Cali Reptile Laws

[Cristina]

Anyone know Orange County,CA reptile keeping laws???
any restrictions?

Thanks

[Sleepy_FF]

not a clue... id shoot SoberGuy a pm

[MegF]

No restrictions on any reptiles except endangered species. W/C animals can be taken if you have a fishing liscence believe it or not! No other restrictions on venomous or non there.

[Slithers]

i think you need permit for hots.

	Venomous Reptile A term commonly used to refer to a venomous reptile. Most commonly used in reference to venomous snakes.

[MegF]

I have never found a regulation listed in Fish and Game that requires a permit for native species of hots. You do need a sport fishing liscence to take any species from the wild that is not endangered or on the no take list. DFG lists those on their site. You must get a permit if you wish to take protected species or those that are on the do not take list or non native hots, but otherwise, you do not need any. If you were to go into commercial handling of snakes, then you would need a fishing liscence to take native species of rattlesnake. I was only looking into taking those at the time. If you want to ship hots across state lines, you do need to have a permit and contact DFG.

	Venomous Reptile A term commonly used to refer to a venomous reptile. Most commonly used in reference to venomous snakes.

[Aaron_NSBM]

I would also check with the towns laws also.. some may have more restrictions...

[bleeding_sarcasm]

there are alot of things you cant have, and permits for hots are NOT easy to get, i didnt even think they offered them.
My boyfriend used to work at the oldest reptile store in CA, and... if someone came in with questions about hots, they wouldnt even talk to them. I belive it is legal to have native species, with a permit, if you had them BEFORE the laws were passed. rear fanged is ok, but you cant have beaded lizards or gila monsters either. Id have to ask him more when he gets home... thats just the major ones i can think of off the top of my head.

[MegF]

Native species can be taken for non-commercial use with a fishing liscence. Rattlesnakes may be taken without anything. There is a list of snakes you can't take on the DFG website. Here is from the site:
A current California freshwater sportfishing fishing license is needed to collect non-protected reptiles and amphibians in California, except for rattlesnakes. (See the California Fish and Game Commission web site for exceptions, such as scientific collecting permits.) This license must be displayed by attaching it to the "outer clothing at or above the waistline so that it is plainly visible...."
Snakes that may NOT be taken:
Snakes

Baja California Ratsnake - Bogertophis rosaliae
Southern Rubber Boa - Charina umbratica
San Diego Mountain Kingsnake - Lampropeltis zonata pulchra
San Joaquin Coachwhip - Masticophis flagellum ruddocki
Alameda Whipsnake - Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus
Yellow- bellied Sea Snake - Pelamis Platurus
Two-striped Gartersnake - Thamnophis hammondii
Giant Gartersnake - Thamnophis gigas
San Francisco Gartersnake - Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia
Common Gartersnake - Thamnophis sirtalis (From Southern California, only)

Snakes and lizards that MAY be taken:

(a) General Provisions: Only the following reptiles may be taken under the authority of a sportfishing license, subject to the restrictions in this section. The limit for each of the species listed below is two, unless otherwise provided. Limit, as used in this section, means daily bag and possession limit. No reptiles shall be taken from ecological reserves designated by the commission in Section 630 or from state parks, or national parks or monuments.

(b) No sportfishing license is required for the sport take of any rattlesnake.

(1) Painted turtle (Chrysemys picta): Limit: No limit.
(2) Slider Turtle (Pseudemys (Trachemys) scripta): Limit: No limit.
(3) Spiny softshell turtle (Trionyx spiniferus): Limit: No limit.
(4) Western banded gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)
(5) Desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis)
(6) Chuckwalla (Sauromalus obesus)
(7) Zebra-tailed lizard (Callisaurus draconoides)
( Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard (Uma notata)
(9) Mojave fringe-toed lizard (Uma scoparia)
(10) Desert spiny lizard (Sceloporus magister)
(11) Granite spiny lizard (Sceloporus orcutti)
(12) Western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis): Limit: Species No. 12- 6 have a limit of twenty-five (25) in the aggregate
(13) Sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus graciosus): Limit: Species No. 12- 6 have a limit of twenty-five (25) in the aggregate
(14) Side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana):Limit: Species No. 12- 6 have a limit of twenty-five (25) in the aggregate
(15) Western skink (Eumeces skiltonianus): Limit: Species No. 12- 6 have a limit of twenty-five (25) in the aggregate
(16) Desert night lizard (Xantusia vigilis): Limit: Species No. 12- 6 have a limit of twenty-five (25) in the aggregate
(17) Long-tailed brush lizard (Urosaurus graciosus)
(1 Tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)
(19) Small-scaled lizard (Urosaurus microscutatus)
(20) Desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos)
(21) Short-horn