More snakes to join Burmese python on restricted list

[John1982]

There are already tens or hundred of thousands in the wild already.

A couple years ago Florida advertised the bejesus out of a big snake hunt in the everglades. Managed to attract some 1600 "hunters" from across the country to come tramp through the everglades for an entire month with cash prizes awarded to largest amount and largest sized captures.

Over 1500 people stomping around the glades for a full month, motivated by money, and you know how many burmese pythons they caught? [sarcasm]A whopping 68! [/sarcasm]

These animals have been living in South Florida for well over 20 years and they haven't even made it to the northern part of the state. It simply gets too cold for them. This doesn't stop the fear mongering asshats from flat out lying to get these animals listed as "injurious" and out the door.

**edited to point out sarcasm**

[Gio]

A couple years ago Florida advertised the bejesus out of a big snake hunt in the everglades. Managed to attract some 1600 "hunters" from across the country to come tramp through the everglades for an entire month with cash prizes awarded to largest amount and largest sized captures.

Over 1500 people stomping around the glades for a full month, motivated by money, and you know how many burmese pythons they caught? [sarcasm]A whopping 68! [/sarcasm]

These animals have been living in South Florida for well over 20 years and they haven't even made it to the northern part of the state. It simply gets too cold for them. This doesn't stop the fear mongering asshats from flat out lying to get these animals listed as "injurious" and out the door.

**edited to point out sarcasm**

This is great! I wonder how many of those 1500 were tossing beer bottles and trash into the Glades LOL!

I have this mental picture of the "good ole snake hunt" and its probably the same picture a lot of us see.

"The hunt" probably disrupted, polluted and damaged the Glades more on the first day, than any "invasive species" has done in 10 years.

Another super idea!

[Sauzo]

Well to play devils advocate, you do all realize snakes are masters of concealment. They don't hear the way mammals do you but they can feel ground vibrations from a LONG ways away. So I'm sure they "heard" the masses of drunk cash mongering snake hunters coming from a mile away and just buried down in the grasses. Not to mention, imagine how flighty a baby is going to be out in the wild. They aren't going to be that nice docile laid back "pet". They are going to the butt boogeying staying alive little baby of the wilds. While I do think the shows overblow it a lot, I imagine a lot did get loose during the hurricanes and while probably half or less survived, those that did and got to a decent size would have a lot less predators to worry about. The only real predator I can think of for a 6ft+ constrictor in the Everglades would be a gator and man of course. Oh well, the government is great at throwing on bandaids. Shame it hurts so many people, me included as I live in Washington state where no large constrictor could survive anything outdoors past around our 2 month summers.

[A_Kap]

Petco could not careless their business does not revolve around the snake or even reptile industry and would continue to do just fine if it disappeared, also keep in mind that they make sizable donations to the HSUS each year.
And it's amazing that people still believe the issue in Florida is due to "idiot" releasing their pets.
.



There are no retics in the everglades there are burmese pythons and certainly not "tens or hundred of thousands" that what they hope people will believe.

For anyone wanting some good read based on REAL science there is a ton to be found here on this subject http://vpi.com/publications

From what I understand, the boa was kept off the ban because
widespread private ownership and domestic breeding, render importation and interstate transport prohibitions less effective. Meaning that due to the popularity of boas in pet stores, it has become much more common across America than say an anaconda or a retic. All I was saying was that if those snakes were more common in pet stores some of those snakes might not have been banned. I know petco doesn't care. I know they're all about the money. That's why I like to encourage people to go to local reptile shows or purchase from breeders.

[Gio]

Well to play devils advocate, you do all realize snakes are masters of concealment. They don't hear the way mammals do you but they can feel ground vibrations from a LONG ways away. So I'm sure they "heard" the masses of drunk cash mongering snake hunters coming from a mile away and just buried down in the grasses. Not to mention, imagine how flighty a baby is going to be out in the wild. They aren't going to be that nice docile laid back "pet". They are going to the butt boogeying staying alive little baby of the wilds. While I do think the shows overblow it a lot, I imagine a lot did get loose during the hurricanes and while probably half or less survived, those that did and got to a decent size would have a lot less predators to worry about. The only real predator I can think of for a 6ft+ constrictor in the Everglades would be a gator and man of course. Oh well, the government is great at throwing on bandaids. Shame it hurts so many people, me included as I live in Washington state where no large constrictor could survive anything outdoors past around our 2 month summers.

