Post by Die Fledermaus on Dec 1, 2006 6:02:03 GMT -4
Read the article, and then read my comments on it.
>>
New York Daily News - www.nydailynews.com
Expo offers exotic rescued pets
BY AMY SACKS
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Saturday, November 25th, 2006
An exotic twist-neck turtle, whose native home is South America, found its way to Brooklyn's Botanical Gardens last week, and had a very short time to feast on the exotic flora.
The turtle, nicknamed Twisty, would not have survived the winter, said animal rescuer Sean Casey, who brought the young, underweight turtle to the Howard Beach Animal Clinic for evaluation.
"Whoever dumped her didn't realize what it took to keep her," said Casey, who has rescued a menagerie of abandoned city critters ranging from dogs and cats to giant pythons and pot-bellied pigs.
The semi-aquatic amber-colored twist-neck turtle - whose flat orange head retracts sideways - requires a large tank, full spectrum lighting and access to both land and water. A finicky eater, the turtle also requires special food.
The rescued turtle is just one among the hundreds of turtles, snakes and lizards that are routinely rescued from the city's many parks, ponds, rocks and gardens, which have become a virtual dumping ground for reptiles.
Tomorrow, Twisty will be among dozens of rescued reptiles that will be up for adoption by Sean Casey Animal Rescue (www.scarnyc.org) at the NY Metro Reptile Expo, being held at the Westchester County Center in White Plains.
The show will also feature hundreds of reptiles ranging from $15 corn snakes to $10,000 pythons, that will be on display and for sale from dozens of rescue groups and vendors.
Experts warn anyone purchasing reptiles to know what you're getting into.
Richard Hume, treasurer of the Long Island Herpetological Society, suggests that first-time owners should determine which type of reptile - snakes, lizards or turtles - fuels their passion.
"Most people in the hobby have a particular niche," said Hume, whose passion is snakes, and keeps more than 70 of the cold-blooded critters, ranging from corn snakes to a pair of Southern Hognosed snakes, at home in his Lindenhurst, L.I., basement. The lifelong snake lover enjoys teaching kids about the exotic creatures he describes as the "modern day dinosaur."
A good choice for beginners, Hume says, is corn snakes, which are easy to keep and come in a variety of colors and patterns, along with hognose and King snakes. But owning the really big snakes, such as an anaconda, which can grow to more than 8 feet long, can be dangerous if their owners are irresponsible.
Hume recalled buying a Burmese python from a pet store that, within one year, grew to be 7 feet.
"People don't realize what these snakes are going to become," he said.
Most reptile owners also don't realize the cost, and special ultraviolet lighting the pets require can cost five times the price of the animal.
Julie Maguire of the Turtle Rescue of Long Island, says many turtles, which can live from 50 to 100 years, are sold to people who have little idea how much care they require or how big they grow.
"Any person considering a turtle for a pet should absolutely consider the purchase of a lifetime commitment," Maguire said.
In fact, the tiny green turtles easily bought on the streets of Chinatown can live for 40 years and grow to more than 12 inches long. Many of the turtles, called red-eared sliders, wind up dumped in lakes.
Another trendy turtle, the Sulcata tortoise, is currently being oversold in pet shops, which often provide misinformation about care. Sulcatas can grow to 125 pounds and can be very destructive, Maguire said. They also are being sold illegally as tiny hatchlings. And pet shops either are unaware or fail to inform people of the enormous size these tortoises can be when fully grown.
When considering a pet turtle, she recommends one of the smaller species of tortoise such as a Russian tortoise, or a water, mud or musk turtle - which stay small.
Potential keepers should keep in mind that although nearly any turtle can be purchased online, some are illegal to keep in New York State without a permit.
Although they're illegal in the five boroughs, many reptiles and other exotics, particularly iguanas, can be purchased legally in the suburbs.
Regardless of whether you're going to buy or to gander, it's worth going to the NY Metro Reptile Expo, being held tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. Admission is $9 adults, $4 kids ages 7 to 12, and free for kids under 7.
<<
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS ARTICLE AND RESCUE:
Now, let's turn to snakes, particularly the bigger ones, and some other reptiles. . .
This is not the wild, the food chain, natural selection, or survival of the fittest. In the case of some of these critters - as pets - people are selecting an OPTION; they are making a conscious CHOICE to get, usually from breeders, non-domesticated animals that REQUIRE the killing of other animals, usually thrown in live to be suffocated, crushed, and consumed. The killed animals, be they rats or guinea pigs or even mice, are more intelligent and aware than most reptiles, and the day you can get a python to do tricks like a rat can is the day we can debate that point.
If keeping rats or rabbits required me to feed them live small reptiles, say, anoles, I would not be keeping them. I did not always feel right about even feeding the spiny mice crickets, although they are "mere" insects, and only a small optional part of the diet that can easily be eliminated.
