Insect Direct

Sweet photos and fish, looks like you can see the fry forming inside the eggs. How big are the eggs?

I agree. Male red ears are smaller but often wont get along, especially in a tank. Adult Female in a 4' just doesnt look right does it. Reeves and snakeneck males tend to be smaller, so 3 of them should be ok in a 4', been raised together and if they get along. still it must stunt their growth. Pond life really is the ultimate. The space and sun seems to chill most of them out

in some sense, by the time the turtle is too big for a 3' tank, it should go out in a pond i reckon. 4' minimum for an adult turtle, upto 3 maybe, even then you want a big 4' tank, preferably 6'. cant beat a pond though.

looking good

eastern = coastal.

nice vid, and some even nicer fish

theyre look like great tanks.....for hatchlings

i dont know about iguanas, but beardies would be lucky to do a poo in our cold climate :lol:

I doubt its airborne, but anythings possible i guess. Birds/insects migrating maybe?, maybe just someone didnt clean their shoes after a holiday? As for Reptiles, dont ask me, surely their is a risk though. Risk of what and how much of a risk is well beyond my knowledge..

lol same article :oops:

heres an article i came across when lost in cyber space the other night. http://wildlife.massey.ac.nz/research/c ... rticle.pdf Couple of bits under "Source of incursion" I found to be rather interesting!

reasonably easy i would think.

Well i dont see why they wouldnt smuggle them in now. I mean if its going to make it on the list, it must be already here, or am i missing the point?

I'd say thats likely to be happening already, there is demand for new blood, morphs and certain sex's of some species. Just another reason the import restrictions, even on species we already have, doesnt seem to work. A list on its own wont completely deter smuggling, nothing will. It would likely hinder the market for anything not on the list, thats likely to have been smuggled. Would also help the majority who want to do the right thing, know what they can and cant keep, to a certain degree anyway.

Here's abit of general info that maybe handy. Not sure how upto date it is. http://www.reptiles.org.nz/uploads/PDF/ ... izards.pdf Bigger than the recommended is always best. Can keep more lizards that way , more likely to get permit in the first place and or animals from other keepers. Doesnt hurt to drop into your local DOC office and ask their opinion. Joining NZHS is a good idea if you havent already, they've also launched a new forum recently. Other members in your area maybe keen to show you their setups. Best to get it right otherwise may struggle to get a permit. hth p.s to actually answer your question :lol: , I dont think anyone makes appropriate enclosures to sell. I could be wrong though. Most rewarding to make your own if possible. Im sure you could get a handy man or builder to wack something together if need be, just costs more.

Yep, to high to do nothing. So if nothing is done nothing will change, disease risk will remain high, and yes we may just get another possum like scenario. Forget the money side of it. Our natives are priceless, protecting what we have is worth every peny. There probably will always be smugglers I agree, but thats no argument to ignore it.

Im not so sure they do have valid reasons to stop imports. Hey if i see valid reasons i'll support them. I'd even support banning exotics outright, if there was valid reasons for that also. By stopping imports in 1995 or when ever it was, all that seem's to have done is put things underground. Smuggling (uncontrolled imports) seems to be going on at a completely unkown risk to our flora and fauna. Ban exotics. People may release pets and or even try to establish wild populations, not many will be happy to have their pets destroyed. Smuggling continues, black market goes hard. More risk to our flora and fauna. Create permit system, authorites have some gauge and control over whats actually here. Even just a list of whats legal would be a start. Allow imports of herps that pose little to no threat, to our flora and fauna. Do so under strict testing for disease = much less risk than we have at present.

alot of people dont understand dogs. reward them (sometimes without even knowing it) when they shouldnt etc the dog whisperer, sunday evening on prime is worth a watch. he's amazing with dogs, and or humans depending on how you look at it.

Problem is no one seems to even know what is legal. That sort of system already exists with the NZHS, hardly any of the exotic reptile keepers even disclose what they keep, let alone what they breed each year. May change in time though.

atleast with a system, and controlled imports, the risk is surely easier to manage and less demand for smuggling. = much less risk to native fauna than at present..

You raise a good point repto. The secrecy of the trade may well be the hardest barrier to overcome. But then i suppose there will always be some who want to lay low, some with good reason to, others just like to push the limits of the law. I would just like to see the more common stuff, to be made legit for a start. I for one simply dont go near the rarer stuff, to bigger question mark = to bigger risk for me.

I would love to work together with others in the hope of getting some sort of legitimacy to the hobby. I think its a bit sad I could be raided, simply because I have a couple of Bearded dragons...sounds crazy but doesnt seem impossible. If we direct our passion (which there is obviously alot around here :lol: ) towards the greater good, then who knows what we could achieve. Even if there is a good number of us willing to work together, where does one start? Facts, research, a petition maybe. Get media involved, try consult with maf/doc or what.......

Congrats :bounce: As soon as shes finishes laying you want to carefully transfer them to an incubator. Dont rotate them. Not sure exactly how long you would have before they go bad exactly, suspect same day if they get too cold. Anythings possible though, if they look good, its worth incubating.

Nothing much against you Henward, other than some of the things you've said/posted recently, have struck a nerve with me. I think you mean well. You just have a very interesting, some maybe even say arrogant and short sighted way of coming across. Your posts are so long winded and so far from reality I cant even be bothered. Hardly makes for good discussion, gets a good reaction though doesn't it. Anyway, you have your opinion I have mine. I think the difference between me and you, is Im actually willing to listen and learn from others. Even admit im wrong every now and again!

Here you go look at your video http://www.youtube.com/user/henward888# ... wk38pcLOfM If thats not trying to breed I dont know what is. Shes undersize imo but whatever. You say your a collector, love animals. You spend good money on animals, try to get male and female. Good on you, but if it was true what you say, then why on earth skimp on the food, feed the cheapest food there is (mealworms). If you were in it for the love surely you would be happy to spend good money on the food aswel. Anyway just trying to make a point, Im sure it will go straight over your head. I dont have time to read the rest of your post, will go do some work and maybe justify a reply later.