Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,

As I posted earlier, the area I'll be moving to shortly has a ban against all constricting snakes. I'm going to take the advice I was given and demand a list of the banned species (hopefully try to prove the law unenforcable), but in the event that it doesn't work out, does anyone have any recommendations for snake species that are not constrictors? I only know of garters, but I'm looking for something a little larger. However, I also need a "pet" personality. (If it helps, I was previously considering a ball python, rainbow boa, or ratsnake.) I'm looking forward to your recommendations, thanks! ^__^

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

n/p

Thanks for the suggestion! I hear indigos are a little hard to acquire permits for, however.

Herp laws are just such a pain. ~~

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

Only the Eastern Indigos need permits from the US fish and wildlife for shipping in interstate commerce. The Texas Indigos, Rubidus,Blacktail Cribos, Yellowtails, etc. do not. Non of these snakes are constrictors and most do very well if kept in large cages with proper care. They are not venomous and captive born babies can be raised to be very tame and easy to handle. My grand children hold mine and I they are wonderful animals. Study them before deciding to get one and be sure you can provide what they need. I don't think they are that hard to breed if one understands that they do not follow the same cycle that most other snakes do. They are fall and winter breeders while most snakes mate in the spring. Here is a picture of a large blacktail male.

Thank you!! Which one do you prefer? I'll be looking into them as I attend some upcoming herp shows.

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

Oh geez, there's a lot...
cobras, rattlesnakes, mambas, temple vipers...
What a dumb law.
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

By the way, where are you going?... so I'll know to stay away from that looney place that conceived of such a stupid law!... hmmm, no constricting snakes... protection from milk snakes and ball pythons!?!?!?

Thanks for replying... I'm going to be in Columbus, Ohio. Most of the city doesn't have any ordinances, but my part of town has a local law against it. If anyone in the Columbus area wants to start a petition or something, that would be great! ^^

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

I don't actually LIVE in Columbus, but I work there, and live one county North. Now the good news...You get a really good reptile show EVERY month. Hope to see you there. As far as the non-constricting snakes...Screw it!!! What area has THAT dumb law. I assume that as long as you don't get a ton of snakes or go into "the business" nobody would bother you. A toy poodle, after all, is probably more dangerous than your average ratsnake.
When are you moving here? The All Ohio Reptile Show is 4/17, 5/22,6/19, and so on. Go to allohioshows.com for more info.
Again, welcome. Sorry about the dumb law, but I would really just ignore it. Duffy

Thanks for the advice! Actually, I attended the Columbus show in January and really enjoyed it. ^___^ If I wasn't in an apartment, I might be a little more lax about the ordinance, but as it stands, I don't want any trouble. ^_^; It is a real shame, though...

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

EVERYONE ignores that law... in fact, I've never heard of it. It's not even county-wide. But living in an apartment does complicate things, and I won't advocate you break the ordinance. I live up in Delaware.
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

These guys have great personalitys. they even fake their own deaths. How much more personality could one need?
Good luck with the move.
Jason

Where did my g go?
Well its their now.
lol
Jason

Thanks for the advice. I'll be looking into them! ^__^

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

You could get a Central American black tail Cribo(Drymarchon corais). They're related to Indigos (but less expensive and don't require permits) and reach a good size, 5-6 feet average. I kept one years ago that was a very well behaved snake but just crazy about the food. Definitely recommend tongs for feeding. They are occasionally available captive bred but you usually see wild caught.

I wonder what they'd say about Tiger Rat snakes (Spilotes pullatus mexicanus)? They don't always constrict their prey...
They're really more of a racer type feeder.

Other options might be North American racers (which in spite of their Latin name don't constrict) or the giant Madagascar Hognose snakes (Leioheterodon).
Lora
(p.s. I agree it's a dumb law)

could go for a western hognose...one that is eating unscented pinkies well. Hogs have the cutest faces
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Sue Barnett
1.0 Florida King (Vega)
0.1 Western hognose (Sola)
0.1 Egyptian spiny mouse (Mia)
4.2 mini rex rabbits (Basil, Pippin, Reggie, Hayden, Jackie and Peek-a-boo)
0.1 Plott hound (Molly)
1.0 half Arab (Zarr)
1.0 Betta (Flash)

Also check out the water snakes (Nerodia). They are nonconstricting. If you start with a baby, they tame pretty well. Wild caught adults can be nasty. Good luck.

Paul Hollander

Sounds interesting... the water snakes have always fascinated me. I'll look into it, thanks!!

