It is a class C felony to possess illegal animals in Hawaii and violators may face fines of up to $200,000 and up to three years in prison. The state does offer an amnesty for those in possession of snakes and other restricted reptiles with no legal repercussions.
Someone’s pet ball python (Python regius) was captured at Camp Waianae on the west side of Oahu in Hawaii October 17. Honolulu Police responded to a reported snake sighting in the area and called the Hawaiian Humane Society, which then called the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. The DAB dispatched officers to the area and took possession of the snake, which appears to be a banana morph. It measured 45 inches in length and appears to be in excellent health. It is now in the Plant Quarantine Branch and is undergoing a health evaluation.
This ball python appears to be a banana morph. Photo by Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity
This isn’t the first time a ball python was captured in Hawaii. In 2015, a ball python was captured in a garage in Pearl City. In 2016, a ball python was captured on a Hawaii coffee farm on Maui in poor shape. It was euthanized. In 2018 a 5 ft ball python was found in the Hawaii County South Hilo Sanitary Landfill on the Big Island of Hawaii. And in 2023, a ball python was surrendered to the Honolulu Zoo by a person who says the snake was found in Kahalu’u on the North Shore.
It is a class C felony to possess illegal animals in Hawaii and violators may face fines of up to $200,000 and up to three years in prison. The state does offer an amnesty for those in possession of snakes and other restricted reptiles with no legal repercussions.
Ball Python Information
Ball pythons are one of the most popular snakes in the hobby and come from western Africa. They are widely captive-bred throughout the United States. They grow to about five feet in length and can live for 30 years or more. If you keep a ball python, or any snake, please ensure that its enclosure is escape-proof.
