Monitors are much more temp dependent than snakes. They also are far more generic feeders, Niles especially could cause problems with gator populations because they will raid nests. Gators are perfectly capable of eating young pythons and snakes are a prey species to them. The biggest problem with pythons for gators would probably be food competition.
I think people should be able to keep exotics that they want, but I'm not necessarily opposed to some sort of permits. I don't think a burm should be something you can buy at a PetSmart. I've seen people buy burms just because they are cheaper than a kingsnake. :/ Just like the reason water and niles being the most common monitors, they are cheap and small when young, people don't think about the costs to house and feed ten years down the line. The import process is catch a gravid burm, keep it for a month, sell the babies, throw the mother in the trash. Rinse and repeat.
Monitors are bad ass, but only two species could possibly be considered able to kill a human.
Dogs are a far bigger danger to people than these reptiles.
Im not even sure why someone would want a retic or an anaconda. Its not like they have awesome variations of breeds like a ball python. You only own an anaconda if you have a deathwish.
Well, retics have a ton of awesome variations too.
