Bill that would end or limit our hobby

[fishindude]

The reptile and bird community should be ashamed of themselves. People buy pythons, iguanas and birds not realized how big they will get, the cost to house and care for them and how long they will live. Some birds live to 80 years. A full grown python can and has eaten a two year old child instead of it's regular diet of baby pigs. Pythons and iguanas have been released in the southeast and they cause severe problems for fish & game departments as far north as South Carolina and across all southern states to Texas. I do not agree with this bill but I understand the reasoning behind it. As with things in religion and politics, you start off with a extreme view then negotiate. I my opinion large reptiles should require a license or permit.

I agree. It is so easy to go to the pet store and get a bird or frog or turtle etc. and then bring them home with little or no experience. It is bad for the poor animals and everyone else who does know what they're doing. I personally bought a pac man frog a couple years ago thinking it would be easy and fun. Luckily I did some research after buying it and realized that they are more difficult to take care of than people think. I still don't agree with the fact that they should be kept in such a small tank (10 gallons is the suggested size). Even though I love this frog, I know it would be best to leave amphibians like that in the wild.

 

[Qwank]

I agree. It is so easy to go to the pet store and get a bird or frog or turtle etc. and then bring them home with little or no experience. It is bad for the poor animals and everyone else who does know what they're doing. I personally bought a pac man frog a couple years ago thinking it would be easy and fun. Luckily I did some research after buying it and realized that they are more difficult to take care of than people think. I still don't agree with the fact that they should be kept in such a small tank (10 gallons is the suggested size). Even though I love this frog, I know it would be best to leave amphibians like that in the wild.

some people think the same way about fish. tangs come to mind:.

 

[jr_reefdweller]

The reptile and bird community should be ashamed of themselves. People buy pythons, iguanas and birds not realized how big they will get, the cost to house and care for them and how long they will live. Some birds live to 80 years. A full grown python can and has eaten a two year old child instead of it's regular diet of baby pigs. Pythons and iguanas have been released in the southeast and they cause severe problems for fish & game departments as far north as South Carolina and across all southern states to Texas. I do not agree with this bill but I understand the reasoning behind it. As with things in religion and politics, you start off with a extreme view then negotiate. I my opinion large reptiles should require a license or permit.

The people who buy pythons/reptiles without doing any research are by no means part of the reptile community. These are people who make impulse buys without thinking about long term requirements. Sometimes these people end up doing research later and it turns out fine. But, the reptile community are the people who try to INFORM these people of what they are getting into before they buy a large python or even a small python that WILL live 30-40 years.

Another thing people don't realize is how many snakes got released in Florida from hurricanes rather then people just letting them go. I'm not saying people didn't release them because they probably did but I'm sure a lot of the pythons in the wild in Florida got there from the hurricanes.

I my opinion large reptiles should require a license or permit.

I absolutely agree with this. I feel that if people were required to have a license in order to buy a reptile (any reptile) then only people who know what they are doing would be getting them. Which means none of them would be getting releases into the wild.

There is SO much misinformation going around though. On CNN the other day a man said that a boa constrictors average length is 12'+. This is just not true. You'll be hard pressed to find a boa constrictor of even 10'. The actual average length of a boa constrictor (depending on species and sex) is 6'-8' much less then 12' or even 10'.

/rant... Sorry I just feel really upset about everything that is going on around the reptile trade.

 

[maxxattk]

I'm pretty sure the vote for this was last week. Anyone know how it went?

 

[reeferpj]

i heard that it didn't go

 

[Bobolink]

I think the subcommittee just held a hearing last week, no vote yet. A good resource for this type of thing is http://thomas.loc.gov.

1/26/2009:
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E142)
1/26/2009:
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
2/4/2009:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife.
4/23/2009:
Subcommittee Hearings Held.