Another Gear-Grinder...

[Klyde O'Scope]

There are already a couple of threads (albeit one nearly antediluvian) with "grinds my gears" in the subject line.
I thought of tacking this on—and hence reviving one of them—but it's not really on-topic with those threads other than this article setting me off. I came across it (as I am wont to do) whilst looking for something unrelated, and the title beckoned...

Pet trade relies on ‘disposable’ wild chameleons from Madagascar​

On second thought, perhaps "grind my gears" doesn't really say it.

 

[kinyonga]

All I can say is WOW! Great read!

 

[Sonny13]

All I can say is WOW! Great read!

And again...

‘Chameleons have been part of the exotic pet trade since at least the 1800s’

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

And again...

‘Chameleons have been part of the exotic pet trade since at least the 1800s’

Which means the exotic pet trade as a whole—and the horrors it entails—has been around since at least the 1800s.

Trading in extinction: how the pet trade is killing off many animal species​

92% of the 500,000 live animal shipments between 2000-2006 to the United States (that’s 1,480,000,000 animals) were for the pet trade, and 69% of these originated in Southeast Asia.

These exports are increasing annually from the majority of tropical countries. And without careful regulation, this trade may be disastrous for many species.

That's ~1.5 BILLION

GRAPHIC CONTENT:

The Horrors of the Reptile Pet Trade​

Multiple Articles:
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=horrors+of+the+exotic+pet+trade

 

[Sonny13]

Which means the exotic pet trade as a whole—and the horrors it entails—has been around since at least the 1800s.

Sick!!

And again...

‘Chameleons have been part of the exotic pet trade since at least the 1800s’

Was referring to this https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...-squamata-chamaeleonidae.183097/#post-1673256 where data also goes back to 1800s.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Thank you for clarifying. I wasn't sure where you were coming from; I missed that previous thread.

You may have seen my mention of pets sold in chain stores as "impulse purchases".
https://www.chameleonforums.com/thr...or-1-dollar-in-the-60-70s.55422/#post-1670165
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/a-persuasive-paper-about-chameleons.178715/#post-1611839
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/i-want-a-chameleon.176653/page-2#post-1583817

CB may still have issues as far as where & how initial breeding pairs are obtained, but I think CB is a vast improvement over WC. Breeding animals of any kind—wild or domestic—will probably always be a double-edged sword.

 

[PoseidonTheChameleon]

That's so many chameleons that could have had the life they deserve if people just had some common sense. The human race scares me sometimes.

 

[Sonny13]

True! Still I'd prefer CB (even more later generation), due they're "more adapt to captive life" and just let us think it doesn't know better. WC is the same as taking a random human and put him for life sentence in jail. Then again, like you already said, somewhere needs to start the initial breeding.

The only thing I hate about CB is the overbreeding, this is why so many poor creatures end up at inadequate keepers and still have a terrible life!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

True! Still I'd prefer CB (even more later generation), due they're "more adapt to captive life" and just let us think it doesn't know better. WC is the same as taking a random human and put him for life sentence in jail. Then again, like you already said, somewhere needs to start the initial breeding.

The only thing I hate about CB is the overbreeding, this is why so many poor creatures end up at inadequate keepers and still have a terrible life!

Doing things responsibly is the solution to both, but how often are human beings known for doing things responsibly?

• WC—legally—in controlled numbers, and cared for properly every step of the way
• Breeding responsibly—for the health and conservation of the species—instead of for profit and/or vanity.

It's common sense, really; but again, how often do human beings use common sense?

 

[Sonny13]

Doing things responsibly is the solution to both, but how often are human beings known for doing things responsibly?

• WC—legally—in controlled numbers, and cared for properly every step of the way
• Breeding responsibly—for the health and conservation of the species—instead of for profit and/or vanity.

It's common sense, really; but again, how often do human beings use common sense?

Sorry what?? Common sense huh

 

[Sonny13]

WC—legally—in controlled numbers, and cared for properly every step of the way

They’re doing a great job with common sense

 

[CasqueAbove]

So here is the dark secret. For any animal that is coming from the wild it's price is dictated by die off. For salt water fish it can be as much as 10 to 1. So for every one you see in a shop 10 dies along the way. This is true for many exotics. If it is common place in the wild, like chameleons, yet expensive in the pet trade it is because of die off. This is the sad truth we don't think about. I would love too see laws change like you should have a permit to obtain wild caught species and these should primarily go to those that are experienced and will breed captive animals for the pet trade. It get difficult because we can only change what happen here. The real death trap is the collector. In their home country they likely only get paid a small amount per animal and they have no knowledge nor concern of the care. Animals are often kept in bags for weeks before the ever get to the exporter. It frustrates me often because I feel we could be the country that leads buy example.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

They’re doing a great job with common sense

Not what I was thinking at all when I wrote that.

 

[Sonny13]

Not what I was thinking at all when I wrote that.

I know .......but they do exactly what wrote