let this be an introductory post to a new project I want to invest my time into.
for now this blog will be somewhat of a work in progress, But I do hope to see it grow.
Iām a 24 year old man, I live in south east England, and I love animals. you can expect to see a variety of content from me, mostly focused around conservation of reptiles and non traditional captives in the pet trade.
After spending the better part of 6 years making life choices that didnāt suit me, and ultimately ending up back at square one, Last year I decided to revisit my love for reptiles, And I decided I needed a new pet in my life.
I donāt do things like this by half measures, Iāve owned reptiles before, and I wanted to make sure whatever new friend I adopted was the right animal for me. I sat and I researched for months. I delve into the deepest chasms I could, beyond basic care and biology and into the Industry, Breeding, Import and export and the social media influence surrounding exotic pets.
I went into this, looking for the most bizarre and outlandish animals I could reasonably own, a year and a half later, I now liveĀ with a Bearded Dragon, and a Royal Python (Ball Python to those stateside)
Anyone remotely familiar with the reptile pet trade will know these two species far from meet the aforementioned criteria. Why did I settle?
Because they were rescues. And the biggest lesson I learned throughout this whole experience is that the pet trade is crooked, there are inherent issues that are not being addressed and tragedy at every corner.
The RSPCA Reptile Rescue Center is overstocked with Bearded Dragons, Leopard Geckos, Corn Snakes and Royal Pythons. so much so they routinely struggle to take on new rescues. The over breeding of these species in captivity has lead to a surplus of animals, the demand for these otherwise fantastic pets never ceases but they are largely bought without planning for their extensive needs.
Breeders are completely unregulated. From illegal/unethical āeuthanasiaā ofĀ āpicky eatersā andĀ āunmarketableā animals, to mass dumping and abandoningĀ of dozens of animals that can no longer be cared for. these are some of the horror stories Iāve come across. While this is far from representative of the industry as a whole, the lack in regulation allows for cowboy breeders to abuse/neglect animals and scam customers.
Import and Export of rare, and exotic wild animals. This will be a focal point of this project, currently there are no laws in the UK prohibiting the sale of reptiles that are wild caught orĀ ācaptive farmedā (corralled wild breeding populations whoās offspring are harvested for the pet trade) this has the potential to devastate wild populations, and leads to captive animals riddled with diseases and parasites that may never adapt to captive care.
Genetic defects in captive bred animals. To pinpoint one example of many. Spider morph Ball pythons have a genetic neurological defect that is present in every individual to varying degrees, despite the fact the animals quality of life can be greatly diminished, no regulation is in place to prevent this. This issue is present across the entire pet trade, from Pugs and Bulldogs to Enigma Leopard geckos. Knowingly breeding an animal that is genetically defective is an act of animal cruelty.
It is my aim here, to catalog as much information as possible on these issues, in the hopes that some day, we look at these problems and help push for a higher standard in the pet trade.
I donāt want to see the private ownership of reptiles and other non traditional pets banned. My time with my animals has shown me that without a doubt, these creatures can make absolutely wonderful companions, and its not beyond the capacity of most people to provide rich and fulfilling lives for them.
But it is our responsibility to do better by our animals, and demand better from the industry.
Thank you for reading this wall of text, and I hope you follow for more.
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