# anacondas in australia



## shaneo (Jun 19, 2009)

just wondering if anyone has ever heard of anyone being caught with a green anaconda in australia, ive heard of people being caught with other large pythons, burmese, retics etc but never a green anaconda and i was just wondering if there are any hear?


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## shamous1 (Jun 19, 2009)

*Haha*

Anything is possible but I extremely doubt it.

Why? Do you want to buy one?


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## Sturdy (Jun 19, 2009)

shaneo said:


> just wondering if anyone has ever heard of anyone being caught with a green anaconda in australia, ive heard of people being caught with other large pythons, burmese, retics etc but never a green anaconda and i was just wondering if there are any hear?



Mate to be honest it would not surprise me...


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## JasonL (Jun 19, 2009)

If I had to stake my life on it, I would say they were here, pretty much everything else is.


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## Colin (Jun 19, 2009)

best one I ever saw was the huge one at taronga that was off display when the AHS had their behind the scenes tour back in the early 1990's 
that was a BIG anaconda especially when we were in its enclosure very close to its mouth.. must have been 20 plus feet long I think.. 
but hard to tell as it was coiled in a packing crate that was sitting on top of a spa bath tub.
lucky it didn't grab one of us and I dont think we were supposed to be in there


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## Rainbow-Serpent (Jun 19, 2009)

How would you manage to smuggle a green anaconda into Australia is what i'd like to know:shock::shock::shock:

Some lawbreaking nincumpoop has probably found a way, so I would say there are some living illegaly here.


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## gecko-mad (Jun 19, 2009)

green anaconda!? apart from zoos who would have a big enough place to keep them?! i saw a vid of a 30ft one wich is apparantly as big as it gets!


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## Colin (Jun 19, 2009)

Rainbow-Serpent said:


> How would you manage to smuggle a green anaconda into Australia is what i'd like to know:shock::shock::shock:
> 
> Some lawbreaking nincumpoop has probably found a way, so I would say there are some living illegaly here.



probably when they are small hatchies I'd imagine. 
I dont think anyone would try and smuggle a 20 footer wrapped around their waist through customs :lol:


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## gecko-mad (Jun 19, 2009)

Colin said:


> probably when they are small hatchies I'd imagine.
> I dont think anyone would try and smuggle a 20 footer wrapped around their waist through customs :lol:


 ''excuse me customs, does this anaconda make my butt look big?''


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## fine_jungles (Jun 19, 2009)

whats so strange about it ? ther just a big boa ,they are common in aus , same with burms and retics.

iv seen anacondas up close before and they wer quite docile! they can make good pets
out side of aus of course ,don't worry im not keeping any anacondas,
waste of cage space :lol:


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## 888lowndes888 (Jun 19, 2009)

No not sure but I know Boa's are here lol. A bloke saw me buying mice at the local last week and offered me a Boa hatchie. Nice little snake but DO NOT agree with exotics in Aus so tried my best in being polite whilst objecting.


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## Naja_nivea (Jun 23, 2009)

You should have taken the guys number and told the police that offered you a boa. I would have faked interest and got his details and dobbed him in. Best thing for it.


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## grannieannie (Jun 23, 2009)

I agree with naja....I would have taken his car number plate or something....certainly would have told the authorities about him.....


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## kidsheart (Jun 23, 2009)

if there are burms and retics here then why wouldnt there be green anacondas?. theres no major size difference between them, burms and retics, there all pretty similar size and captive are pretty docile on the most part. and would be no harder to smuggle into aus then a burm or a retic id imagine as there all pretty similar size as babys. id be willing to bet my bottom dollar that there loads of them here and i know theres definatly alot of burms and retics.


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## mikep (Jun 23, 2009)

dobbing one person in wont do anything. their are so many exorics here its a joke. and atm is just getting worse with more and more coming in. and know i dont have any exotics


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## mattooty (Jun 23, 2009)

I'm not entirely sure there's such a huge trade with importing animals anymore. Other than specific morphs and lines or hard to get species such as GTP's, most exotics already have a healthy breeding population within our domestic borders.
To the best of my knowledge anaconda's give live birth right? So it wouldn't be overly hard to smuggle in a new born anaconda or 12.


