Increase in Blue Ring sales?

[Illithid]

I seem to be noticing a increase in the blue ring threads lately. Are they collected seasonally in the summer months?

or is Darwinism cycle in the human population hitting a spike?

I am happy to say that some of the new owners are at least educated in thier purchase and know the risks they are taking.

I have had a bimac before and know the joy of interacting with your ceph, I wouldn't give that up for any coloration. Too bad bimacs aren't available for the experienced hobbyist anymore.

 

[Nancy]

I've wondered whether the increase is due to an increase in importation to fill in the void caused by the demise of Octopets. Availability of bimacs created an interest, and then they were no longer on the market. So today we see more briareus, aculeatus and other species for sale.

Nancy

 

[chrono_war01]

In business terms, when there is a demand, someone will always find a way to supply it. The demise of Octopets has made the supply of octos fall short, and now, other suppliers are keeping up with the demand with non-bimac supplies. It's not a entirely bad thing, since we can get more information on other species of octos. But the fact that whether or not the increased demand will damage the environment in any way or the demand will be too small to affect the environment will need to be further investigated.

 

[Thales]

I seem to be noticing a increase in the blue ring threads lately. Are they collected seasonally in the summer months?

I would assume they are seasonal, however, I don't think there is actually an increase in the amount of blue rings collected. I think we are seeing more br threads because TONMO is hitting a 'critical mass'. More and more, on reefing boards when cephs come up, tonmo gets linked as the place to go for ceph info.

 

[Donnerboy]

Blue Ring sales? Incease?

Forgive my absolute naivete, but who in their right mind would sell this and how can they?

I mean they restrict poisonous snakes. One can't just go buy a Borringo Viper, but a Blue Ring is no issue?

Hey, get one for the kids too!

 

[Thales]

You can buy all kinds of poisonous insects, as well as all kinds of things that can kill you that aren't alive. I don't think restriction is a great way to deal with cephs because we would be more likely to see a general ban rather than a specific ban.
I also can find no report of a blue ring in captivity actually killing someone. Many more people are killed by their cars than by cephs, but we see no car bans.

Hows that for a totally disjointed post.

 

[DHyslop]

Although it should be pointed out that anyone who ships a blue ring is violatnig the service agreement of their shipper of choice, be it UPS, FedEx, DHL or USPS. If a worker for one of those companies was hurt by a venomous octopus or fish there would be hell to pay in the hobby.

Dan

 

[cthulhu77]

Ok, once more into the breach...

I know most of you don't agree with keeping blue rings...but, having done so many times, I found them to be quite good captives, albeit very,very short lived due to their life stage at collection. Yes, they are venomous, but most of my animals here are, as Erich can attest to. You have to have strict guidlines for cleaning and moving, etc, and adhere to them closely. Once you have solved that, they are really easy to maintain, and I keep on hoping to find some juveniles some day...
If you want to pick on dangerous animals, look no further than your neighbor's dog. How many people are killed each year by them?
Re: shipping. If the animal is listed as dangerous on the packaging, you pay a higher fee for the shipment, but that is all. And yes, you can go out and buy vipers quite easily, unless you live in California or Arizona, where they are heavily regulated.
To sell a blue ring to a novice would be a mistake, but any person with a little bit of experience would find them to be just as fascinating as I do.

Greg (ducking for cover)

 

[DHyslop]

Re: shipping. If the animal is listed as dangerous on the packaging, you pay a higher fee for the shipment, but that is all. And yes, you can go out and buy vipers quite easily, unless you live in California or Arizona, where they are heavily regulated.)

The IATA says that it is legal to ship venomous animals by air as long as the box is clearly marked with the name of the toxin, but as far as I can tell the shippers specifically prohibit it. FedEx and UPS basic user agreement says no venom, and I searched both companies' guidebooks to shipping dangerous goods: neither mentioned venomous animals being acceptable with surcharge/warnings. I suspect that if someone at the desk is letting you pay a surcharge to write 'dangerous' on the box, they're violating company policy. What's more I doubt most places selling blue rings even know they're dangerous and don't even go to that trouble.

If approved by FedEx, we may accept non-venomous reptiles, amphibians, live/tropical fish...

Live Animals that are prohibited from being shipped and are not accepted for transportation include, but are not limited to:

Any poisonous, venomous or threatening animal
Any Threatened or Endangered species
Arachnids (All): Examples: mites, scorpions, spiders, ticks
Birds (All)
Crocodiles (All): Examples: alligators, caimans, gavials
Mammals (All)
Obnoxious Insects: Examples: flies, locusts, mosquitoes, roaches, termites, weevils
Snakes (All): venomous and non-venomous

 

[cthulhu77]

When venomous animals are shipped, it is usually via air...Delta Dash or the like. Delta has a small surcharge for carrying venomous cargo, most of the other carriers do not bother, but all of them require the box to be clearly labeled as to what they are holding.
I don't know anyone who ships using the postal services...of course, you have to remember that shipping in Arizona by the post would just result in dead, overheated animals.

 

[DHyslop]

I imagine most blue rings would be shipped out by the mail order fish houses that already have contract rates with the parcel carriers: FedEx, UPS and DHL. I can't see a place like, say Fish Supply, going to the trouble of separating an order for a blue ring from their daily UPS pickup and driving it to the airport for Delta Dash.

Speaking of which, is Delta Dash really worth it, even in AZ? I mean, FedEx Express is usually in by 6 PM and on the doorstep by 10 AM; skirting the heat of the day.

 

[cthulhu77]

Well, the problem here is one that you have pointed out: it is illegal to ship certain animals via postal carriers...so we have to use the airline services most of the time. And yes, with heat spikes into the 120's, even an hour or so in a postal van ends up with dead animals, so most of the shippers out here just use Delta. (cooled warehouse,etc)
I'm lucky enough to be good friends with a major importer, who recieves hundreds of boxes per week, although mostly freshwater stuff, and I get to go and pick through the stock, so I don't bother with shipping at all. He gets in Blue Rings about twice a year, but they are almost always adults...I keep on hoping for a hitchhiker youngling when I look at the rock, but so far, no go.