Well, I might as well add a reply here.

My Mata Mata died about 6 months ago. I still don't know exactly what happened, but most likely it was a respiratory infection. I think the climate out here in NV was simply too dry. I had the top of the tank closed up for the most part to keep as much humidity in as I could, and I probably should have had an additoinal humidifier in there as well, but the bottom line is, I failed. He went from normal to dead in under a week.

This happening only brought back the feelings that I have about keeping exotics back 10 fold. I kept a lot of herps back when I was a kid and teenager, and I got out of it for a reason. I thought now, with steady income and the "know-how" I could keep a turtle once again. It was probably a stupid idea to keep a Mata Mata in the first place, since they are pretty much on the top of the "advanced species" list right up there with Fly River Turtles, but still.

Anyway, like I said, this just makes me feel stronger about people keeping exotics and non-domesticated animals in general. And I'm not just talking about herps, but birds, fish, mammals, etc. These animals just do not belong in captivity, unless the keeper is a dedicated to its care and husbandry (like in a zoo environment), I just feel like it isn't a good idea, and certainly not fair to the creature. After I got the Mata Mata, it was less than a year before I started feeling guilty again.

And on top of the guilt, there is the whole problem of invasive species, disease, illegal trading of endangered and threatened species, pressure on wild populations, the list goes on. Basically, I just won't do it anymore. I don't want any part of the "pet trade". These are not pets, they are captive specimens. My cat is a pet, my dog is a pet. Tigers and Mata Mata turtles are not pets.

While I don't hold keepers in contempt, I just feel like its such a bad thing to do, if you really "love" and respect the animal. There's just sooooo many sad stories of neglect, improper care, and plain old failure, like in my Mata's case, that just make me feel like crap.

OK, I'll get off my soap box now. Good luck to all the keepers out there.

Bart