It has always been my opinion that in a zoo setting your most seasoned keeper should be in charge of venemous. #2 or even #1B should be in charge of crocs. HOWEVER in a private setting I believe in a private setting these may flip flop. Because of the adult size and shear longevity of crocs only the most seasoned and committed of keepers should own these animals. Still if you are buying babies/hatchlings I guess venemous are still more dangerous. My point however is if your not a python person, perhaps you're not aware of the life and death struggle that python keepers are having right now with the FEDERAL govt. That's right FEDERAL govt. I'm not going to explain everything you would be much better served looking under the forum headings
herp laws/legal and you can read all you want. I encourage you to take the time to fill out a couple of generic email forms that will be forwarded to the appropriate parties. I know most of us probably started with snakes or lizards and then "graduated" to the ultimate reptile(lol) but just in case you have lost touch with your roots or you never were a snakeperson please lend your voice/support to this cause because they will be coming after you next.
These bills have gone before a couple of different committees in Congress and their reactions are scarey. Everything they know about big snakes they have read in USA Today or have seen on FOX News. When it comes to passing broadsweeping laws prohibiting the interstate transportation and commerce of pythons and boas there is no due diligence. There is no diligence at all.
They are shocked when they find out how many people own big snakes. They don't know why you have them, why you want them. All they know is you don't NEED them.
WAIT UNTIL THEY FIND OUT PEOPLE ARE KEEPING CROCODILES.
USARK says the python/boa industry is 3 BILLION dollars a year.
Guess what? Congress doesn't care. With the economy in the toilet they are still willing to flush an additional 3 billion down with it. There is no croc industry there are not enough people keeping enough animals to make any kind of economic impact. Obviously true leather producing gator farms would be exempted from this.
If the Animal Rights groups can convince Congress that little Joey doesn't need a "dangerous" and potentially invasive species like the ball python what shot do you have of keeping your Morelets croc. Or for that matter your Gila or Timber rattler.
AR groups are taking on the most lucrative group in the reptile keeper world. If they stop the boa/python people all the other reptile groups will fall like dominos.
One last thing I had a festival I had done for 3 years in a row. A good, big, popular festival. The 4th year the management said their insurance provider wanted me to have infectious disease insurance. My policy is already 2 million dollar libility.
Lloyds of London had this infect. dis. policy for 3 days it would be $800.00
We decided not to let the public touch the animals.
Leopard geckos or tortoises I don't care what you keep, your ability to keep it is in jeopardy.
Do something about it. D.C.

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