For all you "free the reptiles" people....what makes you think a dog or a guina pig is OK to cage?

Question

I make sure my snakes have proper habitats....just like I do my dogs and cats......I'm just trying to understand your logic (and start a fuss).

Answer 1

You'll get no argument from me. Properly cared for, any captive animal benifits from constant and assured food supplies, clean water that's always availible, constantly-improving medical care, and best yet: No predators. At the rate natural habitats are being destroyed, I honestly think that the survival of a great many species is in the hands of hobbyists who genuinely care about the animals they keep. Look at the impact already seen with captive breeding programs! The common Green Iguana is indeed common now. Ball Python babies aren't so stressed that they refuse to eat--they're used to captive environments, as opposed to the wild-caught specimens that are getting rarer in pet shops. Boas aren't arm-and-a-leg priced anymore. The list goes on!

So I say set up a cage, stick something in it, and love the heck out of it. Give it all you can.

Answer 2

Exactly. I always wonder why people make a fuss about exotics; cared for properly, how's it any different to having a hamster?

To the "no cages" person - are you aware that captive bred animals can't survive in the wild? They don't know how to feed themselves and their unnatural bright colours would make them easy prey. If they're to live happy lives, they must be caged. By getting on your high horse about animal rights, you actually sentence these animals to suffering.

I keep snakes, and snakes if they're stressed will not feed. Most captive snakes readily eat and this indicates no stress. Trust me, animals in cages do not get upset by it. They don't think "Gosh, I wish I wasn't in this stupid cage."

Answer 3

No animal should be caged, ever. Corraled and kept safe from hurtung itself , another animal or person, most definetly; but not caged. I mean gee whiz,Bucky, how would you like living in a cage?

Answer 4

Yes boy ! finally you and the people did understand what I am talking about !!
Reptils need being free couse humans don´t know how to handle them!, they are only for especialist in reptils or someone who know really a lot about them...
Reptils are dangerous couse of the salmonella!Here is an example :
On June 6, 1986, two cases of turtle-associated salmonellosis were reported in Columbus, Ohio. A 2-year-old boy became ill with fever, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea 4 days after his mother had purchased a pet turtle from a local pet store. His 4-year-old brother developed similar symptoms the next day.

Stool cultures from both boys yielded Salmonella typhimurium. Following investigation by the Ohio Department of Health, S. typhimurium was isolated from the turtle and from a water sample taken from the turtle bowl in the children's home. All four isolates of S. typhimurium had the same plasmid profile. The turtle was a red-eared slider, Trachemys scripta elegans (formerly Pseudemys scripta elegans (1)), with a carapace diameter of 2 inches.

When investigators from the Food and Drug Administration and the Ohio Department of Health visited the pet store, no more turtles were available. The store owner had purchased the turtles from a local distributor who sells reptiles primarily to local universities and other institutions for scientific purposes. The invoice for the sale of the turtles to the pet store stated that the turtles were to be used for scientific purposes only.

Local health departments in Ohio were notified that turtles might be for sale illegally in their jurisdictions. No other cases of turtle-associated salmonellosis have been reported in Ohio. Reported by LK Giljahn, MPH, Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit, TJ Halpin, MD, MPH, State Epidemiologist, Ohio Dept of Health; Food and Drug Administration; Enteric Diseases Br, Div of Bacterial Diseases, Center for Infectious Diseases, CDC.

Editorial Note
Editorial Note: Pet turtles are estimated to have caused 14% of reported cases of salmonellosis in humans in the early 1970s (2). Consequently, the interstate and intrastate commercial distribution of turtles 4 inches in carapace diameter was banned in 1975, except for bonafide scientific, educational, or exhibitional purposes (3). After this ban went into effect, turtle-associated salmonellosis in the United States became rare (4). However, pet turtles exported from the United States have been associated with human salmonellosis in the United Kingdom (5), Japan (6), and Yugoslavia (7). Recently, in Israel, aquarium cultures of pet turtles imported from the United States yielded Salmonella, and that country has temporarily banned the importation of these turtles (8). Diversion of these turtles into U.S. markets has been associated with human illness in Puerto Rico and, sporadically, in the continental United States (7). Since the importation of small turtles into the United States has long been restricted, turtles for sale in pet stores in the United States are likely to be of U.S. origin (9).

Turtles are easily infected with Salmonella from the environment and can acquire the organism in ovo or after hatching (10). Treating turtle eggs with gentamicin has been proposed as a means of producing Salmonella-free turtles (11). However, only one evaluation of this technique has been published, and the efficacy of the technique in practice has not been established. The technique may promote gentamicin resistance in Salmonella, as a similar technique has when used in treating turkey eggs (12). Furthermore, uninfected baby turtles can easily acquire Salmonella from other turtles or from the environment after hatching. Turtles also harbor Campylobacter, Aeromonas, and other potential pathogens (13,14). They are not appropriate pets for small children.

Prompt investigation of turtle-associated salmonellosis can prevent further illness. It is particularly important to determine the origin and distribution of the turtles, whether they were hatched from gentamicin-treated eggs, and whether they carry Salmonella.

So , why having reptils if they are so dangerous ?
These poor "things"need being in their house....not in yours....

........couse it isn´t theirs !!

Reptils need lots of vitamins to live, calcium, uva, etc, etc.....

We really need a lot of time to spend in them....

So, please.think another opcion....

......a guinea pig could be fantastic !!

ChEeRs to all of you......"free the reptils people"

A simple girl from ....Argentina...

Answer 5

exactly