Good morning, Ms. Farrow,
I am writing to you as a concerned citizen and reptile hobbyist after having read the Baltimore Sun article about your proposed ban of a variety of reptiles, including snakes over 5 feet in length, caimans, crocodilians, and iguanas (except those between the length of 30" and 5 feet). As a proud owner of a captive bred juvenile corn snake, purchased this year at the Mid-Atlantic Reptile Show in Timonium, I am hoping to persuade you to reconsider a ban of these animals.
Ms. Farrow, as a resident of *******, MD, I am familiar with the troubles that urban residents can go through in finding the "perfect pet"- dogs require too much time outside, many people are allergic to cats, and birds are often too loud for the close quarters of an apartment, condo, or townhome. Reptiles, however, are very nearly the perfect city pet. They are quiet, they don't smell, don't require time outside, can often be housed easily in a small home or apartment, and if captive bred and well cared for, the chance of disease transmission is much less than the wide variety of mammalian pets available at stores today.
I was thus incredibly dissapointed to see that you intend to ban all snakes over 5 foot in adult length, while allowing individuals to apply for permits to keep 120 pound Vietnamese potbelly pigs! My corn snake will reach an adult length of 4-6 feet, and most Ball Pythons, another popular snake species, will max out around 6 feet in length, though slightly heavier than a corn snake. Both of these animals make excellent pets for first time reptile owners, and are readily available as captive bred specimens, with a relatively low risk of disease transfer. In addition, both species can easily be housed in 4 foot long aquariums or custom-cages, which fit quite nicely into most homes and apartments. While there are snake species available that grow to adult sizes of less than 5 feet, they are not as commonly available as the more popular corn snakes and ball pythons, and often the only way to obtain a specimen of a less common snake species is to purchase a wild caught animal, which increases the risk of disease transferance, along with reducing already struggling wild populations.
I understand the logic behind your iguana length window, and I hope that this will encourage people to adopt older iguanas as opposed to purchasing hatchlings without full knowlege of the lengths that adults can attain. However, large male iguanas have been known to grow to 6 feet, including tail, and I wonder what will become of these animals once they exceed the limit set by your department? It is exceedingly difficult to rehome large adult iguanas, as is evidenced by the number that are currently up for adoption through Mid-Atlantic Reptile Rescue and other local humane organizations. I believe it would be wise to increase the upper end of the limit to 6 feet, so that loving owners will not have to surrender a beloved pet simply because he has grown slightly larger than average for the species.
I hope that you will reconsider your decision to ban snakes over the length of 5 feet from Baltimore City limits, as snakes can and do make wonderful pets for apartment, condo and townhome dwellers. They are interesting to watch, quiet and, if well-cared for, have a relatively low risk of disease occurence. A person is much more likely to contract salmonella from the raw chicken they are preparing for dinner than from a well-cared for pet snake! I would support a permit process for so-called "giant snakes," such as boa constrictors and burmese pythons, as these are animals that should be available only to dedicated hobbyists who have taken the time to research their very specific needs and husbandry requirements. Captive bred corn snakes and ball pythons, however, are snakes that even novice reptile keepers can easily enjoy within the constraints of their home.
In conclusion, I hope that you will reconsider your ban of snakes and other reptiles in favor of a permit system similar to that described for pigeons and potbelly pigs, which will allow dedicated reptile enthusiasts the chance to experience new species while at the same time protecting city residents from poorly thought out impulse purchases. Thank you very much for your time, and I look forward to a reply from you on this matter.
This really sucks. Many people have over 50 snakes that are over 5ft in Baltimore.
