Deadly snakes are sold legally at Columbia-area wildlife show. Should that continue?
People who stream into a Columbia wildlife show each year to buy and sell dangerous exotic snakes might soon lose that opportunity as concerns rise about the wisdom of allowing venomous serpents to be traded freely.
State legislators are weighing whether to ban the ownership of non-native venomous snakes — a move that would restrict sales at the popular Repticon exposition in the St. Andrews area.
Shows held several times a year at the Jamil Shrine Temple in Lexington County are believed to be the only ones in the country where Repticon vendors sell the deadly snakes. The shows also feature other reptiles, such as lizards and non- venomous snakes.
Unlike South Carolina, many states have restricted the ownership and sale of exotic venomous snakes, such as cobras, black mambas and other deadly serpents that are either imported to the U.S. or bred here. Critics of such sales say the snakes are too dangerous.
Earlier this month, the S.C. House of Representatives voted 106-2, to approve an eventual ban on ownership of non-native venomous snakes. State officials familiar with the bill said it would apply to Repticon, and the company thinks so, as well.
“Columbia is our only venomous-included show, and the proposed law would eliminate the sale of venomous snakes at the show,’’ Repticon spokeswoman Tina Russell said in an email to The State.
The proposed law would allow anyone owning venomous non-native snakes to register the animals with the state Department of Natural Resources by Sept. 1, so that they could keep them. But after the animals die, the owners could not own more non-native venomous snakes, according to the bill.
“If they can’t get a permit for them, they can’t possess them,’’ said state Rep. Davey Hiott, R-Pickens, when asked whether Repticon’s non-native venomous snake sales would be stopped by a new law. “If this bill passes, they will not able to sell them.’’
Hiott and Rep. Bill Hixon, R-Aiken, said the ban would not apply to native venomous snakes, such as copperheads.
Despite intense criticism from snake lovers, both agree regulation is needed for dangerous non-native snakes, saying unchecked sales make South Carolina a haven for black market reptile trading. They also worry about non-native snakes escaping and biting someone. Venom from some foreign snakes can kill within hours.
Russell said Repticon still plans to hold the event featuring non-venomous snakes and other reptiles if the bill passes. The company already has expositions in Greenville without exotic venomous snakes.
Repticon is a business that stages exhibitions featuring reptiles and exotic animals in more than 50 cities and 20 states, according to the company’s Facebook page.
Vendors set up tables at the Repticon events that feature snakes for sale, both venomous and non-venomous. In the region, shows that have been held or will be held this year include venues in the Carolinas, Alabama and Florida. Repticon has another Columbia area show Nov. 6 at Jamil Shrine Temple, according to Repticon’s website.
In South Carolina, venomous snake sales at the Columbia-area event have made it a bigger show than the ones in Greenville, contributing to the estimated 5,000 people a day who visit.
On a good weekend, a reptile show like Repticon can bring in $15,000 , The State has previously reported. It’s not unusual for residents of other states to walk out of the show with newly purchased venomous snakes.
At one exposition in 2018, a western North Carolina man told The State newspaper he had gotten up early and driven to Columbia to purchase toxic snakes for his collection. Among his purchases were a Gaboon viper, a venomous snake native to Africa.
Venomous sales at one time were held in the Charleston area, drawing snake-handling preachers from Appalachia to buy serpents for their Sunday worship services.
While Repticon says it abides by the law, posting rules and regulations vendors must follow, authorities say South Carolina’s law is so weak it attracts unsavory reptile traders to use the state as a base to buy and sell toxic snakes.
In Sumter County this past March, federal authorities arrested a well-known wildlife trader and convicted felon they say was using a home in a quiet middle-income neighborhood to stockpile venomous snakes and other reptiles. The federal government made the arrest under U.S. laws, but because South Carolina venomous serpent rules are almost non-existent, the snakes were left in the house after the arrest.
Despite that concern, people involved in the venomous snake trade have inundated legislators with complaints that the venomous snake bill singles out legitimate businesses catering to snake hobbyists.
A recent email to Hixon from two Horry County business officials said a top S.C. Department of Natural Resources official has “her own animal rights agenda.’’ Michael Jolliff, the co-signer of the email to Hixon, declined comment when reached Monday by The State.
Hixon said legislators will have plenty to talk about when a conference committee gathers this summer to work out differences in the venomous non-native reptile bill the House approved. The Senate has not signed off on it.
“I don’t like snakes,’’ Hixon said. “But I know it’s an area that is heavily traded in at the Shriners thing.
“Bringing something into our state that is non-native, I want to look hard at that. I have a problem with that. I want to figure out some kind of a way it can be regulated.’’
This story was originally published May 25, 2021 at 6:50 AM.