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## JasonL (Jun 23, 2009)

mattooty said:


> I'm not entirely sure there's such a huge trade with importing animals anymore. Other than specific morphs and lines or hard to get species such as GTP's, QUOTE]
> 
> There is a huge import trade, GTPs are easy to get these days. With the exception of Corn snakes that are being bred in their hundreds of thousands yearly, most other herps fetch reasonable to extremely high prices on the black market, and whether they are being bred here or not, high prices usually means someone see's it as a good idea to make some money by importing them into the country. The busts that you see in the media, seem only to be a small portion of whats coming into the country.


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## Travisty (Jun 23, 2009)

mikep said:


> dobbing one person in wont do anything. their are so many exorics here its a joke. and atm is just getting worse with more and more coming in. and know i dont have any exotics


 
So according to your reasoning if you witnessed a murder you wouldn't report it because there are so many more murders happening it wouldn't make any difference if one person is caught.


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## kidsheart (Jun 23, 2009)

To the best of my knowledge anaconda's give live birth right? So it wouldn't be overly hard to smuggle in a new born anaconda or 12.[/QUOTE]

correct.


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## cement (Jun 29, 2009)

Back to the question, yes they are here. Aust reptile park has a few behind the scenes and are grooming them for their snake shows.


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## getarealdog (Jun 29, 2009)

They are here, hell most things are!


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## W.T.BUY (Jun 29, 2009)

Rainbow-Serpent said:


> How would you manage to smuggle a green anaconda into Australia is what i'd like to know:shock::shock::shock:


 
I saw a thing on border security the other night. Only 1 in 50 contains are scanned and thats when they have been alerted of something dogee'....


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## abbott75 (Jun 29, 2009)

Am I the only one who thinks these 'I wonder if .... is in the country' threads really mean 'if you have... PM me'?


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## GOOBA (Jun 30, 2009)

haha 4 sure mate.
but keep it a secret seems to work.


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## Tsubakai (Jun 30, 2009)

Anaconda's are number 1 on my list of exotics I'd love to own. Like others have said, there will be plenty of underground anaconda's around as well as the zoo specimens. Its possible to get pretty much whatever you want if you have enough money and know the appropriate people.


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## largesnakes (Mar 4, 2010)

i live in the uk i am moving to nsw in a couple of years i keep large snakes and green conda are one type i keep they are amazing to keep dont think for one moment there man eaters nasty and try and kill at every given minute i wish i could bring mine with me trust me when i say i have tryed and it always come down to a zoo if you aint got one tuff luck 
but how do people keep them over there if there such a big no no, big females dont really get much bigger them 15-16ft any more there are a few but thats it,


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## craig.a.c (Mar 4, 2010)

Where there's a will, there's a way.
Surely there would be a few or more here.


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## Snakester (Mar 4, 2010)

Yeah I agree with the majority.

They are here, just like all the other large boas and exotic pythons. 

It would be fairly naive to think otherwise.

I reckon the yellow anacondas whilst smaller are the better lookers anyway.


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## mattG (Mar 4, 2010)

abbott75 said:


> Am I the only one who thinks these 'I wonder if .... is in the country' threads really mean 'if you have... PM me'?



Nah I don't think you're the only1....
I sometimes wonder if anyone has any chameleons.....lol


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## Gibblore (Mar 4, 2010)

I was offered a breeding pair of orange corn snakes and a single milk snake about 10 years ago when i worked in a pet shop he told me that he had been breeding the corns for 12 years and was just over them and would be happy just to give them away. I told him to hand them in to a zoo for there collection as they were the only people i could think of that might take them. so that's over 20 years people that these things have been keept and breed in this country. If some one was willing to pay for an anaconda there would be someone willing to get in, thats my say.


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## jeremy_88 (Mar 4, 2010)

Colin said:


> best one I ever saw was the huge one at taronga that was off display when the AHS had their behind the scenes tour back in the early 1990's
> that was a BIG anaconda especially when we were in its enclosure very close to its mouth.. must have been 20 plus feet long I think..
> but hard to tell as it was coiled in a packing crate that was sitting on top of a spa bath tub.
> lucky it didn't grab one of us and I dont think we were supposed to be in there



I'll be doing a practical day there on Saturday and I've heard they do have an anaconda off display so I wonder if its the same one, should of put some size on in 10 + years!


