Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It was sold to me as a specific variety of kingsnake, but I would like an unbiased opinion before I say what he was advertised as. He cost me 142 mice.

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~Sasheena

n/p

>>n/p
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~Sasheena

>>It was sold to me as a specific variety of kingsnake, but I would like an unbiased opinion before I say what he was advertised as. He cost me 142 mice.
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>>~Sasheena
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Chris Harrison

It was sold to me as an Eastern Chain King.

Makes me wonder though, if it's Splendida, if it's even legal to sell or buy in this state (Arizona).... does anyone know?
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~Sasheena

I'm not up on your latest legislation, but as I recall anything native to AZ is off limits. L.g.splendida does occur in your state (in Cochise and surrounding Counties) so it likely is illegal.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

To the best of my knowledge, commerce of any kind is not to occur with native herps of Arizona within the boundaries of that state. That's probably why the person called it a Chain King. Of course, you're just as guilty for not knowing your herps. Get yourself a Conant's or an Audubon Field Guide and learn about these animals. If the person you obtained that snake from was part of a sting operation, you'd be facing a severe fine, perhaps worse.

I bought it from a pet store, they've had it up for sale for more than four months, says hubby, and he wanted it because it looks pretty. I thought it might be splendida, but didn't think about the "native herps" bit until after we got home. He's going back to the petstore today... should he bring it back? should he tell them it was illegal and ask for his money back? URGHLE. I have a few native herps, but all were given to me legally. I would not want to have bought a herp illegally. As far as I understand the laws hereabouts... if the snake was either captured or bred from, say, Texas Splendida, it would be perfectly legal to sell here in Arizona. Just need a paper trail. That's why I can breed and sell Cal Kings... they are not from Arizona or something like that.

What to do? What to do?
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~Sasheena

The origin may not mean anything. Here in Connecticut, we have the same situation, no commerce with native herps. When I inquired about native herps from different states, the state DEP said they made no differentiation. As far as they were concerned,to use their example, a Black Rat was a Black Rat, be it from Connecticut, Kentucky, or anywhere else. I'd venture to guess that Arizona would view it in a similar way, you need to check into it.

Bart Bruno

I believe that it is slightly different here in Arizona. Take California Kingsnakes, which are native to this state. A person can buy these and breed them and sell them here in Arizona. Kerby Ross, who posts to this forum all the time, lives here in Arizona, and he raises and breeds them. As far as I understand it, so long as your breeder stock is from some other state, you can sell them without penalty. My original three cal kings came from him. However if you have a cal king that is typical of those found in this state, have no record of origin, then you could not sell it in this state. One of our cal kings is one of these... she was presented at a petstore to be sold, the petstore said they couldn't sell her because she looked "native" and she was given to the local herp society, where I obtained her. She's one of our best cal kings, but is definately fixed with the label of "local" snake. But when you take something like the Splendida, I'm not sure of the laws pertaining to them. It could be that in general those found in this state are bright yellow speckled, and those found in some other state are normally a dull yellow, which would make ours legal. In general stores in teh area won't sell any snake that is a native and of questionable origin. When I sold my clutch of cal kings last year, they even told me they would only take them if they didn't look native. Luckily mine were all very aberrant patterned, no doubt of their origin: CB.
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~Sasheena

There is a large native arizona population of desert kings. It is illegal to trade in anyway arizona native animals. However you can sell and trade non native to arizona splendida. I have some hypo splendida from Don Shores texas locale. Just keep your documentation and you will have no problems. I have kept all my documentation on my Cal kings, mex black and splendida. For proof that they are non native animals.

Luke

Thank you Luke...what do I do if it was sold to me by a local petstore as an Eastern Chain... it's obviously not an Eastern Chain. URGH!
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~Sasheena