Your videos are seriously underrated. I really appreciate your work. I plan to show parts/segments of your videos in my classroom. I really love how this can be tied to social studies and civics as well. I hope you keep these videos going for a long time
Love the educational videos you put out dav. I am a northerner with family down in Tampa and fort Lauderdale. And I hear everytime I am down there about the pythons and reptiles. And how 99 percent of locals blame the pet trade. It's really sad they won't look at the real issue or real solutions.
@@davkaufmansreptileadventures Dave you are so right !!!!!!! People don't do the research. They just believe what they are told. Politicians know NOTHING about reptiles. They don't do the research either. Just wondering how the wild Chameleons faired with the hurricanes. I happen to Love Chameleons but could no longer deal with their dying. I just get too attached. I think that the ones living in the wild just might be heartier bunch. Don't even know where they are but if I found one, even at 61, I would be the happiest Chameleon Mom ever.
I live in Florida, and I'm more afraid of fire ants than reptiles. I also have a running battle with the Cuban tree frogs. I don't have issues with snakes or lizards at all. I have gators living on my property and they are not a problem for me. I leave them alone and they leave me alone.
Finally someone is sharing the truth that it's not the damn pet trade that caused the massive natural growth of the Burmese python invasion in South Florida but 2 major hurricanes destroying that huge research facility twice which released 1000s into the wild all at once in more than one occasion. Thank you so much for sharing that Dāv!!!
This is why I love your channels. Others within the community do a great job at making these fantastic creatures more available to the public, but you show where they come from. One small wish - please tag all other creators appearing in the videos! Not everyone knows the “royalty” of reptilian/amphibian/and so on. 😊
Fire ants are the worst. When mom and I lived in Florida, we learned that mom is just as allergic to fire ants as she is bees. She always had her epi-pen on her when she was outside. We also always had a bottle of Windex nearby. We always did our best to check for any mounds and then sprayed them with the Windex. I'm glad that the blind snakes help with the ant population.
Seeing the Chamaeleo calyptratus, Veiled Chameleon as invasive amazes me. I worked in pet shores in the 1990s and the Chameleon was one of the worst pets, they were always getting sick and had issues retracting their tongues. I hated selling them because so often I got calls from owners with Chameleons with tongues hanging out. I'm glad the reptile industry has learned so much about their care now..
@@negronjr7853 although you are right he did say Florida FWS considers the chameleon "non-native, non-invasive" the title of the video is 5 INVASIVE REPTILES OF FLORIDA. The definition of invasive species is "an organism that is not indigenous, or native, to a particular area." Since the Chameleon is not native and even though its threat level is low, it's still an invasive species.
The island of Maui from what I understand is infested with Jackson's chameleons which would mean that field collected specimens would bring the price way down, unfortunately state law in Hawaii prohibits them from being shipped which I don't understand because they're causing a problem as an invasive species. This does not make sense. Now that the beautiful veil chameleon is reproducing and thriving in South Florida Maybe field collected specimens with do the same thing in the pet trade. Too bad African chameleons have a relatively short lifespan compared to other lizards.
I bought one of those Chameleons that had a tongue problem.(a rescue)I had to put him down after he shot his tongue out and it wouldn't go back in. From what I understand it is a vitamin deficiency that causes that problem. For me I don't consider them invasive. I would love to have one hanging out in my backyard
Yessss!!!! The hurricane andrew!! You tell them Dav! They’ll never fully understand they’ll continue to blame reptile owners instead of their own mistakes.
One of my friends, now long deceased, owned a lot of property in Key West that she turned into a tropical garden starting in the 1920s. She introduced Cuban Tree frogs in the 1930s for insect control. When I met her in the 1970s they were well established in the Lower Keys. Tokay Geckos were cheap and widely available in the 70s and 80s, and many of us in Florida did buy them to live in our homes for insect control. Few of us used air conditioning, so our windows and doors were often wide open much of the time, Tokays are escape artists, and many chose the wild life. There were deliberate releases of Day Geckos on various sites in the Keys. They were well enough established that they were a charming feature at outdoor restaurants in the 90s, visiting patron's tables for handouts. Granted, Hurricane Andrew did liberate a large number of exotic species from the animal importers that were destroyed, but our own naivete' and ignorance played a large part in the introduction of exotics in Florida. It would be hard for most people to realize the sheer numbers of exotic snakes, lizards and birds that were shipped from South Florida to the entire country in the 60s, 70s and 80s. The wholesale price of a King Vulture in the 70s was $75.00! There were many escapees from these facilities without Hurricane Andrew's or pet owner's assistance, these were not bio-secure compounds, they were often ramshackle at best, and were often staffed by careless, low paid employees. Even here in the PNW, Monk Parakeets are breeding in growing numbers. In the 1980s wild caught "Quaker Parrots" sold in Pet Stores for $59.95. Wild caught birds are rarely good pets and many escaped. 23 states have breeding populations, so pet escapees are very common. There are RUclips channels where exotic freshwater aquarium fish and invertebrates are netted in bodies of water all over South Florida. Fish from all over the world are breeding and flourishing in everything from puddles from flooding rainfall events, to drainage fields, retention ponds and streams. A number of large fish were officially introduced as gamefish, but from freshwater puffers, to leaf fish, to hillstream loaches and axolotls, many species are firmly established in the neighborhoods of South Florida solely due to misguided local fish owner/liberators We all SHOULD know better in 2022, but I wouldn't bet on it!.
