Tarantulas Banned

[whitewolf]

All the banning laws are mainly fear based. One idea steams from well these exotic people turn stuff lose and it spreads and kills native species and plants. They have a good point but the bottom line is where to draw the lines. Not all non-native things can survive.
Think: Evasive plants, Rodents, nutria rats, cats, pigs, dogs, locus, fire ants, ect.

Well yes it isn't the hobbyist though it's mainly in the pet industry. Kids and adults get it get tired of it and turn it lose. Same thing happens with dogs and cats everyday. Many peoples comments like that can go over board but some are just a hey knock it off don't put us in the spotlight too much. Think hot snake keepers on this one and relate it too say a pokie or S Cal or even an LQ. It may not kill you but use caution kind of thing. It took a few bites from hot snakes for a few cities to start banning.

The idea is mainly or at least should be to not draw negative attention which could be used later to base a fear off of. I have seen some comments go overboard but it is pure frustration. When you see or hear it a lot it gets old. Rather than yell though it is better to attempt to educate. Then if that person continues on that track it's on them. Yes it reflects all of us but at least someone tried. The lay man freaks out when they hear venom. If I said I had a venomous spider you might think something deadly. In reality I might have something not all that potentially deadly but it is still venomous. Their venom is used to digest prey but some see all venom and think deadly as where we know better. The venom effects are not totally known but we do know no one has died and it been reported or proven. That is where many fears lie is there is venom so they can use that as a scare tactic and hey it's a big spider so lets use a T Blondi to show that off too. Now I'm not trying to say it will happen, it won't happen, but it is possible. Anything is possible someone just has to get a bug up there butt. No pun intended.

S373 the python ban is targeting pythons and they are using fear to drive the point home. How by dragging this huge python around that is well huge and showing off how this big snake could attack and kill. Oh yeah and using global warming which is still in speculation. Well sorry I just don't believe it from what I have read and been told. Everyone I have talked to that has been on the python hunts say they didn't see anything or they heard someone killed one that was tiny. They were even targeting ball pythons who average 6 feet. A rat snake and a King snake is close to that size too. The girth is bigger but length is about the same. Now I don't keep any of them but I would like to get a ball in the future when I am ready. I didn't even read on them because I thought they all get big. Why because that is the fear T.V. and what not put into use is pythons get huge. Careful people that big bad python is going to unlock your door creep in and eat you up because they can live anywhere.

HR669 ban on the exotic pet industry, which I lost track of, is based on that exact fear as well. That anything non native can not be, imported, exported, breed, sold, or even kept as a pet because it will escape and kill all the native wildlife and plants and blah blah blah.

I watched a show on animal planet once that showed 100's of Bracis taking over Florida and how they were ruining citrus crops. The ones I have talked to said yes they were there then they were gone and rarely found a couple years later. Makes ya wonder what happened. Guess they all slipped off into the everglades and stated eating crocs too. LOL.

Sorry so long. Basically yes I can see where some get offended by some peoples action looking negative. I have seen some pretty crazy stuff done that makes you go yeah that's gonna look great if you get nailed but at the same time yelling does no one any good it fuels a fight. Now I am talking extremes here like ohh say poking an LQ with your finger because you have one, but pinch grabbing or handling a G Rosea no. BTW I have not seen anyone yell about that I was just being dramatic, using an example. LOL.

 

[redrumpslump]

Hey whitewolf the last i heard bout the hr669 ban was that it got kicked to the curb. I follow viperkeeper on youtube and he was talking bout. The reptile industry brings in over 3 billion dollars a year so trying to ban it would cost many people jobs. if you wanna hear more bout it check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q724X1M4_9I

 

[whitewolf]

Hey whitewolf the last i heard bout the hr669 ban was that it got kicked to the curb. I follow viperkeeper on youtube and he was talking bout. The reptile industry brings in over 3 billion dollars a year so trying to ban it would cost many people jobs. if you wanna hear more bout it check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q724X1M4_9I

Thanks. Yeah my youtube was acting up and forgot to check in on his. He stays pretty up to date though so I like watching his. A few other sites kind of just dropped it due to 373 and 2811 and we know how reliable most info on the net came be. Woo hoo glad they dropped it, not that I really thought it would pass but still.

