National Park Service
Giant Alien Snakes: It's not the title of a creepy new horror movie. According to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), nine species of giant snakes alien to North America could become established in the wild and wreak havoc on the ecosystem. National Geographic reports that these snakes can grow longer than 20 feet and weigh over 200 pounds. The slithering giants would be capable of surviving in the wild, and since they breed quickly and lack native predators, they could quickly cause trouble in U.S. ecosystems.
Some of these snakes have already infiltrated Florida, and the Burmese python could potentially spread to the entire lower third of the U.S. While some of the snakes in question have been known to kill people, the real risk is to ecosystems, which have no defense against the alien invaders.
So where did these snakes come from? Most of them were once pets that escaped or that people released into the wild. "If you want to be good to Mother Nature, do not under any circumstances let [your snake] go," study co-author and USGS zoologist Gordon Rodda told National Geographic. "You'd be better off euthanizing it than releasing it."
The real message here seems to be: Don't adopt a pet you can't care for. And if you must get rid of your pet, deal with it in a responsible way!
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YES, NON-NATIVE SNAKES ARE A PROBLEM BUT SOMEONE FORGOT TO MENTION IGUANAS AS WELL. PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE CUTE WHEN SMALL BUT THEY GROW VERY LARGE. THEY ARE TURNED LOOSE OR GET AWAY FROM THEIR OWNERS AND THEY HAVE A NASTY BITE. THEY ARE ALSO TAKING OVER SOUTH FLORIDA.
They taste like chicken too!
I truly believe that anyone who wants to own one of these snakes should have a permit and take a class on how to properly care for them. If they register their animals, at least they could be tracked to some degree and people could be reprimanded for letting these animals go. As a pet shop worker I hear this all the time. Oh I just got tired of it so I let it go. People need to understand that pets are a COMMITMENT. Please, if you must get rid of your pet, find a way to responsibly handle the situation. See if a friend can take it. Search Craigs List. Contact the SPCA or a Zoo in your area. Even a pet shop may be willing to take it. YOU HAVE OTHER OPTIONS. PLEASE DON’T LET DOMESTICATED ANIMALS INTO THE WILD.
I have a better idea. How about we make it a law not to sell these animals in the first place.
NO ONE AND I MEAN NO ONE SHOULD EVER 'OWN' AN EXOTIC ANIMAL...IT'S SICK AND ABUSIVE. I JUST WONDER WHO BROUGHT THESE IN-DRUG DEALERS, ILLEGALS? THIS IS A BIG ISSUE AND COULD COMPROMISE FLORIDA AS A TOURIST STATE.' PET SHOPS' SHOULD NOT SELL ANIMALS-THEY SHOULD SELL 'STUFF' FOR ANIMALS. LET'S TAKE THE TIME TO ADOPT FROM A SHELTER.
Shannon needs to go back to bed and TRY to be civil. Why are you calling Robin a Right -Wing-Nut?// Who are you the Nazi police? Keep YOUR LIBERAL POLITICS out of the comments , this is about ANIMALS. Why are you bringing up Abortion?? Look in the mirror if you are so quick to call others NUTS.
Any opportunity to spread your left wing hate speech, eh Shannon? Lefties seem to have become the nastiest, most venomous people I have ever met here lately. Chill out, you horse's ass! BTW, learn to spell. It's "You're", not "Your", when you're contracting 'You Are'!
Drug dealers or illegals? Are you serious lady? Wake up, you can buy these reptiles at any reptile expo in the country for as little as $25. The people to blame are the morons who don't research potential pets and the lawmakers who dont have the balls to enforce laws on dangerous animals. Giant constrictors among others should require a permit to own. I own three pythons myself, have owned snakes for nearly 20 yers, so I am in the know. As far as the comments on iguanas.... Turtles and iguanas are vessels for the spread of salmonella, this is a proven fact.... Who in their right mind would buy these animals for their kids or themselves? Messy and smelly and salmonella to boot.....