Back in college I got a part time job at a pet store. One day a little old lady that lived in the neighborhood behind the shop came in and asked if any monkeys had gotten loose (they had never kept or sold primates) because they were hearing weird calls and her grandchildren thought her house was haunted. The owner asked if she could describe it and she did a great tokay call. The previous owners had been letting them run loose in the shop for years and one must have made it the couple hundred feet to her house. I often wondered if it made it through the winter by staying in her attic.
I love your informational videos, especially the vids you do on pythons here in Florida. One thing that nobody ever talks about is the love bug infestation that we have in Florida. For two weeks during every May and September love bugs come out by the thousands. Love bugs were a failed experiment in the 1950's to control mosquitos, and now when they come out the air is so thick with them. Last year at one point I got trapped in my car for several hours they were so thick I couldn't see out of windshield, and didn't want to inhale them. I would love to hear your take on these bugs.
Awesome video sir. Next time you're down you should try for panther chameleons. Those are the fun ones to find. Veilds are like lizards in certain areas, when I used to collect them it wasn't an issue getting a few hundred in just a couple nights.
You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT !!!!!! Right now we have 1000 people a week moving here. They all want a new house and the counties want their tax dollar. It is disgusting
Dont forget all the invasives in the waters mainly in the freshwater so so many fish and invertebrates in the waters that dont belong there it's crazy... anyways great video 👍🏻👍🏻😎
The problem is invasive reptiles are having an impact on the eco system but in the same respect reptiles are doing exactly what they would do any where they can thrive.
@@diannenaworensky6698 yeah they are definitely the king of chameleons LOL I'm also working with O'Shaughnessy and oustalets... the Madagascar giant special LOL
@@surfpanther About 40 years ago our kid got us into Chameleons. Our big guy was named Joe.( he was a Christmas present to the kid) We left his cage out in the living room and he could go out on his door or on top when he wanted to. One night I was watching TV and I felt something on my neck. It was Joe. He had come out and had crawled over to the sofa, curled up under my hair next to my neck. I was hooked. We had an outside cage and Joe would do yard work with me. He had become my other child. Needless to sayhe didn't have too much to do with the kid. It was devastating when he passed. Over the years we had up to 10 at one time. We took in rescues from his friends that found out just how much work they were.(to keep them the right way) Don't know how I got anything done. I had always wanted a Parson.(Saw one at the Daytona Reptile Expo though. She was gorgeous) I'm guessing here in Florida that you would have a room especially for them AND a back up generator. I'm just too old now to have one. Have had 2 strokes 2021/2022. I would love to see one UP CLOSE though. Maybe one day I'll be in your area and could see yours. I'm tearing up remembering my little Louie. He was the size of my thumbnail when I got him. I wish you lots of LUCK in your adventure. 🦎❤️🦎
the tokay is also found out here in hawaii in isolated areas along with the madagascar giant day gecko and the cuban knight anole, the veiled chameleon has also been found in various locations here
As someone who owns a burmese python, it's so nice to see someone not demonize or exaggerate how many there actually are out there or what they can do! Yes they're still a problem but it's nice seeing someone who doesn't make it out to be the biggest problem out there.
