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JANESVILLE — Ophidiophobic? Stay away from Myra Avenue.

Police gave a couple two weeks to remove 22 boa constrictors from their Janesville apartment June 23.

Police visited the owners after an anonymous caller alerted them to the cache of snakes and found two adult boas in an aquarium.

One was about 6 feet long, and the other—an albino—measured about 4 feet long, according to the police report.

The owners also had 20 baby boa constrictors in containers. The babies were born in March.

Owner Jason Swinney said he didn't know the snakes were illegal when he moved to Janesville.

The snakes have been up for sale online since winter, he said. He had been waiting for a higher price, but hopes to have the snakes sold by Sunday.

"People who don't properly maintain their animals are the reason why safety codes like this are put in place," he said.

The city of Janesville prevents residents from owning "wild or exotic" animals, including poisonous or constrictor snakes.

Police are scheduled to visit the apartment next week to make sure the snakes have been removed.

Typically, the Rock County Humane Society arranges to send animals to rescue organizations. Police put the burden on the snakes' owners this time.

The snakes aren't designed for weather in the area, especially Wisconsin winters, and will seek shelter in homes and other buildings if released into the wild, said James Hurley, the Rock County Humane Society's operations manager.

"Through summer, they'll live fine, but come winter, they're going to end up finding a way into someone's house," Hurley said.

The humane society has dealt with snakes hiding under water heaters and tanks, in basements and even in the dashboard of a car.

Even though boas start small, Hurley said they grow quickly and can become dangerous.

"The rule of thumb for handling a snake is having one person for every 3 feet," he said.

Owners may see no danger from their pet, but the city and the humane society aren't willing to take that chance.

Animal restrictions are similar to those on fireworks, Hurley said.

"You make lists of what's allowed and what's not. A snake is like those big cannon fireworks," he said.
http://gazettextra.com/news/2009/jul/03/22-snakes-found-janesville-apartment/

"The rule of thumb for handling a snake is having one person for every 3 feet," he said.
Who's rule is that? Is that in the Janesville code?
How do these bottom rung, minimum wage municipal workers become the final word? Why does the media grant credibility to the most unqualified sources? Just because it came out of someone's mouth? Is that all it takes?
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Everyone grab a buddy for that 4' corn snake, lol!

Comparing snakes to explosives...that's a new one.

I think he got the rule wrong though...it's not one person for every 3 feet of snake, it's one slap to the back of the head for every moron who speaks of things they know nothing about.

This just goes to show that it's not the HR669's that will kill our hobby. It's all the small towns in America passing their own exotic animal bans that will do us in. These are being added at an alarming rate!!!

Thank you all for your comments my family and I appreciate the humor and facts. Yes I am Jason Swinney from the artical. By the way I've been told its every two feet after ten feet that you need an assistant. I have worked for both labs and multipule breeders of reptiles and rodents. Our animals were not seised but sold to Reptile Rapture (for quite a loss). My animals were never power feed, and resided in a locked cage. I've owned numerous boa constrictors and have always avoided large pythons due to having a family and being sensable about housing. My snakes have always resided in a locked cage with 3/8 inch of glass. My neighbor that reported me had sent his son over repeatedly to handle and enjoyed my snakes. Foremost we volunteered for the Rock county humane society and were told that any captures or rescues of reptiles we would be involed in, due to the good condition and housing we provided our animals. If you would like to contact me further in support or suprise over this issue, my email is jason_swinney@yahoo.com.