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Finally Florida

bryanb

New member
Well I am here in Florida rotunda west to be exact and it looks to be where I will be setting some roots. However I Am coming to the conclusion there is not much going on in this neck of the woods. Dose anyone know of anything or anyone that is part of the herp world out here or am I all alone with a 2 hour ride to see snakes other than the wild ones here and my own. However my snakes are still up north being watched over and will not be here for another month so I need some scaly love. Oh and I feel like the youngest person for miles "I am 34" kinda feels weird.
 
You are sooooo lucky. Right in fossilized shark tooth heaven. Plus, Sanibel Island!! My favorite place in Florida.

But you're right- I don't know any snake people down there. Well, I think Lee Abbott is in Fort Myers.

There's a really good book about the reptiles of Sanibel Island.

You're close to the Everglades! That's cool.

And close to St. Petersberg and Tampa- also nice cities.

I think you'll like it here.
 
Well I am here in Florida rotunda west to be exact and it looks to be where I will be setting some roots. However I Am coming to the conclusion there is not much going on in this neck of the woods. Dose anyone know of anything or anyone that is part of the herp world out here or am I all alone with a 2 hour ride to see snakes other than the wild ones here and my own. However my snakes are still up north being watched over and will not be here for another month so I need some scaly love. Oh and I feel like the youngest person for miles "I am 34" kinda feels weird.

Welcome to Florida!

Heck, make the effort and you might just find that looking at the wild herps will be plenty interesting enough for you. Not to mention all of the other wildlife, above and below the water line, in the area.
 
Lee Abbott is actually in the Sarasota area.

There is an active herp society in Ft. Myers. You might want to attend a few times just to meet some interesting and fun people, and find out things about the area. Check out www.calusaherp.org.

Also, there are Repticon shows a few times a year from Sarasota to Ft. Myers. You might want to attend just to meet some people. A lot of the vendors will be from within driving distance, too. You might get to know some of them as time goes by.

Florida is one of the few places you can field herp year round. Different seasons will have you doing different things, but still interesting at any time.

We have been Florida residents since 1979 (earlier for my husband) and are now in the process of moving to Az. But I wouldn't have traded my time in Florida for anywhere else. It is a good place for herpers, even though FWC (Fish and Game) has gotten progressively more difficult to deal with over the years. They may be letting up just a little, recently. Enjoy your new home!
 
There are a few reptile-related tourist attractions, all of which are super-fun.

Gatorland in Orlando and St. Augustine Alligator Farm in St. Augustine are cool. Gatorland raises alligators commercially, and has tons of them. SAAF has the only collection of ALL the alligator and crocodile species in the world. They are a zoo, not a commercial farm- their alligators are not harvested. Both have boardwalks through wading bird rookeries, in the swamp, with alligators. The birds are RIGHT THERE. It's soooooooo cool when they are nesting. Both have a few other herps, too.

Reptile World Serpentarium in St. Cloud is cool. The guy that owns it, George, is nice. It is a working venom collection facility, with a large collection of venomous snakes.

Deland has a small but cool venom-collecting facility, too, with some outside herp exhibits.

There's a Croc Encounter something or other near Tampa, I think. I haven't been, but it sounds cool.

I feel like I'm missing one...

Oh- Homosassa Wildlife Park is up the coast in Homosassa. They have birds, Florida native animals, rescue manatees, and if you go in the winter, the wild manatees are allowed into the spring, and there are LOTS of them.

Swimming with the manatees is fun. That's mostly a winter activity.

If you are going to sell reptiles, even one, you need the $50 annual Class III permit. FWC actively looks for people without the permit and without documentation of where they acquired the animals they are selling.
 
If you are going to sell reptiles, even one, you need the $50 annual Class III permit. FWC actively looks for people without the permit and without documentation of where they acquired the animals they are selling.

Thanks for the info I decided to not persue the corn snake breeding this year because of the move but should be settled before my Peruvian longtial boas are ready.
I did hit the serpentarium in January when I came down to visit to bad that's a 3 hour drive. And I plan on the Sarasota reptile expo Saturday
 
Man, if I had discovered this community while I was still in FL I might not have ever left. So many amazing members in that area.
 
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