17' fugitive python found

[Edwin]

This is what surprised me:
We usually feed our pythons about once or twice a year at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans.


Link:
Click Here (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=13&u=/ap/20040929/ap_on_fe_st/loose_python)

[Ian]

In the bathroom, What the heck?

[noname]

I don't blame her for wanting to escape from the bathroom. I just have one question...what does he do when he needs a shower?

[bistrobob85]

WTF, thats why the only thing i fear about giant snakes is their owners!!!

[Bartman]

The idiocy of some people. Just more bad press for the reptile hobby :(

[Katt]

I know that's being paranoid, but you don't always use logic in times like these."

Yup, no logic, and no sense, no brains.

[Brent Strande]

in times like these...

Sounds like something that people encounter on occasion :D

I wonder how often 'these times' occur? Hopefully not too often, and why would anyone keep a 17' burm w/o a proper enclosure?!?

[Artemis]

Once or twice a year???? Seriously??? Is ok to feed a python so little or are they misquoting the zoo people???

Cool that they found the burm :)

[nguyen_inc]

people like this makes us herp loving people look dumb and a danger two kids. Why don't they ever talk about the good things in keeping reptiles? for example, did they ever wrote about the first albino red tail boa, super hypo leo, ect, and all of the other goodies that some people dream of producing their whole life?

[concept3]

the ignorance and stupidity of people never ceases to amaze me...........

[nita]

Originally posted by Artemis
Once or twice a year???? Seriously??? Is ok to feed a python so little or are they misquoting the zoo people???


I have to agree here!! What are they feeding their pythons if they only feed once or twice a year!! I know some BP's will go off feed for months but still to only offer 2 meals a year those poor animals!

[hooter]

Originally posted by nguyen_inc
did they ever wrote about the first albino red tail boa, super hypo leo, ect, and all of the other goodies that some people dream of producing their whole life?

How is that going make people feel better about reptile owners or look at them in a better way. breeding to alter the genetics of snakes to apeal more to humans is pretty stupid and worthless in general. Sure its fun for us but seriously it serves no purpose other than profit for humans.

If you want good news to be spread about herp keepers then look at the breeders that release to the wild and help protect endangered animals. Look at the foundations all over the world that house animals for rehabilitation or breeding purposes to further insure that the animals we love and work with every day are here for the future generations to enjoy. How about making sure they are long lived and protected by goverment as well.

We as reptile enthusiast are both good and bad for the whole reptile scene. We obviously love our reptiles and many breed for a varity of of different reasons but we also keep the illegal trade of snakes and lizards going. The bigger the market for reptiles the more wild caught animals are being depleted from their natrual habitat. You can look at it anyway you want and debate it all you want but this is a sad fact that will not change.

Dont get me wrong I love the trade of wildlife for captive care but I think the laws should be tighter on both sides of the suppliers and the consumers so that the animals in hand are fairly and equally distributed throughout the world and trade market.

~ Hooter

[Dom]

Once or twice a year....

Do you really see something wrong with that????

Large snakes don't eat that often .. ESPECIALLY in the wild .. captivity is a bit different - we like to make our snakes big and fast..

.. if a 17 foot snake ate two large pigs lets say 30 pounds each in a year .. would he be in such bad shape ..

I think he would be in perfect shape.. just my oppinions ..


Some of my adult male snakes only eat about 5-6 times a year and are in perfect shape ..

A washroom is defenetly not the best cage for a 17 foot python but at least it has a full room with a large waterbowl lol

[Artemis]

Actually Dom the once or twice a year thing did throw me. I didnt say there was something wrong, I was more asking if that was wrong. I mean if thats all they will eat thats one thing, but you would hope they would at least offer more often than that. Never did say what they were feeding, lets hope its pigs or something huge at that rate.

Just checking :)

Artemis

[LdyDrgn]

All you are reading is the press side of the story, meant to convey fear. I hope the mods/admins do not mind me posting this link, but it has some information from someone that was there.

More on the story... (http://www.bobclark.com/bcforums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21632&FORUM_ID=32&CAT_ID=13&Topic_Title=Audubon+Zoo+Starving+its+Snakes%3F&Forum_Title=Off+Topic+Forum)

[lakeridgekennel]

THAT'S the definition on a bad owner. I keep burms and i would never be stupid enough to keep a burm in a bath room and thats just more bad press for reptile keepers. I don't even take out my burms when there is more then 2 other people there exept for my big ones when i need two or even 3 people to take them out.
They should fine him or something for being so stupid!

Just my 2 cents
Sean

[rwg]

I dont consider it odd in the least to hear of a python that only eats once or twice a year. If the meals are large enough, I would expect that that python could be perfectly healthy. I'm clearly no expert, but I do find it odd to hear of a zoo that only offers food once or twice a year as a standard husbandry for pythons. Your adults that eat 5-6 times a year eat 2.5 to 6 times more frequently than they feed theirs.