Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just now caught a large, beautiful black rat snake in my back yard that my dog was terrorizing and my question is, are there laws against keeping wild caught reptiles? I know people do it all the time, but I'm a very law abiding person. I know laws differ from state to state and city to city, so if it's any help I live in Oklahoma. I probably won't keep him permanently, but I have a reptile program to give at the library in July and I don't own any native animals so I thought he would make a good addition. Well, any thoughts? Thanks!
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People Who Say Money Can't Buy You Happiness Obviously Don't Know Where To Buy A Herp

1.0 Cornsnake 1.0 Ball Python 0.1 Cal Kingsnake 1.0 Bearded Dragon 0.1 Leo Gecko 0.1 Beauty Snake 0.2 Chilean Rose-haired Tarantulas 0.1 Egyptian Sand Boa, 0.0.1 Pink Toe Tarantula, 0.0.1 Red Footed Tortoise

in the ratsnake forum here on kingsnake.com Here is the link to the forum. They have LOTS of experience with w/c black ratsnakes there.
Ratsnake forum

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phflame
kingsnake.com host

I believe it is illegal to sell any native species without appropriate permits here in Oklahoma, but I do not think you will be in any jeopardy for simply rescuing this snake from your yard and keeping it for a while. I, too, have a black rat I rescued from a neighbor's yard a couple fo years ago. As most herpers know, this species lives easily and commonly in suburban areas, climbing fences and trees and onto house eaves in search of birds and eggs. Unfortunately, given their tendency to coil and rattle tails and threaten when encountered, black rats are often mistaken for copperheads or even rattlesnakes by the unknowing and killed -- which is why I rescued mine. I would say just enjoy the snake and if you decide to free it later, do so in plenty of time to allow it to bulk up and prepare for brumation this fall.

Thanks Mike, since I will be exhibiting him in an educational program I wanted to make sure it was ok for me to have him. 'm pretty sure I've seen people selling CB hatchlings at reptile shows here. So I should be able to get him to eat right? When I let him go it'll probably be around August, and I'm sure he'll be plenty fattened up off of my freezer mice. Thanks again.

>>I believe it is illegal to sell any native species without appropriate permits here in Oklahoma, but I do not think you will be in any jeopardy for simply rescuing this snake from your yard and keeping it for a while. I, too, have a black rat I rescued from a neighbor's yard a couple fo years ago. As most herpers know, this species lives easily and commonly in suburban areas, climbing fences and trees and onto house eaves in search of birds and eggs. Unfortunately, given their tendency to coil and rattle tails and threaten when encountered, black rats are often mistaken for copperheads or even rattlesnakes by the unknowing and killed -- which is why I rescued mine. I would say just enjoy the snake and if you decide to free it later, do so in plenty of time to allow it to bulk up and prepare for brumation this fall.
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People Who Say Money Can't Buy You Happiness Obviously Don't Know Where To Buy A Herp

1.0 Cornsnake 1.0 Ball Python 0.1 Cal Kingsnake 1.0 Bearded Dragon 0.1 Leo Gecko 0.1 Beauty Snake 0.2 Chilean Rose-haired Tarantulas 0.1 Egyptian Sand Boa, 0.0.1 Pink Toe Tarantula, 0.0.1 Red Footed Tortoise

My wild caught had fed like a machine for almost two years. Where are you in Oklahoma? And which library are you doing the program for? Sounds like you have a nice herp collection!

I live in Tulsa but my program is at the Sperry Library. I was sort of freaking out cause they wanted an Oklahoma animals program for the centennial but now at least I have a black rat snake and a snapping turtle. I might as well ask if you know any thing about snapping turtle laws while I'm at it. Know anything about them?

>>My wild caught had fed like a machine for almost two years. Where are you in Oklahoma? And which library are you doing the program for? Sounds like you have a nice herp collection!
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People Who Say Money Can't Buy You Happiness Obviously Don't Know Where To Buy A Herp

1.0 Cornsnake 1.0 Ball Python 0.1 Cal Kingsnake 1.0 Bearded Dragon 0.1 Leo Gecko 0.1 Beauty Snake 0.2 Chilean Rose-haired Tarantulas 0.1 Egyptian Sand Boa, 0.0.1 Pink Toe Tarantula, 0.0.1 Red Footed Tortoise

I don't know what the laws are in OK, but here in AZ you must have a hunting license to collect a native, non-protected snake. Once in your possesion, you may keep it or gift it out to someone, but you may not sell, trade, barter or release the animal.

Check your local wildlife laws about releasing animals that have been in captivity. There are many bacteria/pathogens that can be transferred from captive animals to wild populations with tragic consequences. If you truly are a law abiding citizen , I ask you to please give your local Game and Fish agency for further instruction.
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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
1.2.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.1.0 Hypo Everglades Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Salt and Pepper Bull Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
1.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnakes
1.0.0 Gray Banded Kingsnake
1.0.0 Hypermelanistic California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Albino High White California Kingsnake
0.1.0 California Kingsnake
1.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
4.2.0 Rosy Boas (Harquahala, Mexican, Temecula, & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.1.0 Western Hognoses
1.1.0 Red Sided Garter Snakes

LIZARDS
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
1.0.0 African Fat-Tail Gecko
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.4.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Chuckwalla
0.1.0 Banded Gecko
0.0.1 Gold Dust Day Gecko

FROGS
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
0.0.1 White's Tree Frog
0.0.2 Gold Frogs

