Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The Proposed python ban S373 was introduces by Senator Bill Nelson a Democrat from Florida. He is proposing the constrictor snake of the species Python Genera be put on the Lacy act. The Lacy act would prohibit Pythons from being imported, exported, and state line trade.

Now my thoughts on this subject. Nothing against you larger python owners. However I completely agree that Burmese, Rock, and reticulated pythons should be banned. I have nothing against larger snakes but I feel the average herp keeper can not care or have the room for such a large powerful snake. They are so powerful you really need a very secure enclosure and more than one person to handle them.

These Larger Pythons especially Burmese pythons seem to be the center of attention when it comes to these proposals and bans. The problems in the everglades of Florida and the cases of children being attacked. Also these larger Burmese are quit low in cost. Just 5 years ago I could go to the pet store with no education on the snake and 50 bucks in my pocket and walk out with a little 18” Burmese python. Little did these uneducated people know they were picking up a snake that in 2 years was reaching 8 to 10 feet. Then it got to the point they didn’t know what to do with such a large snake. We as herp enthusiast need to educate our selves before purchasing these wonderful reptiles. That being said I fully agree with the banning of Burmese, Rock and reticulated pythons.

You can call me biased because I own Ball Pythons. However I do not agree that the species python as a whole should be put in the ban or wind up on the lacy act. Our economy is struggling right now everyone knows that the herp community as a whole employs thousands of people and brings in significant revenue. While not all revenue is from ball pythons a very large percent is. Ball pythons have always been recognized as a good starter pet for any educated herp enthusiast. There small size and for the most part docile disposition has been there trademark for years. They are a shy python that would prefer to ball up then strike out of fear.

The breeding of ball pythons have brought us many beautiful morphs that we have all grow to appreciate and love. Ball pythons are enjoyed by many herp keepers and gives us the canvas to many of our ideas they are a form of art work through there beauty. We must keep breeding them in captivity to keep them from being imported from wild at a higher rate. Many of the worlds largest Ball python breeders call the US home and with them being banned we could see the number of Wild Ball pythons declining do to the demand to the rest of the world were in most cases don’t have a ban on pythons.

Ball pythons are enjoyed by a huge percent of the herp community and now they want to rid us of them. Ball pythons have earned a name for themselves because of there size and great disposition. Now they want to throw them in the same group with Burmese and other larger pythons. What happened to the little girl in Florida is tragic. At the same time though you can’t blame the snake. The owner of the snake is responsible for maintaining, caring for and making sure this large python is properly enclosed. He didn’t even have a permit to own the snake in the first place so they want to punish us for one uneducated guy not fallowing the law.

We as herp owners have to respect what these reptiles are capable of. These large snakes are not getting loose then killing for the thrill of it. They are a predator this is what they know how they survive. They seek out prey, constrict then consume.

In my opinion there is so much out there that is way more harmful to me than my snakes. Take this in consideration I’m guessing that half the US population owns a pet dog. Do me a favor Google snake attacks resulting in death you will find the same few stories over and over. Yes tragic but it has happened and it unfortunate there are irresponsible owners out there. Now Google dog attacks resulting in death and the list is endless you can read all day about dogs that have killed children. I read one story about a 3 month old lab puppy that killed a baby. A PUPPY! However we are not hearing people trying to ban us from owning dogs.

The herp industry is being frowned upon by uneducated people who don’t understand or care to understand these amazing animals. We need to ban together and fight this off. Stay out of the headlines, be responsible for what you own. Respect these animals and understand what they can be capable of.

In closing I would like to say this is my hobby I have grown to love more and more each day. It is unfortunate it seems we have to fight on a daily basis to continue to enjoy our hobby our passion. When this bill goes away if it does there will be another right behind it and we will have to stand together again. I enjoy the snakes I have and this is my passion, who I am and I will stand by that tell the day I die as would anyone in there own hobby they have a passion for. We just have to fight to enjoy ours they don’t. Fighting for what we love makes us stronger as a communities . The Herp communities voice will be heard but not without your help.

This is somthing I wrote up to just spread around. I plan on posting a video on youtube as well. check out youtube.com/jagsballpythons

And help to drive a wedge into the reptile community during a time when we need to be standing together. You're thinking short term, and that's a mistake I keep seeing people make. Yes, a lot of people can't properly keep the giant snakes, and it horrifies me when anyone with 20 bucks and admission to a herp show can buy a baby burm, but that doesn't mean we should throw the giant keepers under the bus to save our own hides. There are people that CAN properly keep them, and to punish them because of the acts of others is wrong. We need to regulate ourselves better, not turn on each other. And if you think people would stop at just the giant snakes, you're sadly mistaken. There are people who don't want you to have any reptiles at all. So when you alienate the people who keep the big snakes, and two years from now some new legislation comes through for more snakes, including balls, do you think those people are going to write any letters or make any calls? Everyone that kept those big snakes is going to tell you you're on your own. and then maybe the people that keep geckos and turtles say "well, if we give them the snakes, they'll leave us alone". A few years later, someone starts some BS about salmonella from reptiles, and now the snake people aren't going to help those people. Think further ahead than right now. We as a community need to look past the crap of who keeps what and just say we're all herpers, and we need to stick together and fight unjustifiable legislation.

