Wow another great hit from Animal Planet

[james.w]

what we need are more educational tools, facilities and owners with more common sense, the problems with invasive species in florida is a ever growing problem and sadly the keepers who are doing the right thing are the ones who will pay for it, i think animal planet when representing and animal should portray the entire side both good and bad, showing a wild animal biting someone when confronted, then classifying it as dangerous isnt exactly fair, however people need to realize they do have the potential and capability to be quite dangerous, espeacially if they are wild and frightened

Well said.

 

[Strange_Evil]

what we need are more educational tools, facilities and owners with more common sense, the problems with invasive species in florida is a ever growing problem and sadly the keepers who are doing the right thing are the ones who will pay for it, i think animal planet when representing and animal should portray the entire side both good and bad, showing a wild animal biting someone when confronted, then classifying it as dangerous isnt exactly fair, however people need to realize they do have the potential and capability to be quite dangerous, espeacially if they are wild and frightened

Really we'll said.

Also i started to scroll down the comments and this one really caught my attention and in a way upset me to see how much of a negative impact this video is having already.

Ouch. Put a bounty on this demons. Soon we? will hear of a kid in trouble.

I know its to inform and all but if you ask me Animal planet really went down the drain, what happen to shinning a positive light on keeping reptiles and teaching others?

 

[La-Price]

yea, im watching it now. only positive thing i heard about tegu's was that their smart. but they said it negatively, so not too positive i guess.

i just hope the gu's that dumb people have obviously released in florida arent varnyard stock . that could be bad later on

 

[herpgirl2510]

Unfortunately many people get their education on things like this from the TV.

 

[La-Price]

i do sometimes, but its from planet earth and such where they watch animals in their native habitat. and mutual of ohmaha isnt bad depending

 

[Brandon7777]

I actually watched this whole episode when it was on, just because I saw the promo for it having Tegu's on it. They did portray tegu's in a negative way, not just that they are invasive, but they are highly dangerous. Which, that is true if you provoke them. It always amazes me how afraid people are of reptiles in general, and it's just like someone else said on here, it's lack of education. When I was younger, I used to be scared to death of snakes (not lizards) only because almost every male member in my family were scared of them, therefore, so was I. As I got older and watched more educational shows on snakes, I became less fearful (still a bit scared of venomous snakes, which is probably a good thing, luckily we only have 2 venomous species where I live, one of which is rarely seen). So, I overcame my fear one day and caught a Rat snake, and have been catching them and rereleasing them for my neighbors. I try to teach people the best I can about reptiles (with the knowledge that I have) so that they aren't afraid of them. I mean seriously, people are always scared of a snake bite, and with Rat snakes (most common snake found here) barely can even break the skin, and when they do, you don't even feel it. I also love teaching people about my Tegu's. People's first question is usually "Do they bite?" or "Aren't you afraid they are going to eat you?" So, that tells you right there that people lack a great deal of knowledge about reptiles, or animals in general. I also have a Quaker Parrot and when people see pictures or meet my animals, they always say "awww I want to hold the parrot" and then usually "those lizards are scary!". My response to them is "The parrot will bite you, the lizards will not"

So, as someone posted earlier, I agree we need to continue to teach as many people as we can about our pets, and show them that there are certain animals we need to fear and others we do not.

And don't get me started on Animal Planet, what a joke. Someone needs to get Jeff Corwin a new show!

 

[Jefroka]

I see a problem with the video and take offense. Someone should have mentioned that tegus in captivity are routinely as tame as man's best friend in the proper hands of a responsible reptile owner.

To stereotype tegus as aggressive beasts and that is exactly what this piece of junk video does is a disservice to the reptile community!

Shame on this footage and if you don't take offense perhaps you shouldn't be representing the reptile community!

BTW, I believe the finger story is greatly exaggerated as to the details of the story.


