viewtopic.php?f=35&t=25483&p=269357#p269357
My statement:
Kfen's:I understand. I've been to those types of markets in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Peoples Republic of China and the first thing that hits you is the sight of hundreds of turtles piled in screen cages, dozens of Radiated Ratsnakes in various states of disrepair, maybe an ematiated retic or Burmese python. It's disgusting, though many Miami wholesalers in the US in the '60s were as bad or worse.
Bill, do you have pictures of any of those markets?
Answer:
Sorry, I don’t remember any pics, but every winter I make headway digitizing photos I took in the “60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and 90s, so some may yet turn up!
To be clear these Asian markets were not pet distributers, but food and “snake blood, heart and gall” drink shops.
Some mild examples:
https://bangkokherps.com/tag/markets/
3rd pic down
https://thelemursarehungry.wordpress.co ... ng-market/
3rd pic down
http://www.chelonia.org/articles/china/china12ambo.htm
https://thetakeout.com/inside-the-last- ... 1798259325
http://wwf.panda.org/?unewsid=204311
In the ‘50s, ‘60s, and early ‘70s our own animal importers were as bad. I remember going to several importers (like Bill Chase and Ray Singleton) in ’69 to see 3 foot piles of baby boas (about $3.00 each) where the healthiest were at the top of the pile. The bottom layer were dead. Same for Florida Kings and Corns.
Similarly,
Quote from Reptile Dealers and Their Price Lists By James B. Murphy (Research Associate, Department of Herpetology, Smithsonian Institution, National Zoological Park) and Ken McCloud (Research Associate, Steinhart Aquarium, California Academy of Sciences)Several species of Oriental Ratsnakes (Elaphe and Spalerosophis)) were imported to the U.S. in the mid-1970s and all died after a few weeks. Upon close examination by the Dallas Zoo veterinarian, it was discovered that gall bladders had been skillfully removed for human medicinal purposes. Prior to export, a small incision had been made but scales were never cut, only the interstitial skin, and the tiniest sutures used to complete the surgery.