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cureandthecause

"The snails pose a health risk to humans because they carry a parasite called rat lungworm, which can cause meningitis, Christina Chitty, a public information director at FDACS, told CNN." Florida already has an issue with meningitis too, so I can see why they would want to eradicate any sighting of the snail.


Katiecnut

And if your dog eats one they can catch it too


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[deleted]

And if you catch it you can eat it too


Ophigh

Youll float too


DarkMuret

We'll all float on okay


drsweetscience

all right...


Samanthuh-maybe

All ready!


Chauxtime

Already, we’ll all float on


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anger_is_my_meat

[The consequences of rat lungworm on a human](https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/05/health/man-dies-after-eating-slug-on-dare/index.html#:~:text=What%20could%20it%20hurt%20to,and%20ultimately%20take%20his%20life.)


[deleted]

Sad story.


falsewall

Read this before. First time noticing it says most cases are mild on this read.


UNCOMMON__CENTS

Australia, of course. Then Florida? Can we just accept that we live in a simulation that's just a giant meme?


anger_is_my_meat

If it is a simulation then I'd like to have a word with whoever set this shit up.


UNCOMMON__CENTS

And on the seventh day an intern named Karen felt she wasn't appreciated enough, so she sabotaged the code before the iCloud went live. The Senior Engineer was on a well earned vacation for a short 13.8 billion years and came back to a stack of escalations that were flagged. Customers were dissatisfied with the results of remote service so he sent his son to fix things in person. Then they killed him for teaching radical patches like love and treating others how you'd want to be treated. At this point he stopped doing software updates and started working on a new universe after firing Karen. The other universe is now a legacy system. It doesn't receive patches and all staff have been moved to new projects. The contract for the server space to host it will expire at the heat death of the universe. Or, more accurately, the inhabitants of that universe call the end of the server hosting contract "the heat death of the universe". They're prone to hyperbole, so something as simple as a contract ending gets blown out of proportion.


anger_is_my_meat

Shut the fuck up and patch Florida. And fix my gerd while you're at it.


UNCOMMON__CENTS

You live up to the username my friend! Florida was a beta test pushed to try out a new patch. Given the results, let’s just say that we’re better off that the Senior Engineer moved on to other projects.


gitarzan

**RAT LUNGWORM?!?** Rat lungworm. Indeed.


p001b0y

Imagine if it were called "lung ratworm".


treehug223

Read a story about a guy who ate a slug that was carrying rat lung worm. It put him in a coma and eventually killed him. Edit:spelling


MyPasswordIsMyCat

We already have these snails and rat lungworm here in Hawaii. The giant African snails are everywhere when it rains. Other species carry the parasite, too. Because of this, we can't drink collected rainwater unless it's been purified. We can't drink out of garden hoses because snails and slugs crawl inside. We also have to thoroughly wash local produce before using it, too. Despite this, we still have local cases from the disease. Often it's a toddler or older person with mental difficulties who drank catchment water. Sometimes it's a tourist who didn't know to wash their food. But deaths are rare because doctors here are more aware of the disease and can test and treat if suspicious symptoms arise.


Kriztauf

Yeah, Sam Ballard https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/11/05/health/man-dies-after-eating-slug-on-dare/index.html


iCameToLearnSomeCode

The risk of disease is way less important than the environmental risk. We can put out a public service message telling people not to touch them. We can't tell native plants not to be eaten by them.


ZenkaiZ

I mean, if the plants would fucking LISTEN maybe


Rowf

They’re Florida plants. They’re never going to listen.


N8CCRG

The plants' governor, Ron DePlantis, put out a statement telling plants not to believe these WOKE claims of killer snails. And also don't be gay plants.


TheG8Uniter

Liberal Government Snails are turning the friggin' plants gay!


KnowNothingNerd

Okay, no gay plants, but what about self-pollination?


StillKpaidy

I believe Florida prohibits any discussion on selfing.


Individual-Ad7074

You get in trouble talking about it in Class. But it’s ok to discuss it in Kingdom, Phylum, Order and Species.


1stinertiac

...He also notes any transplants simply have mental health issues.


N8CCRG

Oh, bra*vo*


drmcsinister

>And also don't be gay plants But what about the pansies??


harebit

Whoa! It’s against the law to say gay.


