Kaplan to give speech on reptiles

[SPJ]

OMG. I couldn't believe it when I read it. A little blurb in the local town paper that Kaplan is coming to CT to give a speech on reptiles. The focus of the discussion is going to be conservation in the wild and how reptiles are exploited and misunderstood.

I am going to have to go. I have a feeling the real agenda is to be how to discourage people from owning reptiles.

I thought Kaplan disappeared from the reptile scene (or was it just wishful thinking)?

[LadyOhh]

Mwahahahah...


If I only lived in CT, I would go and protest HER!!!

[WTHbbqSnake]

You're talking about Melissa Kaplan, correct? I don't think she's opposed to keeping reptiles. I think she's opposed to people that don't know what they're doing keeping reptiles. If you do go come back and tell us the summary of what she talked about, or record it. I partly have to agree with her about owning reptiles. But I think at most there should be a partial ban of some species unless qualified to work with them. There really is something to be said about the number of reptiles dumped each year due to improper care and keepers that don't realize what it takes to keep these animals. Reptiles have been dumped to the degree of non-native species having stable populations in the southern united states. (fyi: stable populations of Iguanas a few other lizards and Burmese Pythons in florida and surrounding states.) I believe she does have a valid point but I don't not believe there should be an all-out ban on reptiles.

[Adam_Wysocki]

You're talking about Melissa Kaplan, correct? I don't think she's opposed to keeping reptiles. I think she's opposed to people that don't know what they're doing keeping reptiles. If you do go come back and tell us the summary of what she talked about, or record it. I partly have to agree with her about owning reptiles. But I think at most there should be a partial ban of some species unless qualified to work with them. There really is something to be said about the number of reptiles dumped each year due to improper care and keepers that don't realize what it takes to keep these animals. Reptiles have been dumped to the degree of non-native species having stable populations in the southern united states. (fyi: stable populations of Iguanas a few other lizards and Burmese Pythons in florida and surrounding states.) I believe she does have a valid point but I don't not believe there should be an all-out ban on reptiles.

Melissa Kaplan is on record stating that exotics should never be kept as pets.

12 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the US, why don't you start fixing that problem before you go deciding what reptiles should and should not be allowed to be kept as pets.

-adam

[MarkS]

I partly have to agree with her about owning reptiles. But I think at most there should be a partial ban of some species unless qualified to work with them.

And who decides that? You? Melissa? Some government official that doesn't know the difference between a reticulated python and a garter snake? I disagree with any kind of ban, partial or not. The LAST thing any of us need in our lives is more government meddling

[Adam_Wysocki]

And who decides that? You? Melissa? Some government official that doesn't know the difference between a reticulated python and a garter snake? I disagree with any kind of ban, partial or not. The LAST thing any of us need in our lives is more government meddling

Bravo!

Give them an inch and they'll take a mile!!!!!!

-adam

[JASBALLS]

I was going to say something here, But Mark and Adam have it covered!!

[iceman25]

I'm all for responsible ownership, exotic or not!

[Adam_Wysocki]

I was going to say something here, But Mark and Adam have it covered!!

But Jas, you always say it soooo much better ... let er rip brother!

-adam

[Ginevive]

And who decides that? You? Melissa? Some government official that doesn't know the difference between a reticulated python and a garter snake? I disagree with any kind of ban, partial or not. The LAST thing any of us need in our lives is more government meddling

Right-on, brother.
I never really knew much about M. Kaplan; just basically thought she typed up caresheets, etc..
That's all we don't need in this hobby, is any focus on anything negative about reptiles; the general public will latch on and think that it IS bad to keep them.. we don't need that.