Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We need everyones help!

This proposal will:

-Ban the importation and sale of every color morph and every subspecies of native PA species! There is no question about the inclusion of subspecies in the prohibition.
No Cal kings or other L. getulus
No L. triangulum milksnakes
No Elaphe obsoleta (Pantherophis alleganiensis)
No T. sirtalis
No Terrapene carolina

etc. etc.

-Make you guilty of a crime until you prove your innocence if you carry tongs or a hook in the woods outside the six weeks of rattlesnake season. Ridiculous.

-Lower the native reptile possesion limit from 2 to 1 with NO scientific support for this action.

If we as citizens let this go on eventually this will result in these folks making a reg that bans the keeping of reptiles completely because that's the way they THINK it should be. We must insist on scientific accountability or we are surrendering!

With the exception of the timber rattle snake changes, there is no science behind any of these changes.

Captive breeding protects wild populations by fulfilling demand for desirable species. Do you really think that there are still folks out commercially collecting corn snakes or pine snakes, or cal kings? Of course not. It is more profitable to call a large breeder and buy them wholesale for resale than it is to collect them.

An analysis of the reptile market through the internet shows that the VAST majority (90 %) of domestic reptiles for sale in the US are CAPTIVE produced. Pa Fish and Boat does not refute this FACT. The choose to ignore it.

This whole thing is based on a tradition in conservation agencies of preventing commercialization. It originated early in the century when bird feathers were in great demand for ladies hats. Feathers don't reproduce in captivity. Reptiles do. It is apples and oranges.

PLEASE CALL:
(email if you can)

PA. Fish and Boat Executive Director Douglas Austin 717-705-7801
Go here to email - https://www.state.pa.us/papower/cwp/view.asp?a=1093&q=438119

PA. Senate Game and Fisheries Com. Chair. Joe Conti 717-787-7305
email - jconti@pasenate.gov

PA. House Game and Fisheries Com. Chair Bruce Smith 717-783-8783
As far as I can tell Rep. Smith has no email.

If you are a PA resident please call your own state senator and representative. You can find who they are at:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm

You can also join the PA Animal law group at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PAAnimalLaw/

Thanks to all in advance for your help!!!

Lisa
Living Earth Environmental Education
@__/ __/ __ / __==< :>--

Great info. It seems they are passing more bans on different herps in more states.
Garter snakes were allmost banned around here they were considering putting them in mildly venemous category and banning their ownership but thankfully they left them out of the group.

Wow! - If you don't mind me asking, where do you live that they were gonna try and do that? (thank goodness they didn't, lol)

Lisa

Upstate NY. The Governor though much to his credit re worded the ban for venemous snakes not garters or hognose snakes think rear fanged snakes like mangrove snakes,etc might be banned to but the snakes I like arent.
Its not in all of NY but it is in my area. I do need to hurry up get another albino garter just incase the law is changed lol.
I have been bit by garters (wild ones) and never had any problems except my spelling and punctuation got worse lol.

NP

Have you ever had one chew on you while your hand had the scent of garter food on it. Thats when they tend to use their venom on you.
(They DO have it, just not the "rear fangs" to deliver it.)