Post by Die Fledermaus on Sept 7, 2006 23:10:58 GMT -4
The Humane Society Says NO!
www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/Reptiles_as_Pets.html?print=t
Reptiles as Pets: Hazardous to Your Health - And Theirs
An estimated 11 million pet reptiles—mostly turtles, lizards, and snakes—live in U.S. households, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. That figure, while far lower than for cats and dogs, means that about one out of every 25 households includes at least one reptile, and many have two or more.
America's love affair with cold-blooded critters is not as innocent as it first may seem. The global trade in reptiles as pets contributes to depleted wild populations, damaged habitats, and the individual suffering of the animals involved. For humane, conservation, and public health and safety reasons, The HSUS recommends that reptiles not be kept as pets.
Taken Wild, Sold to You
While several species of reptiles sold as pets are bred in captivity, most are taken from the wild or born of wild-caught parents. Many reptiles die before they ever reach the pet store from rough handling during capture and shipping. During this process, handlers may toss turtles, one on top of the other, into wheelbarrows or mesh bags for transport. Iguanas may be packed tightly together in bound mesh bags inside boxes for shipping.
The methods used to capture reptiles, including flushing out the animals with gasoline, often damage habitat for these and other animals. For reptile dealers, the loss of life and habitat involved merely constitute business as usual.
As many as 90% of wild-caught reptiles die in their first year of captivity.
Animals who make it to the pet store may be sold in injured or weakened condition. As many as 90% of wild-caught reptiles die in their first year of captivity because of physical trauma received before they are sold, or because the buyers cannot meet the animals' complex dietary and habitat needs. Captive iguanas, for instance, often suffer from malnutrition and bone disease because they don't get the diet and ultraviolet light they require.
Alarmingly, the number of animals collected from the wild can exceed the reproductive capabilities of a species. Some species of turtles, who are also collected for food and other uses, are in danger of disappearing in the wild altogether because of the commercial trade.
High Maintenance Required
Although reptiles are marketed as low-maintenance pets, many families are overwhelmed by the level of care they require. Pet reptiles need special diets and habitats. Kate Pullen, the director of Animal Sheltering Issues at The HSUS has worked with iguanas relinquished to shelters.
"The level of care, diet and habitat that iguanas need far outweigh that of dogs and cats, and the average person cannot adequately address these unique needs," says Pullen.
"There are at least 6,000 species of reptiles worldwide; roughly 600 are traded commercially. For many species, the basic requirements of nutrition and housing are unknown. Some may live underground their whole lives, while others never leave the forest canopy," explains Richard Farinato, The HSUS' Director of Captive Wildlife Protection, adding that these animals generally will not survive in a ten gallon tank in the living room.
Pet reptiles are also are highly susceptible to infection and disease. In the wild, reptiles rarely come into contact with their own waste or uneaten food—a common occurrence for reptiles in captivity. To complicate matters, it is difficult for anyone other than experts to tell when they are sick. Even when you detect symptoms, veterinary care for reptiles can be hard to find.
When they receive proper care, reptiles can live for many years, outlasting a caretaker's interest in the animal, particularly a child's. Reptiles can easily become too big and dangerous to have at home. The iguana purchased as a six-inch long hatchling weighing less than a pound can grow to five feet in five years. Snakes like pythons and boas can grow large enough to injure or kill a person.
When reptiles become larger and harder to manage, they may be neglected, relinquished to shelters, or simply let loose. Many shelters are not equipped to handle these animals, and they have few options for placement. Pets should never be abandoned to the wild. Animals who are often die from starvation, exposure, or predation. If they live, they can endanger people, native wildlife, and the local ecosystem.
Escaped and stolen animals also can wreak havoc for law enforcement. Alligators thought to be abandoned pets turned up in California, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Oregon, and Wisconsin in June 2005 alone.
Salmonella Risk
In addition to the risk of injury, reptiles can transmit disease. Reptiles carry Salmonella bacteria, which might not make the animal sick but can cause life-threatening complications in people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) attributes approximately 6% of all U.S. Salmonella cases to reptiles or amphibians.
Because of the health risk, importing or selling small turtles (those with shells, called carapaces, less than four inches long) as pets in the United States has been illegal since 1975. Some states and localities have enacted further restrictions on keeping pet reptiles.
Despite the restrictions, illegal distribution of small turtles may be widespread. Investigators traced four cases of salmonellosis to small turtles purchased in 2004 from souvenir shops in Wisconsin, and discovered that many retailers tried to side-step the law by selling turtles for "educational" purposes or by giving them away with purchase of a tank. In addition, unaware of the danger, families may take in turtles from the outdoors as pets.
Some groups are especially vulnerable to Salmonella infections. The CDC recommends keeping reptiles out of daycare centers and households with children under five, pregnant women, the elderly, or people with compromised immune systems. People who have pet reptiles should take precautions such as washing their hands each time they touch the animals, and disinfecting surfaces the animals touch.
"Reptiles are specialized creatures whose lives are intimately linked to their natural environments," says Farinato. "When you disrupt that link, you put the animals' welfare on the line."
