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Posted by VAReptileRescue on April 21, 2003 at 19:54:49:
In Reply to: But this is not due to overpopulation, don't you see? posted by BrianSmith on April 21, 2003 at 15:52:55:
I have to disagree here. It *IS* due to overpopulation. If there weren't as many for people to have, then people wouldn't have them! I'm not against people owning large boids; I'm against people owning large boids who haven't a clue what their future holds - oh, wait, that's most people, since I don't know of anyone with a crystal ball. Seriously, I have found VERY, VERY few people, including professionals, zoos, etc., that provide what I would consider a minimally acceptable habitat for an adult Burmese. My husband and I just built a professional/zoo-quality cage that is 8'W x 6'T x 4'D. We use this to house the pair of albinos we rescued last year. People we talked to ridiculed us for providing such a tall cage, yet, I couldn't NOT provide vertical space for them. They wouldn't remain on the ground exclusively in the wild - why wouldn't they need to climb in captivity? My previous experience with a cage this size for a Burm proved me right - she climbed all over that cage, with 5 different levels. These burms now are doing the same. Even still, this cage is grossly undersized for this animal, in my opinion, but it's the best I can do.
So, if 99.9% of the population can't provide adequate housing for them, then why in hades are we pumping them out by the dozens at a time?
The point was valid that I get in as many (or more) ball pythons and boas. very, very true. But the capacity to care for these animals is *generally* more wide-spread, and easier for people to attain. Even still, I have trouble at times placing them because they are also rather common. (On the other hand, the true Guyana RTB I just took in already has 8 applications... go figure.)
OK, hypothetical situation: Let's say we are suddenly able to reproduce dinosaurs, a la "Jurassic Park". Does that mean we should allow them to be sold to anyone with the money? Here's a not-so-hypothetical situation: look at the classifieds and see how long it takes you to find ads for baby Nile Crocs. What idiot would buy one? Rather, what idiot thinks so highly of him/herself that he thinks he can provide for this animal?? Granted, Burms are a little more even-tempered than crocs, but the bottom line is the same: you can't care for them properly without a heck of a big wallet, so maybe, just maybe, we shouldn't tempt people with things when it' so obvious that people can't control their "wants". Just because we can have something doesn't mean we should. (Now, if I could just remember that when I pass by the ice-cream stands... hmm...)
--Bonnie
PS - for anyone wondering, when I'm logged in this way, my "moderator" hat is off..
