Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Let me start with the fact that I grew up in south Florida. I currently live in Georgia and have also lived out west with my point being that many states have passed reptile laws for both exotic and native species. Stay with me as I will get to the point.
So, I live in Georgia where it is illegal to keep or sell corn snakes as they are a native species. The same law applies to all native species in the state. However, I can call up any number or private or commercial breeders from ads on this website and purchase any size or color corn I want and have it shipped to me tomorrow. I have found most breeders to be ignorant of the law or feel that they would not be held accountable for violating the law. The burden would lie with the buyer and not the seller. I am not sure that some kid in nowhere, Idaho will be aware of the Burmese law in Florida.
The trickle down problem and the point to my post is that many of the legitimate shipping options that are available to us may go away as carriers view the risk of keeping up with the current wildlife laws far more hassle than it may be worth.
I know that they go with the whole liability is on the customer thing but they may withdraw out of fear of bad PR. I would not imagine that any carrier would want to show up on the news as the carrier shipping the evil Burmese Python to Florida.
Just a thought but I am not sure if I view the advent of the reptile trade on the Internet as a good or bad thing. Part of me misses the old days of trade shows and pricelists by mail.
I wonder how many North American species would like to pass a law against me?
Thanks.......Adrian

I keep saying so many of any animal laws are either hard or even impossible to enforce. The common John Q Public wouldn't have the faintest idea on what is legal or not as to the non-informative way to inform. This is relating to any state passed law and or city/township law. Unless one was to call a state or city animal agency, how would they know ? If they went into a pet store and asked maybe. The problem that has spiraled down through the years is that if caught there is the example clause of trying to fully prosecute being based as A EXAMPLE. Then there is so many flawed actions by the law enforcement agency trying to make a case of it that most are either thrown out of court or leveled as a misdemeanor as most of these laws are really in fact. But it could become costly to the conceived law breaker to fight to do so. Scenario of Georgia's laws : kid goes out and finds a rat snake and keeps it as a pet. he is a law breaker by definition. He is busted. Will they prosecute ? Will he go to jail. Laws on wildlife are un-published as a rule or hard to find in most cases. Heck, ask a game warden on laws. A lot of times they themselves don't know what is going on and either have to look it up or call some one else.
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I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......