Do I read you right that folks have released cobras and puff adders in this country Johnathon?
I know Florida is having a real problem with pythons and boas but hadn't heard anything about poisonous snakes being released
Oh yeah, when their snakes breed or when they tire of them, the many unlicenced DWA keepers get rid of them in a variety of ways as they can't sell them. Venomous snakes aren't that expensive to buy and certain species just can't be sold or even given away. The amount of foreign reptiles I've collected is huge and the majority of the time you can't find the owner. With reptiles on the DWA list, even legit keepers can keep quiet on an escapee for fear of losing their licence. This is the exception rather than the rule though, as DWA holders are quite responsible people.
This snapper is just another example, there must be tens if not hundreds of them in the wild in this country but as they are very secretive and we don't tend to go swimming in our lakes and rivers, they are seldom found. As pets, they are cute when an inch or two long, but they soon grow and outgrow their cages and owners keeping ability. As people become emotionally attached to their pets, they are not keen on killing them. Next stop, the local canal.
