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WATERLOO - The Waterloo City Council has scaled back rules prohibiting the sale of pet snakes in the city.

City leaders say they were unaware a law banning "constricting snakes" outlawed common breeds of household pet snakes - even garter snakes.

Cindy Hay, Petco manager, contacted city officials about the rules regarding snakes when the store's national office refused to ship the serpents to the Waterloo store. News of the restriction on constrictors was a surprise to her and even some city officials since other area stores did stock snakes.

"It would not have crossed my mind that they were illegal," said Maria Tiller, Waterloo code enforcement officer. Tiller, an animal control officer in Waterloo for seven years until last June, assumed the ordinance just covered larger species that reach six feet in length or more.

The amended law specifically lists corn snakes, king snakes, garter snakes, ribbon snakes, rat snakes, milk snakes, rosy boas and ball pythons. None of the snakes reach six feet in length as adults and don't pose a threat to humans, Tiller said.

"They really are harmless," she said, adding that the law wasn't probably wasn't meant to target the snakes now allowed.

"They're not thinking of little corn snakes or garter snakes, they're thinking of movie snakes."

Keeping snakes as pets are is growing in popularity, Hay said. Ball pythons sold out the first day the store stocked them.

Ryan Miller, an employee at Petco bought one of the pythons and named it Jumpstart. He chose the species for its docile demeanor.

"They don't have a mean bone in their body," Miller said.

The ordinance was initially written to protect the public.

Waterloo Mayor Tim Hurley said the ordinance had outgrown its effectiveness because it was vague.

"We have an ordinance now that I think will stand the test of time," he said. Council members recently passed the change unanimously.

Hay said she and her staff were ready to present their case had they met oposition.

"It was easier than I expected," Hay said.

The dangerous animal code in Cedar Falls doesn't list specific snakes that are allowed to be kept there. The city allows snakes as long as they aren't reported as a nuisance.