[thehotchik1000]

Hi everyone,
Id just like to bring this bill to everyones attention really quickly even though is targeting pythons. Bill S373 is a python ban to add all pythons, and anacondas, and boas to the Lacey Act which is the Injurious wildlife act. Im not sure how many of you are into snakes too. But my main concern is this could be all reptiles, in the next year or two. This is all to conserve the Everglades, because due to natural disaster and idiots releasing their snakes that get too big, the everglades has a feral Burmese python population. I know that the reptile indusrty is enormous. I breed alot of different types of geckos. But my main staples in my business are Ball pythons and tokay geckos. I think the whole python community would like anyone who is willing to take 10 minutes out of their day to help with opposing and really telling these people that this bill should be revised and reformed immediatly. The main problems with this bill is its banning the import, export, and interstate transport of all regus of pythons. That's around 45 different species of snakes. There has been no research done to say that these other species would ever be a problem for the everglades. Whos to say that it wont be tokays, or other reptiles next???? The problems in the everglades isnt just due to the burmese pythons. What about the feral cat, feral hog populations, and the water flow problems? Senator Bill Nelson, the guy who sponsored this bill renigged on his compromise with the USARK to make ammendments to the bill so that it doesnt compleatly destroy the reptile industry. The USARK was offering up the fact that the USGS's study showed the 9 giant species of python, and other constrictor to be the high risk animals and to limit the bill to banning those. *Including a moratorium on import until more definitive science can determine weather a Lacey Act listing is actually necessary. This would have amounted to what is known as a “sunset clause”. Apparently Democrats on the Committee feel they have the political momentum to ignore science in favor of political expediency. *
*from USARK.org

Limiting the bill to the giant 9 would leave many other species of python to breed and sell in the reptile industry. Pretty much as it is millions of people will loose their incomes to support their families with including ME! As if the economy isnt bad off already lets put millions of people out of business. And unfortunately its not only the importers, and breeders of these amazing animals its also people that breed rodents, make cages, dry goods, and other husbandy equipment for these animals.

So how can everyone help if you choose to help?? Call and email these senators. These people need to know what will happen if they keep this bill as written. They need to know that more research needs to be done for the conservation effort rather than banning them all together. The way I see it banning them isnt going to help the everglades at all . There needs to be a larger conservation effort to help the everglades. If you can spare 10 minutes out of your day to call these guys and dont stop calling until they get the picture this could save our hobby all together!!! Listed below is a template of what you can say to these senators or a representative for them and the numbers to call. Also for more info on this issue please go to USARK.org. Or simply google S373! I appreciate you guys doing anything you can. Thanks, Morgan Weiss

What to say: My name is ______ I oppose S373 as written. This bill needs to be revised and reformed to limit it to the giant 9. Thank You!

Call List: (this is not a full list of the EPW just the key members likely to be at hearings)
Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), (Sponsor S373)
Phone: 202-224-5274
Fax: 202-228-2183

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), (Chair EPW)
Phone: (202) 224-3553
Fax: (202) 224-0454

Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), (Ranking Member EPW)
Phone: (202) 224-4721
Fax: (202) 228-0380

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), (Chair Water & Wildlife)
Phone: 202-224-4524
Fax: 202-224-1651

Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), (Ranking Member Water & Wildlife)
Phone: (202) 224-6142
Fax: (202) 228-1375

Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Phone: (202) 224-4944
Fax: (202) 228-3398

[Riverside Reptiles]

Please...in the future take the time to place these sorts of posts in the appropriate forum. It's pretty obvious that this does not belong in the "tokay" forum. We have the "politics" forum for a reason.
Thanks,
Ethan

[Lordoftheswarms]

The tokay is the only gecko that this really applies to. It's the only aggressive gecko that has established itself in the wild in the states. The other ones that have been established aren't as big of a threat to indigenous populations. However, I don't think that geckos will ever have the same problem that the giant snakes do, so "this could be geckos in a year or two" is really nothing more than a scare tactic to get us to participate in something that we don't really care about, which is fighting this bill on the banning of interstate trade of giant snakes. It's the best thing for the environment, these snakes are a threat, and most of them are established. If giant snake keepers didn't want this bill, then maybe they should have been more active in promoting responsible keeping, and not letting their large snakes loose where they didn't belong.

[thehotchik1000]

I did honestly take the tome to look for the appropriate section. I guess I didn't see the politis section. I'll try and find away to move it there. On the other end if this issue is something you don't care about that's cool. But I would think that most of the reptile community would pull together. Bc they're what we love. Anyways. I'll find a way to move this thread or remove it. If anyone has a suggestion of how to do that pleAse let me know.

[Riverside Reptiles]

I already moved it for you. I just don't want a replay of when HR669 was in congress and people were posting the same info over and over again in whatever forum they felt like without regard to where it actually belonged or the fact that the same info had already been posted multiple times. It was quite disruptive. When in doubt as to where to post, there's always the "off topic" forum.

As for those that care or don't care about a potential python ban, I'll leave that up to each of us to decide on as an individual. There's certainly several perspectives that can be taken on the subject. And debate on that is welcome here as long as it's kept intelligent and civil.

