ASPCA Stance On Leopard Geckos (and all reptiles)

[Floatingice2010]

I posted this article in this forum because it called out Leos specifically in the article: The Link

It seems as if they are saying that everyone who owns a reptile is mistreating them and that the animal will not thrive in captivity. I found this today after seeing one of there TV commercials. I was going to donate but not after that article.

Thoughts? Bit extreme stance.

 

[Enigmatic_Reptiles]

The link doesn't pull up the story/article. Do you know the name of the article so it can be searched?

 

[goReptiles]

I couldn't get anything to pull up on the link

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

 

[Vegas Chad]

http://www.aspca.org/adoption/adoption-tips/exotic-animals.html

Might not be the same one.

 

[shadowdragon619]

okay...and how do some of these exotic species start to thrive again? because of captive breeding. geeze. wow. im kinda speechless at this article (the link vegas chad gave was the article i read)

the article should be more tactful...like its because of inexperienced people and people who dont care and only care about money that harm the animals/reptiles.

 

[Tony C]

It's not about the animals, it is about promoting the radical animal rights agenda.

 

[Floatingice2010]

Sorry about the link. Chads link is correct.

It just painted all of us a irresponsible people

 

[shadowdragon619]

It's not about the animals, it is about promoting the radical animal rights agenda.

It just painted all of us a irresponsible people

i agree on both parts. if we didnt know how to take care of cats and dogs, they wouldnt be our pets. same with reptiles. we have studied them and know and understand thier needs and meet those needs.

besides...dont they live longer in captivity anyways?

 

[BrilliantEraser]

This makes me angry. Dogs and cats require plenty of exercise and specialized diets that some owners don't provide. Does the ASPCA take a stance against owning dogs and cats? Nope. Why knock exotics owners? I know there are some owners out there who have no idea what they are getting into when they buy that $20 iguana at the pet store, but most herp owners I know do well by their pets. Most exotic species on the market currently thrive in captivity, outliving their wild lifespan by many years. These species also breed successfully in captivity, something that article is very incorrect about. As far as I know, wild-caught specimens are not in high demand!
Sorry if this is a little bit ramble-y. It is late and I am irritated.

 

[Mel&Keith]

Putting Leopard Geckos and Black Panthers in the same group is a little ridiculous.

 

[TripleALeos]

Don't get me wrong, the ASPCA is a great organization. The problem is, is that most of them are simple minded fools who think, just because they rescue dog and cats from bad homes, that it gives them the right to bad mouth those of us who actually care for our animals the way they should be. They believe that keeping reptiles is racks and "tubs" is mistreating them. Maybe they should visit some of these big pet stores chains. I saw 13 leopard geckos in a 5 gal tank the other day.. They don't know everything about every animal and when they associate "black panthers" and "leopard geckos" in the same category, they simply make themselves look stupid. What would the world be like without stupid people?? It would be pretty boring for the rest of us...lol

 

[Geckoguy77]

I think the article goes a little far. They were reaching when they threw a Leopard Gecko in with a Panther. Seriously, the Panther will eat you, the Leo will either make a run for a place to hide, or climb you and start licking you. Also, calling a Leo an exotic animal is starting to reach again. Sure there are wild caught ones out there, but in all reality these are pretty domesticated (I don't have a clue as to where to get a wild caught one.) Seriously, how many people breed these guys? Thats like calling a Mazda Miata an exotic car. This is a bad case of misinformation being blatantly spread. You could make the same claim against raising chickens in your back yard. You could even call them exotic.

This whole thing sounds like a bad political campaign.

Will

 

[Krow]

I dont know about you guys, but last time I checked, my 3 leopard geckos, kenyan sand boa and corn snake were doing just fine, fat and extremely happy. And that articles kinda ircks me that they include leopard geckos in the "hard to breed in captivity" part. And it also ircks me that they say reptiles cannot get attached to their owner. My baby leo looooves to be picked up, when I get near her cage she BEGS to get out.

