Letters | In the Year of the Snake, don’t harm reptiles
Readers discuss the suffering of snakes in captivity, animal welfare legislation in Hong Kong, and teenagers in Kwun Tong
As snakes take the spotlight in the Year of the Snake, it’s time to shed the outdated practice of exploiting snakes for entertainment by keeping them as “pets” or in zoos.
The exotic pet industry tears countless snakes away from nature and ships them to suppliers around the world. They’re kept in cramped conditions before being sold. Many do not survive this ordeal.
In nature, snakes bask in sunlight, burrow underground, climb trees, swim and travel great distances – all of which is vital to their physical and mental well-being. In captivity, snakes are confined in inadequate, artificial enclosures that rarely meet their needs.
Snakes require specific lighting, temperatures, humidity and diets, and need to explore, stretch fully and hide. But pet stores mislead people into believing that these reptiles can survive in tiny glass boxes, which results in snakes suffering miserably, becoming sick and dying. Inadequate lighting, suboptimal temperature and improper diet can result in health issues, including obesity, respiratory infections and weakened immune systems.
Handling can also leave snakes prone to illness and injury, as they instinctively avoid human contact. According to one study, 75 per cent of reptiles kept as “pets”, including snakes, die within one year – usually due to the stress of captivity.
