4 species of snakes banned in Texas & the US

The US announced a federal ban on four species of injurious snakes. Ostensibly this was done to protect the Florida Everglades, which some claim has become the home to hundreds of thousands of invasive Burmese Pythons. Before we get into why that claim is bogus, we’ll look at what this ban means, what snakes were banned, what snakes face a ban in the future, and what led us to this point today.

What does the snake ban mean?

Before the average snake keeper panics, let me be clear. This ban will in no way, shape, or form impact you. Unless…

• You move across state lines:
  If you own one of the four banned species of snakes, you will not be able to transport it, or its eggs across state lines once the ban goes into effect
• You plan to (re)patriate to the United States:
  Short and not-so-sweet fact is that once the ban becomes official, you will not be able to bring one of the four banned snakes into the United States. Anywhere.
• You had plans to begin breeding and selling these snakes:
  Since you can’t move these snakes or their eggs across state lines (or into the United States) you will lose most of your potential buyers.

The real impact of this ban will be shouldered by small business owners who breed, raise and sell these snakes for their livelihood. Some breeders have invested everything into these snakes. Time, money, blood, sweat, and even tears. With the stroke of a pen, this ban has wiped out hundreds if not thousands, of businesses across the United States. For as many businesses as it has destroyed, it has dramatically harmed many, many more.

Let’s look at this logically, and you draw your own conclusions –

Acme Snake Breeders (ASB)specializes in proving Burmese Python morphs. To produce a line of morphs unique in the snake world, they have invested tens of thousands of dollars in buying Burmese pythons from other breeders. They have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on climate-controlled facilities to ensure the snakes have an optimal environment. This money is spent with small businesses designing, manufacturing, and selling things like heat tape, caging, and thermostats. ASB also spends thousands of dollars a month buying food for the snakes from small businesses specializing in breeding and selling feeders.

Now instead of one business going under, consider that this ban will result in hundreds of businesses going under. While I don’t agree with some who claim the economic impact will be catastrophic, there is no doubt it will be huge. Particularly for the businesses and families directly impacted by the ban.

Some of you reading might wonder why ASB doesn’t just switch to breeding a species of snake that has not been banned. The problem is that they likely have very little money to invest in starting a new line of designer morphs using another species of snake. Remember, the market has just been torn out from under them due to this ban. The hundreds of thousands of dollars in inventory they were sitting on have become worthless from a business standpoint. After all, who will invest in a $10,000 snake when there is virtually no chance of selling the offspring to make any of that money back? In other words, they have all kinds of money tied up in inventory that they can no longer liquidate. Years of breeding and proving out genetics have just been flushed down the crapper all due to ignorance that allowed this ban to pass.

The banned snakes

The following four species of snakes were banned under this ruling:

• Burmese Pythons
• Yellow Anacondas
• Northern and Southern African Rock Python*

*Note that the African Rock Python is one species, with the Northern and Southern sub-species both being banned

Snakes that face an uncertain future

Originally the intent was to ban a total of 9 species of snake (pet snakes oppose s373). Due largely to the efforts of individuals and organizations such as US Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK) 5 the intended targets were removed from the list. However, it would be the very peak of ignorance to assume that those five species are safe from future efforts to ban them. The President and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States (Wayne Pacelle) have declared his organization’s displeasure that the ban on the four species included did not go far enough.

The Humane Society of the United States is disappointed that the Obama administration dramatically weakened an Interior Department proposal to list nine species of large constrictor snakes as “injurious” under the Lacey Act, which would prohibit importation and interstate movement of these deadly non-native snakes as pets…

“This rule was swallowed up in the federal bureaucracy for 22 months, and put through a political meat grinder, leaving us with a severely diminished final action,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS, which was one of dozens of groups pushing for the enactment of the original proposal. “We expect trade to shift to the species omitted from the trade ban, and we can only hope that the Interior Department takes a careful look and revisits the issue.”
HSUS comment on ban of only 4 species of snakes

Secretary Salazar has not ruled out the possible inclusion of more snakes in the future.

Salazar said his agency his “going after those species that present the greatest threat right now” and that five other species are being scrutinized scientifically and for the economic implications of banning those as well.
DOI: scrutinizing 5 more species of snakes

In addition to the Department of the Interior’s Salazar and the HSUS’s Pacelle, several so-called animal welfare and environmental special interest groups are not pleased with only four snake species being banned. In short, they all believe that the reptile industry in the United States has overestimated our value which caused the administration to err on the side of caution.

How we got to where we are

We didn’t reach this point by accident. This was a perfect storm of public outcry, political pandering, irresponsible ownership, and a flash point known as the Florida Everglades.