Chill, snakes you buy in a pet store are bred in captivity. No one "brought them in," they aren't illegal to own and as for sick and abusive, everyone I know who owns snakes takes wonderful care of them. They're kept in moderately sized cages, meaning the animal won't outgrow it's habitat. My cousin's snake is very much a people "person" and seems quite happy. She likes to slither up your arms and get very close to your face so she can smell your breath (though she doesn't like the smell of cigarette smoke or alcohol, so lay off before you hold her). As for adopting from a shelter, that's great for cats and dogs, but most shelters aren't equipped to care for things like hamsters, mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs and other such tiny, mostly short-lived creatures. If they were to build such accommodations, they would take away room from the dogs and cats they save and take money they don't have that could otherwise keep a dog housed for another week or two, rather than being euthanized. Besides, it's impractical to adopt most rodents from shelters, as the life expectancy of hamsters and gerbils is only three years or so, even when well cared for. By the time you adopted the cute little bugger, it might be at the end of its life expectancy. I agree that dogs and cats should be adopted from a shelter or a rescue organization, but you must think and specify before you freak out. Besides, it's rude to type in caps lock on the internet. It's like screaming at someone you're trying to have a civil discussion with.
Hey, robin, you're crazy
Peta is a joke, stop screaming about animals. Florida isn't going to lose it's tourism department because of a few snakes. People go to Florida to see frickin' gators, do you think the fact that there's a python on the lose is going to deter them from going? Gator v Python, I think we know who wins.
Stop crying, the sky isn't falling
your an absolute retard! I happen to breed reptiles and if it wasn't for the herp community some of these animals would be extinct! your probably a peta friggen supporter... pet stores need better trained people but as far as "exotic" pets go people should be able to own them and stores should sell them. some people like cats and dogs... some like fish some like reptiles....
for the other retards that let there animals go in the wild they should be smack up side the head...
i think ALL exotics shoould be baned from being sold. The authiorities should be behind a ban of exotics as "pets" and their importation.
Bonnie, I hope your a vegetarian because "ALL" exotics would mean chickens, most cattle, several species of fish (ie, tilapia, australian lobster) would then be illegal. Next time think before saying something about anything you dont understand.
She said pets, so U look befor U leap.
If we were to ban ALL exotic pets, it would even include goldfish, bettas, most types of commonly kept fish, most pet birds, most small mammals such as gerbils, most frogs and toads, and so many others. Look up Congressional Bill HR 669. There is a good argument on tetra-fish's forum. Do a search there.
Thousands of people would be out of jobs. I would be one of them. I run a fish rescue and 99% of the fish I have are considered "exotic". I'm looking at a tank right now that has Killies, Gouramis, Tigar Barbs, Danios, Chinese Algae Eaters, and Upside-down Catfish. None of these fish are native to the US. If exotics were banned, I would be put into prison for 1000 years just because of the fish I own. I have Lake Malawi fish. Most of them are imported from Africa.
I have snakes. Only two are considered exotic as most of mine are corn snakes and are from the US. But my two ball python hatchlings are technically exotic. Guinea pigs may even be considered exotic. I have six. I foster too and sometimes have as many as 30 in my care. I also have rats. They were imported from a breeder in the UK. I wouldn't be able to have them either.
I think what needs to be done is making it harder for people to buy pets by proving they know how to and will care for a specific animal. Permits for those who get too large. I'm including fish in this. Did you know those cute little Red Belly Pacu you see in Petsmart and Petco get two feet long and 60 pounds? And that they need to be in schools? I can't tell you how many pacu I've had to either put down or try to rehome because they are too big to care for.
Of course, there is no way requiring permits to be given for exotics would work. Ever heard of the black market organ trade? Or perhaps the Prohibition? What about booleg dvds? Same thing would happen in this situation.
Snakes can't smell!! So it isn't the "odor" that causes them not to like it.
Since we can't go back in time and prevent a person from releasing their pets, the next question is now that we have them, what do we do? If they are going to wreck havoc on our ecosystem shouldn't we focus on capturing these animals and re-release them in their natural habitat? Or do we go to and exterminate the ones that are released, which might in turn cause people to think twice about releasing their pets into the wild.
i think these should be over here to get rid of all the wild cats and animals that should be shot so i believe these ailien snakes will be great to have in our population
well as a matter of fact i worked in the everglades national park for some time.there are alot of the alien snakes in the park.ive personaly witnessed park services capture one and they did kill it.so let the pets go if you want.
I think killing the snakes would work. They are not native to this country. People are so irresponsible. I agree snakes and such should have micro-chips put in and owners need a license. That way if they are loose the owner can be held responsible.. Plus levy a huge fine on the owner. There are too many foreign insects and animals being brought in and they are destroying our fragile eco-system.