Thery're at it again! PLEASE READ

[the toe cutter]

Well they have added 9 large constrictors, including Anacondas, Retics, Burms, African rocks, and Boa constrictors to the injurious wildlife list of the Lacey act (S373). If you value your animals and the reptile hobby as a whole then visit kill-rulechange.com and help support USARK on the front lines of the proposed snake bans by simply writing a letter to your elected officials. This single act would paralyze the reptile market and would be a foothold for other future infringements of our rights as pet owners. And not only that, but it would cost thousands more American jobs in an already unstable economy. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE ACT NOW! Go to the site mentioned and watch the video they have put up on you-tube. This is our hobby and our government, elected by us and for us. We can make a difference, as some of us have time and time again, year after year by supporting USARK and our rights as pet owners. I personally don't own any large constrictors but ALWAYS stick up for the hobby regardless of my own personal preference. This is DEFINATELY one bill that MUST be stopped! Thanks for looking

 

[LeilaNami]

Well they have added 9 large constrictors, including Anacondas, Retics, Burms, African rocks, and Boa constrictors to the injurious wildlife list of the Lacey act (S373). If you value your animals and the reptile hobby as a whole then visit kill-rulechange.com and help support USARK on the front lines of the proposed snake bans by simply writing a letter to your elected officials. This single act would paralyze the reptile market and would be a foothold for other future infringements of our rights as pet owners. And not only that, but it would cost thousands more American jobs in an already unstable economy. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE ACT NOW! Go to the site mentioned and watch the video they have put up on you-tube. This is our hobby and our government, elected by us and for us. We can make a difference, as some of us have time and time again, year after year by supporting USARK and our rights as pet owners. I personally don't own any large constrictors but ALWAYS stick up for the hobby regardless of my own personal preference. This is DEFINATELY one bill that MUST be stopped! Thanks for looking

For those that do not receive emails from USARK, August 2nd is the deadline for the public comments. I'm sure they have a link to it from their site.

 

[Crysta]

I dont mind the idea of Anacondas, Retics, Burms, African rocks being on there... but boa constrictors dont even man up to their length (usually) do they have scientific names ?

I'd be sad if this migrated to the smaller species...

 

[LeilaNami]

I dont mind the idea of Anacondas, Retics, Burms, African rocks being on there... but boa constrictors dont even man up to their length (usually) do they have scientific names ?

I'd be sad if this migrated to the smaller species...

There is NO reason any of those species should be on that list. You may not mind but many people keep, care for, breed, and sell these species. The issue with this bill is that they are using pseudoscience to try and push the agenda of PETA and other animal rights organizations. They are using scare tactics to get politicians to vote in favor of this ridiculous legislature. Please read USARK's website before making such an uninformed decision.

 

[pitbulllady]

There is NO reason any of those species should be on that list. You may not mind but many people keep, care for, breed, and sell these species. The issue with this bill is that they are using pseudoscience to try and push the agenda of PETA and other animal rights organizations. They are using scare tactics to get politicians to vote in favor of this ridiculous legislature. Please read USARK's website before making such an uninformed decision.

Thank you, LeilaNami! This is not about what people "mind" or "don't mind" or like or don't like. I dislike a lot of things, many of which ARE dangerous, but that doesn't mean that banning them is the answer. Given how rare deaths from large constrictors are when compared to many common, mundane, everyday things, like backyard swimming pools, for instance(in the same week that the 18-month-old girl allegedly got "strangled" to death by her mama's live-in crack dealer boyfriend's Burm in FL, EIGHT people drowned in backyard swimming pools in South Carolina alone, six of those children), there is no logic behind the inclusion of ANY of those snakes in the Lacy Act's Injurious Wildlife list. The horrific Rodda-Reed USGS report that supposedly proves that all of these species will spread as far north as San Francisco and New Jersey due to "global warming" has already been soundly debunked by none other than Mother Nature herself, with this past winter's blow to the python population in south Florida, the ONLY part of the US where they are capable of surviving and reproducing, period. The push to ban these snakes or their commercial trade and interstate transport is backed by none other than our dear friends(*GAGS*), the InHumane Society of the United States and "Don" Wayne-O Pacelli, and the ever-animal-friendly People For The Unethical Treatment of Animals, led by the Butcher of Norfolk, Ingrid Newkirk, who have a lot of politicians and government officials in their deep, deep dirty pockets. These two groups, the HSUS in particular, have stated clearly that they wish to destroy the entire reptile industry, just one of their steps towards destroying the pet industry as a whole, and they know that these snakes and the supplies for them make up a large part of the reptile industry, and by eliminating them, and the jobs that exist in support of trade in those species, they can effectively bring the reptile industry to its knees. This is NOT about human safety, it's NOT about protecting the environment-it's about dirty politics and a radical agenda that is intended to hurt all of US.

pitbulllady

 

[Matt K]

Ditto on both posts by LeilaNami and pitbulllady.

