Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello folks---I have a multipartite question that I'm hoping someone can address. Since the legislation failed last winter to further restrict "pet" keeping in AA, the only relevant municipal codes I can find are:

"1) No person shall keep or house any animals or domestic fowl within the city except dogs, cats, rabbits, canaries or small animals commonly classified as pets which are customarily kept or housed inside dwellings as household pets.
(2) Subsection (1) shall not apply to animals or fowl that are kept or housed at city park facilities for exhibition.
(Ord. No. 29-85, 8-5-85; Ord. No. 16-88, § 1, 4-18-88) "

How is this interpreted for reptiles?

Also, since non-native hots are allowed in Michigan, and I cannot find any specific ordinance banning them within this community, can I legally keep them? I recently moved here from Massachusetts, so all this freedom is a little unsettling! Suddenly there are four times as many options for my collection!!

My largest problem was actually the leasing process here--many, many, places stipulated that no more than two animals could be maintained with the exception of fish in aquaria. (When apartment hunting i refer to my collection as "aquarium pets," which is about as specific as I feel I need to be, despite no longer using any aquariums). Luckily, my current landlord was fine with my collection--neither he nor I can imagine how a Borneo STP or a Dumerils boa will damage his property, unlike a cat or a dog.

Anyway, I just want to make sure I'm above board here, and remain so. Thanks for any info.

In this regard, I would think if you can find it for sale in an AA pet store, it would be a "household" pet.

When we were recently appartment hunting, it seemed that no one cared about the iguana or turtles, and none thought to ask for a pet deposit for these. Of course, it wasn't until we moved in that we learned you had to have permission for any aquarium over 25 gallons. We did say that we had an iguana and turtles, but the leasing agent never mentioned this or asked about enclosure size. I don't have snakes, so I didn't get a chance to ask about those!

As for keeping hots, can't help you there. You might want to call animal control or the city secretary annonymously. From a pay phone. From the other side of town.

Katrina