Butters and friends: The thread

Clix Pix

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Oh wow, what a lucky find for them and the chameleon! Those can be hard to care for, need plenty of climbing area and humidity with plenty of ventilation. I hope it goes well.
I do, too!!! Haven't seen anything from her recently about the chameleon, but I hope he's nice and comfy in his new home and that she is able to give him what is needed for his well-being. She and her whole family are serious animal lovers so I know she wouldn't neglect her new pet.....
 

Chew Toy McCoy

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She also enjoys watching TV.

06504564-FEB1-4102-898A-0E04141B6244.jpeg
 

Chew Toy McCoy

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Even with responsible pet owners, who believe they're doing everything they can to provide a good environment for their pets, animals can escape. If the owner passes away, the next owner may also not be as responsible as the first. It's safer to avoid allowing potentially invasive species as pets. I actually really like animals, but I couldn't see myself ever visiting a breeder or pet store of any kind. If I lacked allergy problems, I would probably try to lure feral or stray cats into adoption. Many of them can be quite friendly if you're calm around them and don't force them to tolerate petting. They don't typically come as far as my area though, presumably due to the coyotes and occasional feral donkeys. I don't particularly like the pet trade though, so I wouldn't want to support it but rather provide a home for existing animals that require one.

I get what you are saying. For me I feel I'm giving my more exotic pets a better life than they would potentially have in the wild, no predators or other dangers. Most, if not all of them, are also solitary species that only tolerate others for the brief mating ritual.

I admit I don't currently have a "if something should happen to me" plan for Butters but I have confidence in the people I know not just letting her free or giving her to just anybody. If they decide to keep her one of the reasons I got her is that she eats cat food, dog food, and some vegetables, all things you can get on a standard grocery store visit. So that makes it somewhat easier.
 

Chew Toy McCoy

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Even with responsible pet owners, who believe they're doing everything they can to provide a good environment for their pets, animals can escape. If the owner passes away, the next owner may also not be as responsible as the first. It's safer to avoid allowing potentially invasive species as pets. I actually really like animals, but I couldn't see myself ever visiting a breeder or pet store of any kind. If I lacked allergy problems, I would probably try to lure feral or stray cats into adoption. Many of them can be quite friendly if you're calm around them and don't force them to tolerate petting. They don't typically come as far as my area though, presumably due to the coyotes and occasional feral donkeys. I don't particularly like the pet trade though, so I wouldn't want to support it but rather provide a home for existing animals that require one.


😐
 

thekev

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😐

Those states should be passing legislation, banning the sale and ownership of these guys within their states with an exception for existing owners and animal refuges. If you look at the last paragraph from that link

“The stories of [invasive species] being problematic are huge,” she said. “There’s one story of success and that happened on the northern island of Maui with the veiled chameleon. There, folks removed about 200 from the wild over time. And they kept at it. And they were diligent. Over the course of a decade, they were able to eradicate the veiled chameleon from Maui.”

It took a decade of work, presumably involving many people, just to prevent further environmental damage. Keep in mind, I really like reptiles. I'm mostly just against expanding the pet trade in any form, because stuff like this happens. When we're talking about populations, it's harder argue about irresponsible pet owners. We expect to see a non-zero number of them, so the conversation has to center around their potential impact rather than their existence.
 

Chew Toy McCoy

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Those states should be passing legislation, banning the sale and ownership of these guys within their states with an exception for existing owners and animal refuges. If you look at the last paragraph from that link



It took a decade of work, presumably involving many people, just to prevent further environmental damage. Keep in mind, I really like reptiles. I'm mostly just against expanding the pet trade in any form, because stuff like this happens. When we're talking about populations, it's harder argue about irresponsible pet owners. We expect to see a non-zero number of them, so the conversation has to center around their potential impact rather than their existence.

I feel like if the Everglades are involved they might as well just recategorize it as a native species. That swamp is worse than DC.
 

Chew Toy McCoy

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Mostly says how they are pretty much a defenseless food source for predators. :( Glad I can keep Butters unaware of this and have her think I'm her food and entertainment slave.
 

Chew Toy McCoy

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Morphs. Not happening in the US. Currently native animal exports from Australia are illegal without a permit from something like a zoo or research facility. So there isn't enough of a US population to start producing morphs. The American in the video (TC) is who I got Butters from. The black skinklets are 😯
 

Chew Toy McCoy

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At first, I was thinking, "how could a Tegu be "adorable," but by the end of this video I was smiling -- he IS adorable! :).

Interestingly Butters isn't a fan of rubs to the top of the head, shakes her head away or does her sniff hiss. She's fine with the sides or under her month being rubbed and the rest of her body including her little sausage legs, just not the top of the head.

I just found out about blue tegus, all the personality and intelligence of the bigger tegus but in a smaller package (about 3 ft max). That's a lot more manageable. I might make getting one a 2021 goal. :)
 
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