Caughtd a pair of Tokay in August(couldn’t find python though), week later they laid an egg, month later 2 more eggs, 2 days ago the first hatched. My pair was caught in the Everglades marsh, north of 41. Sadly I’ve not uploaded any of that adventure. Life has been busy. FWC told me the location I caught my pair they had just been in that area removing Tokay. There are a few efforts at play, but hard to manage everything with outbreaks of African land snails CubanTFs definitely eat all our frogs and can easily eat brown Anole too. Backyard efforts to control will have the most effect
There are so many non-native animals on this continent and the one that has done the most damage is also the one that can reverse it…us. The whole reason for all the non-native plants and animals in this country is people. We either knowingly or unknowingly brought them all here, not to mention all the damage we have done to the one and only planet that we can inhabit for the foreseeable future. We need to take accountability for what we are doing to the planet. Granted, some of the things are wonderful, but many are downright harmful. I think that the python problem is unfortunate and, as you stated, demonizes reptiles. It is unfortunate that this is how people see things, but these animals are only doing what they would do where they originated from. They are not evil, but opportunistic. They will utilize the resources around them to survive. Now, if people were to look at themselves, they would see that they are doing the same thing. So when they demonize these animals, we’re really seeing the worst parts of ourselves. When I used to live in Orlando, FL, I would see invasive species every day. Brown Anoles are everywhere and many of the canals are full of tilapia. Many people actually think both have always been in Florida and this is part of the problem. Good to see that there are some non-natives on the list aren’t terribly detrimental. It’s been a very uphill battle to get people to understand the benefits of the native animals in our environment. I discourage people from killing snakes often, especially since there are no highly venomous species where I live. I let them know that seeing snakes in your yard is a good thing. It means rodents are having a harder time infesting your property. Keep up the good messaging.
Snakes in the pet trade have eaten people. In 1996, a 19-year-old Bronx man died after being attacked by his pet Burmese python. It's likely that the 13-foot-long reptile mistook the man for food after it escaped its cage. The man was found by his neighbors in a pool of blood with the snake coiled around his torso in his apartment building's hallway. According to the man's brother, the victim had purchased the snake at a local pet store for $300 a few months earlier. There was also a woman who went to their local farm coop, she never came home. She was inside the snake.
Here is another story: The family of the 54-year-old woman reported her missing after they say she went to collect rubber on a plantation Sunday near her home in Jambi, Indonesia, according to CNN Indonesia. The city is on the island of Sumatra, the country's second-longest Island. Betara Jambi Police Chief S. Herafa told the outlet when her husband went to look for her, he found only her sandals, jacket, headscarf and knife. According to the chief, two days after she disappeared, a search party found a reticulated python with a large bulge in its stomach. The police chief told the Times of India a woman was found in the snake's stomach and that her body appeared to be largely intact.
That type of gecko, I found one in the warehouse where I used to work in Central Alabama. It would be up near the ceiling every late night I had to work. I’m not sure if it was from the wild or if it was from college student that had it in their apartment that they left or let go. I say this because it started showing up the week following what we called apartment turnover. It’s the two weeks where college kids have to leave their apartments and we’d go in and replace the flooring for the rental companies and then new students would move in. I tried several times to catch this gecko be it liked to hang out very high on the warehouse walls and ceiling that I couldn’t. We spotted it on and off for about a year then it disappeared. I’m a reptile enthusiast, so I not only guessed they type I research to double check it to confirm it.
I’m down in Florida all the time to visit my Great Grandmother. It’s been interesting to be able to recognize the reptiles as I see them. I can never bring myself to kill any of them. Maybe if I’m looking for a tokay gecko, a red headed agama, or a Cuban tree frog, I’ll bring a box down to Florida.
Right. I love cats. I have a cat, but they are very destructive to native populations, and yet there is no legislation to do anything about it. Meanwhile domestic Ferrets, who simply cannot survive in the wild, are still illegal in California because...reasons.
Off subject, but what mic are you using? That wind is whipping the trees all around you while you talk about that blind snake yet the sounds comes across like you recorded it in a studio... on subject, another really good video!
On my trip to universal, I caught a Cuban Tree Frog and brought him home with me. He’s one of my favorite amphibians I’ve kept due to how alert they seem while hunting, and due to their awesome color changing abilities. It’s unfortunate that what makes them so cool is also what has allowed them to harm native Florida frogs.
I had several that lived on my front porch. They would come for the front porch light. I would turn it on so they could eat the moths. On the other side of the house I had a light for the green ones. My Uncle joked that we didn't have cable TV cause we loved to watch them
They’re poisonous. Do not handle them. If your dog eats it, your dog will probably die. Idk why he didn’t warn people about the effects of its poison it secretes from its skin. Why nothing eats it. So try not to poison yourself or anyone or anything else.
Agreed. If you want to let your cat outside, build a cat run. Keeps both the cat and the wildlife safe. Or train your cat to use a harness and leash. (Jan Griffiths).
I sure agree with you about house cats. I watched my cat one day, she was hiding in the bushes, waiting and suddenly pounced on a bird near her & she killed the bird. She also found baby bunnies, Killed them, brought them home. So, she ended up staying inside. People, so it seems, they don't realize what terrible damage house cats can do. Some people just refuse to keep their cats inside. Sad for the wildlife.
