Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone. I'm doing a report for school on why exotics should be allowed as pets, but I've hit a roadblock. Almost all sites on the web are against their keeping. What are your opinions? Please respond ASAP.
Thanks Everyone
Herplover13

I think that SOME exotics make good pets. The real problem is inexperienced or stupid people getting in way over their heads, and giving the hobby a black eye. Pet stores in Portland readily sell Burmese Pythons, Reticulated Pythons, Red Tail Boas, etc. These snakes get well over 10 feet in length and are a danger to people if not treated properly. They are all large enough to eat a toddler, a pet, or any number of things we hold dear. To someone with experience and the ability to properly care for a large snake, lizard, or any other dangerous exotic, I think it's okay. Most people on this site will agree that in the right hands there is really no bad exotic. But to make them available to anyone who has the money is irresponsible in my opinion. Also, Portland has strict guidelines as to what you can and cannot have. Go to google and search for exotic animal restrictions in Multnomah County and you will see what you can and cannot have. Also, the list of okay hots, as seen in a thread below is kind of all over the place. You cannot own a boiga irregularis, or a brown tree snake, which is a rear fanged venomous snake, but you can own a black and white spitting cobra. I'm not sure that there is any rhyme or reason to it and it's clear that the people who wrote the laws had very little idea what they talking about. Anyways, good luck, Eric-