Smithsonian takes a stand AGAINST reptiles & amphibians as pets..

[VoodooChile]

You'd be surprised how many people actually feel this way, but proclaim their love for the animals, and appear for all reasonable accounts to support privateers.
Melissa Kaplan, for example..And I'm not trying to bash anyone by using her for an example...But it's well known she has posted a lot of captive care information that appeared to support private keeping, but she has gone on the record as NOT supporting it.

[PiranhasaurusRex]

Originally Posted by X-Factor

What that article is attempting to do is destroy the pet INDUSTRY. NOT so much private ownership because of poor husbandry in the pet stores. This is actually a smart move on the Smithsonian's part. It even said "if you must own a herp, consult LOCAL clubs or ONLINE groups" or something like that. Essentially, Do it RIGHT or not at ALL. Well Done Smithsonion!

Nice post X.
I think this post sums up my take for the most part. If the article was 100% against private ownership they wouldn't bother suggesting the opposite with this sentence.

If you must have a snake or frog for a pet, please seek the advice of a local herp club or society, or even an internet herp group.

I think the logical deduction is that private ownership supports public ownership (pet stores) and supports inhumane transportation conditions which they referenced.

For example:
I know a Pet-Co's not too far from here that is a great place to buy animals. The people there actually care about the animals and I have never seen so much as a dead goldfish. It's not what I expected after seeing other Pet-Co's and from a large chain that is often more concerned with profits. The only complaint I could possibly conceive is some overcrowding, but with their sales volume no individual animal spends a considerable amount of time with excess tank/cage mates. I take care of all my pets very well and have had them for a long time, but speaking with an associate there, I was able to learn things I didn't know. However, they are a bit more expensive so a lot of people go where ever they can purchase a living, breathing animal for cheaper. The reason they are cheaper is because it is cheaper to house them in crappy living conditions. Buying animals at these places just continues the cycle. Most people are just uninformed buyers who don't research their animals before their purchase. This, inturn, continues the pratice of inhumane suppliers and places animals in homes where people are not prepared/committed to taking quality long term care of their animals.

[mrcota]

Originally Posted by DynastyGeckos

no thanks, how dare they= [

Do your research on exactly what was written in the statement, ensuring that you read the provided references and you will see not only how they dare, but you will understand what they are writing about.

Originally Posted by tjhammerhead

Please name ONE animal that has been brought to extinction by the pet trade?
Just one!

You said one; I give you one that is functionally extinct in the wild and one that will be extinct in our lifetime:
Geochelone platynota is described as functionally extinct in the wild by the leading herpetologists specialising in Chelonians.
Geochelone yniphora will soon be extinct because of the pet trade, not just in the wild, but completely extinct, because there is no success in breeding this species in captivity on a scale in which it would be able to survive. Even captive breeding programmes in Madagascar are failing.
The pet trade is putting tremendous pressure on a great number of species, including a great number of species that are not reproducing in captivity at a rate that will ensure their demise as a species.

Originally Posted by fishmommy

many pets live long and healthy lives in captivity - better than they would in the wild. the fact is that nature is very cruel - and as education gets better perhaps the pet trade will be less cruel than nature...I hope for that!

Unfortunately in the 37 years that are referenced in the website, the pet trade is far more cruel even though they have the tools and information to do things better.

Originally Posted by sarecho7280

what he did was take a stance the general public would appreciate, a stance that wouldn't put him under fire from the power organizations like PETA. he went with the majority which is ALWAYS easier and sometimes, good people will wilt instead of fighting for what's right, which i believe he did.

What exactly did you base that assessment of Dr. Zug on? Could you please tell me what you know about Dr. Zug, his work and what he has done in the past? I think if you knew even a little bit about him, you would know none of what you wrote in that statement is the case.
There appears to be many people that did not read everything in the website. They give good valid reasons why they are against the keeping of reptiles and amphibians as pets.

We adopted this position in the early 1970s, largely because of the poor maintenance of herps observed in pet stores, in their commercial shipment and capture. We wish the situation were now different. It is not!

The proceeding is a quote from their website. Please read what the full story carefully before you get emotional over it and keep in mind that few of the people here have seen the conditions here: 'in their commercial shipment and capture'. I have seen these abhorrent conditions from capture to shipment in different areas of the world. Let me give you a scenario: Someone with no education captures a monitor in the jungle. Stays in his possession for a number of days until it can get to someone that collects them together (no food and no water-maybe it dies, maybe it does not). Another number of days pass while the one that collects them together gets them to an exporter (a number are sure to die). They stay in cramped cages together until the exporter receives an order for them (days/weeks/months)-many die. They are then thrown in bags and packed tightly in crates along with the rest of the order (many die). To say that one of a thousand monitors make it from capture as a juvenile to adult in captivity would not be an exaggeration!
When reading the reasons that they give on why they oppose people keeping reptiles and amphibians as pets, you can not rationally argue against them nor can you make a valid argument for keeping them unless you have seen the conditions that they are subjected to from capture (trapper), to collector, to exporter, to shipping, to importer/wholesaler, to pet shop and to pet owner, of which most readers on this forum have only seen the last two.
It is clearly stated, they would consider changing their position if things improved significantly and they clearly have not. Husbandry methods have improved, but the overwhelming majority of people never bother actually doing the proper research to practice proper husbandry methods. When you combine this with the MASSIVE increase of reptiles and amphibians since the 1970’s that are being kept and slaughtered by improper husbandry today and the FACT that their plight from collection to pet shop has not improved at all, there is no way that they could change their position.
Cheers,
Michael

[RioBravoReptiles]

I read that statement. More than anything else it oultines how far behind is the educational and even in some cases the Zoo environment are on the improvements made in how we keep and care for our herptile pets.
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I would place more regard on that gentleman and his goals if I could find also a statement where he decries the effects of urban sprawl and other loss of habitat (and even indescriminate killing of snakes and similar animals) on populations of lower vertebrates with nearly as much passion as he discredits the keepers of non-traditional pets.
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It's important also to note that the keeping of any animal as a pet is a compromise to that animal's freedoms and condition. Yet we still do keep pets, many of which would be acceptable to that gentlemnan and others sharing his opinions.. Arguments such as those in that statement disallow any positive outcome or contribution from the keeping of snakes, lizards and amphibians. This is purely a denial of fact.
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My opinions only..

[project_evolution]

....we advocate observing them in nature and leaving them in their natural homes.

until its made into a subdivison or a new mall, then there will be plenty of pretty pictures and stuffed examples on display here at the museum. only 5$ admission...........