I have observed that fire ants, which originally came from Pampas/grasslands, have evolved into intertidal scavengers in Florida. That is a huge step, and denote extreme adaptability.
I'm in southwest Florida. I had killed a big cockroach. I went to get a paper towel and came back and it was gone. I seen a big Tokay on the upper part of the window. I kept it for a while until it escaped. When the house was torn down, one of the guys seen it among the rubble. My mom got it and gave it to a pet store. She told him to be careful because it will bite. He was like, "I know what I'm doing." He stuck his in and right back out with blood on his hand. Supposedly the Tokay escaped and went into the ceiling.
In the late sixties my father’s buddy would mail tokay geckos to my dad here in Miami from his airbase in Thailand during the Vietnam war. My father would turn them loose specially for roach control. On occasion the mailman would deliver the tube holding it at an arms length due to the dead animal inside.
Man you're an expert Herper the fact you can find all of these elusive reptiles/amphibians. How did you catch the tokay and find the blind snake? Also, has anyone found it interesting that cataleah and dav seem to be hanging out a lot?
It’s interesting how so many of these species have been in Florida for so long that people don’t remember when they arrived and why.
Exactly
WIth all the invasive animals in Florida, Dav is gonna be doing "Top 5 invasive animals in Florida: Part 30" in the future.
Lol! Probably
Your videos are seriously underrated. I really appreciate your work. I plan to show parts/segments of your videos in my classroom. I really love how this can be tied to social studies and civics as well. I hope you keep these videos going for a long time
Excellent Dav, more vids like this are necessary to educate the reptile hating public.
This was a particularly good video for the in depth information you provided and how you delivered it. The voice overs worked really well!
Thanks!
Those wild veileds are more calm than my captive bred one! Hahaha classic
This is an absolutely amazing video! I’m glad you’re spreading awareness to the impacts of other invasives as well.
Love the educational videos you put out dav. I am a northerner with family down in Tampa and fort Lauderdale. And I hear everytime I am down there about the pythons and reptiles. And how 99 percent of locals blame the pet trade. It's really sad they won't look at the real issue or real solutions.
Nope. Politicians and the media tells them what to think and they don’t question it.
@@davkaufmansreptileadventures Dave you are so right !!!!!!! People don't do the research. They just believe what they are told. Politicians know NOTHING about reptiles. They don't do the research either. Just wondering how the wild Chameleons faired with the hurricanes. I happen to Love Chameleons but could no longer deal with their dying. I just get too attached. I think that the ones living in the wild just might be heartier bunch. Don't even know where they are but if I found one, even at 61, I would be the happiest Chameleon Mom ever.
@@davkaufmansreptileadventures
Exactly!
Seriously, cats do so much damage, but they're "cute/cuddly" so no one bats an eye. 🙄
I live in Florida, and I'm more afraid of fire ants than reptiles. I also have a running battle with the Cuban tree frogs. I don't have issues with snakes or lizards at all. I have gators living on my property and they are not a problem for me. I leave them alone and they leave me alone.
Great to hear about the differences between invasive and non-native species. Cool vid!
Not all invasive reptiles are doing harm. I think chameleons ate neat and are a beautiful addition to Florida.
✔️✔️✔️ ABSOLUTELY 💯
Finally someone is sharing the truth that it's not the damn pet trade that caused the massive natural growth of the Burmese python invasion in South Florida but 2 major hurricanes destroying that huge research facility twice which released 1000s into the wild all at once in more than one occasion. Thank you so much for sharing that Dāv!!!
Not spread by the pet trade? Why do you think that breeder was breeding them? For research? LOL...you can't be serious.
@@bullgator 😂
Another killer video Dav. You’ve had all bangers as of late. Now looking forward to Cataleah’s video!
Thanks Shane!
Thanks
This is why I love your channels. Others within the community do a great job at making these fantastic creatures more available to the public, but you show where they come from. One small wish - please tag all other creators appearing in the videos! Not everyone knows the “royalty” of reptilian/amphibian/and so on. 😊
Fire ants are the worst. When mom and I lived in Florida, we learned that mom is just as allergic to fire ants as she is bees. She always had her epi-pen on her when she was outside. We also always had a bottle of Windex nearby. We always did our best to check for any mounds and then sprayed them with the Windex. I'm glad that the blind snakes help with the ant population.
My last trip to Florida...Sanibel Island. I was catching massive Cane Toads, the size of rabbits lol.
No no
You are on point with invasive species!
Brilliant video, full of concise and clear information! This needs to be shown in southeastern US schools.
The sixth invasive reptile is the local politician.
