City Hall’s list of most undesirable pets could grow longer.

The Medford City Council’s study session had just ended Thursday afternoon when Councilman Skip Knight asked to add one remark: "It’s better to have a chicken as a neighbor than an alligator."

The comment was in reference to the council recently proposing a ban on chickens inside city limits, which Knight opposes. It also was a jab drawn from the recent saga of Usal the 3½ -foot alligator, who went missing for three days from a southwest Medford garage. He’s back home now.

Responding to citizen complaints about wayward poultry, the council asked city staff in May to draft an ordinance to prohibit chickens. And now several council members have directed staff to add "exotic pets" to the list of animals to be prohibited inside city limits.

"I can’t condone an alligator or a boa constrictor or a chicken," said Councilman Jim Key. Usal’s owner, Paul Sabin, had been distracted by a sick boa constrictor when the gator fled Sabin’s open garage.

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"In the Nickel magazine, I read, there is a person selling leopard kittens," said Key, whose claim couldn’t immediately be verified.

Councilman Bob Strosser said there was an attempt several years ago to ban exotic pets in the city.

Councilman John Statler, who has argued to allow chickens in the city, doesn’t support adding exotic pets to the list.

"There are cities that don’t allow smoking — we could become the first city that doesn’t allow pets at all," he quipped.

Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail mlanders@mailtribune.com.