So there you are. I simply consider the CHOICE, the DECISION, to keep (OR BREED) animals (reptiles) that require the killing of other animals to be problematic at best vis a vis ethics. Deliberately breeding a python, and then for someone else to decide to buy it and keep it, and feed it live (or even pre-killed rodents) has nothing to do with "Nature"; it is an artificial construct or system.
I was standing at the small animal door at a pet store not too long ago looking at the "feeder" sign, and I felt almost ill looking at the part for "jumbo rats" for ten dollars or so. It strikes me as indefensible morally. And if you want to talk real "karma", I could never run a pet store and sell live feeder rodents; frozen pinkies would be bad enough. In fact, I think selling live rodents as feeders should be illegal, and have complained to the ASPCA about that, but I guess the rodent lobby doesn't have enough clout.
When I read.that story what struck me was not that Sean cares about the reptiles/snakes, et al, but exactly how many rodents, fellow mammals, would end up tossed live into snake tanks.
In just a month of dealing with my rats I have found them intelligent, affectionate, with strong family bonds, and just exemplary. For the pet store owner to sell (although he washed his hands of it, old Pontius he) pregnant fancy females from a mixed gender tank, and then TELL me he would only take them back AS FEEDERS, was infuriating, and also got me thinking on this issue.
Yes, I know the Siberian tigers at the Bronx Zoo are fed "rabbit", in part. And I told them I don't like it. Some animals are less suitable than others for being raisded for consumption--why I eat chicken but never pork. But the Bronx Zoo serves an obvious didactic purpose to a vast audience, a conservation purpose that is obvious, and justified.
And throwing a rat live into a snake tank is not moral, or natural - and very bad karma.
It could be accepted at the Reptile House at the Bronx Zoo IF humanely pre-killed animals were rejected, but that's all. It should be flat-out illegal to feed live animals to privately held reptiles or to sell any for that purpose; it should be investigated on the same level as penis-fighting.
Let me also add it is one thing entirely to rescue a snake who already is alive--but it is something entirely different to make the CHOICE to BREED large snakes when it is known even before they hatch the 'x' number of live rodents will have to be killed to keep it fed during its lifetime.
So there you are. My thoughts in a nutshell. I gave up eating beef, pork, and veal for ethical and health reasons long ago, but do have quite a ways before I become any form of vegetarian. However my animal consciousness has gotten raised a lot this past month interacting with the rats. The thought of tossing one into a snake (or other reptile enclosure) is abhorrent to me especially when the reptile was CHOSEN to be a pet--and, again, that is an artificial, not natural, situation. And an unnecessary situation.
Anyone want to debate this matter??
>>
New York Daily News - www.nydailynews.com
Expo offers exotic rescued pets
BY AMY SACKS
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Saturday, November 25th, 2006
An exotic twist-neck turtle, whose native home is South America, found its way to Brooklyn's Botanical Gardens last week, and had a very short time to feast on the exotic flora.
The turtle, nicknamed Twisty, would not have survived the winter, said animal rescuer Sean Casey, who brought the young, underweight turtle to the Howard Beach Animal Clinic for evaluation.
"Whoever dumped her didn't realize what it took to keep her," said Casey, who has rescued a menagerie of abandoned city critters ranging from dogs and cats to giant pythons and pot-bellied pigs.
The semi-aquatic amber-colored twist-neck turtle - whose flat orange head retracts sideways - requires a large tank, full spectrum lighting and access to both land and water. A finicky eater, the turtle also requires special food.
The rescued turtle is just one among the hundreds of turtles, snakes and lizards that are routinely rescued from the city's many parks, ponds, rocks and gardens, which have become a virtual dumping ground for reptiles.
Tomorrow, Twisty will be among dozens of rescued reptiles that will be up for adoption by Sean Casey Animal Rescue (www.scarnyc.org) at the NY Metro Reptile Expo, being held at the Westchester County Center in White Plains.
The show will also feature hundreds of reptiles ranging from $15 corn snakes to $10,000 pythons, that will be on display and for sale from dozens of rescue groups and vendors.
Experts warn anyone purchasing reptiles to know what you're getting into.
Richard Hume, treasurer of the Long Island Herpetological Society, suggests that first-time owners should determine which type of reptile - snakes, lizards or turtles - fuels their passion.
"Most people in the hobby have a particular niche," said Hume, whose passion is snakes, and keeps more than 70 of the cold-blooded critters, ranging from corn snakes to a pair of Southern Hognosed snakes, at home in his Lindenhurst, L.I., basement. The lifelong snake lover enjoys teaching kids about the exotic creatures he describes as the "modern day dinosaur."
A good choice for beginners, Hume says, is corn snakes, which are easy to keep and come in a variety of colors and patterns, along with hognose and King snakes. But owning the really big snakes, such as an anaconda, which can grow to more than 8 feet long, can be dangerous if their owners are irresponsible.
Hume recalled buying a Burmese python from a pet store that, within one year, grew to be 7 feet.
"People don't realize what these snakes are going to become," he said.
Most reptile owners also don't realize the cost, and special ultraviolet lighting the pets require can cost five times the price of the animal.
