I had originally heard that it was for only large snakes like burms and olive pythons and anacondas, but then this came out and said the opposite...still, I think the annual fee is a bit excessive. Yes, I agree that new owners should be required to prove they know how large the baby animal they are buying gets, and what their living and feeding requirements are...and that they should probably be microchipped...but the fee bothers me. You're already paying for a permit, and for the animal, and for the microchip, and for food...why the fee?