FL local ball pythons
Subject: Florida local Ball Pythons?(LOL)
Hello All, I was out herping the other night in some pretty remote areas of Central Florida. I was in a new area that I never had herped before, driving all the dead ends down there, lol. I'm coming across a lot of water and garter snakes with some corns, rats, muds, etc. The usually common stuff for Florida I guess. At the end of one road, I come to a four way. I take a right and within the first minute on this road I see a good size snake in the middle of the dirt road. Now even though this is a remote area, I'm still assuming right away that this animal is a DOR which 90% of any animal on the roads down there are with the way these idiots drive. Anyway, at first glance I see a brownish/greenish snake with a light belly from a good distance away. As coming up closer on it, I can see it's a good 4' long and I can make out a pattern to her. Now within around 20-30 feet, I'm thinking gotta be a cottonmouth. Nope!!! Looks like a damm anaconda. No wait, a ball python? I finally come up on her and yes it is. A good 4' big female Ball python in immaculate condition. Only in Florida, lol... Now either this girl got away or some idiot released her. Either way, she was nice and healthy and still alive on a FL road which is Nothing more you can ask for with any animal Especially with reptiles. I still stop at the DOR's just to make an identity of that species in an area and sometimes still photograph it. Now since this girl should have never been released, she is in quarantine and will be added to my ball breeding groups. I wish these people would use their heads more when it comes to animals... I still believe these pet shops still make a big difference in what people think. I'm still on the "Iguana with permit only" & "No burmese sales, etc." in pet shops. I don't believe the pet stores are anywhere knowledgeable enough with these animals and their outcomes to let people know what it is that animal requires & what their actually getting into. I've heard people trying to give them back to pet stores or humane societies but they don't take or want a lot of reptiles. That's another problem!!! People their are people or societies out there for reptiles. YOU HAVE TO FIND THEM!!! There not gonna come knocking on your door... It's not that easy, Sorry. This is not the pet store or idiot that sold you it. How do you explain this to people when you don't know your self the drastic consequences!!! It's all about the money people!!! That's the Truth, plain and simple!!! It reminds me of some reptile people in the industry that will do anything for a buck. It's pretty sad when the animals pay the price!!! It's either another dead animal(s) or even and most often Helping in the destruction of that species in the wild!!! I know, I've worked with some of them. I've seen some pretty nasty stuff come in and being done to animals. I don't care who you are, If you really care for animals, You can only turn your head so much until it gets to you!!! I worked for a place in New England for about 5 months and my worst times working for that place was going outside to throw something away in the garbage and seeing all the dead animals from that day that actually were noticed. That garbage man must have had a heart condition after seeing that week after week. (O' Wait, like most people, they don't even see these animals, lol...) No, I'm sure he did with big lizards and burms, etc., not to mention all the cats in the city were there. People, If you see something wrong or don't agree with something. Don't Support It!!! Over the years I've spent in the animal industry I've seen a lot of people come out. Most have good intentions, they really do. Others are just looking for that quick buck in any shape or form. Like with anything. If it is to good to be true, chances are It probably is... Don't get me wrong. There are some really good animals out there for a really good price. You will see some good people that just want to move something for a reason and willing to take a loss. But don't go out looking for this as you will loose in your favor, I'm sure of it. Like almost any industry, Most sell their products with the assumption on their price will cover their coast, labor, useless merchandise, shipping, housing, etc.... There is a lot to it when buying and selling especially when doing it right. It's mind boggling a lot of the time. I was doing a lot more sales with shows and mail order than now but I just really can't handle it with the amount of animals I'm currently working with. I just don't have the time or room to buy a hundred or couple hundred animals Just to sit on for sale. That's where you basically get your price break with suppliers but it is pretty over overwhelming. I remember the first really big order I had. I ordered 2,000 ball pythons and some other snakes and turtles. Man, It was nuts for that order unpacking and going threw everyone one by one even though I already had everyone's enclosure ready when I placed the order... I had the opportunity to make a little profit on the animals for sale but I did get my order screwed up (like burger king, lol) and animals with problems. Now granted This supplier made good on my credits but, I still had these animals that I can't move in my position and that I'm caring for. Not a good thing when you have a ton of stuff going on...It's not like the supplier wanted them back. Why would he? To be in the same predicament I'm in? Now I don't mind keeping a healthy animal that has no years taken off their life from a deformity. I have a few like this I use for breeding or shows. It gives this animal a sure thing for survival and someone that can look past a knob tail, or scar. I'm a breeder anyway so If I can produce a captive born animal from any Legal animal to populate it's kind and/or populate the captive born industry, and maybe at least help pay to keep this animal, I'm all for it... Well, now that I am completely off my initial subject, lol I'm gonna close with this... People good luck with all your animals and do what you feel is right. If you need reassurance, ask around. Please, Please get a second or third opinion. Good luck and thanks to all Thanks, Ed Rainforest's Exotics Rainforest's Exotics |
I have come across some strange critters in the past. Animals that I or friends of mine have found on highways and various other open ranges include red tails, burmese pythons, iguanas, savannah monitors, a nile monitor, a retic, a red tegu and so on. All of the animals, excluding the burms and the retic, were full grown adults.
None of them were ever animals, as far as we knew, that had been reported missing or stolen, which tells me that they are simply released when people have no 'use' for them anymore. Sad.... Anyways, good luck with that ball! |
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