Running Reptile Rescues

[lilyskip]

I've been tossing the idea around in my head of starting a small reptile rescue in New Haven. I don't even know if there are any other PEOPLE who own reptiles in New Haven, but I guess I'd find out. I know money and space would be an issue. I might be able to get a grant from my college, but I'd have to find a bigger space in which to keep the herps. If anybody has any advice or experience in this area, it would be much appreciated.

PS--I've finally found a herp society in CT and am going to try to bicycle to the first meeting. They might be able to help, but they seem more focused on herping in the wild rather than showing interest in reptiles as pets.

[Lisa]

Cash Cash CASH. they're not cheap and most have second jobs to pay for the rescue. also see if you aren't reinventing the wheel, maybe the herp society might know of a rescue in the area.

then there's the vet bills and being called to remove an animal, it's gotta be then, not when it's convenient for you.

Also what are the bylaws like? can you do that or do you need to register? what about hot snakes?

[lilyskip]

i think if i were to do it, i wouldn't do any venomous snakes...just nonvenomous snakes and lizards. I don't think the demand would be huge, so we could take in just a few at a time until we got sponsors other than funding from my school. I would have to make sure there isn't already a reptile rescue, though. And I would also need somewhere to keep the animals, because my room just isn't big enough.

[SCReptiles]

Hey Lilly, I know a few people who have tried it. It quickly turns away from what you want. Unless you set guidelines for what you will take in, you will quickly be over run with Burmese Pythons and Green Iguanas. There is really nothing you can do with them. There is usually someone wanting the burms, but it would require shipping that is just to expensive on a heavy snake. Most people can buy one local for less then they could have an adopted snake shipped. And as for the iguanas, there isn’t really anything you can do with them at all. Well, except maybe place them with an anaconda or cottonmouth owner and then you haven’t really rescued them. =) I appreciate how you feel and your intentions, but unless you are independently wealthy, rescues are almost impossible to pull off. But for reference, I have a 4’ cottonmouth. I will be glad to adopt all the lizards you bring in. ha ha.

[lilyskip]

haha. thanks for the offer :D

i was worried about the burm over-running as well, although I think I could probably place some iguanas with responsible college kids (if they exist...sigh...) Our school provides about $400 a semester to clubs, so if I ran the rescue out of some sort of club that I made up, and kept it small (even if we did have burms and iggys) we could probably maintain the animals. I just have to do a lot more research on whether people even OWN reptiles in the New Haven area...and then someone would need to run it while I was out of town...etc. If it's even possible, there's a LOT more planning that would need to go into it.

[tHeGiNo]

With all do respect, I for one do not believe you are even ready to run a reptile rescue. I mean, and please do not take this offensively, you only have a ball python, and I believe that is your only reptile, personally I think you should get some experience with other species before considering this. On the same note, I believe you said your in secondary school now (maybe I am thinking of the wrong person), that costs enough on its own, the added expense of running a reptile rescue, PROPERLY that is, is just out of the question. Note that rescue hints something, that there is something wrong with the animal. This means vet costs. Vet costs get extremely expensive, I wont even mention medication...Ah yes, looking down I see that your in college. Again, I am sure, on top of everything else, that you do not have the time to dedicate yourself to a rescue. Again, rescue means your safing the animal from something and therefore require more attention. Between school, and working for the money to run a rescue, it is just not possible.

[Oliverian]

Between school, and working for the money to run a rescue, it is just not possible
Anything is possible if you are dedicated enough. ;)

[lilyskip]

Gino:
Well, the money would come from the Undergraduate Funding Committee, so that wouldn't be an issue.

Again, this isn't something that I've definitely decided on doing. I just noticed that there wasn't ANYTHING in New Haven for people looking to adopt reptiles or give up their unwanted reptiles. I wouldn't be doing this on my own...if I decided to go into this it would only be after much more research and people to work with me. I'm just tossing around the initial idea now. I do appreciate your input, though.

Thanks oliverian :D

[the general]

Been seriously thinking along these lines ourselves too.

We now have 6 snakes and they don't take too much looking after.
I think there is an issue of scale here (no pun intended!:)) - we have been offered rescues because people know we are into snakes. If you take on one snake that would otherwise have no future you have a reptile rescue centre!

Right about the medication though. The last one we took on cost us roughly twice what the snake was worth in vet fees and antibiotics. We figure we saved a stunning boa, but it was certainly not a financially viable decision!

We've been thinking of approaching local wildlife centres (in the UK) with a view to setting up a reptile area - they would gain from the exotics and we would gain from their existing visitors.
Anyone out there done anything similar?

[lilyskip]

wow, awesome! let me know how that process works/works out for ya.

Part of the feasibility for me comes Wrom: OTQNQEMSFDULHPQQWOYIYZUNNYCGPKYLEJGDGVCJVTLBXFGGME PYOQKEDOTWFAOBUZXUWLSZLKBRNVWWCUFPEGAUTFJMVRESKPNK MBIPBARHDMNNSKVFVWRKJVZCMHVIBGDADRZFSQHYUCDDJBLVLM HAALPTCXLYRWTQTIPWIGYOKSTTZRCLBDXRQBGJSNBOHMKHJYFM YXOEAIJJPHSCRTNHGSWZIDREXCAXZOWCONEUQZAAFXISHJEXXI MQZUIVOTQNQEMSFDULHPQQWOYIYZUNNYCGPKYLEJGDGVCJVTLB XFGGMEPYOQKEDOTWFAOBUZXUWLSZLKBRNVWWCUFP

General--i think the wildlife center idea sounds like a good one. Do they have a reptile exhibit at all?

[lilyskip]

i don't know why my post is doing that, but i'm not possessed...i swear...

[the general]

Spooky highjacked post lilyskip!

We've been looking at a few attractions this year. Some have a handfull of reptiles, some are sanctuaries for other creatures.

One of the things that inspired us was a guy called "snake George" in Cyprus. He runs a sanctuary that started as a breeding project for local vipers that were becoming extinct. What makes it work is that it is on a main road in a tourist area.

We have been coming round to thinking that the public will not go out of their way to see reptiles but they would take a look (and contribute) if they happened to be in the area already.

The other thing that has inspired us is a "mid life crisis!" LOL ;)

[Lisa]

$400 dollars for funding? that could be used up on your first herp. I'm not trying to talk you out of doing a herp rescue but you should know what you're up against. Talk to the people on here that run rescues, ask them what they spend. heck do a search on "rescue" in the main forum and you'll see lots of stories.

[lilyskip]

thanks :D

[SCReptiles]

If you are able to follow thru, I can place all the venomous you need help with.

[eyespy]

I spent over $1,900 on the vet bills for just one animal in 2002 so I don't think a $400 fund would be nearly enough to cover expenses. If you are serious about starting a rescue, seek corporate sponsors and register with your local Chamber of Commerce to see if you can get donations of supplies or money from companies who are looking to make charitable donations to use as a tax deduction.

[lilyskip]

good advice...thanks :D