Pythons, scorpions and a $6,000 snake draw crowds to Baghdad reptile festival

BAGHDAD — Snake enthusiasts, reptile breeders and curious families gathered in Baghdad’s Zayouna neighborhood for a rare reptile festival featuring boa constrictors, Burmese pythons, reticulated pythons, emperor scorpions, giant lizards and spiders, with some animals selling for thousands of dollars.

Organized by Pet Shop Bisa, the event aimed to promote a better public understanding of reptiles while letting visitors interact with the animals under specialist supervision. Festival organizer Aws Mohammed told 964media the snakes on display were all captive-bred constrictor species. “These are not venomous snakes. They kill by constricting their prey and have been bred through captive breeding programs, making them more familiar and accustomed to human interaction,” he said.

A blood python, one of the priciest animals on display, was offered for $6,000, while an emperor scorpion sold for more than $1,000. Mohammed said the emperor scorpion turns from black to blue under ultraviolet light and described its sting as light to moderate, similar to a bee sting. Its venom is weaker than that of many other scorpions, he said, but can still cause pain and swelling and may be dangerous for people with severe allergies.

Mohammed said constrictor snakes are generally calm, low-maintenance animals and among the world’s most commonly kept pet snakes. “They are suitable for hobbyists and there is no need to fear them when handled responsibly,” he said.

Content creator Mohammed Samir al-Lami, holding a green iguana, described the festival as a welcome outlet for animal lovers. “All the animals here are tame and accustomed to humans, and their level of danger is almost nonexistent under the supervision of specialists,” he said.