...Jefroka

 

[laurarfl]

There is a huge list of invasive species: birds, plants, trees. They are throughout the US. Much of the stuff in FL started as a ploy to get Everglades funding money which is an ever occuring issue down here...so is the battle with the sugar industry. But people are afraid of snakes and it gets a huge emotional response, making it an easy target for politicians and activists groups. We all know that dogs harm people more than reptiles, cats harm the environment, and we are constantly having our wetlands built up for more development. There are a few unscrupulous herpers out there, but it's not the majority. Animal Planet has turned into Animal Activist Planet in my book. Geez, even in the dog training shows, you can't reprimand your dog without feeling criminalized.

 

[montana]

That`s where the money is ..

 

[La-Price]

yea, and guess what. theres a series coming out at 8 or 9 this sunday on animal planet. its about the invasive species in florida, or just the everglades in general?

 

[james.w]

I see a problem with the video and take offense. Someone should have mentioned that tegus in captivity are routinely as tame as man's best friend in the proper hands of a responsible reptile owner.

To stereotype tegus as aggressive beasts and that is exactly what this piece of junk video does is a disservice to the reptile community!

Shame on this footage and if you don't take offense perhaps you shouldn't be representing the reptile community!

BTW, I believe the finger story is greatly exaggerated as to the details of the story.


...Jefroka

I don't understand how you can say shame on this footage and if you don't take offense you shouldn't represent the community. The biggest problem with this show was the fact that someone is letting tegus free in Florida. They didn't go into peoples houses that are keeping them as pets and talk bad about them, they were capturing "wild" tegus that were scaring people in their own yard. I would be upset too if there was a 4' lizard in my yard with my kids playing outside and I keep large lizards.

Now I'm not saying they couldn't have mentioned the positive aspects of keeping tegus, but that wasn't what the show was about nor where the money is as Montana said. If keepers were more respnsible and rehomed their animals when they could no longer care for them, they wouldn't be able to make shows like this.

I hate to be the one to be on animal planets side this time, but it bothers me that people blame the network for something that was started by one time reptile keepers.

 

[Kebechet]

I actually talked to some people visiting from Florida when I was out walking Link- according to them the problem isn't that people are "releasing" reptiles on purpose, the problem has been the hurricanes, and homes and breeding facilities getting ripped apart, letting the animals loose into the wild. Yes there are some people who are irresponsible, but the hurricanes have contributed immensely to the problem.

 

[james.w]

I am aware of the hurricanes causing animals to be released. That still doesn't mean the animals aren't a problem.

Think about if you lived in Florida and had a young child. Now how would you feel if your child was playing in your back yard and was killed by a burma or badly bitten by a tegu?

 

[Rhetoric]

I don't have kids but I would be upset if my little cousin got bit by a stray reptile. I don't mean to say people have no right to be upset about anything. I think it would have been nice if AP showed what had happened, then took a couple min. to say "on the flip side, tegus when kept as pets, blah blah blah". I understand not all shows do this, I see it less and less on AP. They finally started showing bully breeds in a more positive light, maybe reptiles can be next? Maybe its just wishful thinking...
My dad showed a couple people at his work and the reactions he got were "who in their right mind would keep that as a pet?!" He told them that I had 3 and they can be really mellow and easy going with the right care and proper time.

What does bother me is people getting tegus, pythons, etc and letting them loose once they can't care for them any longer. Thats part of the reason why we can't have RES turtles. If we want to own these things we need to be more responsible. I agree promoting the animal awareness will help. Same thing for AP should go for us. We may tell people how great tegus are but does anyone mention that things like this CAN happen?

 

[james.w]

It definitely would be nice if they mentioned the good things about tegus or other reptiles in general. Or maybe they could have a series that demonstrates reptiles in a positive light. I don't see it happening, but who knows.

This is why I watch Nat Geo Wild instead.

 

[Strange_Evil]

The problem most have is the fact AP only shows the bad(i.e fatal attractions, monitor dude). Never the good, its rare to see an actual educational show on reptiles. Then people clump all tegu's are reptile keepers in one lump.