[Crystal]

I'd like to thank the it-doesn't-concern-me's and the it's-not-my-problem's for the outpouring of support and understanding. It's really nice when we as fellow herpers can put our differences aside and educate ourselves on the issues and lend each other a hand.
But really, it's very sad and disappointing that you seem to have bought into the sensationalist media stories and the anti-science that is the USGS study. A quick visit to the USARK website could have dispelled any misinformation being reported right now. Maybe you should go take a gander now. It would certainly be worthwhile. One poster said something to the effect that big snake owners should take responsibility for educating people about proper husbandry. What?! Have you been living in a bubble or under a rock? Of course we large snake owners take responsibility and educate people. It's a daily part of our lives. A huge chunk of what USARK does is educating people about proper husbandry and disspelling myths about the dangers of large snakes. How can you not know this? I'm trying to remain civil but these kind of comments absolutely blow my mind.
My last point, if for whatever reason you were facing the same dilemma I sure as heck would have been fighting for you, both for the welfare of your little guys and to protect your livelihood. Nice to know I can expect the same from you. By the way Morgan, thanks for the effort. I saw you on the news. Your little ones are absolutely beautiful.

[thehotchik1000]

I think that if anyone even owns 1 reptile no matter what it is they should take a stand aginst this. The report that the USGS based this whole thing on, has been deemed "unscientific" by individual scientists. I personally think that no matter what type of herp you own this should be important. The politicians have used scare tactics including these animals will eventually colonize up to Maryland, and they will hurt people, and other crap like that. But i really feel like the banning isnt going to do much with conservation. If they are so conerned with the conservation factor they need to come up with humane ways of trapping the large breeding adults which are making the feral pop. grow so that the problem doesnt get worse. Unfortunately it is cheaper to bann them then actually do research on this problem. Which was stated in one of the hearings on this bill. Again people need to fight not only for the snakes but in the end for responsible pet ownership, and responsible breeding. Alot of the feral burms were not release from captive situations, but displaced by hurricanes. especially huge ones like Andrew that ripped apart many businesses that were carrying these guys. This problem isnt anyones fault. But i think its ignorant to say "If giant snake keepers didn't want this bill, then maybe they should have been more active in promoting responsible keeping, and not letting their large snakes loose where they didn't belong. " People that responsibly take care of these snakes are active in promoting responsible keeping. Those are the people that definately didnt release their animals where they didnt belong. In the end if the politicians can use scare mongering and other tatics to get not only the normal public that dont own herps, but also people that do own herps, to say ya bann them all! Then eventually the whole reptile community will be screwed. HSUS has been very adamant about NO reptile ownership at all and this is the start of it. To be quite honest me saying "this could be our geckos in a yr. or two" Is just the honest truth. They could try and do the samething. They could ban all import, export , and interstate transport. But the more people that stand up now and say no this isnt ok. The less of a chance that it will happen later. It was more of a call to arms so to speak, me saying that. Id like this to make people care not only about your specific animal, or speceis, but for the whole industry as a whole. We are a community, we may not agree on everything but I think if there is one thing that everyone can agree on its: WE ALL LOVE OUR REPTILES. Whether you choose to learn more on this issue is your choice, whether you choose to fight this issue is your choice. But i really feel like eveyone should pull together for the sake of our hobby.

[Deadly_Kermit]

The reason this bill was proposed is because of the population of introduced Reticulated pythons (among others) in the everglades. Banning the sale or possession of these snakes however, will not decrease that population. It will eliminate the captive population and many snake keepers who do not wish for their snakes to be seized will likely release them instead, resulting in higher populations in the everglades.

I am opposed to this bill because I believe the damage that will be done to the herp industry far outweighs any benefits to the everglades.

Anyone who feels strongly about the matter should go to this website:

S.373: A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to include constrictor snakes of the species Python genera... OpenCongress

This contains an unofficial voting system that will let our representatives know what the public thinks about the bill. right now it stands at 12 votes for support and 607 votes in opposition.

[thehotchik1000]

Thanks so much for that link Deadly Kermit. I haven't seen that one. I agree that banning these animals will not do anything for the feral populations. I beleive that a humane way for trapping and rehoming the feral snakes should be found. This would keep the population from growing. But it's cheaper to ban them. That is the sickening part.
Take care
Morgan

[Martinotti Reptiles]

I have signed every petition I've found and I've sent emails to everyone, including the White House. This bill will only cripple the breeding and trade of these snakes, without doing absolutely anything about the populations in the wild. If that is what's trying to be fixed, this is not the way to go about it. If the government is just trying to keep people safer from these large snakes, this is not the way to do it either.

I have a ball python, and to think that my little harmless Dakar is going to become a banned species... it's riddiculous. Really riddiculous. And it does worry me that they'll go after other reptile species eventually. Why not chameleons? There are populations in Hawaii. Or why not iguanas? They've taken over South Florida. Or why not this, or that? I have chamelons, geckos, bearded dragons, iguanas, and snakes... It does scare me that they'll come after more species. And anyone who doesn't think that this is a very serious issue, even if they only have a couple leopard geckos, is mistaken.

The HSUS's website section on reptiles clearly shows that they hate reptiles. It says not to get reptiles because you'll never be able to take care of them properly, and they'll give you diseases, and that they'll die, and that they're all wild-caught and sick.... it's like reading an anti-reptile page and not a sort of care-sheet! So I have no doubt that sooner or later they'll come after more species.

So I totally support everyone who breeds and loves these snakes! You have my support!