That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information

I’ve just received some reasonably good news concerning Senate Bill 373, which as originally proposed would have banned the ownership of all pythons (even ball pythons) and many other constrictors.  Due to the overwhelming response by snake enthusiasts and the pet industry, the bill has been modified to include only Green and Yellow Anacondas, Burmese, Reticulated and African Pythons and Boa constrictor.  I and the staff at ThatPetPlace would like to thank everyone who read our recent article on Senate Bill 373 and took action.  It’s gratifying to have had such interest from my readers, and to see that concerned, responsible people can make a difference.

More Help Needed

There is still some work left to do, so I again must ask for your assistance.  Perhaps there is room for improvement – setting up a licensing system for responsible herptoculturists, for example, so that they can continue to work with Boa constrictors. 

The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PJAC) has set up a very simple and quick means for you to contact legislators and register your opinion here.  An informative video with detailed information is posted here.

You can also learn more and take action through The National Python and Boa Ban Information Center and The United States Association of Reptile Keepers.

Once again we need to ask your help in opposing a poorly-researched effort to limit the responsible ownership of any and all pythons, including harmless species and those which have benefitted from the captive breeding efforts of hobbyists.

Senate Bill 373, which is up for consideration on this Thursday, December 3, 2009, seeks to prohibit the ownership of all snakes within the genus Python by classifying them as “injurious wildlife” under the Lacey Act.  The lack of foresight and scientific research that resulted in ball pythons being considered to be equally threatening to the environment as Burmese pythons is obvious.

In July of this year, the overwhelming response of reptile owners and the pet industry was instrumental in limiting the scope of a similar bill, HR 2811, to Burmese and African rock pythons only.  Our experience with that bill shows very clearly that our involvement in government action is critical, and that the system does work – but only if we participate in a timely manner.

It is critical that we act right now, as the Senate vote on this bill will be taken in 2 days – December 3, 2009.

The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council has set up a simple method for you to register your opinion with the Senate here.  You can read more about the scope of the bill there as well.  Please take action now – we changed the future of our hobby and, in many cases, our professions, in July, and we can again.

For more valuable information concerning reptile hobbyists, you can also visit the US Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK).