You've got to be kidding me!

[Freakie_frog]

So just because its not a cute little ball python that you keep in a rack in your house, means its life isnt valuable? I mean I get it, its a means to an end, something needs to be done about the wild population, and we need to keep our hobby going.. etc etc, but come on.... the snakes are being talked about like they are slithering to FL on their own and taking over, and obviously thats not the case. While it may not be practical to try to remove them any other way, I think a general respect for life would be appreciated.

I have a great respect for life. But you said it your self

it may not be practical to try to remove them any other way

A general respect for life means I don't have to like the solution. It does however mean that as a rational human being I understand that life presents us with hard choices and at times we must choose the lesser of the two evils. While it may suck on 40 different levels but while we wishing on a falling star for a better solution law makers are writing laws that takes your pets out of your hands. Personally I don't care if they hunt them or fly them first class to Club Med I want them GONE. As long as they exist in the wild my passion and love for keeping these animals is at risk as is yours.

the snakes are being talked about like they are slithering to FL on their own and taking over, and obviously thats not the case.

I know that and you know that but the people that make the final decision don't.

[Zoomie]

I know I may get flak for this but alot of your ideas on supporting the hunt actually make sense to me now. So I do have to say after careful reconsideration I was hasty with my first opinion. Hunting like deer and bear and such seems alright as I hunt from time to time so I realized I am being an idiot for screaming about this. Just made me upset to see the idiot that is trying to get the ban going on getting free press for himself for the bill.

[aaramire]

I understand what you are saying Freakie and I know that this is probably the best and most practical option, I just wish there was another way to do it. It makes the sad that these animals, many of whom have probably never come into contact with people at all, have to be killed. And I wonder if that will really even solve the problem, or will Bill Nelson/PETA find another reason to try to ban our pets?

[Freakie_frog]

I understand what you are saying Freakie and I know that this is probably the best and most practical option, I just wish there was another way to do it. It makes the sad that these animals, many of whom have probably never come into contact with people at all, have to be killed. And I wonder if that will really even solve the problem, or will Bill Nelson/PETA find another reason to try to ban our pets?

I wish there was a better way also I really do. How do I know that this is a good step for us? Because its a solution that PETA is against. That tells me they are scared. If they truly cared about local wildlife they'd be all for it. I can assure you that PETA spends millions of dollars and every hour of every day trying to take your pets from you so this fight isn't over for them.

Bill Nelson my be supporting the ban now but once the problem is fixed we have more leverage. Ever heard the saying about giving someone enough rope. He just offered to let us tie the knot.

[aaramire]

That makes sense, and I hope that this will be the end of the problem, although I am sure we as keepers will always have to deal with this sort of issue popping up in our hobby. Hopefully we can remain strong as a community and fight whatever comes our way.

[Midwest Morphs]

I am all open for a hunt, as long as they do something with them besides just dispose of the animals. I also believe for everyone on here that thinks the hunt is the most inhumane thing that can be done is because it is a species that you have more of an interest into so you take it a little more to heart.

Right now off our coasts is a fish that is an invasive species to our waters; the Lionfish is killing and clearing out reefs all over the Florida and Bahamas waters and moving more and more north up the east coast. Now no one is up in a tizzy that they have scheduled hunts for this fish. However, they also along with the hunts normally teach people how to remove the poisonous spines and properly cook the fish.

They like the invasive snakes in Florida yes were put there by human error or idiocy, hurricanes etc. but we have to be able to control something that gets out and has the ability to spread more and more. If something does not have any predators to stop it, and they can keep growing and populating, there comes a point where we have to think it’s time to stop it before it can really start effecting our way of life.
Just my

[wolfy-hound]

I know I may get flak for this but alot of your ideas on supporting the hunt actually make sense to me now. So I do have to say after careful reconsideration I was hasty with my first opinion. Hunting like deer and bear and such seems alright as I hunt from time to time so I realized I am being an idiot for screaming about this. Just made me upset to see the idiot that is trying to get the ban going on getting free press for himself for the bill.

There's nothing wrong with changing your opinion. Sometimes I think one way, but after hearing arguments against my opinion, I change my mind. New facts get brought up, or we think things over more, or realize a issue may be more or less involved than we first thought.

[wolfy-hound]

The vet college idea is brilliant.
The one area no one has discussed is prevention in the future. I believe that the reptile community "Thats us" can go allong way in gaining respect in the country by stepping up to the plate with self regulated preventive measures such as but not limited to:
1. tag every "giant" sold and register the tag.
2. Ask states to leavy heavy fines for the owners of animals found in the wild based on the tag. The fine could go to cover the expense of removal and relocation of the animal.
There are other ideas out there but theses are the ones I have heard kicked around.

In florida this is already law. All giants(burm, retic, african rock, and anacondas, in addition to nile monitors) must be microchipped as soon as they reach a 1 inch diameter(you can't microchip unless the animal is a certain size).
The microchips are registered, the same as a dog microchip(same company usually). This way all giants that are captured loose can be identified(supposedly). All sales of snakes over the size should also be chipped.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

In florida this is already law. All giants(burm, retic, african rock, and anacondas, in addition to nile monitors) must be microchipped as soon as they reach a 1 inch diameter(you can't microchip unless the animal is a certain size).
The microchips are registered, the same as a dog microchip(same company usually). This way all giants that are captured loose can be identified(supposedly). All sales of snakes over the size should also be chipped.

Problem with this is that it is absolutely, totally, and completey not followed. I Know a whole lot of people that own big snakes in florida that would have absolutely no idea what you are talking about...

[wolfy-hound]

If you know them, why don't they know it yet?

I'm not saying that it's followed, or that it's completely enforced. I'm answering the person that said a law should be made to do it, and it's already been done.

Some people with giants HAVE been inspected, and told the rules. No, not everyone, but it hasn't been in place that long.