 

[satanslilhelper]

House Resolution 669 I hope is enough proof for you OP. It did get shot down as a result of many hobbyists of different varieties calling congressmen and women. Although it got dismissed it's not really gone. The proponents for H.R. 669 are going back to the drawing board to try and figure out how to rewrite a new resolution in order to get something passed.

That, I believe, is why the majority of hobbyists that stay well informed are so concerned about anyone causing any bad press whatsoever. One story on the evening news can make a whole town go retarded. Look at the city in Iowa that banned them for a reason that wouldn't have effected their community at all.

The town where I buy crickets recently tried to ban all non-domestic animals. This included hamsters and fish. No joke!! It did get turned down, but this is what can happen to our cherished hobby in a short period of time.

 

[Xian]

Thank You peoples for enlightening me with some actual examples. I was unaware of these bannings. I however will not submit to the paranoia myself, but now I understand why some people do!

 

[Galapoheros]

I know what you mean, where does it turn into paranoia.. I wonder sometimes about where the line is between paranoia and considering a trend. I remember a few years ago suggesting that people put rocks back the way they found them on the side of the road and to not look so conspicuous, leave it natural looking, that "they" are watching what you are doing there. Some laughed at the thought, it sounded paranoid. But now it's a $400 ticket if they see you pick up a scorpion, slug, spider, etc. with no hunting license in Texas, ..depending on which warden sees you. Most won't care even though it's a law now, but I personally got a warning ticket last year for having a few scorpions without a hunting license, searched my car, took my SS number, location of where I got the scorps, where I was staying on the trip and some other stuff. That would've been a laughable story, a paranoid idea if I made it up and told somebody before they came up with that law, but now it's real. There are some people in gov trying to control too many things imo, some make sense, some don't.

 

[Xian]

That would've been a laughable story, a paranoid idea if I made it up and told somebody before they came up with that law, but now it's real. There are some people in gov trying to control too many things imo, some make sense, some don't.

That would have been a funny story, if it wasn't true!

 

[satanslilhelper]

I don't see how you can even call it paranoia when we've provided you factual evidence of our national and local governments trying to limit or abolish our hobby. I believe that it's a rational fear that people have that they're cherished hobby could be taken away from them.

 

[jayefbe]

I don't see how you can even call it paranoia when we've provided you factual evidence of our national and local governments trying to limit or abolish our hobby. I believe that it's a rational fear that people have that they're cherished hobby could be taken away from them.

The invert hobby is fortunate in that it has not reached the popularity of the reptile hobby. Believe me, if it ever does, it will be receiving the same negative press, and the same legal attacks that the reptile hobby is right now. I agree fully that it's not paranoia. Five, ten years ago, nobody was worried about losing their reptiles. I know I wasn't, and now it's becoming a very real possibility. It's naive to think that the same thing can't happen to your inverts.

 

[Xian]

I don't see how you can even call it paranoia when we've provided you factual evidence of our national and local governments trying to limit or abolish our hobby. I believe that it's a rational fear that people have that they're cherished hobby could be taken away from them.

Rational fears cause paranoia.
Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean somebody is not following you.

 

[sean-820]

Okay, who can explain to me why so many people say things like, "We don't need any more bad PR for the tarantula hobby", "just another reason for congress to try and ban our hobby", "Our hobby is under enough scrutiny already", or other comments that I see people make similar to these all the time? I've lived in the midwest, New York, and now on the west coast, and have yet to encounter these issues in the real world. I understand the apartment complexes not allowing certain pets, but that also includes dogs at alot of places. This is the only place that I have seen such paranoia. Can anyone explain to me with actual facts why they think this hobby needs that kind of paranoia?

