Newly-Released Peer-Reviewed Study Casts Serious Doubts On Python Survival Outside of Everglades

[pitbulllady]

This totally blows the much-quoted Rodda-Reed report from USGS out of the water. The USGS report is the sole basis on two Federal bills to ban the interstate transport, importation and commerce in nine species of constrictor snake, including the Boa Constrictor, one of the most popular pets in the reptile trade, as well as the proposed Rule Change being pushed by Ken Salazar for the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

http://www.usark.org/uploads/PythonColdTempfulltext.pdf

Of course, any of us with extensive first-hand experience with large tropical Boids would have to say, "well, DUH!" to the results, since they simply back up what WE have been saying all along. Sadly, more people would rather believe the government/political/AR fear mongers than those with many years of experience keeping and breeding these snakes.

pitbulllady

 

[Kaimetsu]

This totally blows the much-quoted Rodda-Reed report from USGS out of the water. The USGS report is the sole basis on two Federal bills to ban the interstate transport, importation and commerce in nine species of constrictor snake, including the Boa Constrictor, one of the most popular pets in the reptile trade, as well as the proposed Rule Change being pushed by Ken Salazar for the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

http://www.usark.org/uploads/PythonColdTempfulltext.pdf

Of course, any of us with extensive first-hand experience with large tropical Boids would have to say, "well, DUH!" to the results, since they simply back up what WE have been saying all along. Sadly, more people would rather believe the government/political/AR fear mongers than those with many years of experience keeping and breeding these snakes.

pitbulllady

So what does this say about burmese python populations in the everglades, how many of them actually survived this last winter which i've heard was unnaturally cold for Florida?

Invasive species are almost universally a bad thing but this legislation does nothing to address this issue and only hurts responsible pet owners. If anything this legislation would encourage irresponsible owners to release their pets when they have to move.

If this legislation does pass and it becomes illegal for me to transport my Boa constrictor accross state lines, what is the likelyhood that i would be prosecuted for it if i ever have to move accross state lines?

 

[pitbulllady]

So what does this say about burmese python populations in the everglades, how many of them actually survived this last winter which i've heard was unnaturally cold for Florida?

Invasive species are almost universally a bad thing but this legislation does nothing to address this issue and only hurts responsible pet owners. If anything this legislation would encourage irresponsible owners to release their pets when they have to move.

If this legislation does pass and it becomes illegal for me to transport my Boa constrictor accross state lines, what is the likelyhood that i would be prosecuted for it if i ever have to move accross state lines?

Estimates from Florida researchers with the FWC suggest that anywhere from 50% to 90% of the Burms in southern Florida have died as a result of the cold. A state-sanctioned hunt was held in March, and not ONE Python was found, not alive, anyway.

I can't say what your chances of being caught transporting a snake across state lines would be; the bills and rule changes will certainly negatively impact reptile dealers, though, who will no longer be able to attend reptile shows or ship those animals out of state, and most sales are not within their home states. There have been show dog breeders busted for transporting "fighting dogs" because they had APBT's or AmStaffs, under a law designed to stop dog fighting, and recently, some people here in SC were convicted of transporting c o c k-fighting materials across state lines because one had ordered scales from out-of-state which were used to weigh fighting roosters, so there ARE arrests being made under similar laws that affect transporting animals or even animal-related materials across state lines.

Keep in mind that products made from named animals are included in the Lacy Act, too, including snake skin products.

pitbulllady