There have been many laws and petitions circulating around the world to ban and/or prevent the ownership of reptiles of many different, if not all types.  This petition is being circulated to show the truth about reptiles and their ownership.  

 

First off, the dangers.  Most reptile owners will not own a venemous animal, so to be scared of a snake bite for venom reasons is absurd.  Yes, a snake bite will hurt, but so will the bite of a 2 year old child...and the 2 year old child will hurt worse. 

So, people think that snakes should not be owned because they bite..well, everything with a mouth bites.  Statistically speaking, there are more bites from pet dogs than there are from pet snakes every year.

 

Second, the pet snakes will escape and eat people and/or other pet animals.  If the pet snake is properly taken care of and fed, then the snake will have no desire to try to eat something that is not normal for them to eat.  Also, a snake will not eat anything that is bigger in girth than it is.  Snakes are programed to eat certain things, and humans and cats/dogs are not among them...if they are starving, and they are giant, then yes, they may eat a cat or dog.  The python that killed the little girl, it was probably starving, and was not housed properly.  Proper owners house their snakes in proper enclosures, so they cannot escape.

Third, snakes in the wild.  The majority of "pet" snakes cannot survive in the wild.  They have been hand fed their whole life and do not know how to hunt, and most of the weather in the United States will not support the "exotic" reptiles.  The bloom of large and giant reptiles in the Everglades in Florida was caused by a hurricane decimating breeding facilities, not from irresponsible owners.

To compare snakes to other "furry" pets.

Dogs: have to feed daily, sheds hair constantly, has dandruff, catches fleas, has to be kenneled if owners go on vacation, smells, leaves large droppings in yards, has to have lots of care, bites, and can attack, kill, and hurt an adult human. has to be vaccinated, high maintenance and vet bills. Noisy.

Cats: Have to feed daily, sheds constantly, has dander, catches fleas, has to be kenneled, scratches, bites, has to be vaccinated, high maintenance and vet bills. Can be noisy.

Snakes: have to feed 1 time a week or 2 weeks (depending on snake), quiet, sheds 1x per month and is clean, poops 1 time a week or 2 weeks (depending on feeding), does not scratch, does not smell if taken care of, low maintenance, allergy free, no vaccinations required unless becomes sick.

There are many cats and dogs running feral in the USA, there is a major push for spaying and neutering, and the animal shelters are full to overflowing with these animals, with more on the streets.  There are many cats and dogs being euthanized daily because of no space in the shelters. Now compare that to reptiles..there are none in the shelters, they are only rampant in the everglades as they cannot survive elsewhere, and they are cared for lovingly.

 

Dogs/Cats - short lifespans of 7-15 years

Snakes - long lifespans of 20-30 years

 

Dogs/Cats - can be a nuisance, loud, scratches, bites, and the incidences of fatal dog bites in 1 year are higher than the incidences of ALL snake bites/injuries in 30 years, even comparing the differences in ownership.

It does not make since to ban an animal because of a fear of that animal.  Just because people want to jump to conclusions and not study a specific type of pet, does not mean that that pet should be banned. 

Reptile owners are not "sick and twisted", we do not "feed kittens to snakes".  We are highly selective in what we feed our reptiles, and we spend a large sum of money to make sure that they are in an environment that they will be comfortable in their whole lives.

 

Please do not take our right to own an animal we love away, because of the few people with unseated fears about them.