Your post is going to do more harm then good. You may think the large pythons should be illegal. Guess what? There are those that think your ball pythons should be illegal. If you try to make a line in the sand saying, "these are bad and these are good", EVERYTHING will wind up on the bad side eventually. You advocating the prohibition of burms, retics, afrocks, condas, is doing nothing but throwing them under the bus so you feel like your ball pythons will be safe. I would strongly recommend against further posting and uploading a youtube video.

Imagine, if you will, a time in the future when the large pythons are illegal. Pretty soon, leopard gecko owners will be saying, "our animals are cute, they have legs and stubby fat tails. The real problem is the boas and ball pythons. They're snakes and nobody likes snakes. Also, they have the chance to bite, not like my cute little leopard geckos. Let's ban balls and boas because they're the real problem". Does that sound like the right thing to do? Is it really helpful to the reptile community to openly encourage the banning of one species while making others ok (only for the time being, I might add)?

The fact is, once one species goes it's only going to be a matter of time before another one goes. And before you know it, reptile keepers will be a thing of that past.

QUOTE FROM OP:
"In my opinion there is so much out there that is way more harmful to me than my snakes. Take this in consideration I’m guessing that half the US population owns a pet dog. Do me a favor Google snake attacks resulting in death you will find the same few stories over and over. Yes tragic but it has happened and it unfortunate there are irresponsible owners out there. Now Google dog attacks resulting in death and the list is endless you can read all day about dogs that have killed children. I read one story about a 3 month old lab puppy that killed a baby. A PUPPY! However we are not hearing people trying to ban us from owning dogs.

The herp industry is being frowned upon by uneducated people who don’t understand or care to understand these amazing animals. We need to ban together and fight this off. Stay out of the headlines, be responsible for what you own. Respect these animals and understand what they can be capable of."

My response:
So your solution is to say, "ok, snakes and dogs have the exact same potential for harm. Even though it makes no sense whatsoever, take it, make them illegal. Just as long as I can keep my pretty ball python morphs."

I'm sorry. But that is beyond reproach. It is incredibly nearsighted, and naive of you to believe that that train of thought will lead to a constructive future of the reptile hobby. All it will do is amputate, disfigure, and cripple our hobby, making it easier and more prone to attack than ever.

To truly ban together means all ball python owners, all large python owners, all boa owners, all tortoise, gecko, iguana owners, all HERP owners to ban together and fight for EVERYONE'S rights to own the animals that THEY LOVE.

British Columbia is banning dart frogs. DART FROGS!!?!?!?! Any dart frog enthusiast knows that dart frogs, even the most poisonous of them, have zero ZERO toxicity in captivity. But they are going to ban them anyways. Don't sit and think for one second that if you let burms and retics become illegal that your snakes will be safe. If something as idiotic as dart frogs being prohibited can occur, then your snakes are in danger too. The only solution is to fight any regulations every single step of the way.

This is my opinion not throwing anyone under the bus. I just beleive there is not need to own such large snakes. Say what you will its my opinion. Im not the only one fighting for this ban to go back to stating burmese pythons instead of pythons as a whole. The original proposel was for burmese pythons and now it was changed to pythons as a whole. Im compromising cause I understand the problem in Florida yes it should be taking care on a state by state stance but there not doing that.

You're being incredibly thick-headed in your stance. If you think a "compromise" of banning burms is going to help keep your precious balls legal, think again. It will only be a matter of time before your pets are next.

Have you ever had a burm? Have you ever held one? Have you ever held a large snake period? Your narrowminded, divisive, and supremely uneducated opinion is worthless otherwise.

I have owned one yes so I have held one. Im being more opened minded now and understand were u are all coming from. If there is a way to delete this thread please do I will re word and work out a new letter that is friendly for the whole herp community

ANY snake. We could live without any pets at all, although it would be a far poorer existence, in my opinion. It is true that the "average" person is not equipped to house and handle a large python. But if we are going to ban everything that could possibly be in the slightest bit dangerous if in the hands of the "average" person, then we better get used to a WHOLE LOT of bans! And if we decide to let the majority to decide what every citizen "needs" to own, then prepare to stick with just dogs and cats. Who will draw that line, and where will it be drawn?

Regulation of potentially dangerous possessions (such as cars, venomous or giant snakes, and large dogs, etc) is one thing. Florida already regulates such reptiles, and every other state can do the same, if they feel the need. A complete ban is a totally different thing. The ban on imports of Burmese only, but regulation of the c.b. trade in "big" snakes proposed by USARK seems like a reasonable compromise that has a chance of winning most of what we want, and giving Nelson most of what he SAYS he wants (whether true or not). But complete bans on anything rarely seem to work. Sure hasn't stopped the drug trade so far.