If a kid gets bit and makes the news, its not going to benifit this hobby one bit. Alot of people are already scared or disgusted by t's so bad press is just giving them another reason to hate t's. If the masses hate t's, a politician who knows nothing about them will ban then based solely on peoples reactions to bad press.

Do you think rotti/ pitbulls dogs attacking kids helped their reputation? Look where its gotten them.

 

[drdoody]

I used to live in a town (Tyler, Texas) that supposedly banned the sale of snakes. And none of the local pet shops sold them, so it might have been true. Whatever.

People are fundamentally retarded. All of us are. Some are just more retarded than others. Some social factors effect retardability. Social factors such as being a local politician or being involved with the religious right. These people will forever see anything they find menacing as something to curtail and eradicate. It is the natural reaction of the retard. You can't talk or reason them out of it. They're just retarded. And retarded can't be cured.

 

[bliss]

See, your statement falls directly into my opening question. Paranoia. I don't discount your opinion, I'm just looking for actual examples like Zerg posted.

actual example - B vagans established population in Florida. All it takes is a few examples of it being a problem, a gullible Politician, and a couple special interest groups. Then you -might- have something to worry about.

It's a shame that politicians waste their time on such petty crap. They should be making laws protecting certain Aphonopelma species out west from over-collection, if anything.

 

[Xian]

If a kid gets bit and makes the news, its not going to benifit this hobby one bit. Alot of people are already scared or disgusted by t's so bad press is just giving them another reason to hate t's. If the masses hate t's, a politician who knows nothing about them will ban then based solely on peoples reactions to bad press.

If that ever happens, then I do not fault the government agency that has to stop people from hurting their own kids.

Let make one thing perfectly clear here, accidents don't just happen, they are caused. If the people in this hobby ever allow something like that to happen, then I guess their paranoia is justified.

 

[jayefbe]

Dude, it's not paranoia. Stop saying it's paranoia.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/PARANOIA

It's just being aware of the current hostility from special interest groups and politicians against the keeping of exotic pets.

 

[Xian]

Dude, it's not paranoia. Stop saying it's paranoia.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/PARANOIA

It's just being aware of the current hostility from special interest groups and politicians against the keeping of exotic pets.

I'd say number two of your link pretty much sums up what I'm trying to say.
Thanks jayefbe

 

[Mack&Cass]

I wouldn't say it's irrational or excessive. It's people who care about their hobby and are aware of what is happening. Personally, I think being an owner of exotic pets, it's your responsibility to stay well-informed of what's going on instead of turning a blind eye to it and pretending everything is okay.

It's not paranoia, it's awareness.

Cass

 

[satanslilhelper]

If anything is excessive or irrational here it's the use of the word PARANOIA!!!;P

 

[Mister Internet]

Xian, your "opinion" is a mess of circular reasoning and "nuh-uh". You can't ask someone "why is everyone so afraid of running with scissors?", and then when several people outline why it's a bad idea, where documented cases of running with scissors has been outlawed, or where people running with knives have causes the scissors to come under scrutiny, say, "well, that's fine, but I will still think what I want lalalalalalala".

Have some respect for people's input. People that have been in the hobby a lot longer and seen a lot more than you... it deserves a bit more thought than "I don't care, you're all paranoid lalalalala". Honestly.

 

[Xian]

Xian, your "opinion" is a mess of circular reasoning and "nuh-uh". You can't ask someone "why is everyone so afraid of running with scissors?", and then when several people outline why it's a bad idea, where documented cases of running with scissors has been outlawed, or where people running with knives have causes the scissors to come under scrutiny, say, "well, that's fine, but I will still think what I want lalalalalalala".

Have some respect for people's input. People that have been in the hobby a lot longer and seen a lot more than you... it deserves a bit more thought than "I don't care, you're all paranoid lalalalala". Honestly.

I was just looking for actual examples of what causes the "fear" and perceived persecution by so many. I've heard all the 'what if' stories before. I do care, otherwise I wouldn't have asked in the first place.