I understand that the press release from the HSUS has caused many dedicated
reptile owners to become quite alarmed, but this release is having the exact
effect desired by the HSUS. I see a small debate going on between reptile
owners as to the proper and most effective actions that should be taken in
order to "save" our precious hobby (I would say passion). I like the fact
that some people on this forum are playing devil's advocate, but shouldn't
some of this energy be directed toward our state and national officials?
Yes, it is an excellent idea to prepare some of those people for opposing
views and ideas since this "industry" has a relatively weak voice. That is
precisely why they, the HSUS, are going after us. We know that there are
serious problems with this industry, but the government needs to see that
awareness, education, and captive breeding programs have increased
dramatically in the last five years.
Nathan Hall
GECKOS UNLIMITED http://web.wt.net/~neonate
----- Original Message -----
From: Neil A. Meister <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 1:37 PM
Subject: Re: [Gecko] HSUS press release
> Hi Keith,
>
> Thanks for the input.
>
> >There have been a few studies, and in the general herpetocultural
> >world the number is fairly representative. I am not speaking about
> >people like the gexlisters, or the people on ADCHAM and such. I
> >cannot locate the figures at the moment but there have been
> >litterally millions of iguanas imported in recent years. Where are
> >they?
>
> Where are they? Often with people phoning myself and any other herper
> who they think
> might give their Ig a good home. Iguanas are a real problem, top of
> the list for impulse
> buys, poor husbandry, etc.
>
>
> >Nah - you guys are doing well, but you are a very special subset of
> >herp owners. The average Joe can still kill and iguana/RES/asian
> >turtle/ball python/"insert herp here" with relative ease.
>
> I do find it paints a poor picture if herps are all lumped together
> in statistics.
> I'd like to know how many cb leopard gex and corn snakes survive the
> first year, I suspect
> a bit more than 10%.
>
> > >According to the statistics cited, each pet reptile has a 1%
> >chance >of giving
> >>Salmonella to someone. Anyone know similar stats for chicken?
> >
> >Properly prepared far lower on a per exposure rate. But this is
> >apples and oranges. Chicken provides nutrition. Herps are for fun.
>
> Maybe it is an unfair comparison, but I've had food poisoning more
> than once, but haven't
> picked up anything from the herps I work with 3 hours a day. If
> proper hygiene is used I expect
> the risk of Salmonella is very, very small (unless you have a Komodo
> in your basement).
>
> >The reality is though that the average cat in the average family
> >lives more closely to a normal life span than the average herp in
> >the average family. Feeding herps: complex nutritional
> >manipulations of feeder insects and store bought vegetation, and
> >after all that there are still veterinarians making a good living
> >treating nutritional disease in reptiles. Cats: Open bag/can feed.
>
> Not really relevant and I won't go into detail, but we've had quite
> an odyssey regarding diet and our poor cat's health : (
>
> >Case in point - how many people are on this list? Now how many
> >people in the general population have geckos. This list is a
> >vanishingly small percentage of the overall gecko owning public.
> >The "cream of the cream" so to speak. For every lister I ahve dealt
> >with 50 people sho simply have no clue. Ever wonder why most herp
> >vets have 45+ minute appointments? Cause in the vast majority of
> >instances they ahve to try to start over at square one. I have
> >friends in private practice that are still telling people that
> >lettuce and dog foods are not good for iggs.
>
> I do agree, the list represents a knowlegeable bunch of herpers, but
> I have noticed a definite
> improvement in public awareness of herp care over the last 10 years
> or so since I started dealing
> with the public. As a herp soc representative, I get referrals from
> vets, museums, pet stores, etc.
> and regularly answer questions at public events. I get the problems,
> but increasingly run into
> folks who do their homework. Vets mostly see animals only when
> somebody has screwed up,
> but it's not all bad.
>
> Sorry for the ramble,
> Neil
> --
> Neil Meister
>
> Promotions Secretary
> Global Gecko Association
> http://www.gekkota.com
>
> President
> Nova Scotia Herpetoculture Society
>
>
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