WOW SOME PEOPLE!!! its long but PLEASE READ!!!!

[mainbutter]

what's there to prevent someone from one state with no ban smuggling one exotic into another state that has a ban?

The laws against smuggling?

[MustBeSatan]

First and foremost Burms can cause danger to an ecosystem that can sustain them, regardless if there the top of the food chain, as long as they can live in that system. Thats a simple fact, however, the damage may as well be nothing , especially for the glades. The everglades is a man made ecosystem that has been home to many invasive species since it was created. It was practically never pure, never free of unwanted species. What Im getting at is when people think of a prestine everglades and how now it is rampant with foreign invaders they fool themselves, the glades have always been invaded. Always. Now this isnt justifying the thought that we shouldent do anything, Im just stateing a fact. Now about this bill and how it will help the glades...

...It won't. As simple as that. Must of us know this but there are so many people who don't. All this bill would do is end a buisness during a recession and put far more snakes in the glades.

Quick post, short on time.
First, that's really interesting that the everglades was man made, I didn't know that. I'll have to look that up!

I really like your point about the bill not changing anything, maybe even promoting the release of more animals into the wild. I can definately see that happening.

The other point I will comment on now is the "smuggling" one. I know that border patrol between countries and between states are two totally different things, but lets be honest, if the problem was people smuggling snakes from somewhere they are permitted into somewhere they are not, all of North America would have to ban the animals. If one state bans snakes they will come in from another; if the US bans snakes they will come in from Canada or Mexico. And so on.

I will say, although I know nothing about permits for owning animals, (as far as I know no such system exists in Ontario, maybe not at all in Canada, but I'm not positive on that) I do sort of like the idea of having to get a permit to own certain animals. Does it make it a pain for lots of really good, responsible people to own them? Sure it does, and that's too bad, but at the same time, if it stops even SOME irresponsible owners from picking up animals they can't handle, I say it's worth it.

And away I go!

[Sariel]

I agree.

I think a permit granted by a course/test on your knowledge of the animal in questions husbandry, size expectations, and perhaps even a contract promising not to release the animal wouldn't be bad options. -Especially- if they intend to breed.
Would probably put alot of puppy mills out of business if people had to be registered and licensed to breed.

Unfortunately that does make it harder on people like me who are just getting into it and really only plan on one breeding pair or so, but Id be fine with putting out the effort if it meant a better chance at keeping people educated and forcing them to be responsible.

Im about of the opinion that anything "exotic" should have to be micro chipped, but Im also aware that would probably consume alot of resources to put into place as well as track.

[Animals As Leaders]

There really needs to be some kind of regulation on these GIANT snakes. Anyone can get them, and to me thats not good. License's should be required as well as some kind of check on the animal yearly to make sure there not being released or sold(smuggled). Sounds nuts, but I think needs to happen to stop these animals from being released. I think people underestimate these snakes, and not everyone should be able to get them so easily or breed them for that matter. Now I'm by no means an expert but if this man is correct and they are preying on endangered animals then that IS a problem. Something needs to be done.

[BiggBaddWolf]

I think this issue, like others is very hard to fix, as there are no simple answers that are going to please everyone. Take guns for instance, if you take them away from responsible gun owners, there are still going to be irresponsible owners who will be able to get them, and use them for illegal purposes. I do think a lot of reptile keepers are of the opinion that the cold winter that people have experienced in Florida will fix the Burmese problem, which simply may not be the case! And you can put in all the laws regarding licensing etc., but like with guns, the people who want them will be able to get them illegally. And no matter how much reptile keepers want to defend their animals, there is a problem with them in Florida, but what the answer is I dont know