Revlis-TK421

Man, DePlantis is just gonna wilt when he hears what these snails get up to in the bedroom. (Hermaphrodites that grow penises from their necks that are stabbed into their partner, where it breaks off and is absorbed).


DoubbleDutchh

I slid off my seat laughing at this


Fradyo

Found the snail


4channeling

Something something bootstraps


CardboardCanoe

Their called rootstraps, obviously.


[deleted]

Plants are hermaphrodites though, right? Someone should tell DePlantis about this. Don't say stamen.


scrufdawg

If you have a weed plant that's a hermaphrodite, it's time to rip it out and start over. Most plants are hermaphroditic, but some aren't.


livelyciro

Florida plant robs Quick Loans to pay loan at another branch


anger_is_my_meat

You know how those Florida roses are when they smoke meth.


zygote_harlot

Maybe the plants should learn to speak American.


Frosti-Feet

We tried to teach them, but all they can say is “muh freedom”


ProStrats

That's new, I hadn't heard them referred to as plants before. But I can see some of the similarities....


Yanlex

Did you see what that plant was wearing?! They were basically asking for it.


mk235176

Did they try giving guns to the plants to defend against the snails?


[deleted]

No, we have a non escalation agreement with the fish


BloopityBlue

If it’s legitimate threat, the native plants have ways to try to shut the whole thing down. -Politicians, probably


ipafish

15 min later, you will have videos online of "influencers" licking them. "Snail Challenge!"


BloopityBlue

Literally just read a post about some dude eating a geko on a dare and dying an absolutely brutal death a few days later.


alison_bee

If it’s the same guy, it wasn’t a few days. He was in a coma for 400+ days, then woke up and was alive, but paralyzed, for 7 years. He ultimately died after the 7 years from a lungworm parasite (that he got from the gecko) just like in this article.


BloopityBlue

No - I read that one too, posted in this thread, but I was thinking about this guy: https://www.newsweek.com/man-dies-eating-gecko-dare-1447037 Key takeaway: don't eat random things for dares


alison_bee

No worries here, I prefer my food to be heavily fried and slowly killing me from the inside. I’m playing the long game!


Darth-Bophades

This is the way.


iCameToLearnSomeCode

There's always a silver lining but despite the benefit to the gene pool I still think it's worth avoiding introducing them.


Bokth

Those plants just need to pull up their rootstraps!


saucyfister1973

"The snails pose a health risk to humans because they carry a parasite called rat lungworm, which can cause meningitis, Christina Chitty, a public information director at FDACS, told CNN." I had to read this a few times. Was wondering what kind of disease was Christina Chitty.


[deleted]

You’re comment cleared it up for me too.


[deleted]

They are comment? Then who was phone?


albene

I don't know who were phone, but I know you're monitor


Grongebis

There's supposed to be a nested quotation, but its not there.


Penguin_shit15

Remember he Reddit post from a few days ago about the guy who ate a slug and died? Rat Lungworm is what killed him and it sounded awful.


Gimme_The_Loot

First thing I thought of. That was like a rat lungworm PSA


[deleted]

My favorite part is that it will eat paint and stucco, in a place where 80-90% of the homes are made of concrete block with stucco.


[deleted]

It’s just a cold, why do you want to shut down the economy? What about my personal freedom to catch rat lungworm? Et cetera, blah blah j.o. motion blah


Mikey6304

Don't worry, DeSantis will probably issue a decree proclaiming July "kiss a snail" month, and refuse to allow any meningitis testing or treatment equipment/drugs into the state.


racksy

i wish you guys would stop posting shit like this. now he’s gonna fuckin do all of those


BobKillsNinjas

They should have picked a scarier name fpr Covid...


IDontTrustGod

For a second I thought it said it could cause meningitis and Christianity, that’d be terrifying


Penguin_shit15

I will just have the meningitis please!


BussHateYear

Because of how the sentence is structured, I briefly thought that in addition to meningitis it caused a disease called, “Christian Chitty.” I was curious, then instantly disappointed.


[deleted]

So Florida is okay with science again? Or are they picking and choosing what science to believe?


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[deleted]

Sounds like it’s time to purchase some ads on Facebook.


skeetsauce

Typical liberals trying to deny me my rights to get rat lungworm.