Seeing the Chamaeleo calyptratus, Veiled Chameleon as invasive amazes me. I worked in pet shores in the 1990s and the Chameleon was one of the worst pets, they were always getting sick and had issues retracting their tongues. I hated selling them because so often I got calls from owners with Chameleons with tongues hanging out. I'm glad the reptile industry has learned so much about their care now..
Most of them back then were wild caught imports. And of course people had no idea what they were doing back then for the most part
He DIDN'T say invasive.
@@negronjr7853 although you are right he did say Florida FWS considers the chameleon "non-native, non-invasive" the title of the video is 5 INVASIVE REPTILES OF FLORIDA. The definition of invasive species is "an organism that is not indigenous, or native, to a particular area." Since the Chameleon is not native and even though its threat level is low, it's still an invasive species.
The island of Maui from what I understand is infested with Jackson's chameleons which would mean that field collected specimens would bring the price way down, unfortunately state law in Hawaii prohibits them from being shipped which I don't understand because they're causing a problem as an invasive species. This does not make sense. Now that the beautiful veil chameleon is reproducing and thriving in South Florida Maybe field collected specimens with do the same thing in the pet trade. Too bad African chameleons have a relatively short lifespan compared to other lizards.
I bought one of those Chameleons that had a tongue problem.(a rescue)I had to put him down after he shot his tongue out and it wouldn't go back in. From what I understand it is a vitamin deficiency that causes that problem. For me I don't consider them invasive. I would love to have one hanging out in my backyard
Love this one! Keep speaking for the animals ❤💙💜 Fear of the unknown is a real thing, spread the word educate, keep doing what you are doing 👍
Thanks!
Yessss!!!! The hurricane andrew!! You tell them Dav! They’ll never fully understand they’ll continue to blame reptile owners instead of their own mistakes.
Exactly
Very informative video and I appreciate this perspective. Lives in South Florida most of my life
I really love learning new things about snakes. And everything you said about that blind snake really blew me away. Thanks Dav!
Not sure if your other video touched on it but IIRC Argentine Tegus have set up a wild population in florida.
Good concise, no bs video. 👍
“No snake species eat people”
Reticulated Pythons: 😮
he packed quite a bit of good info into this video
I handled my 4.5 foot water monitor all the time. He'd sit in my lap like a dog. I was never brave enough to handle my 8" tokay gecko.
I live in Collier I haven’t crossed paths with a veiled Cham yet but I’ll be looking for em now🤘
Great video, as always. Thanks Dude !
WOW!
I didn't know the Tokay was released in FL.
How cool is that.
Thank you for sharing Dav!!
#RattleOn
Feral house cats are a problem everywhere. Thanks for all of your informative videos. I always watch them for more knowledge.
south florida has PANTHER chameleons to! which is pretty friggen awesome
As a native south Floridian, I’m happy and proud to be a gold USARK FL member.
Nice!
Dav I live in Punta gorda and the tokay geckos are at my house lol. Probably 3 mature mating pairs.
That is really COOL !!!!
In 1983 I had a pet Tokay Gecko in Houston, TX. Purchased from a pet store.
This is the Best Documentary Ever seen. HONEST & INFORMATIVE. CATs Are A Bigger Problem Than anything!
Love how informative your videos are ! Awesome content 👍
One of my friends, now long deceased, owned a lot of property in Key West that she turned into a tropical garden starting in the 1920s. She introduced Cuban Tree frogs in the 1930s for insect control. When I met her in the 1970s they were well established in the Lower Keys.
Tokay Geckos were cheap and widely available in the 70s and 80s, and many of us in Florida did buy them to live in our homes for insect control. Few of us used air conditioning, so our windows and doors were often wide open much of the time, Tokays are escape artists, and many chose the wild life. There were deliberate releases of Day Geckos on various sites in the Keys. They were well enough established that they were a charming feature at outdoor restaurants in the 90s, visiting patron's tables for handouts.
Granted, Hurricane Andrew did liberate a large number of exotic species from the animal importers that were destroyed, but our own naivete' and ignorance played a large part in the introduction of exotics in Florida. It would be hard for most people to realize the sheer numbers of exotic snakes, lizards and birds that were shipped from South Florida to the entire country in the 60s, 70s and 80s. The wholesale price of a King Vulture in the 70s was $75.00! There were many escapees from these facilities without Hurricane Andrew's or pet owner's assistance, these were not bio-secure compounds, they were often ramshackle at best, and were often staffed by careless, low paid employees.
Even here in the PNW, Monk Parakeets are breeding in growing numbers. In the 1980s wild caught "Quaker Parrots" sold in Pet Stores for $59.95. Wild caught birds are rarely good pets and many escaped. 23 states have breeding populations, so pet escapees are very common.
