Think our animals can't get banned? Check out this article.

[LythSalicaria]

I wanted to post this in the Tarantula Chat section to show to those who are skeptical of the likelihood of our animals getting banned, but based on the fact that this article is related to a corn snake, this forum seemed a bit more appropriate. And this applies to more than just people keeping T's anyway - it's relevant to anyone who keeps exotics.

‘Chubby’ pet snake on the loose in Victoria (msn.com)

Now I'm not an expert in any field, let alone herps, but even I know that a corn snake is harmless.

However, due to a keeper's ineptitude (why on earth would you stuff a freakin' corn snake in your guitar case?!), this story was one of the featured stories on MSN.com 2 days ago and police went so far as to issue a bloody warning:

"Anyone who sees the snake is asked not try to capture it but instead to call police or animal control."

Police or Animal Control. For a corn snake. :wall:

I hesitate to think what the reaction would have been if the escaped animal had been a cobra or OBT.

 

[The Snark]

Need the larger picture if it exists. Aus is extremely wary of invasive species for a very good reason. The rabbits were 'harmless' too for one example.

 

[LythSalicaria]

Need the larger picture if it exists. Aus is extremely wary of invasive species for a very good reason. The rabbits were 'harmless' too for one example.

Good point. For some reason I was under the impression that we already had corn snakes in the wild around here, but Mr. Google informed me that I'm mistaken.

 

[The Snark]

Aus and NZ, while still having a long way to go, are light years ahead of America when it comes to environmental awareness and protection.

I recall touring the outskirts of Darwin during the fire season. On all the major roads, every few hundred yards large signs bear the slightly obscure message, 'We like our lizards frilled not grilled'. The fire suppression services are on 24 hour standby alert. Rangers and volunteer spotters all over the place. Water drop helicopters can be in the air within a couple of minutes of a reported fire.
They learned their lesson about how fragile their ecosystem is beneath the facade of seemingly everlasting arid desert climes.

 

[Lucky Luciano]

Ehm...it's Victoria, B.C. as in British Columbia, Canada

 

[LythSalicaria]

Ehm...it's Victoria, B.C. as in British Columbia, Canada

Snark's still got a point though - assuming they could get used to the winters here, I could see corn snakes becoming an invasive species in Canada.