• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Python kills toddler

Incident

This incident has sparked the re-birth of Hr669, in its new form here it is...

WARNING: Momentum For HR2811
This is a letter sent by Representative Kendrick Meek of Florida to his colleagues in the US House of Representatives looking for new sponsors to his recently introduced HR 2811. This is the companion bill to Senator Bill Nelson's S373. Also known as "The Python Ban". Rep Meek is looking to capitalize on all the recent publicity and put his bill in the limelight. As soon as it happens our intelligence gathering folks in Washington, DC help USARK bring it to the Reptile Nation. Stay tuned there is much more coming soon. Prepare yourselves for the big fight!

HELP PREVENT THE IMPORTATION AND TRADE OF DANGEROUS BURMESE PYTHONS

From: The Honorable Kendrick B. Meek
Sent By: ***********
Bill: H.R. 2811
Date: 7/9/2009

HELP PREVENT THE IMPORTATION AND TRADE OF DANGEROUS BURMESE PYTHONS
Dear Colleague,
This month, a 2 year old girl in Florida was killed by a Burmese Python which was kept as a pet in the girl’s home. Although this particular owner did not have a permit for the snake, many people across the country do and have still been injured or killed by them. Incidents of injury and death from Burmese Pythons have been reported from Florida to Maine to California. These dangerous snakes are lawfully imported from Southeast Asia and are legally sold in the United States.
Burmese Pythons can grow to be up to 20 feet long and weigh over 250 lbs. Not only do they pose a risk when they escape their tanks, but as they begin to reach their adult size many owners turn them loose, posing a danger to children, pets and delicate ecosystems. Burmese Pythons are strong swimmers and highly adaptable, making their home in almost any warm climate. More than 600 of these pythons were removed from the Florida Everglades Park between 2002 and 2007, and these invasive species feed on many of the endangered native species found there, including white ibis, limpkin, round-tailed muskrats, and woodrats.
The import and trade of Burmese Pythons must be stopped. That is why I introduced H.R. 2811, to include these pythons on the list of dangerous animals, banning their importation and sale in the United States.
Please join me in co-sponsoring this important bill to protect children, pets and endangered ecosystems from dangerous Burmese Pythons.
For more information about this issue or to become a sponsor of H.R. 2811, please contact Ali DiMatteo in my office at **************.

Sincerely,
KENDRICK B. MEEK
Member of Congress
 
Oi. Well, I'm ready for round two whenever we get the go-ahead. :thumbsup:
 
Seriously people CAGE LOCKS!! It's a very small investment to protect our hobby and rights!
Unfortunately the animals responsible for purchasing/installing the cage locks have already escaped and are breeding...
Oi. Well, I'm ready for round two whenever we get the go-ahead.
Count me in!
 
Cage locks not the real issue

Cage Locks are not the Issue. The issue lies in wheres the responsibility?
The BREEDERS in our hobby need to step up, Grow a pair, and stop selling these massive animals as pets, They are not Pets, 90% of the people that own them Shouldn't. Can someone anyone, show me/tell me, how these animals are well suited for captivity? Or well Suited to be in 90% of the homes they are in? I wonder if the Breeders even know how many of there 50 egg albino burm clutches actually live to adult hood.

What This really comes down to is self regulation. Either We regulate ourselves, which has failed and we have so many python deaths in the news(according to the people supporting bills like these anyway), If we don't regulate ourselves, then uncle sam will, and no one will win.

There needs to be a message to all "large" snake breeders, (burms, rocks, retics, annie's) Or some sort of code. you can't just sell your baby retic to the 14 year old, come on now, where are your business ethics!

Its those snakes, that will single-handedly take down our hobby and make all of us abide by new rules and regulations.

These Bans, Laws, will not stop at the Big 5 either, they will ban all species, regardless of size or threat. As a Community, we need to regulate ourselves and come together to find common ground.

It is relatively easy to blame the Cage locks but that is just a way to sweep the problem under the rug so to speak.
 
No. I will not support the ban of them. I love them and when I own the appropriate property I will own burms and retics. This is America and I'm sick and tired of having people trample my freedoms.

My father didn't go over seas and fight for my freedoms so I could sit back and watch them get taken away. I didn't grow up with a dad that was permanently screwed up to roll over and say here's my hard earned money come in my home and dictate my life.

You don't want to keep them than don't.

I'm safer walking into a retic cage then in my own neighborhood.

Cage locks are a safe keeping practice that needs to be followed with large snakes. It would have prevented the death above and the one that was is the news before this as well.

It's not sweeping it under the rug, it is a basic husbandry practice that prevents accidents.

