Hi
I'd like to begin working with venomous snakes but I'm having trouble finding someone in Massachusetts with any experience or any knowledge of the process of getting a permit, if at all possible. I've contacted the NEHS but was told only a single member has a permit and I've been unsuccessful in contacting them thus far. Is there anyone in MA area who has experience with venomous snakes who would be willing to train or has any knowledge of the process of attaining a permit in MA?
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Venomous snake training in MA
SooperScoot
Aug 13, 2012 11:56 AM
Replies (1)
Deathstalker
Oct 09, 2013 02:37 AM
Not happening, My Friend.
I am 29 1/2 and have lived in Massachusetts my whole life (moving to Pennsylvania next Friday the 18th!!), having kept serpents since 21 November 1991 (= 22 years, when I was age 7), having specialized in opisthoglyphous/aglyphous varieties since 5 January 2001 (near-13 years) when I acquired a 1.0 Chrysopelea ornata ssp. (Ahaetulla, Boiga, Chrysopelea, and Leioheterodon are my specialties).
All four (4) of those genera are technically illegal, as are ALL opisthoglyphous/aglyphous genera and pretty much anything else not on CMR 321 9.01(10): http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/laws-regulations/cmr/321-cmr-900-exemption-list.html, never mind true Hots. I have a permit for my 0.1 Boiga dendrophilia dendrophilia, but it wasn't easy to obtain.
The man You speak of in the NEHS is Kurt Schatzl who breeds Boiga dendrophilia melanota, but he does not deal with true Hots as Your wording makes You out to believe...? Not that he ever told me, at least.
An elaborate 3-page permit request letter--and a bonus letter from a good reference apprising Tom of Your goals--won't suffice for a Boiga permit; You'll need a ridiculous "scientific protocol" that Tom will criticize to no end, even after advising You to seek out a zoo's protocol which I did (nothing more than standard husbandry...), and my first protocol blew away the zoo's let alone my second protocol!
What I am getting at is: You will NOT be keeping true Hots in the State of Massachusetts. Not even a college degree and proven training would probably help You...Massachusetts is just too bureaucratic, stupid, and controlling. Or greedy if their power and control isn't strong enough; a permit for the entire genus of Boiga would cost $825! However, CMR = Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulations, not laws, so they can be fought pretty easily in court with the right attorney. 
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T.J. Gould