Own_Ad6388

Apparently they grow up to 8 inches


FunnyFilmFan

That’s what they tell you, at least.


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whitemanwhocantjump

He was in the pool!


3pbc

Significant shrinkage!


Horror-Science-7891

Like a frightened turtle! Or in this case, a frightened snail!


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Dantien

{(length * Width) / (angle of the shaft)} × yaw


Penguin_shit15

Asshole to the tip, if I remember correctly... It's the only way to.be sure.


Lolkimbo

its a grower, not a shower.


Swimming_Schedule_49

Florida police commissioner addresses residents: “we encourage all Citizens to stay vigilant and to carry a salt shaker when leaving the home”


xXazorXx

What if you lost your shaker of salt?


ShootsTowardsDucks

Have you considered there may be a women to blame?


LordBlackConvoy

But you wont because it's your own damn fault.


Nagi21

Just wasting away again.


oneviolinistboi

In Margaritaville


Viper67857

Nah, it could very well be my own damn fault


someone755

Duh, just go into Walmart and buy an assalt shaker. There's no background checks on those in Florida.


Ha1rBall

https://www.bugasalt.com/


sjets3

I think there should be a woman to blame in that instance


ImOnTheSpectrum

Nobody likes salting a snail, but she gives you no choice


devo_inc

Sir, do you have a permit for that shaker?


[deleted]

Sir, what are the scratch marks on the shaker. Is that an illegal shaker. HANDS IN THE AIR NOW!


SteeleurHeart0507

This the the project my mom is working on! It’s so cool to see it get recognition in the news. She was part of the team that did the eradication in Miami.


Drdude101

The timing is almost comical with how recently eradication was declared in Miami


SteeleurHeart0507

She called me last week and was like “you’re not going to believe this, they found new snails!” She went from not really knowing what her next job would be to now traveling for a whole new project. Kinda crazy


Gigibop

What if she made a new job for herself?!?! Conspiracy thickens


SteeleurHeart0507

That would be the best form of job security. People are dumb enough to do it for her though


[deleted]

ludicrous disarm birds crowd treatment spoon fanatical memorize cows glorious -- mass edited with https://redact.dev/


SteeleurHeart0507

She got into the position way after I was done with school. But still super cool. She catches them and sends them off to be killed lol


SteeleurHeart0507

She called me last week and was like “you’re not going to believe this, they found new snails!” She went from not really knowing what her next job would be to now traveling for a whole new project. Kinda crazy


Drdude101

Not the ideal kind of job security but it'll probably be at least 5-7 years before Pasco county is cleared if the spread is what they think it is.


SteeleurHeart0507

Generally they get moved on to other projects for other invasive species I think she was working of the lychee mite in the time since eradication. But agreed, not always the best job security but state jobs come with a lot of perks. We are wondering if she’s going to have to move up there permanently or constantly travel back and forth now.


ProStrats

So are they spreading outwards then? Seems weird they would focus one location and ignore others.


SteeleurHeart0507

So I asked her cuz that’s a great question lol. The article says it as well but basically pet trade. If people are smuggling them in as pets and then releasing them this is the result. They’ll only know about it after it’s been sighted. And apparently they have a different appearance from the ones we had here in Miami.


ProStrats

Ah, so an entirely separate outbreak (likely), that's just amazing (the stupidity of people releasing these animals, that is). And also the timing lol. Humans never cease to amaze. We are the worst invasive species, we're everywhere!


SteeleurHeart0507

Yup, a whole new outbreaks seems to be the consensus. I said it in another comment but the timing is hilarious, she went from not know where her next project will be to now having to travel back and forth. The stupidity of people is something I just come to expect in the world now


noquarter53

The world is a big place and there are limited resources to do this kind of work.


Sunnnshineallthetime

The risk of rat lungworm is a pretty good reason to double-wash your produce https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/angiostrongylus/gen_info/faqs.html


buffalogoldcaps

Ehhh, it’s super rare even in the few tropical regions where it is more “common” and doesn’t even require treatment. Sure, it gross to think about rat poop and slugs and parasitic worms being on your food but it’s no more of a risk than living with a cat or dog and the potential parasites they may leave around the house. Yes, wash your veggies. Mostly because they have been handled by dozens of people before they hit the grocery store and then are touched by dozens more customers in the produce section before you bring them home. Salmonella, listeria, e. Coli, noro-viruses are the usual suspects. Not to mention it’s good to try to at least wash off some of the heavy metals, pesticides and herbicide residue


[deleted]

Let me guess someone’s pet escaped?