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## Colin (Mar 4, 2010)

I heard the big one I was talking about died quite some time ago unfortunately. the ones they have now are more recent aquisitions after the other anaconda died. 

from a (semi) reliable source :lol: a mate that was a taronga keeper at the time.. the anaconda I was refering to was probably more like 17 feet I think he said.. but it was coiled up at the time we were in its off display enclosure so hard to tell with any accuracy.. but it was a large very impressive specimen thats for sure..


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## Tayla152girl (Mar 4, 2010)

i wonder if the people smuggling big boas,corn snakes and anacondas realise what it could potentially do to our ecosystem. can you imagine if boas and anacondas were as common as pythons in the wild? i dunno i just figure, treasure and nourish what beautiful creatures we do have in aus and keep boas for the zoos, or for motivation to go oversees and see them in their natural habitat.


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## townsvillepython (Mar 4, 2010)

they are here for sure, I had a mate who worked for customs around 10 years ago. He said if you can think of it. its been tried 
look at time and money spent on drug enforcement cocaine an heroin not that hard get a hold of. (ps never have never will ). a burm or anaconda if you tried hard enuff would have one within a month


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## Colin (Mar 4, 2010)

chondrogreen said:


> I was offered an Anaconda from a guy who knew a guy who got an adult from a zoo a few years ago. Apparently the animal was said to of died at the zoo (but was really sold on the black market). BTW this was approx 6 years ago now.
> 
> *Not saying it was Toronga zoo or that it was the same animal. I am just stating that they are here illegally. *




as far as Im aware the large anaconda I was refering to died many years ago.. when I saw it at the AHS behind the scenes taronga tour it was 1991 maybe? and I heard it died a few years later (probably of old age) so theres probably something like at least a 10 year time difference between what your saying, so would guess its definitely not the same animal.


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## nat0810 (Mar 4, 2010)

Tayla152girl said:


> i wonder if the people smuggling big boas,corn snakes and anacondas realise what it could potentially do to our ecosystem. can you imagine if boas and anacondas were as common as pythons in the wild? .


 
I dont think they care Tayla. Their sole motivation is proffit. They couldnt give a brass razoo what ecological damage they are causing, and for the most part, nor would the buyers.

All the smugglers care about is the $$$$, and the keepers just want that cool snake. Cuz its even cooler cuz ite illegal


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## jeremy_88 (Mar 4, 2010)

As far as I know if any animal dies at Taronga it has to have a necropsy. Though I can't see any zoo being able to get away with something like that, but never say never lol


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## zulu (Mar 4, 2010)

*re anacondas*

havent heard of anacondas but i havent made equiries either,generally just old garden species about like boas (not you ash )and corns,seems to be whats popular


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## cris (Mar 4, 2010)

Are anacondas commonly kept in other countries? You often here about burms and retics, but not much about anacondas or African Rock Pythons either. Is there a reason for this or are they more common than i think?


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## GeckoJosh (Mar 4, 2010)

Green anacondas are very common in the UK
Im on a UK reptile forum and they reckon a 6x3 foot is fine for a adult female Green Anaconda


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## jessb (Mar 4, 2010)

Colin said:


> probably when they are small hatchies I'd imagine.
> I dont think anyone would try and smuggle a 20 footer wrapped around their waist through customs :lol:


 
Is that an anaconda in your pantso or are you just REALLY happy to see me?

The ARP had a juvie green anaconda in their show a few months ago, I presume these are the ones someone referred to earlier that they are breeding.


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## SLACkra (Mar 4, 2010)

> Nah I don't think you're the only1....
> I sometimes wonder if anyone has any chameleons.....lol



Sigh I had some one pm me asking if I could get them a chameleon. Sent them a rather chunky pm back about how exotics are illegal and the huge risk that exotics pose to our native species. 

When I lived in canada a girl at the pet shop I frequented had a small anaconda. She also had a caiman!