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**Then people clump all tegu's and reptile keepers in one lump.**

 

[james.w]

The problem most have is the fact AP only shows the bad(i.e fatal attractions, monitor dude). Never the good, its rare to see an actual educational show on reptiles. Then people clump all tegu's are reptile keepers in one lump.

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**Then people clump all tegu's and reptile keepers in one lump.**

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I agree AP is not the best avenue for getting our love for reptiles to the mainstream. It will always be that way, reptile keepers will always be weirdos.

 

[herpgirl2510]

I talk alot about my lizards and most people have a positive response and really enjoy looking at my pics. Most people are creeped out when I mention my snakes. I just think such a scary picture of tegus is going to have a negative impact the same way shows potraying snakes in an aggressive manner and pit bulls have really spread negative feelings about the animals. I know most people I talk to htink pit bulls should be illegal because of the mass hysteria about them. The truth of the matter is it is the owners that are the problem.

 

[montana]

Tegus are no more dangerous than a hamster ...

 

[laurarfl]

The large animals are in very select areas. The big animals are not in residential areas. IF they do turn up in residential areas, they make the news. In other words, it is a rare occurence and usually an escaped animal. Some of the exceptions are neighborhoods that back up to protected land along the everglades that are like lush tropics. I am a FL native and I vacation in the Keys, S FL every year. I have never seen a wild boa, python, or tegu. The wild population of tegus is in an agricultural area because of the obvious food source. The escaped or released animals generally leave residential areas because of the commotion that people make. Now, that is a generalization and not a hard and fast rule. I also live in a suburban area north of Orlando that is notorius for black bears. They are breaking into people's garbage, etc. I have lived here for 12 years and have never seen one in the wild here in FL. But to hear the news reports, they are as common as stray cats. Heck, when they had python hunts with well known wildlife biologists and herpetologists who have spent years combing the Everglades, only 9 or 10 Burms were found. They are out there, but not like the media is portraying...slithering into everyone's neighborhoods.

What you do see in S FL are tons of iguanas. There are green ameivas and crested geckos. Tons of geckos of all kinds, lots of anoles and invasive frogs. We are swamped (no pun intended) with invasive fish such as tilapia, armored catfish, etc. There was a caiman nest found once close to the glades, but I think they were quickly eradicated. There are acres of palm tree farms, tropical plant farms, state land, state and national parks, indian reservations, etc. And it is all very subtropical to tropical in nature. Once you get south of Orlando, the climate is subtropical, but the land is pine flats. None of those reptiles are found here. The tegus in Central FL are inland near the strawberry farms and other produce/cattle farms.

I haven't seen the show and I wasn't going to watch it. However, now I feel obligated to see it. I drove to Daytona yesterday for a reptile birthday party presentation. When it came time to show my tegu, I asked if anyone knew what it was. I never ask becasue no one ever knows the answer, but this was a bunch of 6-10 yo boys. I thought I would give them a chance. One boy says, "Oh, I know what that is, it's a tegu!" I was really surprised and asked him how he knew the answer. He told me that he just saw them on Animal Planet. A few parents kinda nodded and they were talking about them being really aggressive. Well, my tegu is justing sitting there and I'm holding her with one arm like a football. Someone said, "She doesn't look very aggressive." So I told them a bit about TV sensationalism and about tegus. Then the kids got to pet her back as I took her around and she walked on the ground a bit. Tomorrow I have my first of 6 or 7 library presentations and then there's the summer camps. Somehow I think this tegu topic is going to come up more often. In one TV show, it has gone from no one ever hearing of tegus to people thinking they are vicious, terrible creatures. Media = 1, Reptiles = 0.

Well, just wanted to share a bit about what you will see down here. I didn't mean for it to sound like a rant, but Animal Planet gets me kind of riled up lately, lol.