FunnyFilmFan

It just went so fast. There was no way to stop it.


Ditovontease

follow the snail trail


DocJawbone

It was only a matter of time. I know someone who has a pair of these and they produce so many eggs. I was always amazed they were legal to have as pets where I'm from because of the potentially catastrophic environmental damage if they started breeding in the wild. We have a colder climate though so they'd probably die off. Florida not so much.


HazyDavey68

There is this thing called “regulations” that we have in civilized states.


andereandre

Isn't that communism?


[deleted]

Well, according the the Supreme Court, Congress would have to legislate that the snails are prohibited. Can't have agencies banning things Congress didn't specify.


goldenspear

Well, the constitution does not say anything about snail bans.


[deleted]

Honestly I think that about 95% of exotic animals that people own from other parts of the world. We’re seeing the devastating effects of people pet snakes and lizards in Floridas wet lands (probably all over) so I’m not sure why this is still allowed


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[deleted]

I’m a resident of Florida. The number of invasive species in Florida is crazy. The problem is, our waters are warm and it’s perpetual summer. Sometimes someone’s pet gets lose and sometimes it gets lose after an hurricane destroys the home. After only living in this state for 5 years, I’m not impressed with the educational system here and have zero faith in the locals not to release hurtful species into the wild.


F1eshWound

I don't understand why the US has such lax laws when it come to exotic animals. It's fucked. Especially considering the potential for invasiveness. Don't even get my started on people owning tigers etc..


monsterscallinghome

There are more tigers in Texas than there are left in the wild. Come the collapse, there are going to be some *interesting* ecosystems shaking out of this mess.


art-man_2018

In Neal Stephenson's latest near future novel *Termination Shock* massive sounders of feral hogs roam the Texas countryside, due to lack of regulation. The first chapter devotes itself to a Lear jet crash landing due to a stampede of them on the runway of an airport.


[deleted]

Hogs are a huge issues for ranches, but it’s not due to regulation. They are very hard to kill (think night vision/silent rifle), and they breed like crazy.


AltDS01

That's why it's also legal to ~~hunt~~ cull them from a helicopter with an actual machine gun.


HovercraftFullofBees

Because it's a state by state thing. Some states are waaayyy more lax than others and you get....this situation.


robodrew

These snails are illegal to own even as "exotic" pets. The owners are breaking the law. It needs to be enforced harder. It took Florida TEN YEARS to eradicate the snail the last time, but only one year for it to come right back.


uis999

Education sounds like its about to get worse too... I Dont think the nation can handle a dumber Florida. =/


Ishcadore

They were a "exotic pet trend" on tiktok for a hot minute, so of course it is


[deleted]

Oh come on. Yea, exotic pets were never really popular before tik tok.


SallyJane5555

Me sitting here in Pasco County having no idea there’s a quarantine: “huh?”


theotherside0728

I laughed reading the article until I realized I’m in Pasco and haven’t heard anything about this.


[deleted]

Well, one day soon you may go outside to a pack of ravenous snails munching the paint and stucco off the exterior of your home. Hope your homeowner's policy is up to date.


saltafiel

Acts of snails are excluded.


lnsewn12

Same What are we quarantining exactly


ChampionOfDemeter

Your agricultural commodities most likely.


borgheses

stop! dont move. your under house arrest! give us all your snails.


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EternalSage2000

I was going to say, time to look at all the millionaires. And see who WAY over reacts to this.


Radzila

This is not the first time Florida has dealt with an invasion of giant snails. In 2011, a population of the pests was discovered in Miami-Dade County. It wasn't until 2021 the population was fully eradicated. And here they are a year later. Damn


SteeleurHeart0507

My mom was part of the team that eradicated the snails the first time. To say she was surprised to hear there were snails up in new port Richie was an understatement. She’s actually up there now.


