Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am currently a student at a university in Chicago and my final is a research paper. My topic is "why private owners should be permitted to house exotic pets." I need enough information to support an 8 page paper. Any ideas, information, books, articles, etc. would be appreciated. Thank you!

I am in your neck of the woods (Lake Forest...35 miles north of Chicago). As a curator of a wildlife center that features many exotic (and abandoned) reptiles, my feelings are mixed. First and foremost, I would never classify burmese pythons as "pets" in the pure sense. These are wild animals and we merely serve as caretakers of these wild animals. Should people be allowed to keep giant snakes? Yes, BUT, only if done responsibly. This means that a large constrictor should be kept in a LOCKED cage inside a LOCKED ROOM that has been properly secured; anything less, in my opinion, is absolutely irresponsible in my opinion. People who keep large constrictors should practice responsible husbandry practices. Most folks, particularly when I read this forum, grossly underestimate the strenght of these animals. But to get back to your question, why should private individuals be allowed to keep large constrictors.

If kept responsibly, here are a few of my reasons off the top of my head (email me and I am sure I can come up with much bettter):

- private individuals are allowed to legally keep guns with teh appropriate permit. Guns kills far more people than large constrictors (even if you look at percentages).

- many more people are attacked and killed by domestic dogs than large constrictors; there are relatively few recorded deaths of large constrictors and those typically came from irresponsible (or uneducated) owners.

- horses pose far more of a threat to an owner than a burm (according to statistics).

So should anyone be allowed to keep a burmese python? NO WAY. In fact, most are not qualified but for those who do have the ability and resourced to responsibly keep them, they should be allowed to do so legally. I tend to lean towards individuals who use their animals for education; that is a good reason to keep a large constrictor (a bad reason is to think you are cool parading down the sidewalk with your pet burm; these people shouldn't even own a goldfish). Although I work for a government (as curator of a wildlife center), I feel that private individuals have had their rights severely hampered by local, state and federal authorities. But within these organizations, there are some very good people trying to change the way things have been done. Unfortunately, every time you read about some moron doing something stupid about his/her "pet" burmese python, it is another nail on the coffin in what I feel will be a future ban on just about any snake over 6'; really sad.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

Thank you. I appreciate your information. I have looked into a few of these ideas and agree. I do understand that there should be regulations on who owns certain exotics. I could not agree more. In writing my paper I had to keep my thesis broad, but I will go into further detail of careless people and obtaining permits or regulations instead of banning them altogether. However, I also note that you will always find people who abuse their pets, heck, even their own wives and children for that matter, therefore it is innevitable. I do not spend a lot of time on this for the pure fact that all of the above is just unethical, so I do appreciate your comments of not just everyone should be allowed to own. Understandably! If it's alright, I may quote you in my paper. You touch on many of the issues I am addressing and share the same views. Thank you!

I forgot to mention that in other forums for you Kasey...the word "pet" is a sticky term that should be elimimated almost in full of the snake keeping hobby. I think everyone should legally be able to keep a burmese python but I also believe it should be the resposibilty of the dealer to decide that. Possibly the dealers should face some kind of charge if they sell to a person who acts irresposibly and causes and injury or death with their python. Like I stated many times before.

While your paper is on exotic pets...use that as your topic so your audience can relate, but focus somewhat I making sure the term "pet" is used loosly and is only for convenience sake.

Okay, I will keep that in mind. When I send you my paper you can decide whether I should elaborate more, or take out pet entirely. I do not use pet in my thesis and only use it in my paper when comparing dogs to different exotics. Thanks!

Klou is my little sister and she knows fully the difference in responsibilty and what can be considered a pet. I have been helping her with this paper for a little while and I told her to get help in here. For the reason that I hoped people like you would respond. I feel that while the responsibility is huge, the bans will only hurt the most dedicated people. I keep quite a few snakes (including anacondas, african rocks, etc.) and they are locked in secure enclosures. I also spend time taking in and relocating larger snakes in the area which people are not willing to care for. I am also the president (and founder) of the local herp society (which is booming with interest and I know about how many people are keeping these snakes). From this I (and the club) promote responsible keeping. With this said, I am still at risk of loosing animals if in fact someone wanted to turn me in because they do not feel comfortable with snakes next door. Luckily for me, I am a pretty smoothe talker and I talk a lot so I make sure all of my neighbors who have heard I have reptiles will see my enclosures and level of commitment. Thank you for your time responding to her as well.