Stop buying reptiles as pets: Yellowknife vet

Yellowknife veterinarian Dr. Tom Piszis discouraging people from buying reptiles as pets after three snakes and a lizard have wound up at the Great Slave Animal Hospital's shelter in recent months.

Two Yellowknifersare also trying to find new homes for theirboa constrictors this week via social media.

"I'm not supportive of people having reptiles as pets," Pisz said. "We have them because they're already here and we'll have them for the rest of their lives, but I do not support getting pets like that."

A ball python named Tiny was surrendered to the shelter last week. At age seven, he's 1.5 metres long andPiszsays he's still growing.

"People get these pets when they're smaller and they think it's going to be fun," he said. "But it takes a lot of time and theylive long lives."

Ball pythons have a lifespan of 30 years or more, and corn snakes, of which the shelter now has two, can live more than 20 years. The animal hospital also has a metre-longtegua species of exotic lizardnamedPuff Puff.

"They're not dogs or cats. You don't take them for walks," said Pisz. "They don't show emotion or affection to the owner. They're reptiles."

Piszsays city council should regulateless traditional pets.

"I do like them. It's good having them here when people come in. They can look at them, they can talk about them and learn about them. It's probably better than most homes."