To protect their health and yours, reptiles should not be pets. Wild animals are best left in the wild where they belong.
www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/Reptiles_as_Pets.html?print=t
Reptiles as Pets: Hazardous to Your Health - And Theirs
An estimated 11 million pet reptiles—mostly turtles, lizards, and snakes—live in U.S. households, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. That figure, while far lower than for cats and dogs, means that about one out of every 25 households includes at least one reptile, and many have two or more.
America's love affair with cold-blooded critters is not as innocent as it first may seem. The global trade in reptiles as pets contributes to depleted wild populations, damaged habitats, and the individual suffering of the animals involved. For humane, conservation, and public health and safety reasons, The HSUS recommends that reptiles not be kept as pets.
Taken Wild, Sold to You
While several species of reptiles sold as pets are bred in captivity, most are taken from the wild or born of wild-caught parents. Many reptiles die before they ever reach the pet store from rough handling during capture and shipping. During this process, handlers may toss turtles, one on top of the other, into wheelbarrows or mesh bags for transport. Iguanas may be packed tightly together in bound mesh bags inside boxes for shipping.
The methods used to capture reptiles, including flushing out the animals with gasoline, often damage habitat for these and other animals. For reptile dealers, the loss of life and habitat involved merely constitute business as usual.
As many as 90% of wild-caught reptiles die in their first year of captivity.
Animals who make it to the pet store may be sold in injured or weakened condition. As many as 90% of wild-caught reptiles die in their first year of captivity because of physical trauma received before they are sold, or because the buyers cannot meet the animals' complex dietary and habitat needs. Captive iguanas, for instance, often suffer from malnutrition and bone disease because they don't get the diet and ultraviolet light they require.
Alarmingly, the number of animals collected from the wild can exceed the reproductive capabilities of a species. Some species of turtles, who are also collected for food and other uses, are in danger of disappearing in the wild altogether because of the commercial trade.
High Maintenance Required
Although reptiles are marketed as low-maintenance pets, many families are overwhelmed by the level of care they require. Pet reptiles need special diets and habitats. Kate Pullen, the director of Animal Sheltering Issues at The HSUS has worked with iguanas relinquished to shelters.
"The level of care, diet and habitat that iguanas need far outweigh that of dogs and cats, and the average person cannot adequately address these unique needs," says Pullen.
"There are at least 6,000 species of reptiles worldwide; roughly 600 are traded commercially. For many species, the basic requirements of nutrition and housing are unknown. Some may live underground their whole lives, while others never leave the forest canopy," explains Richard Farinato, The HSUS' Director of Captive Wildlife Protection, adding that these animals generally will not survive in a ten gallon tank in the living room.
Pet reptiles are also are highly susceptible to infection and disease. In the wild, reptiles rarely come into contact with their own waste or uneaten food—a common occurrence for reptiles in captivity. To complicate matters, it is difficult for anyone other than experts to tell when they are sick. Even when you detect symptoms, veterinary care for reptiles can be hard to find.
When they receive proper care, reptiles can live for many years, outlasting a caretaker's interest in the animal, particularly a child's. Reptiles can easily become too big and dangerous to have at home. The iguana purchased as a six-inch long hatchling weighing less than a pound can grow to five feet in five years. Snakes like pythons and boas can grow large enough to injure or kill a person.
When reptiles become larger and harder to manage, they may be neglected, relinquished to shelters, or simply let loose. Many shelters are not equipped to handle these animals, and they have few options for placement. Pets should never be abandoned to the wild. Animals who are often die from starvation, exposure, or predation. If they live, they can endanger people, native wildlife, and the local ecosystem.
Escaped and stolen animals also can wreak havoc for law enforcement. Alligators thought to be abandoned pets turned up in California, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Oregon, and Wisconsin in June 2005 alone.
Salmonella Risk
In addition to the risk of injury, reptiles can transmit disease. Reptiles carry Salmonella bacteria, which might not make the animal sick but can cause life-threatening complications in people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) attributes approximately 6% of all U.S. Salmonella cases to reptiles or amphibians.
Because of the health risk, importing or selling small turtles (those with shells, called carapaces, less than four inches long) as pets in the United States has been illegal since 1975. Some states and localities have enacted further restrictions on keeping pet reptiles.
Despite the restrictions, illegal distribution of small turtles may be widespread. Investigators traced four cases of salmonellosis to small turtles purchased in 2004 from souvenir shops in Wisconsin, and discovered that many retailers tried to side-step the law by selling turtles for "educational" purposes or by giving them away with purchase of a tank. In addition, unaware of the danger, families may take in turtles from the outdoors as pets.
Some groups are especially vulnerable to Salmonella infections. The CDC recommends keeping reptiles out of daycare centers and households with children under five, pregnant women, the elderly, or people with compromised immune systems. People who have pet reptiles should take precautions such as washing their hands each time they touch the animals, and disinfecting surfaces the animals touch.
"Reptiles are specialized creatures whose lives are intimately linked to their natural environments," says Farinato. "When you disrupt that link, you put the animals' welfare on the line."
To protect their health and yours, reptiles should not be pets. Wild animals are best left in the wild where they belong.
