I get to write a research paper.

[The Serpent Merchant]

5-7 pages seems like an awfully big space to fill with what is, essentially, a two or three paragraph argument.

Also, your topic is rather abstract for the average person. Might be like you trying to read a paper from a hair stylist explaining why they prefer braids instead of pony tails. 5-7 pages of that would make your eyes cross and fall out of your head because it wouldn't mean anything to you.

You might need to reconsider your topic. Maybe discuss WHY people are drawn to reptiles as pets and snakes in particular. What makes them good pets? You can incorporate some basic husbandry discussions and still keep the paper relevant and interesting to your reader. Even if they wouldn't personally want to keep a pet snake, almost anyone is curious about WHY others do so.

This plus you will find it extremely difficult to find scholarly sources to back your positions up.