Initially, the public demand to ban these snakes was pretty weak. Sure, there were special interest groups who made a lot of noise, but this was an issue mainly under the radar of the general public. That all changed because two incidents occurred five months and 1100 miles apart. The first incident involved a chimpanzee named Travis, who attacked and severely maimed a woman in Connecticut. The second involved 2-year-old Floridian Shaunia Hare, who was killed by an eight-foot Burmese python improperly kept by her mother and step-father.

When Travis the chimp attacked Charla Nash, it put the owners of exotic animals in the spotlight. In typical knee-jerk fashion, the state of Connecticut not only decided to start enforcing a ban on private ownership of exotic animals that had been in place since 2003 but also made the law more restrictive. At this point, the general American public got a first-hand glimpse of how dangerous exotic animals could be when not properly cared for.

Later that same year, 2-year-old Shaunia Hare was killed by a Burmese python while she slept in her crib. It just happened to be that Senator Bill Nelson (D) of Florida was making another attempt to get a ban on large constrictor snakes enacted when this tragedy unfolded. And in true political fashion, Mr. Nelson seized the opportunity afforded him by the girl’s death.

 

It is no secret that groups like the Humane Society of the United States have deep pockets. Pockets with money that politicians and other organizations love to get their hands on. But no one will claim that the HSUS did this alone. Many groups came together to foist this ban on the American public. Primarily environmental and animal rights groups.

I would be remiss not to spend some time pointing the finger where it most needs pointing. Snake owners and breeders were more concerned with turning a profit than protecting their animals. The breeders sold large and potentially dangerous snakes to people who had no business keeping them. It was the owners who did not educate themselves on what was required to keep a 15-foot, 250-pound snake safe. The breeders didn’t spend a second of their time educating the buyer about what to expect. It was the owner who, after 18 to 24 months realized the 18-inch cute little worm was now upwards of 8 to 10 feet and overpowering grown men. The breeders flooded the market with these snakes to make a quick dollar. It was the breeders and the owners who, instead of euthanizing the snakes, turned them loose in the Everglades.

Clearly, the above does not apply to all breeders or all owners. It applies to a small minority of them, but the damage done has impacted everyone.

A call to action
This is so simple it shouldn’t even need to be said. Contact your Senators and congressmen/women and tell them why you oppose the ban. Remember, this is a ruling by the Interior Department, not an act of Congress. Yes, it is legally binding, and you do have to follow it, but you can mobilize your politicians to step in and end it.

Some other sites might construct a letter when contacting your representative or the President, but we won’t do that here. If you really want your voice counted, you will explain why you oppose this ban and how it affects you and your family on a personal level. You’ll make an emotional connection with your statement, and your representative will look at it differently. Remember, Senator Nelson of Florida wanted lawmakers to enact a ban. Still, when they didn’t, he circumvented the process by bringing the Department of the Interior into play. Return the favor and get the lawmakers involved once again.

Citations

Here are some citations of Texas law regarding snakes:

• Texas Health and Safety Code, Section 822.101: This section defines dangerous wild animals, including venomous snakes, and sets forth requirements for their ownership and care. It also prohibits the release of dangerous wild animals into the wild.
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, Chapter 43: This chapter regulates the possession, transportation, and sale of wildlife, including snakes. It requires permits for certain activities, such as possessing certain species of snakes and transporting wildlife across state lines.
• Texas Administrative Code, Title 31, Chapter 65: This chapter provides rules and regulations for the possession, sale, and exhibition of dangerous wild animals, including venomous snakes. It sets forth minimum standards for their housing, care, and handling.
• Texas Agriculture Code, Chapter 161: This chapter regulates the importation and possession of exotic animals, including some species of snakes. It requires permits for specific activities and sets forth their care and transportation requirements.

It’s important to note that specific regulations regarding snakes can vary depending on the species and location, so it’s always a good idea to consult the relevant statutes and regulations or seek the advice of a qualified legal professional or wildlife expert.

Here are some citations of federal laws regarding snakes:

• Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973: This law protects species listed as endangered or threatened under the Act, including some snakes. It prohibits taking, possessing, importing, exporting, and selling these species without a permit or exemption.
• Lacey Act of 1900: This law prohibits the import, export, sale, purchase, or transport of wildlife in violation of federal, state, or foreign laws, including some species of snakes. It also regulates the introduction and interstate transportation of certain wildlife, including some snake species.
• Captive Wildlife Safety Act (CWSA) of 2003: This law prohibits the interstate and foreign transport of big cats, non-human primates, and some species of bears, with limited exceptions, and also regulates the interstate transport of other dangerous exotic animals, including some species of snakes.
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): This international agreement regulates the international trade of certain species, including some snakes. It requires permits for importing and exporting these species and prohibits trade in certain specimens.

Again, it’s important to note that specific regulations regarding snakes can vary depending on the species and location, so it’s always a good idea to consult the relevant statutes and regulations or seek the advice of a qualified legal professional or wildlife expert.