Well, this sounds good in theory, being masters of concealment, but there are boa farms in South America that harvest wild caught animals and the pet trade has severely impacted their numbers in the wild. The same goes for the royal python. Harvesting wild caught animals has by some accounts endangered their numbers and the captive production of royals has actually been a positive step in keeping the wild population numbers from dwindling further. That info was from one of Mark O'Shea's publications.

The rattle snake "harvests" practiced in some southern states has severely reduced the numbers in their natural habitat.

So even with the secretive lives snakes lead, there is plenty that a determined group of 15-16 thousand can do over a month's time to find ALL of these "giants" cough,,, cough that are "taking over" the glades.

The fact that they haven't been pulling giant pythons out of the Everglades in large numbers, isn't because they can't find them, it's because the false data that was spread as to the TRUE number was just that,, FLASE.

And further more a 6 foot snake actually does have predators. They can make an easy target after a meal, or when they are cold.

Don't forget the reason people worry about hungry rats around snakes that aren't hungry.

Anyhow, that is a bit off topic, but the new restrictions serve no purpose at all other than what Reptile Experts mentioned in the Giant Python forum.

Lots of $$ for fanatical groups like HSUS and PETA to give and lobby their favorite political agendas.

[Daigga]

Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this.

Just a thought, but the natural diets of Burms should overlap pretty closely with that of the native alligators. Considering that their diets would likely include each other (burms eating gators and vice versa), I can't imagine a growing burmese python population in the everglades causing any actual ecological damage. The alligator population might shrink some in balance with that of the burms, but the predator/prey relationship in the everglades should mostly remain unchanged otherwise.

Hell, if burms were allowed to continue their existence in the everglades (and honestly, what makes them more dangerous than alligators?), it may end up being a good thing. Poachers target alligators because their skin and meat have value and the poached variety can't be told apart from the farmed variety; burmese python skin and meat doesn't have hardly any value in the American market and isn't farmed for this reason, so the poaching of the snakes can't be very profitable/popular (fun fact; burms being on the lacey act makes it illegal to sell their skins, meat, or other products just the same as that of the animal itself). They could also turn into quite the tourist trap, just like the alligators themselves, and start bringing in a profit for the state of Florida.

Just my personal thoughts and opinions. I've always been taught to try and make the best out of a bad situation, so I don't see why people in Florida haven't tried. If the people of Florida can learn to love their scaly new inhabitants, maybe the restrictions on all these snakes can be eased or lifted.

[Nate_Mitchell]

So much for my future...

[bcr229]

Thankfully the boas were not included in the list, but I expect there will be another effort made in the future to add them based on statements made in:
http://www.ibtimes.com/lacey-act-sna...lovers-1839762.

[anicatgirl]

https://www.change.org/p/u-s-house-o...-the-lacey-act

https://www.change.org/p/laceys-law-...e-constrictors

Sign these please! It might help it might not but it can't hurt!

[blue roses]

Yes , we can all do something. Go vvote, and i don't mean for all the bleeding heart liberals, who are trying to tell us, what guns we can own, what pets we can own, and how large they can be, or what breed they can't be, or what we must eat or drink, or the health care we must carry. I remember when we were free to live and make our own decisions. I was born in 1950, so i remember what it was like. If you want it that way again, you need to get rid of any polititian who thinks they know whats best for you, and start working for the people who believe that as long as we harm none ,we should be able to do as we will. by the way that is the life rule of the wiccan believers, it actually says harm none , do as ye will. The harm none refurs to every living thing. So think before you vote, and work really hard for those trying to protect our constitution, and the bill of rights. Sorry for the rant, but for the last 8 years i have gotten really angry

Did you guy ever think of organizing a march on washington, carrying our snakes up to the capital steps. Just think about all the signs saying, the biggest snakes live here.