Well Cobrafan, just from your small post, I'd bet you're perfectly legal with your collection. Complying with state laws, responsible enough to be prepared for emergencies, and well qualified to keep such animals. I'd also bet you've kept these snakes long term without being bitten. And I'll stick my neck out even farther and say your snakes are most likely well cared for, healthy specimans. Just goes to show why laws shouldn't become so restrictive to prevent all private venomous snake collections. Wade didn't fit any of these criteria. He broke state laws by illegally possessing his copperhead, was bitten twice within a two year period, and was not prepared to cope with emergencies. He obtained this (these) snake(s)from someone; the snake that killed him wasn't a local copperhead. These type folks' activities (Wade and his supplier)always seem to end up doing things that lead to more and more restrictive laws being passed by various states. Folks like yourself rarely ever make the news, at least not in a negative way, but tend to be entirely ignored by state officials and lawmakers when the other jerks do. Even with copperheads, Wade was in way over his head. He didn't just die from "anyphalatic shock", he died because he had an illegal venomous snake, supplied to him by someone's illegal activity, and got bitten. It'll do no one any good to just "shut up" about it. I hope the individual who supplied Wade this snake pays dearly; Wade already has. I don't have any desire to dismiss this type activity simply because herpers are involved. I don't have any problem with qualified, responsible folks maintaining any type animal they choose to. Getting state officials to agree is the rub. Incidents like these make it almost certain they won't even try.

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