Boas

[africancichlidau]

Did any of you out of Staters see on your respective news programmes about the guy in Moonee Ponds, (I think it was), who got raided and prosecuted for having 4 Boa Constrictors in his posession? He was allowed to keep his 1m long freshwater croc and his other herps, including one death adder. I thought that if you were discovered with exotics here you lost ALL your specimens and your license.

[wattso]

wonder where he got it?

[Fangs]

Is this the one your talking about?

20nov03
Boa constrictors seized from home

POLICE discovered four boa constrictors, a death adder and a freshwater crocodile in a raid on a suburban Melbourne house today.

A 25-year-old man was being questioned over the haul, while the South American boa constrictors ? each up to 1.5m long ? were placed in quarantine.

The other reptiles, all natives, were being held at western suburbs house while wildlife officers checked whether the man had permits for the animals.

Keeping exotic reptiles is prohibited under state and federal laws and attracts fines of up to $110,000 and a maximum two-year jail sentence.

The raid on the Deer Park home was conducted by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), Department of Primary Industries and Victoria Police.

A DSE spokeswoman said the animals were in all good condition.
"They (the animals) were well looked after," she said.
"It's possible they were kept as pets."

DSE project leader for exotic pest animals Keith Larner said bringing exotic wildlife into Australia posed huge environmental and health risks.

"If these snakes become established in the wild they could prey upon native wildlife and compete with native species," Mr Larner said.

"Such animals or their parents may have entered Australia outside normal quarantine protocols and the risk of exotic diseases being carried on these animals is unacceptably high."

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/com...5E1702,00.html

[Fangs]

wonder where he got it?

Think he got em from Boas 'R' Us down on High Street

[Robert]

I spose that's the risk you take if your gonna keep exotics without the right permission.(unfortunatley).
No doubt they were his pets.Had to laugh at the comment:They were well looked after,it's possible they were kept as pets.
Well their not bloody chop liver are they.
At least he got to keep his native collecton.

[africancichlidau]

I thought you lost the lot if you were found to have exotics???

[Bendragon]

As it should be, loose the lot I rekon.

[Brodie]

Yep loose the lot and then never be allowed to keep protected wildlife again at an absolute minimum ...... are the punishments for keeping exotic herps the same Australia wide or does it differ from state to stae?

[westhamsc]

wonder how he got them maybe they were sent over in the mail any way he should get the fine and lose the lot

[Fangs]

wonder how he got them maybe they were sent over in the mail any way he should get the fine and lose the lot

They were most likely purchased locally.You would be quite surprised at the amount of exotics in Australia.

[Fuscus]

I don't think the boas have a bright future, I'ld be surprised if any zoos would be interested in them. The snakes would have to have 13 months quarrantine by law and I doubt that any zoos would have the space for a non-endangered snake.

[Fangs]

Well-fed pythons condemned to die

November 19, 2003

Two snake collectors yesterday left a Moe court $750 poorer and on 12-month good behaviour bonds for leaving their pet pythons with a man who had a knack for feeding the reptiles. The four native pythons were well fed.

The Moe Magistrates Court heard that snake enthusiasts Pauline Pike, 41, and Eric Seegers, 34, each left two pythons in the care of Pike's brother, Peter Baudendistel, 33. The snakes were healthy, but would not eat.

Baudendistel had no licence to hold protected wildlife, but "had a knack for getting the snakes to feed", Pike later said.

When wildlife officers visited Baudendistel's Churchill home, prosecutor Gavan Knight said, they found 86 exotic snakes plus Pike and Seegers's children's and carpet pythons. Mixing varieties of snakes could lead to the spread of diseases and was an offence, Mr Knight said. The pythons were later destroyed to prevent diseases spreading.

Pike and Seegers, both licensed to own protected wildlife, pleaded guilty to disposing of wildlife to an unlicensed person and keeping wildlife at an address other than that licensed.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...027117813.html

[westhamsc]

poor things i'll take them if it wasn't illegal to have them but thats the law and you have to follow it

[wattso]

smart****s-r-us ,fangs?

[Kirov_grrl]

Slighty tangent of the subject.

Unfortunately I didn't catch the whole story, but did you see on the news that a burgular took down part of a fence to get access to someones back yard. Broke locks and security to a shed, and stole the guys pet crocodile!

It must have been nearly 2 metres, and he put it in a wheelbarrow and off with it.....

Luckily, the burgular returned it, to a friend of the owner, unhurt besides a few scratches on its jaw...

Silly silly boy....