While I do not keep "hots" myself (I consider the ones allowed in California which are mainly large native Rattlers to be much to dangerous for newbies) I do think this is a matter of individual freedom and rights and should be treated as such.



I am of the view that we should start treating the promulgators of all out "hot" ban legislation or even anti REPTILE legislation for that matter in the same manner that the gun rights crowd sees gun control proponants. This basically means we should no longer support them mo matter what we may think of the rest of their political philosophy nor vote for them. In my experience a politician or billionare businessman who attacks freedom in one area attacks it in OTHERS as well. In addition they ALWAYS look for the most vulnerable freedoms and rights that they can get public support for infringing before going for those people want to KEEP. (I am one of those gun rights people as well as a supporter of the Linux operating system in computing all of which I see as matters of basic individual freedom under threat.)



Where hots are concerned I would be for a private keeper friendly permitting system based on the following provisions



A permit based on a fee that would scale down based on experience without "tags" or escapes and the TOTAL proceeds of which would go to an antivenom bank for exotic "hots" in every state adopting it. This is how the fee system might work.



Newbie ------------------- $200.00 - year

These are the most dangerous keepers so they pay the most.



2.5 Year experience ------ $150.00 - year



5 years experience ------- $50.00 - year



Escapes should be handled by law on a "Three strikes your'e out basis with a ONE strike your out provision if any innocents

bitten during an escape. This means that a person who has a hot reptile escape on him three times in a matter that it has to be reported as a danger to the community has his permit revoked and can no longer keep hots. If a person other than the owner or others directly responsible for the snake gets bitten the owner's permit is immediately revoked no matter how many strikes are on him or her. This should apply both to true hots and so called "venomiods". (I think similar laws for BOTH would go toward discuraging the creation of the latter because handling a seemingly hot snake in an irresponsible manner is what "venomoids" seem to be all about. The ONLY viperid or elapid that I would call a venomiod without the quotes is a member of those families where the devenomized condition is natural and not the result of surgery and so far the only member of one of those families that I know that meets that condition is the fish egg eating Turtle Headed Sea Snake. (Elapidae)) and also to STATE KEEPERS (such as state universities and city zoos) as well as private ones (We all know how irresponsible the government can be in matters like this.)

[ Show Entire Thread ]