Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know i have a lot of questions, but i check this forum every day, and every time i read something new, theres a new thing that makes no sense to me. Today's question is: What is the standard procedure for getting a venomous permit/liscense (is there a difference?) postnote: dont worry im not getting mine yet, as i said earliier i need to learn a lot more before i get into hots

The procedure, what it's called and whether it's possible or required depends on where you live. Where are you?

i currently live in colorado, but im moving in about a year, either to new york or cali

Should you become a resident of California, you can keep native (to CA) rattlesnakes without special permit.All other venomous specie are prohibited and that specifically includes Twig Snakes and Boomslangs among rearfangs. More detail can be found in the State Fish and Game Code and is of course, subject to change.

There are alot of counties/cities/towns that do not allow venomous keeping at all as well. You have to check your local ordinances to make sure you are keeping legally here in California. Fortunately I live in a county and city that doesn't have any laws against it but I am sure it will change....

I would also say the bummer about California is only keeping CA native species, we have some great ones here but there are definitely a few on my list that I would love to keep that aren't native....

Good point on the local ordinances. And ditto the attractiveness of native stuff...many cool snakes, but I like to seek them in their natural habitat and leave em there.

yeah that's the tough thing about California too. I would rather have CB and out of my 5 Crotes I have only one wild caught Speck....Not too man folks in California are producing litters.

This is probably a tough subject to comment on in a public forum like this, where you can be traced and all that, but here goes. I live in Florida, where you can apply for a license to keep venomous reptiles. They require you have 1000 hours verifiable experience with the critter you intend to keep, including dates location and description of “specific experience”. And not just 1000 hours, but not less than 1 year, so you can’t just go get 1000 hours- it has to take more than a single year. Now I know this doesn’t mean handling, because a lot of keepers never actually handle their animals. I guess you could clean cages at a zoo or something and be “mentored” as in shooting the bull the whole time, I really don’t know what qualifies as specific experience. Then you have to get two reference letters from persons who can verify your experience. Then you are subject to inspection by wildlife officials. For most casual keepers this might mean your home, where these guys show up to inspect your cages when you are at work or whatever. I know I would not feel comfortable with that going on if I was not there. My wife could “let them in” but even if everything was in perfect legal condition it would still make me feel like I would want to be present. There are liability issues there that I am not sure are covered by strangers in the house with the venomous reptiles. I am the type that if I keep them, no-one would know about it, including the guy I buy rats from. When asked I always say I’m keeping a boa or something. I am afraid of curiosity seekers. I don’t want any attention. So anyway, I would be the type to say forget the permit, it seems like a major hassle. You have to specify the type and number of animals you are applying for, have the 1000 hours. I can’t see where I would have the time to volunteer 1000 hours worth anywhere, let alone explain to the wife I’m working towards getting my venomous permit, dear... Unless you need to buy a snake from a dealer that insists you have a license, I would imagine there are a lot of keepers out there that are unlicensed, and getting a lot of experience that can’t count for anything if you want to do it “legit”. I have kept local venomous both with and without a valid permit, and I am considering finding the way to get my hours and credentials to be legit, but I am pondering the hassle of it all at this point and how much do I really want to maintain venomous reptiles. Maybe that is the whole point of the licensing process.

"I have kept local venomous both with and without a valid permit, and I am considering finding the way to get my hours and credentials to be legit, but I am pondering the hassle of it all at this point and how much do I really want to maintain venomous reptiles."

Why would you just admit on a public forum that you have kept venomous reptiles without a permit in FL?

then does any1 know a breeder or zoo that keeps atheris squamigera? the varible bush viper? or legiones cobra? (those are my two vemonous goals) So i can volunteer some hours.

I am very honest about it, basically. It was a very long time ago. This is a forum for discussion, so here’s something to discuss. I started off saying it would be tough for some to comment on this because I bet there are a lot of people who do not have a license. I am not keeping anything I shouldn’t right now, so I am not worried about it. That was not the case when I was younger, I kept everything and anything I could catch including alligators, indigoes, etc. I have the been there done that mindset now, I am not interested in a lot of the things I was back in the day. I gave up my venomous because I had kids and all that. Now they are teenagers and I could easily get back into it. I would like to get a license first, of course. I see it as a hassle and I am expressing my view on the process of it, maybe others will share their own feelings about it. I got my permit when it was $5.00 and and a postage stamp. I never renewed it, so I was keeping stuff with an expired permit. Will they hunt me down and fine me eighteen years later? If they do I will honestly post about it right here. Too bad people have to fear posting honestly, it would be helpful for the authorities to hear a real discussion about it.

All I am saying is the message your sending out here on the board is that it is basically ok to keep illegal reptiles...as long as you don't get caught. The permit system in FL works very well, but it isn't 100% flawless. I understand your sharing your past experiences but please, we do not need people thinking it is ok to squeeze around the law.

Just because your permit expired does not necessarily mean FL with consider your experience to be expired. Why not give them a call?

