Once again the news gives one side of the story.

[MalinoisK9]

Burmese Python - Top 10 Invasive Species - TIME

No mention of animals released from zoos and stores from hurricanes, just irresponsible owners.

when python owners began releasing the 20-ft. (6 m) creatures into the wild once they became too big for their tanks

And my favorite part of this article:

could lead to an import ban of the high-maintenance, impractical pets.

Impractical?! How about you start acting like a news organization and report the news... not your opinions.

[TammyJamaica]

This is a symptom of the Human Condition. Sick. Sad. And it stinks too.

The sad thing is that most people reading it will be nodding and horrified, totally taken in by it because of their ignorance. Prejudice and misinformation feeds on ignorance and prejudice.

[Sakara]

Impractical... heh... Some people having children is impractical.....

[TammyJamaica]

If we take the time to teach our kids compassion, honesty and love for our fellow creatures on this earth, there will be enough good people to make their lives happy and fulfilling - and the earth a healthier and more natural environment for us and the other critters. There will be a whole generation of like-minded environmentalists which is what the earth needs to survive.

After all, we are all critters of one kind or another, right? We need to stop messing each other up.

[ariellas_mom]

I don't know about any of you, and you may not feel that it will make much if any difference at all, but I am writing a letter (or email rather) to the editor regarding this piece of media trash. I would invite all of you to do the same if you have any interest. Here's the email address if interested: letters@time.com. I'll let you know if I hear anything back.

[LooseAFur]

~Back on topic, this type of selective reporting is only one enemy we are up against. Lets make a list of underlying reasons that this bill is even being considered.

-Selective Reporting
-False scientific information
-Hypothetical claims of invasive sp. moving north(where they couldnt survive one winter)
-An overwhelming percentage of the general population which has been force fed the "snakes are ickky" load of crap forever
-Serpents are evil thanks to Adam & Eve(who were both apparently white and made all the different races)YEAH OOOKAY
-AND last but not least, Politicians who will say yes to the bill just as a favor to some other idiot senator

Please feel free to add more...

[toker]

Political debates are not allowed, lets talk about this topic, and this news story and not about the direction or situation of the US Government.

Any more, and I will close this thread.

[toker]

Originally Posted by ariellas_mom

I don't know about any of you, and you may not feel that it will make much if any difference at all, but I am writing a letter (or email rather) to the editor regarding this piece of media trash. I would invite all of you to do the same if you have any interest. Here's the email address if interested: letters@time.com. I'll let you know if I hear anything back.

Thats a great idea. I will be interested to know if you get a reply or if they post/print your letter.

I have found in the past that reporters are out for the shock of an article, not whats in it more or less. After all, shock sells. And unless they are selling, they are not employed. Its just sad that they have to attack something like this.

[LooseAFur]

Originally Posted by toker

Political debates are not allowed, lets talk about this topic, and this news story and not about the direction or situation of the US Government.
Any more, and I will close this thread.

Yeah my bad I went off on a tangent there for a sec, I brought it back though you have to give me credit lol

[MalinoisK9]

To whom it may concern,

I recently read an article on your “news” website that deeply concerned me. This article; “The Top 10 Invasive Species” was deeply flawed. Not in the animals listed on this list, but some of the information given. The species description that disturbed me the most was about the Burmese Python. In a time where private ownership of large constrictors is already under attack with many baseless facts1, you continue to fuel the public’s minds with information that is not just one sided but clearly only for the shock value that, unfortunately, has taken hold of the modern news companies. When you start putting correct and fact based information behind entertainment and gossip, you should no longer advertise yourself as a news organization. This is false advertisement.

Here are some of your tabloid style “facts” and other misleading quotes:

“particularly in the Everglades where they have become a scary nuisance, posing a potential threat to humans ”

Are they a threat to humans? Yes, but no more than the alligators that also inhabit the everglades. It’s like telling someone to watch out for the poison ivy as they walk across a mine field.

“python owners began releasing the 20-ft. (6 m) creatures into the wild once they became too big for their tanks.”

Where is the information that most of the pythons caught have been able to be genetically traced to pythons that were released from zoos and reptile shops from hurricanes such as Andrew. These weren’t animals neglected and uncared for. It was mother nature and you can’t point the blame strictly on us reptile owners.

“concerns over the ever-growing species could lead to an import ban of the high-maintenance, impractical pets.”

Opinionated. Has the author of this article ever owned a Burmese python? If not, how would they know what kind of pets they are? Where is the interview with the experts or pet owners? I see no sources in this article. As an owner of many types of animals that include large constrictor snakes, as long as someone is prepared with the right knowledge and equipment they are in no way more difficult to take care of than a dog. Should someone that has no knowledge or experience of herp keeping buy one? No, but people with no experience what so ever with dogs shouldn’t go out and buy a dog like a Belgian Malinois that requires an experienced handler. As with any animal species that are kept as pets there are some that are best suited for novices and there are others better suited for people with experience.

Next time try writing like the actual news organization that you claim to be and stop dumbing down your articles just for the shock value. It is just as insulting to us readers as it should be to you. The article below has everything a NEWS article should have; substance, facts, and sources. Thank you for your time and I hope that you take what I’ve written here with you as you provide information to the masses in the future.

-Sheldon Little

1. Justification for Congressional python ban unscientific, researchers say - NatGeo News Watch

[ariellas_mom]

Thank you so much for posting that letter Sheldon. I posted my thread yesterday when I was looking for information to include in my own letter, so I never got a chance to read the one you posted here. I hope we can get more people to write to them and express the same outrage. Thanks again.

[MalinoisK9]

Once AGAIN

Invasive Species Animals - Top 5 Most Damaging Invasive Species in the U.S. - Popular Mechanics

I like how they are showing a retic while talking about boas, when the big debate is mostly about burms...