There are RUclips channels where exotic freshwater aquarium fish and invertebrates are netted in bodies of water all over South Florida. Fish from all over the world are breeding and flourishing in everything from puddles from flooding rainfall events, to drainage fields, retention ponds and streams. A number of large fish were officially introduced as gamefish, but from freshwater puffers, to leaf fish, to hillstream loaches and axolotls, many species are firmly established in the neighborhoods of South Florida solely due to misguided local fish owner/liberators
We all SHOULD know better in 2022, but I wouldn't bet on it!.
Back in college I got a part time job at a pet store. One day a little old lady that lived in the neighborhood behind the shop came in and asked if any monkeys had gotten loose (they had never kept or sold primates) because they were hearing weird calls and her grandchildren thought her house was haunted. The owner asked if she could describe it and she did a great tokay call. The previous owners had been letting them run loose in the shop for years and one must have made it the couple hundred feet to her house. I often wondered if it made it through the winter by staying in her attic.
Great video! 🌞
Great video man
Thanks!
If we are talking about destructive animals to other native small animals then don't forget cats.
I love your informational videos, especially the vids you do on pythons here in Florida.
One thing that nobody ever talks about is the love bug infestation that we have in Florida. For two weeks during every May and September love bugs come out by the thousands. Love bugs were a failed experiment in the 1950's to control mosquitos, and now when they come out the air is so thick with them. Last year at one point I got trapped in my car for several hours they were so thick I couldn't see out of windshield, and didn't want to inhale them. I would love to hear your take on these bugs.
I would love to be able to go-to Florida and pick some wild invasive pets and bring back to N.J .. The tokays look really nice
What up bro. I'm in Florida
excellent video Dav.
Thanks Liz!
Excellent video Dav.
Those tegus tend to eat many eggs as well.
Great video watching it during breakfast
Awesome video sir. Next time you're down you should try for panther chameleons. Those are the fun ones to find. Veilds are like lizards in certain areas, when I used to collect them it wasn't an issue getting a few hundred in just a couple nights.
We also have this Cuban Tree Frog in the Toledo Bend Reservoir area of West Louisiana/East Texas.
The biggest problem facing the environment of Florida is the explosive development in natural areas
Agreed!
You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT !!!!!! Right now we have 1000 people a week moving here. They all want a new house and the counties want their tax dollar. It is disgusting
We have veiled Chameleons in Brevard County FL as well.
I've also found veiled chameleons in Pinellas County
Dont forget all the invasives in the waters mainly in the freshwater so so many fish and invertebrates in the waters that dont belong there it's crazy... anyways great video 👍🏻👍🏻😎
What a gorgeous burm - instant-love!
The problem is invasive reptiles are having an impact on the eco system but in the same respect reptiles are doing exactly what they would do any where they can thrive.
Where is a good area in Florida to go herding to find some of these norn native/invasive? Any specific cities or parks?
I’m guessing you meant *herping before your autocorrect mangled it?
Just drive the roads in the glades. You’ll see plenty
Im moving to Punta gorda in about 2 years to work on parsons and oshaunnessy...and enjoy the fishing lol.
Love the fishing down there
@@bukkaluka6855 yeah those mahi-mahi. I could eat them until I die
@@surfpanther Hope that you succeed with your project. I always thought the Parson Chameleon was the best.
@@diannenaworensky6698 yeah they are definitely the king of chameleons LOL I'm also working with O'Shaughnessy and oustalets... the Madagascar giant special LOL
@@surfpanther About 40 years ago our kid got us into Chameleons. Our big guy was named Joe.( he was a Christmas present to the kid) We left his cage out in the living room and he could go out on his door or on top when he wanted to. One night I was watching TV and I felt something on my neck. It was Joe. He had come out and had crawled over to the sofa, curled up under my hair next to my neck. I was hooked. We had an outside cage and Joe would do yard work with me. He had become my other child. Needless to sayhe didn't have too much to do with the kid. It was devastating when he passed. Over the years we had up to 10 at one time. We took in rescues from his friends that found out just how much work they were.(to keep them the right way) Don't know how I got anything done. I had always wanted a Parson.(Saw one at the Daytona Reptile Expo though. She was gorgeous) I'm guessing here in Florida that you would have a room especially for them AND a back up generator. I'm just too old now to have one. Have had 2 strokes 2021/2022. I would love to see one UP CLOSE though. Maybe one day I'll be in your area and could see yours. I'm tearing up remembering my little Louie. He was the size of my thumbnail when I got him. I wish you lots of LUCK in your adventure. 🦎❤️🦎
the tokay is also found out here in hawaii in isolated areas along with the madagascar giant day gecko and the cuban knight anole, the veiled chameleon has also been found in various locations here
As someone who owns a burmese python, it's so nice to see someone not demonize or exaggerate how many there actually are out there or what they can do! Yes they're still a problem but it's nice seeing someone who doesn't make it out to be the biggest problem out there.