Andrew


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## schizmz (Mar 4, 2010)

What we need is an exotic that loves to eat cane toads!..Australia would import them in a flash.only "some" snakes and owls eat em.i saw a sad documentary the other day,bloke used to go to this place in NT for snake study's 20 years ago..he went back last year..no snakes to be found but a **** load of toads 8(


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## GTsteve (Mar 4, 2010)

What eats cane toads?


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## schizmz (Mar 4, 2010)

Many species prey on the cane toad in its native habitat. These include the Broad-snouted Caiman (_Caiman latirostris_), the Banded Cat-eyed Snake (_Leptodeira annulata_), the eel (family: Anguillidae), various species of killifish,[40] the Rock flagtail (_Kuhlia rupestris_), some species of catfish (order: Siluriformes) and some species of ibis (subfamily: Threskiornithinae).[40] Predators outside the cane toad's native range include the Whistling Kite (_Haliastur sphenurus_), the Rakali (_Hydromys chrysogaster_), the Black Rat (_Rattus rattus_) and the Water Monitor (_Varanus salvator_). There have been occasional reports of the Tawny Frogmouth (_Podargus strigoides_) and the Papuan Frogmouth (_Podargus papuensis_)[41] feeding on cane toads

wiki ftw!


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## percey39 (Mar 5, 2010)

If i was gonna get an exotic i would deffinetely get a african rock over a conda. There was someone i knew a while back that had all sorts of exotics from red tails through to some vens. Which to me is insane as there would not be antivenom for a rattler or cobra here. Every species is there if you want them and finding the people who sell them is really easy if you can be bothered dealing with idiots.


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## jeremy_88 (Mar 5, 2010)

My post is a presumption I'm sorry if you read it as fact, hence the never say never at the end of my sentence. I've only heard bits and pieces about the chondro stuff and never looked into it, first I've heard someone say that they were sold by Taronga and infact had not died. But then again I don't read everything on the forums...



> And they dont have their own vets on hand or on the payroll?



Sarcasm doesn't translate well over the internet, are you being sarcastic or is that a real question Lol


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## Stianbl (Mar 5, 2010)

Hehe, this is a funny story about a Boa in the walls. A big read, but I think it's worth to read it just for the fun of it ^^

Though, I dont agree with letting that thing in the ceiling though..!

Billy the Boa ? Bali living Blog


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## pwh (Mar 13, 2010)

I heard some babys for sale about a month ago for $1000..


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## SammySnakes (Mar 15, 2010)

Hmmmm I think this is one of the reasons children shouldn't play on the internet unsupervised. I know some of the people at the zoo, you couldn't be further from the truth. 



chondrogreen said:


> I was offered an Anaconda from a guy who knew a guy who got an adult from a zoo a few years ago. Apparently the animal was said to of died at the zoo (but was really sold on the black market). BTW this was approx 6 years ago now.
> 
> *Not saying it was Toronga zoo or that it was the same animal. I am just stating that they are here illegally. *


In fact you just did say that. The old animal that used to be housed at Taronga died over ten years ago. A necropsy was performed on this animal and I have previously seen this report. This animal was over 30 years old. All other anacondas in zoos in the country are juveniles (~3-4yrd old) that were part of a co-operative import between zoos about three years back. 



chondrogreen said:


> And they dont have their own vets on hand or on the payroll?


As far as I am aware, Taronga has three full-time veterinarians based at the zoo's veterinary centre in addition to three full-time pathologists. You should watch the TV program The Zoo when it comes back on.

Sammy


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## chondrogreen (Mar 15, 2010)

Wow I know people there too, do I deserve a medal? or is bragging online about it give enough credibility? LOL

I NEVER said it was from Toronga zoo & infact I made that perfectly clear in your highlighted quote above.
Perhaps you should re-read it again. Yes I was offered one approx 6 yrs ago. When asked where it came from I was told from a zoo they said it had died (this is what I was told, doesn't make it fact just hearsay) I was just making a point that they are here illegally and that I know this for a fact

3 vets & 3 pathos on the payroll...So what exactly is your point? 
Oh and I agree children shouldn't play on the internet unsupervised.


