In recent years, exotic pets have become a new favorite among pet owners. 2025 is the Year of the Snake in traditional Chinese culture, and many young people are keeping cold-blooded and mysterious snakes as pet companions, calling themselves "snake friends".
The No. 1 Central Document of 2023 included "exotic pets" for the first time, proposing to severely crack down on the illegal introduction of alien species, implement a major campaign to prevent and control invasive species, and strengthen the standardized management of the trade and release of "exotic pets".
Which pet snakes are considered invasive species? What impact will pet snakes have on the ecological environment if they escape into the wild? On the occasion of the Lunar New Year of the Snake, Guangming.com interviewed Sun Xiao, an expert in invasive ecology and professor at the School of Life Sciences, Henan University.
Among pet snakes, many are invasive species, such as the Burmese python and the African rock python. Although they are all snakes, pet snakes differ greatly from ordinary snakes in the wild in terms of food acquisition, habitat, and activity patterns.
As one of the representatives of "exotic pets", which of the following are considered invasive species?
Sun Xiao: Among pet snakes, there are several invasive species that require attention. For example, the Burmese python, native to Southeast Asia, is an extremely large snake, reaching 4 to 7 meters in length as an adult. In its natural environment, it inhabits tropical and subtropical rainforests, grasslands, and swamps. When introduced into non-native environments, it becomes an invasive species.
There is also the African rock python, which comes from sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest snake in Africa, reaching a length of about 6 meters. It can survive in diverse environments such as grasslands, semi-deserts, and rocky mountains.
What are the differences in habits and characteristics between snakes kept as pets and ordinary snakes?
Sun Xiao: There are still many differences in habits between pet snakes and ordinary snakes.
Firstly, in terms of food acquisition, pet snakes mainly rely on their owners to feed them, usually with food sources such as mice and pinkies. Ordinary snakes, on the other hand, must hunt for themselves in their natural environment, using their senses, such as heat and smell, to find prey.
Their habitats also differ greatly. Pet snakes live in artificial environments, which are artificially created to simulate natural environments. The enclosures are equipped with heating lamps, thermometers, and other devices to control temperature and humidity. Ordinary snakes, on the other hand, live in natural environments and choose their habitats according to their species. They also adjust their habitats according to seasonal changes; many snakes hibernate in burrows during the winter.
Their activity patterns also differ. The activity of pet snakes is influenced to some extent by their owner's feeding habits. They are more active when the temperature is suitable and after eating. The activity of common snakes is mainly related to their natural environment, as they are cold-blooded animals. In winter, most common snakes hibernate to reduce energy consumption.
Before becoming owners of exotic pets, enthusiasts need to do their homework. When purchasing or keeping a pet snake, it's essential to understand relevant laws and regulations to ensure the pet's legality, choose reputable purchasing channels, and learn about the snake's habits in advance to create a suitable living environment for it.
What should exotic pet enthusiasts pay attention to when raising or buying pet snakes?
Sun Xiao: First and foremost is legality. Exotic pet enthusiasts must understand the relevant laws and regulations to ensure that the snakes they want to buy and keep are not nationally protected animals or invasive species prohibited from being privately kept. At the same time, there are also strict control regulations for some invasive species that may cause serious damage to the local ecosystem.
In addition, be extremely cautious about where you buy snakes. Always choose reputable and qualified pet stores or breeding farms. These legitimate channels can provide healthy, properly bred snakes and usually have complete traceability records. Avoid buying from illegal wildlife traffickers, as these snakes may have been illegally captured from the wild, which not only harms wild snake populations but may also carry large numbers of unknown parasites and diseases.
For keepers, understanding snake habits is key to keeping snakes. Different species of snakes have different living habits, and enthusiasts should learn in advance about the snake's suitable temperature, humidity, food type, and feeding frequency.
At the same time, it is necessary to create a suitable living environment for the snake in advance. If it is an arboreal snake, provide enough branches, vines and other climbing materials in the enclosure; for terrestrial snakes, provide suitable substrate such as wood chips and coconut fiber, and ensure that the enclosure is clean and hygienic, regularly change the substrate and clean the enclosure to prevent bacterial growth.
Another crucial point is safety. Even non-venomous snakes can bite if startled. For venomous snakes, even stricter safety precautions are necessary. The enclosure should have secure and reliable latches to prevent the snake from escaping. When handling snakes, it's best to use professional tools, such as snake hooks, and wear protective gloves and other appropriate equipment.
Although labeled as "pets," pet snakes, if they escape into the wild, could disrupt local biodiversity and even alter the food chain. Furthermore, some pet snakes carrying pathogens could pose a threat to human health.
What impact would a pet snake have on my country's ecological environment if it escaped into the wild?
Sun Xiao: If pet snakes escape into the wild, they will have many serious impacts on my country's ecological environment.
From a biodiversity perspective, the introduction of exotic pet snake species into my country's natural environment can disrupt the existing ecological balance. These exotic snakes may compete with native species for food resources. Taking small mammals as an example, native snakes and some predators have established relatively stable predator-prey relationships. However, after escaping, exotic pet snakes may use their predatory advantages to steal resources from small mammals such as voles and rabbits, leading to a reduction in food for native predators and posing a challenge to their survival.
From a food chain perspective, a large number of escaped pet snakes can alter the food chain structure. For example, some pet snakes are medium to large predators that prey on birds, frogs, and other animals. This can lead to a decline in the populations of these prey animals, which in turn affects other organisms that feed on them, disrupting the energy flow and material cycle of the entire ecosystem.
Furthermore, some pet snakes may carry pathogens. When they escape into the wild, these pathogens can spread to native snakes or other animals. For example, with snake herpesviruses, exotic pet snakes may have some tolerance to them, but if native snakes are infected, there could be large-scale outbreaks and deaths, which would be a huge blow to the population of native snakes.
Furthermore, in terms of ecological niche occupation, introduced pet snakes may encroach on the habitats of native snakes. For example, some pet snakes that prefer to live in caves or grassy areas may escape and compete with native snakes for these limited habitat resources. If native snakes are forced to migrate due to habitat encroachment, they may face new environmental pressures, such as difficulty adapting to the temperature and humidity of the new environment, or encountering more predators, thus further compressing the living space of native snakes.
With increasingly frequent exchanges between countries around the world, ecological and biosecurity are facing more and more risks. my country is one of the countries most severely affected by invasive alien species. To deal with these "uninvited guests," my country has established a relatively comprehensive prevention and control system for invasive alien species.
