Snakes vs The United States

Do you hate snakes?  The United States does.  Several attempts have been made by the U.S government, some successfully, to restrict or outlaw ownership, trade, sale, or interstate transport of snakes.  The earlier post about the current legal contest in the state of Ohio is one example of this.  Part of the problem stems from the fact that Florida is in the midst of a Burmese Python epidemic.  There are an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 Burmese Pythons in the 1.5 million acres of land that comprises the Florida Everglades, many of which are thought to be descendants of a flood of baby snakes released from a research facility that was destroyed when Hurricane Andrew ripped through the state in 1992.

With the death of the Florida toddler in 2009, (see previous post, The Snakey Story Returns!) officials have been eager to crack down on reptile ownership in the state and across the country.  Snakes are commonly misconstrued as wanting nothing more than to suffocate and swallow small children, other pets, and even adult humans.  However, incidents like the one in Florida are rare and usually occur because the owner was negligent in caring for the animal, or mistreated the poor thing, causing it to act in an unnatural manner.  One thing you should realize as a snake enthusiast or someone that is just learning about them and is possibly intrigued by the controversy is that if the United States government gets its way, it will be a felony to own or sell any type of constrictor, be it the small Children’s Python, the notoriously large Burmese or Reticulated Pythons, the Colombian Red Tailed Boa or your relaxed little Ball Python.  

The government believes that snakes are dangerous to their owners and small children, and generally bad pets because of a few isolated incidents and widespread misconceptions. It is a shame that the livelihood of so many is being threatened.  Everybody from the guy with one snake to the woman down the street that runs a small breeding operation out of her spare bedroom would be considered a criminal if the anti-snake movement got its way.

Next time you visit a pet store, take a peek at the reptile section.  Pay close attention to those beautiful little snakes you see.  Millions of snakes like them could be in danger of being euthanized if these laws are passed and hundreds of people will be without jobs.  Hopefully, the reptile industry can fight back and squash yet another attempt by others to destroy something they fear and do not understand.