Zootopia 2’s Gary character sparks trend in China of kids buying venomous snakes

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A new character in Disney’s Zootopia 2—a reptile with scales—has led to a surprising and risky trend in China. Young fans are now purchasing actual venomous snakes that look like the movie character.

Since the movie came out in late November, the blue snake character, Gary De’Snake, has become very popular with fans. Some viewers have even tried to buy real-life Indonesian pit vipers – also known as island bamboo pit vipers – that look like him. It’s important to know that these snakes are highly venomous.

A 21-year-old man from Jiangxi province, named Qi Weihao, bought a pit viper only two days after watching the movie. Qi, who was already familiar with keeping reptiles, believes the film’s depiction of the snake, Gary, is helping to improve how people in China view snakes.

Some Indonesian pit vibers are blue, just like Gary De’Snake in Zootopia 2

Zootopia 2 Pit Viper trend raises concerns

Zootopia 2 has become the most successful foreign animated film ever in China, earning over 3.55 billion yuan (around $503 million) at the box office. Worldwide, the film has now exceeded $1 billion in ticket sales.

I was shocked to see that after the movie came out, searches for Indonesian pit vipers in China absolutely exploded! Apparently, prices on online shopping sites went up too. It’s not actually illegal to own one of these snakes in China, but it is against the rules to ship live animals – or anything dangerous – so all this online buying and selling is a little worrying, honestly.

Chinese authorities and news sources are reminding people that venomous snakes are dangerous and shouldn’t be kept as pets. They emphasize the potential risks to owners, their families, and the public if a snake escapes or bites someone. Even Qi, an expert in the field, advises against buying these snakes on a whim, stating that only those with experience and the right safety gear should consider keeping them.

Many online stores have taken down items featuring the snail, but demand for gentler, Gary-inspired products like stuffed animals and collectible figures has quickly increased.

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2025-12-17 00:19