I have to say, I am very impressed with the conversation here. I have seen such closed minded, dogmatic arguments on other places, and this is sooo refreshing!

By the way, FurryScaly, I HAVE to see a pic of your Black Rat. My Black Rat is the favorite of my collection.... Please?

I have to agree with the majority. I see nothing wrong with an individual collecting a specimen or two of an abundant species to kep as a pet.
Someone going in and basically decimating an area of a given species for sale on the internet is another story.
That I would oppose.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I'm surprised that you're allowed to take wildlife from your local habitat. Here in Ontario it is illegal to take native species as pets.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

In the states the laws on such things vary a lot state-to-state. In Maryland, for example, it is legal to take an eastern box turrle from the wild, while in most surrounding states it is not. However, you're not allowed to have more than one eastern box turtle, WC or otherwise, without a license. It all depends on where you live and what species is being considered.


I'll always suggest leaving an animal where found as opposed to someone taking it, but ultimately it's up to that individual whether they take my advice or not. It's like rock climbing Seeing someone else do it might make me a little uneasy, but I'd still do it myself in their shoes. As for the rat snake, I've only got one picture of her left since my harddrive was wiped. I'll try and get more tonight. Her name is Motli, after the speckled pattern she sports on most of her underside. She likes to act tough, but she's never struck at me yet.

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+5 bonus points to whoever finds me a job!

"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." - John Benfield

I am for people being able to collect a few from their local area for themselves. I think about the little boy/girl who as a child becomes facinated by these things. It is a great encouragement and education for them to have something they found. It would be a shame to 'throw the book at' a curious child or their parents.
On the other hand there are those whos only interest is making a buck regardless of their environmental impact. These I am seriously opposed to. If a person's interest is for profit only let them have a FEW WC and then breed them. That is if their purpose is to sell live animals. If it is to kill them for profit they need to be stopped in their tracks. (Pun intended, )

Kenn

Ive been debating for some time on how to reply to this thread. With the current decline of wild populations nearly everywhere, I have a tough time NOT having a problem with them being removed from the wild. Then I think on my own experience and how the captured herps I had in my youth led me to the great hobby of herp keeping and spreading herp awareness in adulthood and I feel it IS ok, providing the population is still in balance and the local laws are not violated. To top that off my work with the turtle re-population program here kinda proves that the taking of them from the wild does in fact reduce the population (kinda a no brainer) We work hard to boost populations of Easter Box, Eastern Painteds, Easter Spotteds, and Diamonback Terrapins, it would be a shame if a large number of what I am breeding for the wild where they are so scarce here winds up in a 20 gallon long.

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Ken
" The United States Marine Corps......sure we are a department of the Navy,,,,,,we're the MENS department "

I'm sorry but I totally disagree with this statement. Human beings have only been on the planet for a blink of an eye in evolutionary terms and in this VERY short period of time, the EXTREMELY delicate balance of nature has been messed with beyond belief. (And even in "Genesis" terms, man has done a lot of damage to the first 5 days of creation)
Already there are almost no fish left in the North Sea as a result of decades of drag nets big enough to cover several jumbo jets scooping up everything along the ocean floor, select fish being pulled out and the rest: dead, dying or damaged dumped back. Out of sight, out of mind...
We are just beginning to see and feel the effects of global warming and man's effect on the environment. Don't fool yourself into thinking that nature is strong and indestructable.... it is seriously damaged and just starting to show symptoms of something we may not be able to cure.
I'm afraid that only if people drastically start changing their ways, taking responsibility for their actions (including asking if it's right to collect wild populations for profit) the world will have a chance to recover.

We live in one of those states where Eastern Box Turtle are illegal to have. But to be truthful, I have never seen one in the wild. I guess something that factors into this is once again eduction of the public. I must say I was not one of those kids who picked up anything slimy as a kid (lol). Sean on the other hand has been know to take in a wc, but he is now getting to the point where he would rather capture it on the camera then in the wild.

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Colleen

I don't want to start a discussion that will change neither of our minds - we are both set in our ways and no internet discussion will alter that. However, I will say this...

I don't believe in evolution. I believe the universe is only about 10 thousand years old. I believe God will keep His creation going until it is time for Him to wipe things out and re create as told in Revelation. I do believe we, as the human race, have a responsibility to rule over this earth in a responsible manner, and I don't think we have done a great job at this. But, as I stated, it is not my belief that the balance of nature is anywhere CLOSE to being delicate.

I have seen old parking lots begin to turn into small meadows, with small trees and grass growing up through the asphalt. "Nature" is very strong, and finds a way to overturn what we do. Why do you think it is so hard to clear a piece of land and keep it cleared? Any piece of land left un-tended will revert back to a "wild" state in very little time.

Again, this is not the place for a religious discussion, just letting you know that anything evolutionary is nothing but a religious belief to me.

So, we can agree to disagree, but still share our love of snakes and lizards and turtles and such.

This is true, but only if there is still a background source for the regeneration of the area. If there are no more of a given species to come in and repopulate, it would not be possible.
I don't know if I would call it a "delicate" balance but there is a balance just the same and we as a species have done a great deal of damage to it. I understand that there are extinctions that happen just because of a certain inability to live in a given situation. However when these extinctions are a direct result of humanity's irresponsible behavior I don't believe that it was part of a divine "Plan". We were given free will and the ability to make choices and many of our choices have proven disastrous.

As written in many different beliefs and paths we were given stewardship over the plants and animals. Unfortunately we have done a pretty dismal job with the trust we were given.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!