You've got to be kidding me!

[Zoomie]

You know I made this post not for people to attack other posters but rather for everyone to post their opinion about this matter. Sorry if this offended you in some way as that is not the intention. as far as question which question did I miss?

[Zoomie]

To anyone whom I missed as far as questions I am sorry as I am at work at a call center so my attention is split at times. As far as do I knwo what I am mad at. Yes I do. I am upset because the solution to the problem always seems to be kill whatever makes it a pain to us rather then find another means and the fact the person pressing the hunt is the person also trying to ban pythons. To me this all seems as I said before as a way to publisize the bill that many on here from what I have seen are against. Being new it is not my intention to make anyone unhappy

[lillyorchid]

I'm sorry I support an organized hunt. These are feral animals that's existence in the wild threatens my ability to keep my business. I say kill them all and then FL wont have a damn thing to complain about..

THIS could have not been said any better!

[Mike Cavanaugh]

This is not directed towards any individuals, so please don't assume it to be.
IMHO, if you are against the hunt, you are nuts. It is a serious problem that must be dealt with swiftly. They don't belong here, and they need to be removed. They need to be humanely put down and removed NOW.

Please allow me to do some questions and answers with myself...

Will the hunters get them all? Nope. Will a well organized hunt lower the numbers enough to reduce environmental damage? yep. Will there have to be regular future hunts? yep. Is it even remotely possible to try to find homes for all or even some of these snakes? nope. If nothing is done, will they spread a little further North and end up in a nationwide ban including species that do not have anyting to do with the problem (including ball pythons)? Yep. Does it really have anything to do with the threat they pose to humans? Nope. Will the supposed threat to humans be what "officially" destroys everything we care about? Yep. Is there ANY other solution then an organized hunt to kill and remove them? NOPE. What is the most disturbing part of the article? THE (insert vulgar word) over at Peta that are saying this:

In response to the senator's proposal, officials from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals suggested that Nelson focus on banning the import and private ownership of pythons.

"Because as long as individuals are allowed to acquire these exotic animals, they will continue to be abandoned outdoors and attack humans,"

[Jsh]

I completely agree with Wolfy and Mike on this. I couldn't put it any better myself!

[rjk890]

I support a hunt. If USARK or PIJAC could work with the officials here in FL and organize an annual hunt, it would really go a long way toward showing that we as responsible reptile keepers are concerned with the problem and willing to help manage it. It may give USARK and those taking place in the hunt, a platform to really preach the fact that they were introduced into the wild by damage caused by Hurricane Andrew to the media, as well as those pushing for the ban.
Burms are beautiful but they are an invasive species. We can not protest their right to live in the everglades.

Here are some of my thoughts about it:
The hunt should be Feb.-May in order to take the females before they have a chance to lay eggs. Along with another hunt in Sept.-Nov. to take them before the winter sets in.
It would be nice if they could put "a bounty" on each snake to help reimburse those taking part in the hunt.(It would have to be lower than the wholesale price of the animals in order to keep shady characters from purchasing a 50 lot of Normal Burms for $30. each and turning them in for $50. "bounty.") Maybe a bounty for each egg or clutch as well.
It would be cool if they set it up to where if someone wanted to keep a particular animal they could purchase it for the cost of having the animal treated for internal and external parasites, being micro-chipped, along with like $25. towards the project.
The snakes collected could also be skinned and tanned, and sold as novelties to fund the project as well.

[MasonC2K]

The Burms in the "wild" of Florida need to be killed or otherwise extracted. Not only are they an invasive species, they are a destructive invasive species. We literally have 1000's of invasive species in the US but few of them are destructive.

Household rats are invasive. They are not indegenous. They came on ships from Europe. I don't see anyone wanting rats in there house (unless as a pet or snake food of course).

Feral pigs can be and are shot on site. They absolutely destroy farmland.

In Australia, Cane Toads are killed on site. They are poisonous to local wildlife.

And heaven forbid someones pet cat or dog gets loose. They might end up getting euthanized at the local pound.

Feral Burms loose in FL swamps are killing the local wildlfe and competing with other predators. So if this can be managed then it should. So it's more than just a case of "they don't belong there" or "eww it's a snake! kill it!"

[wolfy-hound]

For the one poster that suggested the burmese all be rounded up and then sent back to their native land...
That's a grand idea. All you have to do is..
Collect the snakes..
House all the snakes in individual(or nearly so) humane sized cages for a indeterminate length of time for quarentine.
Test all the snakes individually for parasites and other pathogens, and illnesses.
Transport all the snakes back to a spot in Asia where they are native.
A. Locate such place that is still wooded, safe for the snakes, not already having a full population of snakes
B. Ensure that the snakes won't be simply gathered up en masse to be killed and eaten.
C. Ensure the local population is okay with you bringing in thousands of snakes to be released.

And do all this, in a timely manner, while the state and federal authorities overlook all activities.

Since it will take a LOT of money, I suggest you contact PETA, and have them fund it. They have millions of dollars to "help" animals, so they should jump right on this plan, footing the bill themselves in the entirity.


I wouldn't hold your breath for a reply from PETA, but I certainly don't know any other organization that would have the funding available for such a project.

[Denial]

Whatever they have to do to get the snakes out of florida I support. I dont think they will ever actually remove them all but hey then can try. But even if florida never had a burm population there would still eventually be laws coming up that threaten our hobby because there are keepers that do not keep there animals right.

I do not think burms should be there it is bad for the ecosystem but so are humans look at what we have done to florida and every other state. We are the worst thing that could happen to any ecosystem!

[djansen]

what are they going to do with all the burms they kill?

I wonder if burm tastes very good? maybe we can feed them to the homeless.