Reptile & Amphibian Abuse: Examples, Laws & How You Can Help

[bronxzoofrank]

Hi All,

Have you observed herp abuse, or do you suspect that it is occurring in a store, food market, private collection or elsewhere? It can be difficult to know for sure, and even harder to decide what to do about it. The following article may be of some help, and I’ll do my best to advise those who post questions and concerns.

Unfortunately, animal abuse is a serious and surprisingly common problem in the USA. The applicable laws vary from state to state, and it can be difficult to determine which agency is responsible for enforcement. Regulatory agencies are often under-funded, so many rely upon citizen complaints. It is important, therefore, that concerned people learn how to proceed when they suspect that animal abuse is taking place. This is especially true where reptiles and amphibians are concerned, as they draw less interest than mammals, and mistreatment is difficult to detect by the inexperienced. Please be sure to post your own observations below, and let me know if you need help in deciding how to report a problem.
Read article here http://bitly.com/Um17Fx
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Thanks, Frank
My Bio, with photos of animals I’ve been lucky enough to work with That Pet Place welcomes Zoologist/Herpetologist Frank Indiviglio to That Reptile Blog | That Reptile Blog That Reptile Blog
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[Embrace Calamity]

Read article here http://bitly.com/Ut6sJa

This link gives me a 404 error.

~Maggot

[bronxzoofrank]

Thanks for the heads-up. This should work: Reptile and Amphibian Abuse - Examples, Laws and How You Can Help That Reptile Blog (I inserted it in original post also) Best, Frank

[Embrace Calamity]

Thanks. Good read. Recently there was something like this at my university. A student ordered a bunch of baby red-eared sliders that showed up in poor shape (missing body parts and probably vitamin/calcium deficiencies). She proceeded to give them nothing but a tub of stagnant water and a low-wattage black light. Not surprisingly, most of them died. They were for an Animal Behaviour project so were being kept in the Biology department at the university, but no one knew, noticed, or cared that they were receiving very poor care. I complained to the professor and I acquired the last two (one didn't make it), but that's as far as it went. Very frustrating.

~Maggot

[bronxzoofrank]

Thanks. Good read. Recently there was something like this at my university. A student ordered a bunch of baby red-eared sliders that showed up in poor shape (missing body parts and probably vitamin/calcium deficiencies). She proceeded to give them nothing but a tub of stagnant water and a low-wattage black light. Not surprisingly, most of them died. They were for an Animal Behaviour project so were being kept in the Biology department at the university, but no one knew, noticed, or cared that they were receiving very poor care. I complained to the professor and I acquired the last two (one didn't make it), but that's as far as it went. Very frustrating.

~Maggot

Thanks very much...odd in a university, as mgt is usually very concerned about public opinion problems/neg publicity that could arise were the situation made public. Going over professor's head, if appropriate for your situation, would likely be useful; human resource depts tend to have a good deal of influence these days, or could at least advise you on how to proceed.

best, Frank

[Embrace Calamity]

Thanks very much...odd in a university, as mgt is usually very concerned about public opinion problems/neg publicity that could arise were the situation made public. Going over professor's head, if appropriate for your situation, would likely be useful; human resource depts tend to have a good deal of influence these days, or could at least advise you on how to proceed.

best, Frank

It's a very small university in a rural area very unconcerned with animal welfare. I talked to the girl who had them, and apparently she had others in another room who survived. She argued that the reason the ones in the one room died is because people were (allegedly) touching the tarantulas in the room and then touching the turtles. Apparently that's more likely than the lack of filter, clean water, basking spot, UVB light, supplements, or heater being what killed them. But given that the ones in the other room allegedly survived, I don't think anyone would take it seriously if I complained.

~Maggot

[bronxzoofrank]

I see...interesting to hear, thank you; that student could make quite a name for herself if she identifies a tarantula-to-turtle-via-touch pathogen!

Best regards, frank

[Embrace Calamity]

I see...interesting to hear, thank you; that student could make quite a name for herself if she identifies a tarantula-to-turtle-via-touch pathogen!

Best regards, frank

I know, right? It sounded like BS to me, but I'm not educated enough to say for certain. I'm not sure why the ones in the other room would have survived though.

~Maggot

[bronxzoofrank]

Hi,

Yes...don;t give it a second thought. Survival likely had to do with individual resilience, or perhaps an unnoticed difference in temp, etc; some sliders are amazing, growing well on poor diets, w/o UVB., etc. They are established in 25 countries outside of the USA, some habitats are at the extreme end of what could possibly be adapted to. You might enjoy this article. Best, Frank

[bronxzoofrank]

Hi,

Yes...don;t give it a second thought. Survival likely had to do with individual resilience, or perhaps an unnoticed difference in temp, etc; some sliders are amazing, growing well on poor diets, w/o UVB., etc. They are established in 25 countries outside of the USA, some habitats are at the extreme end of what could possibly be adapted to. You might enjoy this article. Best, Frank