releasing my snake :(

[Odie]

Releasing her is ultimately up to you, but as already said multiple times, a very bad idea.

or good

[snakems]

I am sorry if you took my statement as an insult, I did not mean it as such. I was just stating a point that no one had mentioned yet. I have no problem with you taking the snake to begin with and I am not against you keeping it or letting it go, that is all up to you and ultimately you are the one that knows best.

-Thomas

no no lol I didnt take what you said as an insult
no worries. thanks for your opinion.

[snakems]

OK Snakems here is my story: Couple of years ago I caught a big eastern female out next to the pool. Kept her for a few months till she had her babies. She was a very “friendly” snake and quickly got used to me. She would come to me and crawl into my hand whenever I opened the cage. After she had her babies she was released where I found her. A couple of days later she was out sunning next to the pool and I thought Cool, I’ll see if she remembers me. Took ½ step toward her and she was GONE, like she had never been in captivity at all. Saw her the next summer so she adapter back to the wild very well. So I would not feel bad about releasing a snake back where it was found. On the other hand I would be OK with keeping her. Snakes are pretty low on the food chain, so a life in captivity is not so bad. Example is Rhea’s Chloe, She was pretty beat up when found, and obviously from the scars had led a pretty harrowing life. She is FAR better off than she would have been in the wild (probably dead by now). So, what is the point? In my humble opinion either way, keep or release is OK it's up to you (but what do I know?).

thanks very much! good to get other's opinion! so eloquently put as well kudos!

[snakems]

This is getting real in-depth! I say if you want to keep her, keep her.If not let her go...sounds like a great snake though and her chances of survival are much better in captivity, with proper care.Hhmmm It is a tough dissision, but it's yours to make.Good luck

Its true that I DO agree with her chances of survival being much higher in captivity with someone who knows how to care for her for sure. This I do not deny... like someone else said, I see both sides. I guess I simply just havent decided for sure yet.
Not to RULE IT OUT of course, but where I found her I dont see the risk of her coming into contact with humans being too great. This would not be my deciding factor but Im just saying. She has acres of amazing habitat to roam where no one would be unless we sell some house lots which we do not plan to do. other predators, I suppose would be another story. One upside would be that its VERY bushy and grown over (not to say that she's not capable of moving to more open feild but its not too close by) so predator birds wouldnt be a really BIG worry either. It just seems like SUch an AMAZING place to live to me for a snake or really any kind of small animal. She would have anything her little heart desires there and though I havent been in a year or so, theres a little stream in the back of the more grown woods with the BIG trees. Newts/worms and salamanders aplenty! also amphibians. ... its just tougher than you'd think to decide. I just dont know. *sigh*

[snakems]

So if that's the case, and pathogens come from human environments, what are we bringing in when we "field herp"??????

What precautions should we take before going into a herping area?

What precautions should we take before coming home to our own collections?

Rubber boots and clorox before going in and coming home? Deet or pyrethrin on our clothes?

VERY VALID questions!! my interest is piqued!

[adamanteus]

Whatever you finally decide, Sayra, no one can say you haven't thought it through!
Good luck to both of you, whatever you decide.

[snakems]

Whatever you finally decide, Sayra, no one can say you haven't thought it through!
Good luck to both of you, whatever you decide.

thank you very much!
I do understand that risks really are best left not taken at all especially when they can lead to serious consequences...
but really.... the circumstances under which this snake has been living have been optimal as far as sanitization goes. At least as far as what I could provide her with. One thing I HAVE ALWAYS done and literally NEVER not done since Ive had her is, scrub my hands THOROUGHLY with dial before AND after she is held. As frequently as I change the water and make sure the tank is clean this leads for SERIOUSLY dry hands from the amount of washing Im always doing. Even before Im touching something that's going to come in contacts with her
Though not impossible of course the chances of her transporting dangerous pathogens back into the wild are not much more likely than they were when I first caught her and brought her into the house for a better look (it was misting), so the whole "17 day rule" thing (To me PERSONALLY anyway) seems so silly. I get that you have to draw the line somewhere but i dunno.....
lol

[snakems]

My opinion: Either keep her and reinforce the cover, keep the cat outside.

Or give her away, Several have already said they will give Snakems a good home.

Releasing her is ultimately up to you, but as already said multiple times, a very bad idea.

I think I may have missed those posts.

lol i could list a million reasons why keeping the cat outside would be inhumane pretty much due to this specific cat lol but I dont expect others to know every detail about my situation here.
thanks for your opinion.

[keelerskiddiecare]

My personal opinion is also keep her if you feel you can keep her safe and care for her and if not give her to one of the people who have stated they would love to have her. I as well have helped wild animals temporarily and then tried to re-release back into their environment with negative consequences. Although never with a snake.

[Stefan-A]

I built my enclosures strong enough to keep small children out, so a cat-proof one is definitely possible to make. The one you have now may be a bit difficult to improve, if it's a simple glass tank, but it should still be possible.