Fraser Valley Herpetocultural Society to be featured on BCTV News Hour

[TPiorun]

Henry Piorun and Brad MacDonald are on their way down to the BCTV News Station to have their fair share of media time, to dispell the misinformation that was broadcast on last lights News Hour involving The RRRefuge. This will air tonight on the 6:00 news

They have our Big Burm (17 foot) as well as Miranda's very tame Anaconda.

So if you can tape it do so I would love to get a copy.

Thank you

Teresa Piorun
the Fraser Valley Herpetocultural Society

[Invictus]

If anyone can get me a copy of the tape, I will do my best to get it into a digital format so it can be posted online. I would need the permission of the BCTV station of course, but this can be arranged.

[TPiorun]

Great! I think I can get a copy and forward it to you. I will email you privately later.
TP

[annieb_mice]

Drat! I think I missed it! :( If someone DOES manage to get a .mov or .avi file of the clip, could you post it here?!? I REALLY want to see it! :)
I did catch the CTV news on Channel 9. They also aired a segment where a reporter returned to the Reptile Refuge and asked why the snakes were housed together and why they pulled that publicity stunt yesterday. It was rather amusing to watch "Spring... whatever his name is" back peddle and stammer at the sudden turn of the media. He used the excuse again that snakes like companionship, which the reporter quickly shot down. They also interviewed "Brad" (I am REALLY horrid with last names...) who worked with snakes for the local film industry. It was good to see an intelligent person being interviewed for once!
Several people mentioned the WSPCR and FVHS offering to help rehome "abandoned" reptiles. Currently the WSPCR does take in reptiles and finds them suitable homes. I'm not sure if the FVHS does or not. I think it is a great idea to offer the assistance of these two herp societies to the RRR to help finding suitable experienced homes for some, or all, of the animals at the Refuge now.
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[HetForHuman]

I'm not sure if it aired or not, i was flipping through all the BC channels on Bell and did not see anything.. HMMM

Anyone see it?

[dave68]

I watched the whole episode of bctv news on Global and it wasn't on. Maybe tonight at eleven or what?

Dave

[DNA Reptiles]

Hi All...we have Bell ExpressVu and it was on the BCTV channel, shortly after 6 p.m. Only saw Brad talking with the guy at the RR.

[annieb_mice]

Hmmm... maybe one of the snakes got loose and ate someone? ;) <joking>
Terri... have you heard anything from Henry yet? C'mon! Spill! Inquiring minds like ours wanna know! We wanna know! We wanna know! <ooh-oooh! Midnight Star!> OOPS! Sorry.. slipped into Weird Al mode there...
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[TPiorun]

Hey Guys... well I was a little mislead because what actually transpired was they (Brad and Henry) got there late and they interviewed Brad w/Burm.. Henry was one of the guys holding the snake. But I understand it came off really well. so it was just Brad talking I personally missed it. I plan on catching it at 11:00 it was on CTV.

:-)
thats all for now
Terri

[Katt]

WICKED!!!!!!!!!!!

That's awesome!! And all b/c we got upset and emailed these people.

Great job guys! Everyone deserves a pat on the back!

[annieb_mice]

<giggles and runs around patting everyone on the back> YAY! While I missed the broadcast on bctv at 6pm, I'm hoping to catch it at 11pm. I'm glad to see some POSITIVE press for herps...
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[Minnow]

Well that had the people at the reptile refuge squirming!

Is it true that a snake can lay fertile eggs even when it has never been with a male? Or is this just another one of their misconceptions just like a snake needing company?

BTW Dave, it's not on Global. It was on CTVBC. On Star Choice it is 321. It will probably be on @ 11:00.

Carol

[Greg West]

Anyone know what channel it is on on Bell? I think I missed it and I will watch it at 11:00 or 11:30 whenever it is on.

Greg.

I am assuming it is on 261

[HetForHuman]

yep 261

[beth wallbank]

I also went in with Brad and Henry today after I organized this interview with Mark Miller the reporter and called Henry to go with me. Mark did an awesome job portraying the 'other' side of the story, and Brad did excellent PR work in the interview, kept his cool and was very intellectual and precise about the whole ordeal. I think today went very well, and the RRRefuge has only dug themselves in even further. Good job Henry and Brad and thanks for coming with me as I wouldn't have been able to do the PR work as it was professionally done.