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

Thanks for the suggestions! The cribo looks really neat. Right now I think I'm leaning more towards the indigos, or maybe the tiger ratsnake like you mentioned. ^__^

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

Hi Nekomi. Be careful of what type of coluber or nerodia you get, if you choose to. Any snake that is native to Ohio, (black racer, norther water snake) would require a ODNR permit and a PIT tag. You also have to aggree to open your home and records on the animals up to ODNR inspection. If you are interested in a indigo or one of it's subspecies, there is a gentleman with the Greater Cincinnati Herp Society that breeds them. As long as the indigo doesn't cross state lines, no federal permit is needed.

Good luck,
Todd

Thanks!! Yes, the PIT tagging is a pain. Originally I was looking into keeping a rough green, but when I found out that the PIT tagging was difficult for such a slender animal, I decided against it. It's been a long process deciding what to keep. I've researched ball pythons, garters, corn snakes, ratsnakes, rainbow boas, tree pythons, rough greens, and now indigos, water snakes, cribos, and hognose snakes. ^^ Craziness! Makes me think I should just go with a monitor or a beardie instead. ^_~ (just joking! ^___^)

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors
LAWS are like LOCKS all they do is keep Honest People Honest

My $.0¼

Sounds like you just described an Indigo Snake. I would suggest a Texas Indigo. They are not allowed to be possessed in Texas, but need no permits etc. in other states to own. Captive born babies are not easy to find, but several people on the Indigo forum are now reporting eggs. I have 16 eggs in the incubator due to hatch around the 4th of July. These are wonderful docile big snakes that have more personallity than almost any snake. You can learn alot on the forum about them, but some of the folks there don't want to share them outside their own group. They are rightly concerned that these snakes may become extinct, but I think the more these snakes are available more and more people will come to want them and produce more in captivity and will want them preserved in the wild. Here is a picture of my big male.

Thank you!! Your snake is beautiful. How large do the indigos get, male and female? Also, how much can I expect to pay for a CB baby? Thanks again!!

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

Some yellow anacondas will eat the prey right off the tongs. Go to the Anaconda forum and ask DFR. Not all of them eat off tongs though.
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 tiger crested gecko (peachs)
1.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, and Bear)

-funny typos-
"There are six genes which determine the amount of melanism present in a person's skink"-about human skin color

please give me more typos

Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think I'm cut out to keep a snake That large. ^__^ Anacondas are neat, though... but I don't think I have the personality for them (or the strength!). Thanks again!!

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

I think your problem may be solved as soon as you get the law clarified. Often when dumbass politicians try to pass a law banning constrictors (yup, it has been tried before) they're really banning boids.

Awhile back, my hometown tried to ban ALL reptiles from the city. Why would they want to do this, you may be wondering?? A man had a small boa for a pet (around 3ft), and he was in the habit of taking it out in the yard on sunny days. A neighboor woman with a small (and yippy) dog was terrified that the boa would escape in the middle of the night and eat her dog. She pestered the police and city board members unmercifully for months before they finally decided to place the ban. My employer, a herpetologist, was understandably irate, and launched his own campaign against the bill, fueled by factual information concerning herps, not silly old wives tales. The end result was, the ordinance fell apart. They did succeed to ban venomous snakes from the city, but with good reason- we have no venomous herps were I live, and the biggest hospital is still small and can't really supply antivenin. Anyways, this ordinance of yours may very well have started from something as silly as this, look into it. Perhaps you could prepare a presentation of sorts in front of the city board... anyways, CONTEST IT!
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1.1 argentine b/w tegus
1.0 anery corn
0.1 western hog
0.1 leopard gecko
1.1 blue headed tree agama
0.0.1 ball python
0.0.1 western fox
And always looking for more!!

I'd love to fight the law, but I have no idea how to start. If anyone else in the Columbus area would like to rally and help me, it would be much appreciated (I know there's plenty of herpers around... would it be appropriate to ask at the All Ohio Show?)! Maybe someone on the boards has done a petition before and could help...

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

True. I'm going to be calling the city soon to acquire a list of the banned species. If they can't provide one, I'm planning on asking them how they are going to enforce the law; and if it comes to that, I may disregard it altogether.

If they do provide a list, you're probably right - it would probably only have boids. In that case, I'll go with a luecistic Texas rat. ^__^ I love 'em. ^___^

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::i believe in joy > http://www.winds.org/nekomi/hope.html

::my homepage > http://www.winds.org/nekomi

so let me get this straight.....you can have cobras and rattlesnakes but not a harmless corn snake???....thats got to be the dumbest law ever lol.
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KRISTI Mommy 2 Autumn Rose (daughter) 2 1/2 yrs
Reign Michael(son) 6 months
Duncan (Budgie) almost 7 years
Asia (Juvie Leopard Gecko)
Russia (NEW Baby Albino Cornsnake)
OH, And Ron the geckos #1 FAN!!! (owned by BlizzardGecko)