Viper Sales Surge Online Amid Movie Craze
Man Who Bought Snake Suffers Finger Amputation After Bite
As Disney's animated film "Zootopia 2" enjoys global box office success, China is seeing a surge in demand for keeping highly venomous vipers as pets, influenced by the popularity of the snake character in the movie. This trend has raised concerns, as there have already been incidents where people have been bitten by their pet snakes and had to undergo finger amputations, bringing public safety issues to the forefront.
On December 15 (local time), CNN reported that "Zootopia 2" grossed 3.55 billion yuan (approximately 750 billion won) within just three weeks of its release in China, setting a new record for the highest-grossing foreign animated film in the country. The film follows Judy and Nick as they chase the mysterious snake character "Gary the Snake" in an adventure, and the new character Gary has become extremely popular for his cute and responsible image.
The problem is that this popularity has spilled over into real life, sparking a trend of adopting vipers resembling Gary. Major e-commerce platforms in China have seen a surge in searches for the "Indonesian Salmosa," also known as the "island bamboo viper," since the film's release, with transaction prices soaring from several hundred to several thousand yuan. A man in his 20s from Jiangxi Province told CNN that he actually purchased a viper, saying, "The Gary character helps change prejudices against reptile pets." He added, "Reptile keepers have long been misunderstood as having strange tastes."
The cobra is a highly venomous snake belonging to the Elapidae family, and its name itself means "if bitten, one cannot take even five steps before dying." Chinese media CCTV
However, the dangers of keeping highly venomous snakes as pets have quickly become apparent. According to CCTV on December 18, a Beijing resident named Huang was bitten on the thumb while feeding his pet viper, an Ovophis, which was ill at the time. The finger became necrotic and ultimately had to be amputated.
The Ovophis is a highly venomous snake belonging to the viper family, and its name itself means "if bitten, one cannot take even five steps before dying," highlighting its potent toxicity. Experts warn that its venom severely disrupts blood coagulation. Beijing News pointed out, "While the snake character in the movie is depicted as lovable, real-life venomous snakes are by no means harmless," adding, "If they escape or cause injury, this could escalate into a serious public safety issue."
In fact, major Chinese platforms such as Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Xianyu have halted sales of blue vipers. The Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention also advised against keeping exotic pets, especially for pregnant women, children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, noting that these animals often originate from the wild and may carry pathogens.
Meanwhile, merchandise sales have been booming thanks to the popularity of the snake character.
On Taobao, the "Blue Snake Character Blind Box" ranked among the weekly top 10 bestsellers, and Gary plush toys at Shanghai Disneyland have sold out. There are growing calls for both authorities and consumers to make prudent decisions to prevent the cute movie character from leading to dangerous choices in real life.
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