Julie Maguire of the Turtle Rescue of Long Island, says many turtles, which can live from 50 to 100 years, are sold to people who have little idea how much care they require or how big they grow.
"Any person considering a turtle for a pet should absolutely consider the purchase of a lifetime commitment," Maguire said.
In fact, the tiny green turtles easily bought on the streets of Chinatown can live for 40 years and grow to more than 12 inches long. Many of the turtles, called red-eared sliders, wind up dumped in lakes.
Another trendy turtle, the Sulcata tortoise, is currently being oversold in pet shops, which often provide misinformation about care. Sulcatas can grow to 125 pounds and can be very destructive, Maguire said. They also are being sold illegally as tiny hatchlings. And pet shops either are unaware or fail to inform people of the enormous size these tortoises can be when fully grown.
When considering a pet turtle, she recommends one of the smaller species of tortoise such as a Russian tortoise, or a water, mud or musk turtle - which stay small.
Potential keepers should keep in mind that although nearly any turtle can be purchased online, some are illegal to keep in New York State without a permit.
Although they're illegal in the five boroughs, many reptiles and other exotics, particularly iguanas, can be purchased legally in the suburbs.
Regardless of whether you're going to buy or to gander, it's worth going to the NY Metro Reptile Expo, being held tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. Admission is $9 adults, $4 kids ages 7 to 12, and free for kids under 7.
<<
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS ARTICLE AND RESCUE:
Now, let's turn to snakes, particularly the bigger ones, and some other reptiles. . .
This is not the wild, the food chain, natural selection, or survival of the fittest. In the case of some of these critters - as pets - people are selecting an OPTION; they are making a conscious CHOICE to get, usually from breeders, non-domesticated animals that REQUIRE the killing of other animals, usually thrown in live to be suffocated, crushed, and consumed. The killed animals, be they rats or guinea pigs or even mice, are more intelligent and aware than most reptiles, and the day you can get a python to do tricks like a rat can is the day we can debate that point.
If keeping rats or rabbits required me to feed them live small reptiles, say, anoles, I would not be keeping them. I did not always feel right about even feeding the spiny mice crickets, although they are "mere" insects, and only a small optional part of the diet that can easily be eliminated.
So there you are. I simply consider the CHOICE, the DECISION, to keep (OR BREED) animals (reptiles) that require the killing of other animals to be problematic at best vis a vis ethics. Deliberately breeding a python, and then for someone else to decide to buy it and keep it, and feed it live (or even pre-killed rodents) has nothing to do with "Nature"; it is an artificial construct or system.
I was standing at the small animal door at a pet store not too long ago looking at the "feeder" sign, and I felt almost ill looking at the part for "jumbo rats" for ten dollars or so. It strikes me as indefensible morally. And if you want to talk real "karma", I could never run a pet store and sell live feeder rodents; frozen pinkies would be bad enough. In fact, I think selling live rodents as feeders should be illegal, and have complained to the ASPCA about that, but I guess the rodent lobby doesn't have enough clout.
When I read.that story what struck me was not that Sean cares about the reptiles/snakes, et al, but exactly how many rodents, fellow mammals, would end up tossed live into snake tanks.
In just a month of dealing with my rats I have found them intelligent, affectionate, with strong family bonds, and just exemplary. For the pet store owner to sell (although he washed his hands of it, old Pontius he) pregnant fancy females from a mixed gender tank, and then TELL me he would only take them back AS FEEDERS, was infuriating, and also got me thinking on this issue.
Yes, I know the Siberian tigers at the Bronx Zoo are fed "rabbit", in part. And I told them I don't like it. Some animals are less suitable than others for being raisded for consumption--why I eat chicken but never pork. But the Bronx Zoo serves an obvious didactic purpose to a vast audience, a conservation purpose that is obvious, and justified.
And throwing a rat live into a snake tank is not moral, or natural - and very bad karma.
It could be accepted at the Reptile House at the Bronx Zoo IF humanely pre-killed animals were rejected, but that's all. It should be flat-out illegal to feed live animals to privately held reptiles or to sell any for that purpose; it should be investigated on the same level as penis-fighting.
Let me also add it is one thing entirely to rescue a snake who already is alive--but it is something entirely different to make the CHOICE to BREED large snakes when it is known even before they hatch the 'x' number of live rodents will have to be killed to keep it fed during its lifetime.
So there you are. My thoughts in a nutshell. I gave up eating beef, pork, and veal for ethical and health reasons long ago, but do have quite a ways before I become any form of vegetarian. However my animal consciousness has gotten raised a lot this past month interacting with the rats. The thought of tossing one into a snake (or other reptile enclosure) is abhorrent to me especially when the reptile was CHOSEN to be a pet--and, again, that is an artificial, not natural, situation. And an unnecessary situation.
Anyone want to debate this matter??
), I think there needs to be more education, and in my own opinion I belive these 'pet's that have to eat other live 'pets' should not be sold as pets, and that if you want to see them in captivity you should go to a Zoo.
