Reptile & Amphibian Forums

If I were to move to Fl....what do you with your current collection if a license is needed? If you can prove the length of time that you have practiced resposibly does that count towards time for a license???

Just curious.....thanks.

I faced your hypothetical situation 3 years ago, for real.

If you can prove the time, it counts. I collected some receipts of snakes I'd bought years before, and still had, and I also got some folks to write me letters concerning my decades of experience, mentoring, etc. That was fine for the hours - I hear it's way easier for out-of-staters to document hours, than locals. Ouch.

Then there's the caging - part human-safety-, part animal-welfare-centric. What to do with your animals - that's a hassle. Call Captain John West and explain your situation in case things have changed. What I had to do was get my display cages into my new home in FL, while keeping the animals in my former state of residence (in their former hibernation containers - my timing was lucky). Any cages you'll be using, and the snake room/building they'll be used in, have to be inspected by an FWC Law Enforcement officer BEFORE you can get permitted. You can't have the snakes in-state without the permit. Don't mess around here. I was lucky because I only had about 30 animals, mostly small sedentary vipers. Big active snakes would have presented more issues.

It sounds screwy but it's worth it to be legal. At least there's a bona-fide permit system, which is far better than either 1) "no way, no how" (e.g. Utah or Tennessee) or 2) "do whatever you like, a cobra in a paper bag is perfectly legal" (e.g. Wyoming or Mississippi). Or most annoying 3) "there's a system but it's so onerous nobody can get a permit so they're all outlaws". I guess maybe California or Georgia for non-natives might be examples of that? [Don't flame me if I got the laws wrong - seems like they change all the time, usually to more restrictive.]

You just need a good friend to hang onto your snakes for a month or so, or be able to swing rent on 2 places at once for a month or so. Get your snakes back when you have a permit in-hand.

Best of luck, you'll like it here from a keeper's perspective. Reasonable, responsible, sober - recent legislative actions notwithstanding.

cheers,
Jimi

I really appreciate the help. Hopefully not much has changed....sounds like a bit of work but way worth it! I can't imagine not having my Crotalids....

Thanks alot-

Brett

One other option if you have a SMALL collection would be to hook up with someone close to where you will be moving to, who already has a Florida permit and ship the snakes to them to hold until you have your snake room and cages sorted out.

The big catch is that it would most likely be someone you'd never even met, but it's an option that solved the "chicken vs egg problem".

If you have someone in your home state that can hold them, that would probably be easier.
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