[Greg West]

Congrats getting all of that organized. Can't wait to see it. Great that you could get the other side of the story to air. Wish I wouldn't have missed it at 6. Now I have to stay up till 12:30 my time to catch the replay

Greg

[CamHanna]

This certainly is an impressive feat, especially for such a small time frame. I missed it at six too, airs again at 2:00-3:00 AM my time. Being just a young guy with no responcibilities I think I'll stay-up.

Congatulations

Cam Hanna

[CamHanna]

I'm so excited. I just saw one of those news preveiw teaser thing asking me to "see why there's something fishy about this snake".

Can hardly wait another hour.

Cam Hanna

[beth wallbank]

Brad the reported just called me and wanted to thank me for today, and to thank Henry for bringing his burmese and for Brad being an awesome PR support. Cudos guys. He also said that in the future if we need help for me to call him. Is a good start here I think.

[Scales Zoo]

Originally posted by Minnow


Is it true that a snake can lay fertile eggs even when it has never been with a male?
Carol

Supposedly a Burm laid fertile eggs without being with a male, last year. That is the only case I have heard of, but female pythons have laid infertile eggs, because they were close to a male (pherimones suspected). That is partially the reason we bred Elvira, so she wouldn't lay a dud clutch or get egg bound with infetile eggs (harder on the snake than becoming fully gravid). Vern's 2 females laid infertile eggs this year, without being with the males, but they were close to the males.

So, Mom, did you get it recorded?

Ryan

[Nicky]

Congrads this is awsome, having the media on our side is a great advantage.
Rock on kayla

[Dr. Antfarm]

I just saw it and must say, that was great and very effective. Congarats and well done! I must also give it to CTV for using language like "stunt". Congrats! That was just what we needed. Springate came off like a sheepish idiot up against real facts. That should shut them down for awhile. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Greg West]

I just saw the report. Good on you guys for getting the media on our side for a change. I bet his day wasn't as food today backpeddaling their actions. It was a short news report, but definitely to the point and fot the point across. "We keep them together to give them a sense of companionship" I can't believe he would say that. lol

Hopefully this helped in keeping them from the media trying to pull this sort of thing again. I thought the closing comments saying that the snakes are still together possibly planning the next publicity stunt was quite funny and a good end to the segment.

Greg West

[Dr. Antfarm]

thought the closing comments saying that the snakes are still together possibly planning the next publicity stunt was quite funny and a good end to the segment.

I thought that was great too. Like I said you have to give it CTV for this. It's nice to have some good press for a change. We need to keep this sort of thing up.

[CamHanna]

I think that went great, we were asked not to mention his name but the RRRefuge guy really stumbled, it looked great. So did the burm, what does she weigh?

That report of the burm laying fertile eggs without a male, is that verified. How did that work, I don't understand... were they all clones? Can someone provide a link.

Thank You
Cam Hanna

[Dr. Antfarm]

I was privileged to be part of a discussion with some very informed keepers and breeders (Dr. Owens just to shamlessly name drop) and the there is some suspsion that the Burm in question did infact have contact with a male a few years prior to laying the eggs. Snakes have the ability to store sperm.

What I think needs to happen next is for an SPCA to do an investigation into the practices and conditions there. From what I hear, they're not good.

[Dr. Antfarm]

I was privileged to be part of a discussion with some very informed keepers and breeders (Dr. Owens just to shamlessly name drop) and the there is some suspsion that the Burm in question did infact have contact with a male a few years prior to laying the eggs. Snakes have the ability to store sperm.

What I think needs to happen next is for an SPCA to do an investigation into the practices and conditions there. From what I hear, they're not good.

I'm still of the belief that the only way to really safe guard our hobby is to follow the Australian licensing model.

I should also thank you guys for really being proactive about this whole issue. I for one really appreciate it.

[TPiorun]

I just want to say Kudos to CTV for coming right back at it and showing some jam and reporting the truth.

Mr. Springate came off looking like a bit of a fool. A female can reproduce without male contact. I am going to bet that female in question at one time or another did have contact. Its just not possilbe other wise. I mean be reasonalbe here.

I wish to thank Henry, Brad and Beth for doing everything in such short notice and getting (FOR ONCE) our message out there.

Oh and our Burmese..Its a beautiful beautiful snake - its what a real 17 foot snake looks like.. Not that supposed 15 foot rock python which if measured didnt look like it would measure more than 10-11 feet.

thats MESHO

Terri
FVHS

[Invictus]

Congrats to everyone involved here. For once, the apathetic reptile community didn't just sit back and wait for a ban. Congrats to Beth, Henry, and Brad for getting this to the media, and thank you Terri for bringing it to the attention of the rest of us!

And to Mr. Springy, I have only this to say:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!