PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post Reply
Trekmoor
GDF Junkie
Posts: 1917
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 5:09 pm
Location: Scotland

PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post by Trekmoor » Sat Mar 23, 2013 4:42 am

I watched a documentary on t.v. a while ago and it got me wondering how much of it was exaggeration. The presenter was showing how pythons that had escaped or been released in the southern states were breeding fast and spreading out into other states. I saw a photograph of a dead snake that had died while swallowing a good sized alligator. Just how much of a problem are these snakes ? Have hunters dogs been taken ? It all looked pretty horrendous to me as the only snakes we have here are grass snakes and adders. Prey for those snakes is frogs and mice ...... a snake big enough to tackle a large alligator gives me the shudders !

Bill T.

User avatar
birddogger
GDF Junkie
Posts: 3776
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:09 pm
Location: Bunker Hill, IL.

Re: PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post by birddogger » Sat Mar 23, 2013 4:57 am

I have never heard of it.

Charlie

rgsiii
Rank: Just A Pup
Posts: 19
Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2012 9:09 am
Location: Lake Charles, LA

Re: PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post by rgsiii » Sat Mar 23, 2013 5:57 am

Some early projections showed the pythons able to survive in essentially all of the Southeast US and spreading to southern California. Some more recent ones show it limited to southern Florida. Time will tell which is correct. Cold weather is our friend.

Mountaineer
GDF Junkie
Posts: 1630
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2010 7:23 pm
Location: State?...The one where ruffed grouse were.

Re: PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post by Mountaineer » Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:17 am

As with many invasive species of animal or plant, introduced or migrating, it matters on the availability of habitat....no doubt on the covert level, released pythons can be an issue.
Beyond that, they simply make a charming and eye-catching subject for a silly TV show.
Nowhere near the issue that starlings are in the United States or that grey squirrels are in Great Britain.

User avatar
Nate K
Rank: Junior Hunter
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 5:52 pm
Location: Waterford, WI

Re: PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post by Nate K » Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:30 am

I have a friend who lives in Southern Florida and the python issue is REAL. I actually contacted him a few years ago when I did a research study on this very subject for one of my college courses.

These snakes have no predator and are killing off birds and other species. Within 5 years multiple species of animals in the everglades will be near extinct.

There are two types of pythons that are breeding and flurishing in Florida (Rock Python and the Burmese Python). Other species on the loose but not known to be breeding are boa constrictors and anacondas. A cable guy was bit in Miami by what he identified as a green mamba that was never found.

Pythons have been found in the wild as far north as New York City and here in Wisconsin. Of course they were found during the summer and would never of survived the winter. Unless of course they found a warm spot to hibernate (crawlspace, power plant, cave).

Personally I don't believe they will ever get out of Florida. Especially when Northern Florida and Louisiana have seen snow in recent years. But believe they are here to stay and they are destroying the Florida ecosystem.

Johng918
Rank: Senior Hunter
Posts: 128
Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2011 6:34 pm
Location: Ocala,Fl

Re: PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post by Johng918 » Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:42 am

They actually opened hunts and pay you for each one killed in the wild and over 700 harvested in 2012. They are a huge problem here in Florida.

User avatar
CDN_Cocker
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 1416
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 5:59 pm
Location: ON, Canada

Re: PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post by CDN_Cocker » Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:46 am

There's also a huge problem with iguanas down there, another non-native species. Too bad when those type of things happen as its always because of idiots.

Trekmoor
GDF Junkie
Posts: 1917
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 5:09 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post by Trekmoor » Sat Mar 23, 2013 3:35 pm

It looks like pythons are there for good since the weather is warm enough and there are birds, animals and maybe an occasional alligator for them to eat. The habitat for them looked good on the T.V. but I am a bit wary of believing everything I see and hear even on supposedly factual documentaries.

I don't think I'd like to hunt a dog down there with gators and pythons lurking about . Probably I'd worry needlessly but it pays to be a bit wary around things that can eat a dog or you.

Bill T.

User avatar
buckeyebowman
Rank: Junior Hunter
Posts: 72
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:10 pm
Location: Ohio

Re: PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post by buckeyebowman » Sat Mar 23, 2013 7:25 pm

I saw a news story several years ago from Florida. Seems this guy had a problem with raccoons getting into his garbage and scattering it all over. No danger, just a pain the butt. Then he had to crawl under his house (on short stilts in a low area) to do some work, and found that he had another problem. A 20' python living under there! He managed to get out from under there, and, after changing his pants, called animal control. They sent a gang of guys over there and got the snake out. There was photo in the article, and it took 6 guys to hold that snake up! It was unbelievably huge! Apparently raccons are highly nutritious! :lol:

Rockett
Rank: Just A Pup
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2012 3:27 am
Location: Australia

Re: PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post by Rockett » Sun Mar 24, 2013 4:00 am

They have just started to show the episodes of 'python hunters' here. The kids love it! Totally amazed by the alligator for dinner!

User avatar
Brazosvalleyvizslas
Rank: 5X Champion
Posts: 1340
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 9:20 am
Location: Soon2be, Texas

Re: PYTHONS IN THE U.S.A.

Post by Brazosvalleyvizslas » Thu Mar 28, 2013 2:32 pm

I would worry about Cottonmouths long before I worried about Pythons.

Post Reply