DWA Poll and Debate

I'd agree with that.

Callum B wrote:

Scorpion19981000 wrote:

.


Not to mention, the DWA license is extremely expensive, many people are not able to afford it, and nobody in their right mind would pay that much and go through all that trouble for a few scorpions.

I'm going to do it, but I'm probably not of sound mind

I've got everything ready now. My scorpion 'chalet', locked and secure. A stack of locked, escape proof vivarium's, and inside these, a load of faunariums or whatever they're called. All I need is some spare cash to apply for the licence/vet check and to pay for liability insurance. On the plus side, licences now last 2 years instead of one.

Mako wrote:

If anything captive breeding will strengthen genetics.

As far as I am aware, the genes of captive populations will weaken over generations. We provide our animals with a predator, competition and 'stress' free life, where most of the young will generally survive through to adulthood, breed, and pass on their genes to the next generation.

This would not happen in the wild where the majority of scorpions will die before adulthood, and so will not pass their genes on to the next generation. Only the individuals that are 'strong' enough to survive predation, competition, extreme environmental conditions etc. will end up successfully mating and pass on their genes. Therefore, generally speaking, only the best genes will make it on to the next generation, thus strengthening the populations' genetics.

This does not happen in captivity. Individuals that would not survive in the wild will survive and breed, so passing on potentially 'bad' or 'weak' genes, weakening the captive population. Inter-breeding is also common in captive scorpion populations, further weakening the gene pool.

How much effect this has had on captive scorpions I don't know. Interbreeding doesn't seem to do a great deal of harm like it would in mammals, for instance. The only effects I have heard of are a reduction in brood size and a also reduction in the overall size of individual scorpions after a number of generations.

Excellent observation. I never looked at it like that before. I do feel that regardless of captive bred/raised, certain species will remain to be rock solid survivors and the potential of a cross enviormental contamination is still a possibility.

With the whole resistant to pesticides aspect...Do you feel that this a trait that WC specimens have? or the species in general?

I just realised I wrote interbreeding in my post. I actually meant inbreeding.

Here is my take on the dwa situation. I have said in my introduction thread that I am thinking of applying for it,this is because as its stands thats whats needed, I'm not a fan of it but unless it changes, thats what I will do to take my hobby a step further. I understand it was brought about to protect other members of the public. However I was in Pennsylvania last october visiting friends, and we went to the Hamburg reptile expo. I will admit I left there feeling depressed at the vast amount of things you can own there with out any license at all. I would like to know why the Pennsylvanian state government,i'm guessing other states are similar and other countries like the republic of Ireland (unless its changed there now) dont feel like the public there need protecting?

This is something I have often wondered is it because the British government don't think things through and create dispoportinate, Knee jerk responses to situations with out thinking things through? I would be intrested to see how many members of the public were injured in this country before the act, with figures from countries that don't require you to aqquire a license at all. Amongst Scorps I also keep Giant Centipedes and I'll be honest I know which ones I feel more comfy working with and its not the Centipedes. I do think if any one with any sense was to review the list logically they could remove more species like the did with the Mangrove Snake.

I understand about "youngsters" obtaining such animals, not all youngsters are irrational and impulsive. For those that are there is many more ways of killing/maiming themselves that are cheaper. Also they can buy things like Centipedes with out any checks or the like. Not that I'm trying to compare Centipedes and Scorps that be like trying to compare bananas and cabbages. My point is if those type of people and i'm not just including youngsters in this, want to obtain them they will anyway. There will always be a way of obtaining things through dubious channels be that animals,drugs,guns,dogs, look at the Pitbull situation, or whatever. For every legal keeper of these animals how many are being kept illegally? If you legislate against things it just pushes it underground and creates more problems. I often wonder how many perfectly good keepers have been pushed underground because for whatever reason they couldn't obtain a license?

I know this sounds like a opinionated rant it wasn't meant to be. I just think the whole system needs to be reviewed and it should be used for the things that need it like big carnivores i.e big cats and things like primates. I don't really agree with it but I will follow it as it stands at the moment, as like I say I want my hobby to progress and I want it to be all above board. That way there can't be any problems