In Missouri, all animals are fully protected, except for those which are specifically "open" for hunting or collection. When it comes to collecting, there is a blanket provision for keeping "five alive" of any species.



What that means is that you can legally collect and keep five of any species you want in Missouri, so long as you do not buy or sell them. If you have five black snakes, and the female of your collection lays 40 eggs, you can keep the eggs through incubation, but when the 40 hatchlings appear, you have to make some decisions as to what you'll be keeping, and then turn loose enough adults and/or hatchlings to bring your total back down to five of that species. WC and CB, CH makes no difference at all in native species.



Non-native species, such as cornsnakes, can be bought, sold, and kept in any numbers. Native species which are captive bred and purchased out of State (like buying an emoryii rat snake in Kansas) are legal to keep, breed, and buy or sell...BUT you have to keep all of the necessary documentation to prove that the animals you have not the product of capturing animals in Missouri (pictures and sales receipts are a MUST!).



Of course, all of this is simply the generic law concerning herping in Missouri. There are specific laws in various communities that further govern what can or cannot be kept. Missouri has no problem with me capturing and keeping five timber rattle snakes, but Greene County (Springfield area) has made it illegal to keep venomous species of any sort. You have the responsibility to make certain that you are in compliance with all State and local laws pertaining to your animals.



Hope that helps a bit...
-----
Darin Chappell

Hillbilly Herps

PO Box 254

Rogersville, MO 65742

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