Feral hogs are out of control, too.
Caughtd a pair of Tokay in August(couldn’t find python though), week later they laid an egg, month later 2 more eggs, 2 days ago the first hatched. My pair was caught in the Everglades marsh, north of 41.
Sadly I’ve not uploaded any of that adventure. Life has been busy.
FWC told me the location I caught my pair they had just been in that area removing Tokay. There are a few efforts at play, but hard to manage everything with outbreaks of African land snails
CubanTFs definitely eat all our frogs and can easily eat brown Anole too. Backyard efforts to control will have the most effect
There are so many non-native animals on this continent and the one that has done the most damage is also the one that can reverse it…us. The whole reason for all the non-native plants and animals in this country is people.
We either knowingly or unknowingly brought them all here, not to mention all the damage we have done to the one and only planet that we can inhabit for the foreseeable future. We need to take accountability for what we are doing to the planet.
Granted, some of the things are wonderful, but many are downright harmful. I think that the python problem is unfortunate and, as you stated, demonizes reptiles. It is unfortunate that this is how people see things, but these animals are only doing what they would do where they originated from. They are not evil, but opportunistic. They will utilize the resources around them to survive.
Now, if people were to look at themselves, they would see that they are doing the same thing. So when they demonize these animals, we’re really seeing the worst parts of ourselves.
When I used to live in Orlando, FL, I would see invasive species every day. Brown Anoles are everywhere and many of the canals are full of tilapia. Many people actually think both have always been in Florida and this is part of the problem.
Good to see that there are some non-natives on the list aren’t terribly detrimental. It’s been a very uphill battle to get people to understand the benefits of the native animals in our environment. I discourage people from killing snakes often, especially since there are no highly venomous species where I live. I let them know that seeing snakes in your yard is a good thing. It means rodents are having a harder time infesting your property.
Keep up the good messaging.
Snakes in the pet trade have eaten people. In 1996, a 19-year-old Bronx man died after being attacked by his pet Burmese python. It's likely that the 13-foot-long reptile mistook the man for food after it escaped its cage. The man was found by his neighbors in a pool of blood with the snake coiled around his torso in his apartment building's hallway. According to the man's brother, the victim had purchased the snake at a local pet store for $300 a few months earlier. There was also a woman who went to their local farm coop, she never came home. She was inside the snake.
Here is another story:
The family of the 54-year-old woman reported her missing after they say she went to collect rubber on a plantation Sunday near her home in Jambi, Indonesia, according to CNN Indonesia. The city is on the island of Sumatra, the country's second-longest Island.
Betara Jambi Police Chief S. Herafa told the outlet when her husband went to look for her, he found only her sandals, jacket, headscarf and knife.
According to the chief, two days after she disappeared, a search party found a reticulated python with a large bulge in its stomach.
The police chief told the Times of India a woman was found in the snake's stomach and that her body appeared to be largely intact.
I heard reports of African Rock Pythons and boa constrictors in Florida
Great video
I got a Cuban tree frog from a friend that found it in a plant shipment here in San Diego county I kept it lol
That type of gecko, I found one in the warehouse where I used to work in Central Alabama. It would be up near the ceiling every late night I had to work.
I’m not sure if it was from the wild or if it was from college student that had it in their apartment that they left or let go. I say this because it started showing up the week following what we called apartment turnover. It’s the two weeks where college kids have to leave their apartments and we’d go in and replace the flooring for the rental companies and then new students would move in.
I tried several times to catch this gecko be it liked to hang out very high on the warehouse walls and ceiling that I couldn’t. We spotted it on and off for about a year then it disappeared. I’m a reptile enthusiast, so I not only guessed they type I research to double check it to confirm it.
I’m down in Florida all the time to visit my Great Grandmother. It’s been interesting to be able to recognize the reptiles as I see them. I can never bring myself to kill any of them. Maybe if I’m looking for a tokay gecko, a red headed agama, or a Cuban tree frog, I’ll bring a box down to Florida.
Hmmm, maybe it’s time to explain why cats are on top. I’m in Florida and definitely understand the Fire Ants. Brutal little nasterds… 💀
Right. I love cats. I have a cat, but they are very destructive to native populations, and yet there is no legislation to do anything about it. Meanwhile domestic Ferrets, who simply cannot survive in the wild, are still illegal in California because...reasons.
I really want a pair of bimini blind snakes those are so cool
I’d love to see an episode where you find small rare breeding populations of non native herps you never hear about in Florida. Like spectacle caiman.