The fact is that there are NOT many steps from banning boas and burmese to banning tarantulas, scorpions, ball pythons, or anything else quote "exotic" end quote.

PETA wants a dog and cat world, and not even those if they can help it.

 

[Dyn]

I dont mind the idea of Anacondas, Retics, Burms, African rocks being on there... but boa constrictors dont even man up to their length (usually) do they have scientific names ?

I'd be sad if this migrated to the smaller species...

giving them an inch with just those three WILL have it expanded to smaller ones. It will be all or nothing with these snakes. If you dont fight for the big ones the people who keep them wont fight for your smaller ones.

I really only care to keep Retics, Scrubs, Olives and Black Headed Pythons. Not very much outside of those 4 really interests me. With two being on the chopping block already if they do get cut I wont really be interested in keeping snakes because it will only be a matter of time before they start adding a few more here or there or just do a clean sweep of all of them Retics to Anthill Python.

 

[pitbulllady]

No, PETA DOESN'T want a "dog and cat world". They want a "NO ANIMALS, PERIOD" world, a world where the only animals people see are wild animals from a distance, or pictures in books and on the internet, taken long ago, because photographing animals violates their "right" to privacy, after all.

But both Matt K and Dyn are very, very on-the-spot with the fact that the AR's WON'T stop at just Burms, African Rocks, Retics, Boas, etc. HSUS is adamant that they intend to completely destroy the reptile industry and eliminate the keeping and breeding of ALL reptiles, whether it's a Burm or a Corn or a Leopard Gecko. It doesn't matter to them. It's just easier to start with the big snakes, because they know that so many people are afraid of them and are willing to believe anything that is said about them in the media. It's just like with "pit bulls"; it's easy to ban something if you can give people a reason to be afraid of it. Create a fear of the animals, AND of the people who own them. Spread lies about how we steal puppies and kittens and get them for free off Craigslist so we can feed them to our "monster" snakes, about how we are all just a bunch of degenerates who want to attract attention to ourselves by owning such animals, about how we are all "anti-social" and get a thrill by putting others' lives in danger by bringing such "dangerous" animals among them. It's just like their argument that the only people who have "pit bulls" are drug dealers, gang members, and other dangerous criminals. It's a message designed to generate hate, not only for the animals, but for the people who own them. The more people who hate us, the fewer there are to stick up for us, but as they say, every dog has its day. When the same people who took away our animals go after the little fluffy foo-foo dogs and kitty cats, either with bans, or limits, or mandatory spay/neuter making it impossible to breed anymore fluffy foo-foo dogs or kitty cats, and THEIR owners start crying out for someone to help THEM resist the AR's, there won't be anyone left to help them fight that battle, because they didn't help the rest of us.

pitbulllady

 

[AudreyElizabeth]

but boa constrictors dont even man up to their length (usually) do they have scientific names ?

Boa constrictor is the their scientific name.

Though all boids are constrictors, only this species is properly referred to as "Boa constrictor"; an almost unique instance of an animal having the same common and scientific binomial name. (The distinction is shared with Tyrannosaurus rex.)

 

[super-pede]

don't forget varanus niloticus

 

[Crysta]

Boa constrictor is the their scientific name.

whoops, sorry i wasnt paying attention, you hit the nail on the head

There is NO reason any of those species should be on that list. You may not mind but many people keep, care for, breed, and sell these species. The issue with this bill is that they are using pseudoscience to try and push the agenda of PETA and other animal rights organizations. They are using scare tactics to get politicians to vote in favor of this ridiculous legislature. Please read USARK's website before making such an uninformed decision.

Sorry for making that uninformed decision. I guess your right about the impact of the people that breed and sell these snakes.

 

[PhobeToPhile]

I thought people just killed a bill like this earlier this year-or was it last year? At any rate, how is the campaign coming along? How far has word spread?

