Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've emailed a couple breeders and they didn't even know if they were available or not, much less have them on hand. If they're protected, wouldn't the rattler breeders I've contacted at least know that much?

If you're referring to the Isla Santa Catalina rattlesnake (C. catalinensis), I acquired an adult female last year in Hamburg, PA, so they are out there. Still looking for a male.

If they're protected, wouldn't the rattler breeders I've contacted at least know
that much?
> Ha! That's a good one. Here's another one, would they care if they were protected? I'm thinking no for both. I don't have as much faith in some of these "breeders" as others do though. I also don't know your contacts, so I could be way off, and you may deal with some of the reputable ones, what few there are left.
I've seen some real shady crap over the last year or so, some by respected and "reputable" breeders, it's nothing surprising though. Hank Molt had one for sale awhile back, don't know if it's still around, don't know if it's legal. You will pay a chunk if you do find one.
good luck
-tom

It's worth noting that 25-30 C. catalinensis were produced at the Chaffee Zoo/Fresno, CA in the 80's and early 90's while Sean McKeown was curator. Only 2.2 are currently documented in AZA accredited zoos in the US, so the rest of those offspring still living are out there somewhere. While smuggled specimens are known (e.g. the founders of the Fresno progeny), the assumption that all available privately are illegitimate is baseless.

I just thought that if available they were a species worth considering. As far as the assumption about them being illegitimate, I didn't so much assume that the available individuals were, but rather that that fact, if true, would explain the difficulty in finding information or available snakes.
Thanks Again
Ryan