Minors shouldn't be allowed to buy pets of any sort without an adult period, regardless of species - mammal, reptiles, amphibians or birds. Hell, I've seen kids hurt themselves with fish. But once again that is the Parent's responsibility the government has no business regulating my family either.
 
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Interesting....but

Your Points maybe Valid but your missing the big picture. Its not the Ball pythons, or carpets creating this Legislation, It is the BIG BOYS of the herp world (the big 5)

When Did I use the word BAN? There needs to be a CODE or some kind of system to prevent them from getting into wrong hands Is all. I refuse to allow inept keepers producing thousands of huge unsuitable pets, Destroy my rights to own what I want to own.

If they do BAN the BIG 5, it will not stop there, they will destroy our freedom to own any said reptile, and while I don't agree with out right banning of the big 5, where is the line drawn? In the Government eye's a python is a python regardless be it Ball or Retic.

I don't own retics or rocks, but other irresponsible people that do, are causing my freedoms to own what i choose to own to be in jeopardy.

Your so quick to jump and Say this Is America, Freedom, etc. If any of these laws get passed, We may as well have Hitler as president. My point is Simple, In order to Prevent these laws, we need self regulation, we need to govern ourselves, and if we don't, someone else will.

Since you brought it up, what at all if any does your Father fighting any war have to do with ownership of said reptiles?

We need to govern ourselves as a community or there will be no community.
 
"making their home in almost any warm climate" my fat tail. I'd like to see Burms survive in the desert Southwest. -.-

Seriously, the fear-mongering gets me wanting to strangle something myself.
 
A post from another site I made:

Allow me to first introduce myself. I own a retail pet store as well with a heavy emphasis on reptiles. It is refreshing to me to see another store owner with the same restrictions as I have put into place in my own store (I have sold exactly one iguana, one sulcata, and one burm that was a rescue in almost a year AFTER interviewing the owners and after they purchased proper caging and did the appropriate research), and I see a growing trend that I fear is not happening quickly enough.

As reptile enthusiasts it is very easy for us to get caught up in our community, but we have to realize that we are in the vast minority. If a python ban were to go to vote I am fairly confident that it would pas by a fairly wide margin among the general public. And my family would sadly be among them.

The majority of the reptile and pet industry is involved for ONE reason: money. They are generally short sighted and would prefer to bitch and moan once something happens than to take the steps to prevent it. Pressure must be put on these stores with vocal and clear boycotts and disproval from their consumers toward stores that don't take proper care of their animals, sell their animals indiscriminately, and frequently push the big 5 without assuring an owners ability and maturity first (as well as other commonly released/abused species such as Sulcatas, Iguanas, and in my opinion aquatic turtles which I choose not to carry as well).

Further more, I think we need to be willing to face reality, and in some ways cut our losses. If we are to avoid a full on ban on our animals we are going to need to meet in the middle and do it now before something like that can pass (especially if another abused and underfed snake happens to kill a toddler due the parents neglect).

I believe that we need to begin a licensing and training program for animals that are deemed dangerous (ie the big 5, giant monitors, etc). This is an opinion I have received a lot of heat for from many other enthusiasts, but I think that, while it is unfortunate, it is our best realistic resolution to the mounting issue at hand. Believe me, i realize the risks of this resolution, which is why I think the reptile community needs to spearhead this first; so that we can have our educated and logical voices being heard during this process.

I think that people that are to retail ANY reptiles need to go to a training and certification course, as outlined by an organization such as USark so that the info is realistic and correct. I think that all large snakes should be kept in certified snake enclosures, not fish tanks; and I think that home-made enclosures should be able to be presented for inspection for a small fee. I also think that in order to purchase a giant or potentially dangerous reptile you should be presented care sheets provided by a government organization (ie animal control) and sign a legal document saying that you have read and agreed to providing the care that animal requires, punishable by fine and confiscation. I also think store owners should be certified to teach classes for ownership of these animals and a class should be required (for a small fee, partially payable to the store owner for their time).

I know it sounds extreme, and if the reptile community doesn't have a loud voice in the establishment of these policies it could be very negative; but I really believe that the reality is that if WE initiate this we can have our voices heard; and potentially stop the abuse of these animals, prevent accidents like the infant fatality that can be used as ammo, and present a logical and responsible face to the general public to represent our hobby. Thank you for your time and your consideration, and your added considerations to these thoughts.

Thank you

Roger Prows
Rockstar Pets
Tooele, Ut
 
I'm new to this board, but have a few things I want to say after reading all of the threads about this and also living fairly close to the little girl who was killed.

Owning and breeding a ROC is no different than owning a gun or owning a pit bull or other bull breed dog. There are a few things to remember.

