MADINA: It has become increasing popular for Madina residents to have exotic animals as pets, including pythons and alligators. One and two meter-long pythons and very small alligators are displayed for sale at the city's bird market. There are often crowds of people gathered to see these animals. Sellers say the prices for pythons range between SR1,500 and SR15,000 depending on size, length and color. “There's a huge demand for them,” said Abu Khaled, who sells pythons. “They are non-venomous, but one should be careful when they're hungry because their bite hurts.” Abdulaziz Hijazi, a customer, says he loves reptiles and birds. “I come here regularly to see the reptiles and parrots. It is my hobby to keep such animals. Pythons are a particularly beautiful reptile, and being non-venomous makes them safe to keep,” he said. Ahmad Abdulhameed, another customer, also loves and keeps reptiles, scorpions and venomous spiders, he said. Hanadi, a housewife and a lover of snakes and alligators, said she is particularly fond of pythons. “I love very small baby alligators a few centimeters in size, which are sold for SR300 to SR500. They were way cheaper several years ago. Many women keep dangerous and exotic animals as pets,” she said.