"...please give your local Game and Fish agency a callfor further instruction."
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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
1.2.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.1.0 Hypo Everglades Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Salt and Pepper Bull Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
1.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnakes
1.0.0 Gray Banded Kingsnake
1.0.0 Hypermelanistic California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Albino High White California Kingsnake
0.1.0 California Kingsnake
1.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
4.2.0 Rosy Boas (Harquahala, Mexican, Temecula, & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.1.0 Western Hognoses
1.1.0 Red Sided Garter Snakes

LIZARDS
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
1.0.0 African Fat-Tail Gecko
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.4.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Chuckwalla
0.1.0 Banded Gecko
0.0.1 Gold Dust Day Gecko

FROGS
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
0.0.1 White's Tree Frog
0.0.2 Gold Frogs

Oklahoma law is somewhat similar -- you are supopsed to have a hunting license to collect native species. However, that is largely to govern organized rattlesnake hunts. I have never encountered a case where a private collector who picked up a snake from his own backyard was subject to any problems. Generally they use common sense and devote their resources to regulating deer and duck seasons.

My concern is not the taking of an animal in someone's yard. It is the release of a captive animal into a wild population. To do so, I would imagine you need some sort of rehabilitation and release service permit.
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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
1.2.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.1.0 Hypo Everglades Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Salt and Pepper Bull Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
1.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnakes
1.0.0 Gray Banded Kingsnake
1.0.0 Hypermelanistic California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Albino High White California Kingsnake
0.1.0 California Kingsnake
1.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
4.2.0 Rosy Boas (Harquahala, Mexican, Temecula, & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.1.0 Western Hognoses
1.1.0 Red Sided Garter Snakes

LIZARDS
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
1.0.0 African Fat-Tail Gecko
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.4.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Chuckwalla
0.1.0 Banded Gecko
0.0.1 Gold Dust Day Gecko

AMPHIBIANS
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
0.0.1 White's Tree Frog
0.0.2 Gold Frogs
1.0.0 Fire Salamander

Well I wont really be releasing a captive animal, just keeping a wild animal captive for a couple months then letting it go again. Don't worry, I know how harmful releasing captive animals can be, on the individual animal and on wild populations.

>>My concern is not the taking of an animal in someone's yard. It is the release of a captive animal into a wild population. To do so, I would imagine you need some sort of rehabilitation and release service permit.
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>>Diego
>>
>>Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
>>SNAKES
>>1.2.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
>>1.1.0 Hypo Everglades Rat Snakes
>>1.1.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snakes
>>1.1.0 Salt and Pepper Bull Snakes
>>0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
>>2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snakes
>>0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
>>1.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnakes
>>1.0.0 Gray Banded Kingsnake
>>1.0.0 Hypermelanistic California Kingsnake
>>0.1.0 Albino High White California Kingsnake
>>0.1.0 California Kingsnake
>>1.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
>>4.2.0 Rosy Boas (Harquahala, Mexican, Temecula, & Mid Baja)
>>1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
>>0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
>>1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
>>1.1.0 Western Hognoses
>>1.1.0 Red Sided Garter Snakes
>>
>>LIZARDS
>>2.0.0 Bearded Dragons
>>0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
>>1.0.0 African Fat-Tail Gecko
>>0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
>>1.4.0 Leopard Geckos
>>1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
>>1.1.0 Chuckwalla
>>0.1.0 Banded Gecko
>>0.0.1 Gold Dust Day Gecko
>>
>>AMPHIBIANS
>>1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
>>1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
>>0.0.1 White's Tree Frog
>>0.0.2 Gold Frogs
>>1.0.0 Fire Salamander
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People Who Say Money Can't Buy You Happiness Obviously Don't Know Where To Buy A Herp

1.0 Cornsnake 1.0 Ball Python 0.1 Cal Kingsnake 1.0 Bearded Dragon 0.1 Leo Gecko 0.1 Beauty Snake 0.2 Chilean Rose-haired Tarantulas 0.1 Egyptian Sand Boa, 0.0.1 Pink Toe Tarantula, 0.0.1 Red Footed Tortoise

Once an animal is in your possesion and has been in your home, it is a captive by definition! DO NOT RELEASE IT! It can very easily pick up any foreign bacteria/pathogens from your exotic collection that they might be immune to, but your OK native herpetofauna hasn't encountered before.

If you see a wild snake, either collect it with the commitment to keep it, or leave it alone.

I'm sorry if you don't like what I am telling you, but you are the one that addressed the legality issues, so I replied.
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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
1.2.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.1.0 Hypo Everglades Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snakes
1.1.0 Salt and Pepper Bull Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snakes
0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
1.1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnakes
1.0.0 Gray Banded Kingsnake
1.0.0 Hypermelanistic California Kingsnake
0.1.0 Albino High White California Kingsnake
0.1.0 California Kingsnake
1.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
4.2.0 Rosy Boas (Harquahala, Mexican, Temecula, & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.1.0 Western Hognoses
1.1.0 Red Sided Garter Snakes

LIZARDS
2.0.0 Bearded Dragons
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
1.0.0 African Fat-Tail Gecko
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.4.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Chuckwalla
0.1.0 Banded Gecko
0.0.1 Gold Dust Day Gecko

AMPHIBIANS
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
0.0.1 White's Tree Frog
0.0.2 Gold Frogs
1.0.0 Fire Salamander