These articles, Im sure, were writen by a very misinformed person.

 

[artnic93]

I hate stuff like this. This forum wouldnt even exist if we didnt care about these animals. I love my gecko the same as I love my 9 year old dog, Im all for animal rights but I have found that alot of the radical groups go way too far sometimes, they have such good intentions (sometimes) but its often clouded...

 

[M_surinamensis]

Animal rights and animal welfare are two very different things, despite some superficial similarities. On the whole, the ASPCA makes the distinction and does a lot of positive work. On the general subject of exotics, there are a lot of potential issues and problems and very good reasons that many of them should not be kept by most private individuals.

That is a fairly crappy article though, just loaded with inaccuracies that border on being lies if they were intentional. I thought the "dogs evolved from wolves" bit was particularly hilariously wrong.

And it also ircks me that they say reptiles cannot get attached to their owner. My baby leo looooves to be picked up, when I get near her cage she BEGS to get out.

These articles, Im sure, were writen by a very misinformed person.

The entire article was written with a very propagandist slant, misinformation, inaccuracies and heavily tilted language- however it was not wrong on that subject (except the understanding bit, it can be pretty easily understood most the time).

Reptiles cannot get attached to their owner.

Your baby leo does not love to be picked up and it certainly does not beg.

The article was written by an informed person with an agenda, that's a lot more dangerous than a misinformed person because they know which statistics and facts to cherrypick in order to provoke the reader to thinking the way they want them to.

 

[reptile65]

"It is very hard to breed most exotic pets in captivity—one of the many tell-tale signs that even experts don't understand what these animals need in order to thrive."

I'm sorry, but this is just plain ridiculous. Try telling that to all the amazing reputable reptile breeders out there who take pristine care of all their animals. Most of these breeders have been doing this for years and years and their animals are thriving, so you can't tell me that "even experts don't understand what these animals need in order to thrive." :main_angry:

Also, most of the leopard geckos in the pet trade today are just as domesticated as cats and dogs. I don't even know how I would go about finding a wild caught leo.

 

[Karah]

I know this is a lateeee post, but I will post it anyway.

Honey bears, sugar gliders, corn snakes, green iguanas, black panthers, rosy boas, flying squirrels, bearded dragons, veiled chameleons, spotted pythons, leopard geckos, even poison dart frogs and pot-bellied pigs—these are just some of the exotic animals people sell as pets.

I believe there is nothing wrong with owning sugar gliders, corn snakes, green iguanas, rosy boas, bearded dragons, veiled chameleons, spotted pythons, leopard geckos, poison dart frogs, and pot-bellied pigs.

As long as you can care for the animals you have, then there's nothing wrong with owning it. They certainly need to fix that article.

 

[LeoLover101]

Lions and Tigers and ... Leopard Gecko's? I don't think so... what are these people thinking? I agree with Tony C... it is all about their agenda. I've seen several things the ASPCA does that isn't right. I don't donate to them even though I love all animals. As far as diseases go...I don't know, but I think it has a lot to do with how clean you keep your pet's surroundings and living quarters. I know I've never gotten sick from handling any animal, and I've rehabilitated sick wildlife and released them back into the wild.I know there are some people who don't need to own any kind of animal, but how can they say who is, or is not, capable of taking care of one? They can't lump every owner into the same category just because they say so. They aren't God! They certainly don't know everything, but they continue to act like they do! I haven't had my Leo very long, but I have learned how to care for her properly by observing what others do, and by asking questions to those more knowledgeable than myself. Because of that, my Leo is growing up healthy, gaining good weight, and seems very happy with her surroundings. As far as the health issue goes, I wash my hands after handling her with anti-bacterial soap. I think that suffices.

 

[Dimidiata]

We gather here today to honor our dear lost thread, who died 2 years ago in a horrible horrible accident. May it RIP.

 

[katie_]

My grandmother was one of the first people in Ontario to breed sugar gliders.
Her basement looked like a rainforest.
I think she'd find this hilarious.