Sources for Blue Rings

[cthulhu77]

yea. i think when i show him this it'll convince him. hopefully. his view is that since he's keeping the tank escape proof and the hood secured down, the kids shouldnt be able to get into it. i dont agree, those kids are insane.

No such thing as "escape proof" or "child safe". It would be like leaving a loaded pistol on your nightstand and trusting that the rugrats wouldn't fire it.

 

[Keith]

sweet. he's stubborn but i think that outta do it. thanks.

 

[TrappedMetal]

just out of interest what is the number of people that have recorded bites and what is the number of recorded deaths?
It all seems a bit odd to me this - i know many people that keep venomous snakes including cobras, rattlers and even the rear fanged stuff i keep myself. If these animals are as dangerous as people say (to me it seems like the general perception is that they will very rarely try to bite you, but if they do you're a gonna) are there no sort of licenses that are in force to prevent "just anyone" from buying one like with snakes?
Over here in the UK there its a DWA (Dangerous wild animal) act which all front fanged venomous snakes and many other exotics (lions and crocodiles to dingos and Tazzie devils!) are on - and to be able to buy one you need to produce a liscence on purchase which is awarded to you if your local area council inspect your premises with a vet. Now, all your vivariums (or pens/enclosures etc) need to be seperated from your living space and normally in a sealed shed outside and fully secure. this means lock and key usually. Then you gotta pay - usually from the lowest £500 to £5000+. Then theres public liability insurance to pay also. If there is nothing like this in place and people feel that they can kill and are frequently purchased enough then why not?

 

[Neogonodactylus]

As far as I know, there are no U.S. regulations against the importation and sale of Hapalochlaena. What does keep things in check a bit is the chance of being sued should you knowingly sell a blue-ring to an aquarist and an injury or death occur.

Last time I checked, there were only five documented deaths from blue-ring bites (not counting deaths from ingestion). In Australia there are a few admissions to the ER each year, but once medical treatment is available, the progmosis is nearly always good.

Roy

 

[esquid]

The DWA, isn't that the set of regulations that was enacted in the 1970's and caused the release of an unknown number of wild animals such as leopards, ocelots and panthers into the countryside?

 

[cthulhu77]

You are playing my harp.

If we, as aquaculturists, do not police our own ranks, the public will do it for us eventually.

Such laws make little sense, but you can not blame John Smith down the street from not wanting someone to have a pet cobra, etc. With all of the flakes and cranks out there, we need to be very, very careful with what we purchase and keep, and make sure that we are safe to the point of paranoia.

 

[TrappedMetal]

The DWA, isn't that the set of regulations that was enacted in the 1970's and caused the release of an unknown number of wild animals such as leopards, ocelots and panthers into the countryside?

LOL thats when it was created. It was updated as of October last year. If you google DWA Licence UK you will get many results with actual lists.

 

[Keith]

I'm suprised that all venemous animals arent more regulated. That reminds me, I just found out something really odd recently. In California, you can't own a rattlesnake... unless its albino. I don't know why that changes anything, and I know people still keep regular rattlers on the down low, but I think that law is ridiculous. I wouldn't want to keep a blue ring unless I lived with an EMT. Paralysis/probable suffocation... no bueno.

-Keith

 

[esquid]

LOL thats when it was created.

I think you missed the point. Different societies have different ways of handling the same issue. In this country it is the responsibility of the buyer to understand what they are purchasing. And it is the owner of animal that is held to civil and sometimes criminal charges if they behave in a reckless or negligent manner.

 

[TrappedMetal]

I'm suprised that all venemous animals arent more regulated. That reminds me, I just found out something really odd recently. In California, you can't own a rattlesnake... unless its albino. I don't know why that changes anything, and I know people still keep regular rattlers on the down low, but I think that law is ridiculous. I wouldn't want to keep a blue ring unless I lived with an EMT. Paralysis/probable suffocation... no bueno.

-Keith

This has nothing to do with the animal being venomous AFAIK. It is to prevent people removing animals from the wild to keep as "pets" or releasing captive species they no longer wish to keep - its meant as a visible "marker" that the animal is captive bred.

There is a similar law regarding pet skunks in one state (Georgia maybe??) - you an keep them legally providing they are not black and white to show they were not trapped (captive skunks come in a variety of colours including brown and albino).

I happen to have a skunk as a housepet over here in england..
Black and white boy

Brown female

 

[sorseress]

Cute skunks! We used to have a huge , and I think very old one who hung around near our house who's markings were reversed. He was white where most skunks are black, and vice versa.

 

[Keith]

thats cool. can you have the stink glands removed?

 

[DWhatley]

thats cool. can you have the stink glands removed?

You can buy them that way but they still have a musk the will leave an odor in the house.

We had one for a couple of months at the time our female cat was pregnant. The cat would drag the skunk into the box we set up for her and the expected kittens. After the kittens were born we tried to keep the skunk away (it was almost as big as the cat) but the cat kept dragging the skunk into the box. Eventually we gave up and they all did well together until we moved the kittens down stairs and they could run around. We woke up to two dead kittens. It appeared that the skunk had tried to pickup the kittens and either take them to or away from their new box. We were never sure if he was only trying to be motherly or was being agressive (they were not eaten or chewed on, just a hole in the top of thier necks). We returned the skunk to the pet store but the odor did not leave parts of the house until we removed the carpet and padding.

 

[Keith]

ah. skunks are cool. unless they spray you. hasnt happened to me personally, but while i was campin one got my brother pretty good. eh, at least it was entertaining.

 

[Animal Mother]

You can buy them that way but they still have a musk the will leave an odor in the house.

Sounds like keeping ferrets. Did that. Never again.