THE INDEPENDENT (Dublin, Ireland) 18 August 07 Snakes alive! Where is St Patrick when we need him
The fastest growing sector of the domestic pet market worldwide is actually the cold-blooded reptile.
From the kind of easy-keeper starter reptiles like corn snakes and bearded dragons, right up to boa constrictors and anacondas, these crawlers and slitherers have gone from niche interest to cult status.
Originally sought after mainly by disaffected Goth teens and Ozzie Osbourne wannabes, reptiles are now hugely popular with everyone from doctors to business tycoons, and not a few gardai, according to Ben Lyons of Reptile Haven in Temple Bar.
Money of course is a factor - there's more of it around, and those who have it are looking for creative ways to splurge.
Then there's the old argument about smaller living spaces and less leisure time - these creatures are fairly self-sufficient and don't need space to roam.
Anacondas start at about €250, boa constrictors around €120; however, the USA currently has a thriving herpetoculture scene, and the vogue there is for increased and unusual colours, such as emerald green.
Discerning collectors will pay up to $100,000 for some of the more extreme colour forms, and the trend is catching on here, according to Lyons.
http://www.independent.ie/business/world/snakes-alive-where-is-st-patrick-when-we-need-him-1061660.html
