates hasn't naturally made its way up to Florida, and that appears to be due to currents which would deflect any which may have otherwise made it up to Florida. It may be a possibility that this could eventually change, and a population might naturally reach south Florida, though I find it quite unlikely it would happen in our lifetimes.

I think there are too many variables for any one place to be a "perfect" habitat for any species, but the fact that Burmese pythons are established and breeding in the ENP shows that it is at least a decent habitat for them. However, they are isolated there because the rest of Florida is most likely inhabitable for them. The cold snap set record lows. It is not typical of South Florida weather, so it can't really be taken into consideration to say whether the habitat there is suitable. I see it as a disturbance, sort of like a hurricane... unless they start getting cold snaps every year in South Florida due to global climate change, which is a possibility.

While I've never visited Florida, I'm assuming it's something (about 20 degrees hotter) than the Carolinas. I'm not attempting to flame the person who start this thread. (By the way, thank you for actually checking the validity of the article before presenting it to today's youth. I've had college professors present information to me that they did not bother to even research for basic validity and presented it as scientific fact when it was only educated opinions. Can you say that was irresponsible?) Enough of my problems LOL!

While I lived in NC from 2002 to 2005 there were 4 major hurricanes. So I decided I pull this up. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_At..._season#Storms
Which says in Florida there was 3 hurricanes and out of those 2 where "major hurricanes." Hmmm? Makes me wonder if other types of pets have ever gone missing during natural disasters? How many where mating due to not being spade or neutered? I did a quick google search for "Florida how many dogs bread in the wild after going missing during 2009" Guess what I got back? Florida invaded by pythons!!! So good luck finding that kind of information to compare to the "python problem." Personally I'm more concerned with all the venomous snakes that naturally exist in the USA. Heck even here in MN we have 2 types of Venomous snakes right where I live. (+2 points to who know the answer to this LOL!)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DLoc

I'm not attempting to flame the person who start this thread.

---

Elaborate please. I'm not sure what you meant by that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by marwari31

I must say I am impressed... I have never held a burm before but I did not know they were so strong they could squeeze the blood out of a tree...

---

Now, I don't normally laugh at things on the internet to often (such as videos that are supposed to make you laugh really hard), but this really did make me laugh.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jjmitchell

If everglades are the perfect habitat for them why arent they native to that area, and why did so many freeze to death a few months ago.

---

Though I agree, please understand that many of the native wildlife in the everglades took a big toll as well. Like the endangered manatees in particular.

The Burmese python is the new Chuck Norris.

I think that most of those facts may be true, except the pet owners releasing them.... bad pat owners aren't isolated to Florida, if it was pet owners then we would find these guys all over the place... it is the perfect habitat, and they are on top of the food chain, there probably are thousands...... so what. to my knowledge there hasn't been one reporting of one of these guys ever attacking a human in the everglades. even if they aren't "native" the environment is well suited for them and they have adapted to that, i dont see the major issue here, yeah a few may creep out to urban areas, so take preventative measures. im not sure how many are there but ive heard as many as 10 per acre of land, and still wildlife flourishes in the everglades and these snakes are simply an example of that

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

Though I agree, please understand that many of the native wildlife in the everglades took a big toll as well. Like the endangered manatees in particular.

---

I understand there were several native species die during the cold spell, I was trying to explain that florida seems to have a severe(for that area) cold spell every few years (during el nino which can occur every 2-7 years) happened last time. El nino In florida tends to cause more dramatic cold snaps. In Southeast asia there are no weather patterns that show temps dropping below 80 hardly ever and not for extended periods of time. I actually did some looking at the weather history for both regions for both places before making that comment.

A few opinions:

First off, to say that many owners can't handle them, as much as I'd love to say is false, in my experience it is not. It is absolutely true. MANY people that get a burm or retic or even an anaconda fall into one of two categories:

A. Not educated on the animal and don't know what their getting into

B. Getting the animal for the mere purpose of being "hard" and "cool" without any real appreciation for the animal. Both of those things often result in unwanted pets and pets being dumped (or kept in fish tanks with flimsy lids and escaping). Note, I am not saying ALL or even MOST, but MANY of the owner; and my belief is that much of the blame needs to lie with the pet stores and breeders that will willingly over-sell and over-produce these
animals with out any real emphasis on educating or screening the customer.

Also, the misinformation on these animals never stops astounding me. I watched a special on Animal Planet, a supposed scientific based TV station, stating that after just 2 years a Burm can be a 15 foot behemoth capable of eating a human! What are they feeding to get those growth rates!? Also, if only 21 have been caught then how are there 150,00 of them out there?

The biggest threat these articles pose is that they continue to fuel the fire to legislation to ban snakes. Regardless of how harmful they are and how many there are, even if it is NOT overstated (obviously it is) a ban on a national level is ridiculous, unprecedented, and if it happens is more logically applied to a mammal that is actually capable of surviving and breeding in most American environments. I don't know one place outside of the everglades where something like a burm, or retic, or even ball python is likely to survive in the US; so why ban on that level. Not to mention that house cats have a far larger environmental impact than introduced snakes, and by the way they cause a more immediate threat to the public health and safety as well!

The sad truth is that logic rarely triumphs over emotion, and the natural emotions toward snakes are negative.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DLoc

Heck even here in MN we have 2 types of Venomous snakes right where I live. (+2 points to who know the answer to this LOL!)

---

The Timber Rattlesnake and the Massasauga Rattlesnake. Although good luck finding either of them -- especially the latter.

** And no, I didn't google the answer -- I knew it!

Also, the currant issue of Reader's Digest has a similiar article against "exotic pets" including the "20 people have been killed by pythons since 1980" touting that as a reason to ban all pythons as pets. I'm guessing the author MUST be ready to ban all pet dogs too, seeing as they kill that many people PER YEAR.

I threw the Reader's Digest into the trash so hard I knocked over the can and had to spend ten minutes picking up the garbage and cursing Reader's Digest.

Sorry for the Double-Post.

http://www.rd.com/government-waste-fraud/ This is the spot to tell Micheal Crowley what you think of his recent article(you should also be able to see the actual article there as well). Also you can use "contact us" to tell the edittors of the magazine to tell THEM what you think.

Sending off outraged comments might just show them that not every pet owner will roll over and die on the AR's command.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Elise.m

He may have said a few words or more, but just like what happened with Jack Hannah, it's all about how the media presents it.

---

Sorry, I don't "get out" much. What exactly happened with Jack Hannah? Did they put him on the spot and exploit him or something?

I wasn't able to find an article there about it.