S373 Here's what one person can do:

[Stargazer]

I just spoke with a main reptile vendor in Colorado. Here is what I proposed to him (and he is considering):

I. We get a private interest group of reptile keepers to go before the state senator. All you have to do is call their office and get an appointment. ANY OF YOU CAN DO THIS TOO. What we would do to prepare: A. We need statistics on snake fatalities vs dog fatalities. B. We need stats on the number of reptile-related businesses that would die, losing revenue for the state (in Colorado, it's quite a few). C. We also need scientific information about the habits of large snakes in cooler temperatures. D. We need to bring a ball python in an enclosure to show to try and educate them that these are our pets and we love them. E. We propose a SOLUTION to the problem, namely a permit system or something like that, or an organized expedition to round up snakes in the everglades.

II. I am planning to draft 3 separate templates for letters. I have cut and pasted from the 3 really good letters I saw on this site. One was morti's. I forget whose the other two were (maybe Jennie and Eric Roscoe?). I am hoping to make a bunch of copies of these after work and give to the manager of Scales and Tails to distribute to the stores, telling customers to sign and date the letters and send (we will supply the addresses) to Senator, House Rep, and President OR alternately a petition will be drafted and signed by store customers.

III. He is hoping to make some sort of poster to put in store windows to alert customers to the ban. Most people have no idea what is happening.

The one hold-up on this is that we are afraid of being too visible for fear of being the first ones targeted if the ban goes through. I'm a little worried about this myself, but I'm willing to risk it, with only 2 snakes.

I will keep you updated on how this goes. I told him I am willing to organize it, but I need the help of the rest of the community.

Any of you can do this too. Complacency is the biggest problem we have here. No one on either side likes snakes, and the snakes cannot advocate for themselves. We need to speak up for them.

[Sakara]

sounds good star. I'll see what me and some friends here can do once I get back from leave. my baby girl Aurora has always been a great snake ambassador

[Stargazer]

OMG, if Aurora sat up and begged, it would melt the senator's heart. If he/she has a heart.

You know the more I think about it, it would be good to bring a signed petition in as well.

I challenge one person in every state to do this (although it's still in the talk stage here. I will only do it with the help and support of this vendor and his stores).

[Sakara]

lol! I can only hope they like her she's such a sweet heart and so calm. hopefully seeing and maybe touching a snake will help. I would LOVE to take my burm in there and show them that they are not mean nasty evil creatures. but I dunno about that one haha. she's quite large haha.

a signed petition would be great but I don't know if I have the time between work and everything to hit up the herp shops around here and the big name stores and stuff. I'll see what I can do. I'll talk to petco and petsmart and see if I can set up a table on a Saturday or something to get signatures and take in a couple of the snakes. it could be a good thing. actually. now that I think about it. if they let me do that it would be amazing! that would get our cause out to hundreds of people within a weekend or 2! hmmmmmmmmmm. I think I have some things to do after work today lol

[Stargazer]

I would call a store manager or two first and see if you can enlist their help. Don't try to do everything by yourself. I know I don't have much time at all. I can type and copy some letters or a petition. And I can pull a few links to do some research. And I can set up an appt with the senator and go in there for a half hour or so. It really doesn't have to take much time if you enlist the right people to help you.

If the store managers are not interested here, I obviously won't do it.

Like I said, a lot of reptile people are either complacent or afraid of flying above the radar.

[Stargazer]

Originally Posted by Sakara

lol! I can only hope they like her she's such a sweet heart and so calm. hopefully seeing and maybe touching a snake will help.

Make sure you put up a sign that says, "TouchMyBoa".

[Snakemaster]

Other things to consider is other types of business that deal in reptile products ( snakeskin ) Herbal remedies . Now if we could get the leather industry behind us with their connections as the leather and skin trade is far far greater in size than anything we do maybe as much as 100 times our combined size . We definately need to tell them that their livelyhood is in big trouble as well . Look at how many snakeskin wallets , purses, jackets, boots are sold.
Also think about the chinese herbal medicine market how many herbal medicines have on the label python . That would be illegal to import as well under the lacey act . This is not in any way about just pets.
Although the skin trade is just terrible i prefer my snakes breathing. just some other things to consider to get as many people fighting this with us.
If you type snakeskin products into google look at the number of hits wow.
Inform those people of this i have started to and i am in Canada this affects us up here too as we can no longer import more from the USA breeders.

Here are the death stats you want.
Animal-Related Fatalities in the United States—An Update

[Stargazer]

I have mixed feelings about joining forces with the snake skin industry who is all about killing snakes. However, I think money talks, and the loss of industry will probably be the most compelling argument we have with politicians.

[Snakemaster]

I do not like the idea of snakeskin at all however the snakeskin and fashion industry that uses snakeskin is 100 times larger than all us breeders combined. I am just saying that inform them then let them worry about how they choose to fight the ban. the more people fighting the ban and talking with the senators the better. If we get enough other business going after the senators where they need 10 bottles of aspirin for their headaches i would say perfect. The senators run on $$$$$$$$$$ so if enough business complains to them they will begin to listen.

[Stargazer]

That is an excellent point. The more the merrier.

[HERPHAPPY]

Originally Posted by Stargazer

I have mixed feelings about joining forces with the snake skin industry who is all about killing snakes. However, I think money talks, and the loss of industry will probably be the most compelling argument we have with politicians.

Me too, and while I'm at it, STARGAZER FOR PRESIDENT!

[Sakara]

I also don't like the idea of snake skin stuff. but if it helps our cause to get them behind us, then bring it on. I'll take my snakes living and slithering though haha

[Stargazer]

Originally Posted by HERPHAPPY

Me too, and while I'm at it, STARGAZER FOR PRESIDENT!

You do realize that I'm not really doing any actual work, right? I am just the puppetmaster. I know how to get other people to do the work. It's a gift. lol

[Sakara]

isn't that what the president does?

[Stargazer]

If you ever feel that one person cannot make a difference, read The Hundredth Monkey".

[Stargazer]

Originally Posted by Sakara

isn't that what the president does?

Good point! That's pretty much what he does.

[Sakara]

bwahahahahaha. but yea. hopefully they will let me set up a table or something in petsmart or petco. I know our petsmart here sells balls and petco sells balls and boas so hopefully they will let me

[Stargazer]

Be careful you snake doesn't catch anything there.

[Sakara]

yea I know. I deff. wouldn't have my snakes around the actual reptile areas. probably in the front areas with lots of space. and YES I would have LOTS of hand sanitizer for before and after snake touching lol

[Stargazer]

I would treat the cage for mites before you bring her home, just in case. A customer could carry them from a store snake to your snake in a matter of seconds.