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## Sterlo (Apr 17, 2010)

I heard of someone being offered one


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## Jungletrans (Apr 17, 2010)

Even a very big one would be easy to house . Just need an empty bedroom , screen door and window cover , tree or similar and kids pool .


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## diamondbling (Apr 17, 2010)

i think rob bredl has one(anaconda)


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## hoppyone (Apr 17, 2010)

Sydney is where you will find them?


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## GeckoJosh (Apr 17, 2010)

Have a look at overseas sites where they talk about cage sizes etc, it seems they are very easy to house even with minimum space


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## ReptileRota.com (May 6, 2010)

Interesting discussion; here in the UK Anacondas are quite readily available, although mostly wild caught imports. They are nowhere near as popular as the large pythons because anyone wanting a large boid would have to wait 10 years with a neonate Anaconda, compared to maybe 2 to 4 years with the giant pythons. Plus there's a few misconceptions with their husbandry which leaves many trying to emulate their natural habitat in captivity which often results in poor levels of hygiene and dead snakes.

It is true they are docile (yellow anacondas are usually much more snappy and less docile in general) and have simple husbandry requirements - except (especially for females): living space. A 6x3x3 is NOT going to be adequate for a good sized adult female Green. They have massive sexual dimorphism a 6x3x3 is more than adequate for all except the largest male Greens, but a female Green, normally substantially longer and much bulkier would be very cramped...

In my opinion I would agree it would be naive to believe Anacondas aren't being privately kept in Australia. That said, there is probably only a slither of habitat in Australia that could support their living requirements.


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## eitak (May 6, 2010)

Travisty said:


> So according to your reasoning if you witnessed a murder you wouldn't report it because there are so many more murders happening it wouldn't make any difference if one person is caught.


 
Not that I think importing exotics into aus is a good idea, but comparing it to murder? I would maybe compare it to a drug dealer. Would you dob in a drug dealer?


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## AllThingsReptile (May 6, 2010)

gecko-mad said:


> ''excuse me customs, does this anaconda make my butt look big?''


BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH lol


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## justbecausewhy (May 6, 2010)

i hear ya mikep..I only buy australian but i know so many ppl with corns its not funny....and if ya get caught...the fines are high and the animals are put down so whats the point...you would be looking over ur shoulder all the time..as one of ya so called mates will dob ya in if ya piss them off hey.


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## TriggerFish (May 7, 2010)

For what it's worth, as much as I think chameleons would probably be my favourite reptile, I think I will be perfectly happy keeping any variety of the Australian reptiles that I am legally permitted to. I think we have enough to keep us interested here without looking overseas. Buy (and breed) Australian I say!


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## scottyo998 (May 9, 2010)

TriggerFish said:


> I think we have enough to keep us interested here without looking overseas. Buy (and breed) Australian I say!



i agree that the herps we are allowed to keep here are extraordinarily beautiful, but i also think it is a shame that we are limited. There are a number of snakes from around the world i would love to own, but that will not happen while i live here. And when you look into the reasoning, being that the animal could be released or escape and ruin the ecosystem, i think they are jumping to extremes slightly. In fact, there is probably more proof that they would just die then there is to say they will thrive. I get it, the government is cautious, but just because they introduce a few animals that they should have known would thrive, doesnt mean they should jump to conclusions


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## daniel1234 (May 11, 2010)

Scotty, there are already established exotics here apparently. It must be true, found it on APS lol.


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## scottyo998 (May 12, 2010)

doesnt mean that they are in any way legal though...


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## dragonscrawling (Jun 9, 2010)

It is not just the animals themselves that pose a threat, although I don't want QLD to turn into the everglades, it is also the diseases they could bring in that pose a massive risk to our native animals. There is no need to have them in this country. People just need to make a choice, live here and keep the animals we are permitted to keep or go somewhere else.

Don't get me wrong, I am not deluded, I know these animals are here. If you can smuggle fish in (which occurs frequently) you can smuggle reptiles in.


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## bundysnake (Jun 9, 2010)

i was offered an anaconda about 5 years ago and i actually seen it first hand.
Last i heard the person who offered it was in jail.