1. It is the owner's responsibility to follow the law. In FL you must have a special permit to own a ROC. If the buyer doesn't have one, the seller shouldn't sell it. But it's just as much the seller's responsibility to make sure they know where their pet ends up.
2. It's the parent's responsibility to protect their children. It's no different than if a dog bites a child or if a child finds their parent's gun and injures themselves. Same effect, different weapon.
3. I don't agree that breeders or responsible people should be banned from owning these ROC. I don't feel that the government can aptly govern over it either. I see Burms listed on Craigslist daily in FL even though the seller doesn't check for the ROC permits.

In my opinion, it's all about education. But to outly ban all ROC is ridiculous. While I personally don't own a ROC, I have 20 snakes and 2 children. My 7 foot boa could take down my 85 lb teenage son. However, my cages have specific locks and my children know better than to take out and handle our snakes without adult supervision.

If there were better and more responsible parents, children would be injured or killed less. But to blanket ROC and snakes is no different than last year's issues with Pit Bulls or a few years ago guns... It's just a different drama based on the new media story.
 
While I Entirely agree with your line of thought, Politicians aren't paid to think, they get paid to protect interests, whether that be big business, or the people.

The Politicians don't view it was different species, its just a python, and there for they try blanket banning and without some responsibility on the breeders Part these laws and bills will continue to try to destroy our hobby and one day, one will be passed and there will be nothing we can do.

Education is the most important tool we have to our advantage, The breeders of these guys are ultimately responsible for who they sell them too, and they should have some accountability in this as well. If (Insert name) Didn't sell that retic to Pablo Without asking any questions, We would not be where we are right now. Educate the public that buys your animals, talk to them first make sure they know what there getting into.

I Personally Hate Authority but something needs to happen, I refuse to allow these mammoths to constrict what im allowed to own. I don't want to ban the big 5 but if its ban the big 5 and we get to keep the rest or an all out ban of every species because of the big 5, what should we do? Just let them take all of our snakes away because some moron decided he needed a retic to be cool? Or just let them take the big 5 and put regulations on owning the big 5?

Itd be easier to just regulate morons but the govern. would never do that...or would they?

The Medias a horrible brainwashing tool....such a waste. I love it how the snake goes from Boa, to Python to 26 ft to 13 ft to 8 ft, I also love how all of us snake guys know that a constrictor would CRUSH the lungs and bruise the hell out of a toddler, I see no bruising mark notes in the report or broken ribs, just "asphyxiation".
 
The sad truth is that we are allowing the goverment to make too many decisions for us. I would be all for regulating if we could see that it works instead of just gaining more money for the goverment to waste. We have laws against drinking and driving but that doesnt stop it. They pay a fine, take some classes, (which cost more money) then back out doing it again and if worse comes to worse then the goverment will give You a check because You are alcoholic. GET REAL PEOPLE. Its just like these morons that have children, cant take care of them, dump them in a system that we all pay for. YEt no one would dream of requiring them to take courses to be responsible parents, or make them pay a fee to be able to reproduce or show that they have the ability to take care of a child and yet this is a human being we are talking about. But we would feel better if the reptile guy had to pay more fees, take more classes, do all kinds of things to own a snake. Dont get me wrong, I love America but it was founded on FREEDOM which allows all the things that You may feel is right ,while another feels its wrong. Until they start making it mandatory for people to prove they can be good, responsible parents then I will fight for my right to have all my reptiles. I agree with the person that said they feel safer in a retic cage than walking in some neighborhoods and most times You would be more safer with the retic. Every since I went to Florida to a rescue and agreed to take a nile monitor back to GA to keep them from putting it to sleep and the supposed law says "No because of the fee thing" I have very little use for Florida. The Nile had not done anything except have a bad human owner and for that he was sentenced to death and it was carried out not only on him but atleast another as well. No telling how many deaths to reptiles take place in Florida because of this. But as its been said, if this was happening to dogs, cats or other animals like whats happening to the reptiles in florida there would be such a outcry by PETA and all the animal activist. But its just reptiles.... If we dont care then who will.
 
The big problem isn't that we're allowing the government to do these things, though it is an issue. The biggest problem is that politicians won't listen. At the end of July, when HR2811 was going to committee, the people on the committee admitted that they hadn't heard from any reptile experts/specialists about the issue--they had only listened to the people spewing fear tactics and inflated numbers of "dangerous" pythons. USARK and PIJAC had to put their own representatives in there themselves. If the politicians really cared about their constituents or hearing all sides of an issue, they would've requested a reptile expert. But no, they'd rather just be willfully ignorant and pass laws about things they know next to nothing about.

Yes, we need to do more to protect our hobby, but it's really hard if the politicians refuse to listen.
 
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