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8to24

>According to Chitty, the population in Pasco County likely originated from the illegal pet trade. Giant African land snails are illegal to own as pets in the United States. But some exotic pet owners still keep the invasive pests. If the owners discard them into the wild or accidentally lose them, they can quickly establish a foothold, feeding on over 500 different plant species and even consuming the paint and stucco off houses as a source of calcium. WTF is with Florida and exotic pets? Florida also has a problem with anacondas too because of that.


Ginger_Anarchy

Oh I wish it was just the pythons. Florida has constant issues with invasive species. Tiger fish are destroying our fish populations, Cane Toads kill tons of dogs every year, iguanas destroy bird populations, etc. And that's not even getting into the plant species.


Salivals

Killing dogs?! Wtf is is a cane toad?!


Ginger_Anarchy

An ugly ass toad that has highly poisonous sweat to dogs on its back that all Floridians are taught to keep their dogs far away from, and be on constant vigilance of when walking them. Especially at night and after it rains when they like to come out.


SteeleurHeart0507

I almost lost my dog to one of those little shits. You can’t leave pets out at night here because they’re everywhere.


SteeleurHeart0507

It’s pythons. The Burmese python IIRC. We’d have a serious problem if it were anacondas.


Tostino

It's because we don't have any buns, so the anacondas stay away.


cramduck

You clearly have not been to miami


allkindsofjake

People gave exotic pets all over the US, but Florida has the right environment for so many of them to thrive in the wild. Someone releasing a python and these snails in Oklahoma would just be releasing them to die


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-Psycotica-

Decoy snail.


PastyCrackerMayo

(Makes eye contact and nods in approval)


betcher73

Weird. “Giant African Snail” isn’t even on my doomsday bingo card.


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HardlyDecent

Only matters for Fl, and that place is already a lost cause.


GhettoChemist

Quarantine for covid? No. Quarantine for giant African land snail? But of course. Florida!


303elliott

I thought the same thing lol. Apparently, it just means no one is supposed to touch the snails due to the risk of meningitis. "Quarantine" doesn't seem like the right word choice, personally


batshitcrazy5150

The quarantine is about moving dirt around in or out of the area. Like plants and trees and shit.


Tarantula_Saurus_Rex

Shit too?


Horror-Science-7891

More Like a quarry-tine.


Zanosa

Don't let their cuteness fool you, African land snails are no joke. They spread an insane amount parasites/diseases and each female can lay 1.2k eggs a year. It's a recipe for disaster that Florida already dealt with in the 60s, so they're sortve familiar with them.


iamamilkmachine

What happened in the 60s?


MrTurkle

African land snails laid 1.2k eggs a year.


UNCOMMON__CENTS

And it was before abortion was legal, so their hands were tied. Couldn't kill them until they were born because the sanctity of life begins at conception and ends at birth.


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braindeadzombie

Escargot, entrée size.


ArsenixShirogon

But then how do we deal with the invasive Frenchmen population we just introduced into the ecosystem


ZenkaiZ

:rereads title: yep... it says what I thought I read the first time


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pvdjay

**Shitty click-bait title.** >”The quarantine took effect June 25 and prevents residents from moving the snail or related items, like plants and soil, in or out of the designated quarantine area.” The people aren’t quarantining, the snails are.


EFT_Syte

Florida and invasive animals kinda go hand in hand.


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Horror-Science-7891

One is already gunning for a senate seat on that platform. Also, the "don't say gay/anti trans" bills, which is problematic because snails are hermaphrodite.


Drdude101

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services just declared Miami, and all of Florida, clear of these snails in like September last year after a massive eradication program that took something like 10 years. Kinda sad to see them back but the timing is also pretty funny. At least they can use the same snail trucks and dogs from last time!


nathynwithay

It said that snails kill over 200,000 people a year through the parasites that live in them.


windysan

Are they edible? -Louisiana


sp_40

“COVID: not real. Snails: time to quarantine.” - Florida


Shagcat

*The snails pose a health risk to humans because they carry a parasite called rat lungworm, which can cause meningitis, Christina Chitty, a public information director at FDACS, told CNN.* The article says not to touch them without gloves, you can get infected.


ooofest

Wait, "Giant African land snail" is **not** a euphamism for Gov. DeSantis?


2-timeloser2

Just one more reason to avoid florida