Dear Senator,

I hope you are well. I am not so well this evening due to your desire to instate this particular bill. I hope that you have the time to read, because it's important that you understand the ramifications of a bill such as this.

Over the past twenty plus years the exotics industry has begun to grow a great deal. Breeders now produce captive bred and hatched animals, and the removal of these animals from the wild has been reduced. MOST of these breeders are well-respected in the herpetological community, and they are looked to for important information and good husbandry practices. However; just as it is with any animal breeding world, there are those out there that have given this industry a bad name.

Before you look to the breeders, first you must look at your pet stores, such as PETCO and PETSMART. Their husbandry is sub par, their animals normally have mites, respiratory infections, etc. The lives of these animals is left in the hands of uneducated high school kids who don’t know an under tank heater from a pair of hemostats. Before you punish men and women who base their entire existence upon selling these animals, look to your large corporations for their lack of information given to their customers.

There are hundreds of reptile breeders, who specifically deal with the larger boids and pythons. The families boidae and pythonidae contain many species and sub species that do not reach lengths of more than ten feet. If your bill encompasses JUST pythons, as opposed to those reptiles that could potentially be detrimental to the environment, you ostracize a great deal of your constituents. Ball pythons, for example, usually do not top lengths of six feet, they’re non-aggressive, and are wonderful beginner pets for people who enjoy reptiles and may be allergic to cats and/or dogs.

My suggestion to you, and I believe this is already the case, is to pass legislation that requires a permit for any snake in the boidae and pythonidae families that reach in excess of 10 or more feet. In addition to that, you could pass legislation that would require ALL pet stores to give full disclosure of information on these larger snakes.

In reference to Interstate Transport: Before you ban Interstate Transport, think about the many, many lives you’d be putting into jeopardy by doing so. Breeders travel to multiple reptile exposés to make a living and continue spreading the respect and good husbandry of these animals. We’re already in the middle of an economic crisis; why try and tote an irrational piece of legislation that would ruin lives when you can just as easily save lives, both human and reptile.

Senator, I implore you to rethink your action. You could offer so much more than fear and adolescent response. You could save the environment you wish to save, animals that need to be saved, and be seen as a respectable man. Please do not follow your party’s current line of fear and panic. Be reasonable, and you can find many more doors open for you that way.

Thank you for reading,

Melanie Ryan Seals