They're great. It is sad, but I'm not surprised by it at all. The way I see it for every responsible keeper you see, there are probably about five more out there doing everything completely wrong. And those are the people that the public and the media often come in contact with. That applies to all reptiles, it seems that most people buy a snake because they think it's cool (and they are) but aren't interested in committing the time it takes to actually learn to keep it properly or safely, especially with big snakes. They're not for everyone.

Even myself, I bought this snake on my 14th birthday. Very quickly realized what a commitment it would be. I've learned a lot along the way and eight years later he's still with me, and I plan to have him until the day he dies.