We looked for them!
When I was living in FL. those giant tree frogs would just appear in my house, though I would never see how they got in.
Off subject, but what mic are you using? That wind is whipping the trees all around you while you talk about that blind snake yet the sounds comes across like you recorded it in a studio... on subject, another really good video!
I use a rode with wind guard
The problem is people use the term "invasive" to bilk people out of money.
Thanks Dav! I appreciate your perspective on the politics, esp pointing out the neglect of fire ants and cats!
On my trip to universal, I caught a Cuban Tree Frog and brought him home with me. He’s one of my favorite amphibians I’ve kept due to how alert they seem while hunting, and due to their awesome color changing abilities. It’s unfortunate that what makes them so cool is also what has allowed them to harm native Florida frogs.
I had several that lived on my front porch. They would come for the front porch light. I would turn it on so they could eat the moths. On the other side of the house I had a light for the green ones. My Uncle joked that we didn't have cable TV cause we loved to watch them
They’re poisonous. Do not handle them. If your dog eats it, your dog will probably die. Idk why he didn’t warn people about the effects of its poison it secretes from its skin. Why nothing eats it. So try not to poison yourself or anyone or anything else.
Fire ants....I thought for sure you were going to say humans
I LOVE ❤️ ❤️❤️❤️ the way you explained the Burmese Pythons❣️❣️❣️ THANK YOU❣️❣️❣️I'm sooooo sharing this ❣️❣️❣️❣️ I can't wait for part 2😍🤩😍
Thank you!
Great video Dave! I think it should be illegal to have house cats outside. If you want a pet cat, then you need to keep it indoors.
Agreed. If you want to let your cat outside, build a cat run. Keeps both the cat and the wildlife safe. Or train your cat to use a harness and leash. (Jan Griffiths).
You forgot to mention one huge problem for South Florida, the infamous cane toad. Not to mention the giant African land snail.
I sure agree with you about house cats. I watched my cat one day, she was hiding in the bushes, waiting and suddenly pounced on a bird near her & she killed the bird. She also found baby bunnies, Killed them, brought them home. So, she ended up staying inside. People, so it seems, they don't realize what terrible damage house cats can do. Some people just refuse to keep their cats inside. Sad for the wildlife.
I have observed that fire ants, which originally came from Pampas/grasslands, have evolved into intertidal scavengers in Florida. That is a huge step, and denote extreme adaptability.
An old lady was eaten last week by a retic in Indonesia.
fish are a big one in the US as well. so many people have no idea there are no native carp in north america.
I'm in southwest Florida. I had killed a big cockroach. I went to get a paper towel and came back and it was gone. I seen a big Tokay on the upper part of the window. I kept it for a while until it escaped. When the house was torn down, one of the guys seen it among the rubble. My mom got it and gave it to a pet store. She told him to be careful because it will bite. He was like, "I know what I'm doing." He stuck his in and right back out with blood on his hand. Supposedly the Tokay escaped and went into the ceiling.
In the late sixties my father’s buddy would mail tokay geckos to my dad here in Miami from his airbase in Thailand during the Vietnam war. My father would turn them loose specially for roach control. On occasion the mailman would deliver the tube holding it at an arms length due to the dead animal inside.
OK DKRA just curious: what exactly would you have done about the fire ants? What would you have done about the cats? 🤷♀️
I'd love to go home with Kat, but I'm pretty sure that gecko was happy living with the rest of its family where you got it from.
Man you're an expert Herper the fact you can find all of these elusive reptiles/amphibians. How did you catch the tokay and find the blind snake?
Also, has anyone found it interesting that cataleah and dav seem to be hanging out a lot?
It's a shame for the animals that you're not allowed to collect them for the pet trade I think it would curtail a lot of the animals being in the wild
Dave , what about a giant main land reticulated python . Couldn't a giant of the species ( mainland ) snag a small child or a small adult ????
No. We aren’t on their diet and they can’t swallow us because we have shoulders. Every account of snakes eating people is fabricated
Thanks Dave , appreciate the feedback . Love the channel , rattle on .
Couldn’t find Catalina link
I from Key West you are 100% right
Hey I’m in Florida I want to go out and find chameleons can you please tell me where I can
SO BASICALLY POLITICIANS USE REPTILES AS A PHOTO OP! REPTILES AREN'T THE WORST INVASIVE SPECIES, ITS DOMESTIC CATS, & FIRE ANTS! THANKS 🙏 DAVE.
I caught a of the chameleon in tabuk Saudi Arabia but it was deep in the desert
What (if any) rules about catching non-native and invasive species?
I know there are some you are not supposed to release again if caught, but I don't know all the details.