 

[the toe cutter]

The last bill of this nature was killed last year. And I believe that more exotic owners are getting behind USARK as the reptile industry has grown into the millions over the past decade or so. Thats alot of votes. Just pay attention to your local laws as well, those are the ones that are a catalyst for this kind of nonsensical BS. We will see about this ban as the time to speak out in support of killing this ban is over as of last Monday. Hopefully it happened or else its gonna happen with MANY other reptiles including venomous and rear fanged which include Hognoses and Garters. Thanks

 

[pitbulllady]

The last bill of this nature was killed last year. And I believe that more exotic owners are getting behind USARK as the reptile industry has grown into the millions over the past decade or so. Thats alot of votes. Just pay attention to your local laws as well, those are the ones that are a catalyst for this kind of nonsensical BS. We will see about this ban as the time to speak out in support of killing this ban is over as of last Monday. Hopefully it happened or else its gonna happen with MANY other reptiles including venomous and rear fanged which include Hognoses and Garters. Thanks

The thing we really have to watch out for is the USFWS "Rule Change", the proposal to add those same nine snakes to the Lacey Act's prohibition on trade and interstate transport of "injurious wildlife". This has nothing to do with votes, so the only thing that can "kill" it would be enough scientific evidence to convince the Feds that this isn't a good idea, at least in theory. Problem is, so many of these people are in the pockets of HSUS and PETA that they tend not to listen to science unless it's from one of their own, i.e., Reed and Rodda. PETA and HSUS have had their supporters(which include some people here on AB)pack the public comment section of the Rule Change proposal with page after page of anti-snake, anti-exotic misinformation; honestly I believe that's all that some of these people do, and they probably get paid handsomely to do this, just like the HSUS "damage control" team who call themselves "Hillary HSUS" and "Sarah HSUS", who are on every blog, etc., where people are "outing" HSUS for the radical, anti-animal owner, anti-agriculture, force-veganism-down-our-throats racketeers that they are.

pitbulllady

pitbulllady

 

[the toe cutter]

Man, I think PBL needs a valium LOL! Calm down there, I know its maddening but there is no point getting all worked up over the internet!

 

[pitbulllady]

Man, I think PBL needs a valium LOL! Calm down there, I know its maddening but there is no point getting all worked up over the internet!

You haven't SEEN me "worked up" yet, trust me.
Plus, the AR's STAY worked-up over THEIR cause, which is why they are winning and we're losing. We animal owners and breeders tend to be too complacent and figure that "somebody will take care of it", or "it will work itself out eventually" or "the problem will just go away on its own", or the old Douglas Adams stand-by, "it's Somebody Else's Problem (S.E.P.)". Most of us don't get "worked up" enough until it's too late, while the AR's are playing sides against each other, dividing and conquering, taking our animals and our rights.

pitbulllady

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Puts on Peril Sensitive Sunglasses(tm)

Problem? What problem? I don't see any problem.

 

[Sunset]

i dont care what law they past about this. but im not giving up my boas or pythons for the stupid law. the only way there get my snakes if they come with a army and they better be ready to fight....... But getting down to it our country is starting to become a country that every one hates.

 

[the toe cutter]

PBL, Getting all worked up just makes you look like a fanatic like the other side! With the way you go on your rants you seem just like one of those AR people. I wouldn't be surprised to see you in front of the white house with picket signs! We must show that we are not just a bunch of nut-job wierdos who like the odd pets, but reasonable, intelligent calm individuals. And let the other side look like a bunch of nuts! Besides we haven't lost any of our pets yet, so how are they winning? Hundreds of ridiculous laws and bills go in front of the senate and house every year and nothing happens with them. Most people probably dont even know what the Lacey act is honestly. But our pet trades, both inverts and reptiles is steadily on the rise in the US, and as much as they continue on their quest for non-ownership of animals, it will never happen if we simply vote, or contact your representative or senator. But no need to use fear tactics to scare exotic owners into hating certain groups of people, I dont like them myself, but you have to respect their views and we all have freedom of speech. Its fine to be concerned about issues that affect you, but just don't be all fanatical about it and talk a bunch of conspiracy non-sense. Thats a tactic out of their rule book.

 

[sean-820]

I dont mind the idea of Anacondas, Retics, Burms, African rocks being on there... but boa constrictors dont even man up to their length (usually) do they have scientific names ?

I'd be sad if this migrated to the smaller species...

I totally agree. I agree with those large snakes being banned as few can even properly care for them. Boas should stay though as they are more managable.

Im not saying this becasue of safty reason im saying this from an ethics standpoint. Many of these huge snakes are bought by the inexperienced without knowing proper care and becasue of this the snake will often suffer. Not many people are able to adequetly house snakes past even 10ft.

I also keep fish and this opinion is passed from them. I think fish like pacus, ATF... should be banned as mayby 1% of all fish that are 3ft will get an acceptable home and the rest either die, sold so some other noob or are thrown into a lake