It would not be the right thing to encourage people to keep without the proper permits, I don’t want to do that. I just think the permit system sucks. The flaw in the system is that they have regulated it to be something most people cannot legitimately attain. I actually worked as an animal control specialist for over two years, I probably could get the permit but most people would find it almost impossible. It made more sense in the old days when you just sent in your five bucks.

personally i think its great. that way the only people who can get permits are the people who actually care about these animals and will take good care of them. I think the fewer pople that have them the better, its a very dangerous commitment. I just wish it wasnt so easy to get around the law.

I say you should have to provide the contact info for the herp vet you will be using, maybe have to register each animal there like your dogs tag, provide receipts for an annual or semi annual vet exam, describe your housing, herp room, safety protocol, receipt for antivenin (perhaps just pay into a fund to stock the closest supply source) and sign that you have received the rules packet they send you and will read and follow etc etc. and that’s it, pay the fee and it is your personal responsibility to do it right. My beef is the 1000 hours. I’ve yet to meet anybody into hots that I could stand to be around that long. (that is a semi-joke) The permit rules are like we’re lion tamers or something. Come on, it isn’t that big a deal. I am against glamorizing and sensationalizing them just because they are venomous. They are still just a snake. If you are into the whole aura of them I think you are a little nuts, or you have no real experience with them. I think it was right for my situation to give them up when I had little kids in the house. If you aren’t sure for your situation, then by all means don’t even mess with them at all.

"Come on, it isn’t that big a deal. I am against glamorizing and sensationalizing them just because they are venomous. They are still just a snake."

Reasoning like that is exactly why 1000 hour permit systems are put in place. Every state should be so lucky to adopt that policy.

You never know if somebody posting here is twelve years old, never even owned a snake or whatever. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I don’t get how emptying garbage cans qualifies you to maintain venomous reptiles. You can’t go from tame pets to a venomous snake, even if they send you a permit. I stand by what I wrote.

"I don’t get how emptying garbage cans qualifies you to maintain venomous reptiles."

It's simple. You get a mentor, you get the 1000 hours, and you get qualified. Not that difficult of a concept.
I don't get what maintaining venomous reptiles makes you qualified to empty garbage cans.

It just kind of is what it is. I had a $20 pet squirrel monkey as a kid, but that isn't going to happen now. I have lived in FL long enough to have bought a $5 permit, but waited and earned the hours. A Falconry Permit is something I have wanted since childhood. Try getting one of those, and the bird won't even kill you.

pretty much in FL no 12 yr old kid is going to get a legit permit. First off, no responsible keeper is going to mentor a 12 yr old and sign off on his hours for several years. secondly, the state won't issue a permit to someone that young even if they have completed the training. The reason the permit requirements are set so that the casual snake keeper can't have them is because the casual snake keeper shouldn't have a venomous reptile. IT'S THAT SIMPLE!!! This law is one of the very few snake related laws that is 100% correct. It's not banning the reptiles, just saying if you are going to own one, you will be prepared for it. The snakes will be better kept as the keepers will not be scared out of their pants to even open the cage to feed it and clean the cage. The community can rest at ease as they don't have to worry about someone's 12 ft king cobra getting loose unlike the burmese pythons running rampant in florida. it's a good law and every state should adopt it. the only other option is the eventual ban that most will put into effect. And no I don't keep venomous anymore, my wife won't let me. Thank god I have her to keep me safe, lol.
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Josh Hutto
J&K Reptiles

2.3 het pied (RDR, alan bosch x 2, BHB x 2)
1.0 Spider Ball python (Ballroom pythons south)
1.0 Vanilla Ball Python (Gulf Coast)
0.1 High Contrast Albino (Gulf Coast)
1.1 het albino (ben siegel, Gulf Coast)
1.2 het citrus ghost(Gulf Coast line)
1.0 citrus ghost (Gulf Coast line)
1.1 graz pastel female
Alot of normal BP females (some not so normal)
2 various corns
0.1 brazilian rainbow boa (alan bosch)
1.0 american pit bull terrier
1.1 taco dogs (ankle biters)
1.0 grey cat
0.1 bearded dragons

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

I could only WISH my state had the organized system that Florida offers its residents. However, I do feel that 1000 hours is probably excessive - 500 would do it.
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I live in a state where it is all but imposible to keep venomous snakes and even large constrictors. Upscale I think you are correct in that the laws are designed to eliminate the keeping of venomous snakes by private keepers. I feel it is our right as americans to be able to keep a venomous reptile in the privacy of our homes. As do I feel that under close inpection many of the current laws are not constitutional. The country is becoming a less free place every day. I only wish we had a good herp group that would except donation to establish a lobbying effort to keep herp laws in line. Organisations such as the NRA what ever you opinion of them have been extremly succesful in eliminating laws and bills that decrease our rights as citezens.

Thank you
please respond

Bryant

I’d like to know the last time they passed something to give us more rights. There are no snakes that can shoot it’s venom through your window and kill somebody down the block. A lot of places here have venomous snakes loose free to come into your yard. They aren’t man eating tigers. A lot of the keeping is over glamorized hype. That is something I am vocal about squashing. I think the 1000 hour process contributes to the sensationalizing of the whole thing. You have to have experience with snakes that are flighty, nasty, hyper, prone to sudden changes of direction and attitude. If you aren’t prepared for those things from hands on experience, your permit is KA KA!!!