chillz

The hobby isnt any different from any other form of live import (plants, bacteria, horses, dogs, fish) If you want it, apply for the appropriatte permits, there is always constant wingeing about how we cant have anything but has anyone actually gone through the proper process? I am not saying you would be succesful , but there is one way of finding out.

it would be interesting to see if someone could be successful in achieving an IHS for a species that already has a Risk Analysis done, e.g. leopard geckos

Have any Risk analysis or IHS been applied for by private individuals?? All Import Health Standards applied for by Zoo's are for importation into containment only. A draft IHS for Squamata from Australia has been developed for zoos, many species originally applied for did not make the draft (water dragons, pogona sp.) Did they fail at the risk analysis stage?? DOC unhappy?? Dont mean to sound hysterical but does this mean the powers that be may be moving towards classing some species already present as unwanted organisms?

Release could be feasible if they past disease and parasite screening, which is already done when releases are made from captive facilities and during trans locations. The major issue would be ascertaining where the individual animals were taken from which isn't completely out of the question.

They may be able to be returned to the right conlonys due to very distinct individual markings within colonys, fingers crossed.

Hopefully the bill will pass,

An exotic species dosnt have to establish to have an effect. It has to eat something weather it breeds or not. Alot can be eaten in the average lifespan of a turtle or lizard. absolutly, im not saying there is anything wrong with helping fund your hobby , many of us couldnt do it without some sought of financial gain .

Are the leeches causing pitting of the shell or are they just taking advantage of lessions on the shell?? Have seen leeches on turtles with shell rot lesions before, but only around the shell margins at tops of legs and neck of animals with undamaged shells Most turtles will sun bask daily , wouldnt the leeches want to avoid this, and thus only attach whist the animal is in the water so not interering with UV exposure???

The "big time breeders" are concerned with making a profit, not providing a balanced and varied diet. They also want you to buy them and not be put off by the cost/time of keeping them. Maybe you should get a pet rock instead...

Is the meth blue used to stop fungal growth on the eggs??

Many of the "nocturnal" reptiles wont actively forage during the heat of the day but will still sun bask. Occurs with many captive species (duvaucels, forests,robusts, tuatara) not sure if it is the case with there wild counterparts. The sun is very powerful medicine, why go artificial?

A heat pad isn't necessary if good heat gradients are attained through a heat emitter/thermostat system. Natural furnishings such as rocks and gravel will absorb heat , thus producing heat from underneath. If the animals have access to the right ambient temps there shouldnt be any problems with digestion. A buried humid area is easy created by using plastic containers with moss etc

Spiders are part of there natural diet so if you research which species to feed out first they should be fine

Any organism which becomes wild will have an effect on native popultations. Do we want Water dragons to pick off the last of our endangered skinks and geckos? The ban on blue toungues is a Auckland Regional Council decision, not MAF. I aggree that hobbyists can do alot for the development of husbandry techniques for captive animals, although this is not generally the motivation for keeping the animals. Money, money, money....... Many people dont get into natives because of the permitting system as well as the fact that they cant make a buck out of them.

Providing live plants can be very stimulating for the turtles, giving them something to do in a otherwise unstimulating environment. Substrates can be great for this reason to, gives them something tactile as well as increaseing foraging opportunities. Snakenecks are really good at finding food hidden in gravel or under logs. This encourages them to use there sense of smell and increases the time spent foraging.

The MAF handling of the iguanas was a shambles i agree. I still find it a little hard to believe that the iguanas were "kosher" . This would be difficult for MAF to prove without DNA from the original animals. MAF's mandate is to ensure the biosecurity of the country, not to advance our hobby. We have made some serious stuff ups in New Zealand and I agree with the cautious approach. Smuggling will unfortunately always be viable due to the commercial trade in wildlife, in and out of New Zealand regardless of the import restrictions in place. This is seen in countries such as the USA and Europe where the demand for more variety/rare species fuels a huge international smuggling trade. How do you prove your tortoise or lizard wasnt the result of poaching? Some form of clarity from MAF as to what is currently "kosher" would be great i agree. In 50-100 years we may see the effect that the large numbers of red eared sliders are having on our ecosystem, they may not be capable of breeding but the food intake of a turtle over 40 odd years will be interesting to see. As the number of water dragons etc rises , will they to be released or dumped by ignorant/negligent owners, water dragons like birds.............

As long as idiots continue to smuggle frogs and lizards into New Zealand for there own financial gain and over inflated egos we will have to live with the fact that our hobby will be looked at suspiciouly.Yes MAF dealt with the iguana issue poorly , but you could say a stern message needed to be sent those responsible, shame there wernt any convictions.

Due to the prioritization process it is unlikely to get off the ground in a hurry, if at all .

A request for a IHS has been made to import Eublepharus macularius from the USA. Someone obviously has the money and patience required, http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/re ... equest.pdf