NEWS

Don't plan to have boa constrictors as pets

Amy Neff Roth

aroth@uticaod.com

Mark DiOrio / Observer-Dispatch Carla Combs, originally from North Carolina, has had pet snakes since she was 14-years-old, and currently has 17 snakes in total. Combs interacts with Faide, a Dumeril's ground boa she owns, Oct. 28, 2014, in Rome, N.Y. "They're one of the most misunderstood animals there is because of the lack of education about them," said Combs about snakes. "Who can speak for them other than the people who raise them?" said Combs.

Carla Combs lives with 17 snakes, including three boa constrictors, and a deaf cat on 10 acres in Rome.

“Boas are fantastic pets,” said Combs, who got her first snake 53 years ago. “They’re very social animals. It’s like any animal you own; it depends on the time you’re willing to invest.”

But boa constrictors soon could be a pet of the past in New York.

“Based on several incidents in New York state, the surrounding states, the U.S. and abroad, DEC is evaluating the issues involving animals and humans and potential threats of these animals to public health and safety,” Lori Severino, spokeswoman for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, wrote in an e-mail. “DEC is reviewing literature and consulting with experts in the field.”

Severino did not mention any species, but minutes from a May 12 state Conservation Fund Advisory Board meeting mention the snake species “Boidae” as a possible addition to dangerous wildlife regulations that already ban lions, raccoon dogs, wolves and coyotes as pets.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also is considering adding boa constrictors to the list of wildlife that cannot be imported or transported across state lines.

The Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals oppose boa constrictors as pets.

“The vast majority of people who keep exotic animals are not able to meet their needs, so the animals often become the victims of abuse and neglect,” said Bill Kertzer, senior director of ASPCA Government Relations for the Northeast Region.

If these animals escape or are set loose, they then pose a threat to people, pets and the environment, he said.

But some smaller subspecies of boas pose little risk to humans, said Harry Greene, a herpetologist and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Cornell University.

And dogs can also turn deadly, too, he said.

“I think, just like dogs, the onus is all on us,” Greene said.” If someone is hurt by a boa constrictor or by a yellow lab, I think it’s the owner’s responsibility ultimately.”

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