I must add this was 5 years ago before i was into herps at all, but since getting into herps and now knowing what an anconda looks like im 99% sure that's what it was.


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## Bez84 (Jun 9, 2010)

I was searching google for reptile classified sites this arvo and came across these albino burms, for a second i was like **** $300 for a albino darwin pair after i woke up and re entered reality i looked closer at the screen and saw they were burms.

[links advertising illegal reptiles deleted] 
I think its not worth the risk etc to keep exotics but cant really stop people from keeping exotic species that have been in australian captivity longer then some australian reptiles.
Oh so pretty but im sure when it grows up and eats your kids and god forbid does the unthinkable and eats the rest of your herp collection the fun and thrill of keeping and exotic may wear off..........and come on $300 a pair what they given them away now lol.


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## Kenshin (Jun 9, 2010)

Bez84 said:


> I think its not worth the risk etc to keep exotics but cant really stop people from keeping exotic species that have been in australian captivity longer then some australian reptiles.
> Oh so pretty but im sure when it grows up and eats your kids and god forbid does the unthinkable and eats the rest of your herp collection the fun and thrill of keeping and exotic may wear off..........and come on $300 a pair what they given them away now lol.



the nostalga around keeping large boids i think is crap people are quiet able to keep large boids, eat kids? large snakes arnt like little ones that can squeeze through the little gap in your glass........


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## Akraziatic (Jun 9, 2010)

scottyo998 said:


> i agree that the herps we are allowed to keep here are extraordinarily beautiful, but i also think it is a shame that we are limited. There are a number of snakes from around the world i would love to own, but that will not happen while i live here. And when you look into the reasoning, being that the animal could be released or escape and ruin the ecosystem, i think they are jumping to extremes slightly. In fact, there is probably more proof that they would just die then there is to say they will thrive. I get it, the government is cautious, but just because they introduce a few animals that they should have known would thrive, doesnt mean they should jump to conclusions



The case is exactly the same with ornamental fish. There are many fish which are blacklisted for import which would have no hope of surviving in our ecosystems however the biggest pest in our water ways, the carp also known in the ornamental trade as the koi, are readily imported into the country. The only reason they are not blacklisted is because the Koi community of Australia would be in outrage. I agree with you scotty in the sense the government is cautious, and for good reason ofcourse, however I just fail to understand the governments approach. There appears to be a double standard in regards to regulations. Which as far as I can gather a similar situation occurs between state authorities in the herp trade.


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## Jumala (Jun 10, 2010)

koi carp are not on the allowed import species list ..... goldfish are .....


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## iamheretic (Jun 20, 2010)

scottyo998 said:


> i agree that the herps we are allowed to keep here are extraordinarily beautiful, but i also think it is a shame that we are limited. There are a number of snakes from around the world i would love to own, but that will not happen while i live here. And when you look into the reasoning, being that the animal could be released or escape and ruin the ecosystem, i think they are jumping to extremes slightly. In fact, there is probably more proof that they would just die then there is to say they will thrive. I get it, the government is cautious, but just because they introduce a few animals that they should have known would thrive, doesnt mean they should jump to conclusions



well if you want an exotic buy one. I don't think some exotic snakes would be incredibly bad, but if they became legal, there would be heaps of them. Being illegal is a huge detterent for people to not buy them, thus making the market for, and import of exotic snakes small. I like the idea of how anyone can get them if they look, but few actually do. Bad part of it is how some die and a treated poorly, until they come into the hands of the buyer who know a bit about snakes (usually).


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## scottyo998 (Jun 20, 2010)

to me the risk far outweighs the reward when it comes to owning exotics. The last thing i would want would to lose all my snakes, just because of this one snake i "had to have". I agree, if exotics were legal, they would flood the market and more than likely kill the native sales until the novelty wore off, and i would be guilty in aiding in that. However, just because i dont fully agree with it, doesnt mean i want it changed or would work my way around it. The one thing i would be worried about when importing exotics isnt the animals themselves, but what those animals might be carrying. There are relatively few diseases that affect our wildlife at the moment, but if too many exotics were brought in, its only a matter of time till you import their diseases as well, which would be disastrous!


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