The bleh of trying to find snake laws

[Voodoo]

Here's how my morning goes:

Call Animal Control for Portage-
For any dangerous animal, you need to get a permit from the chief of police

Call police-
We don't do that, call DNR

Call DNR-
You need our biology department

Biology Dept-
We don't do that, you need the fish resources people in Lansing (?)

Lansing-
That type of permit doesn't exist. They don't know what they were talking about.

*weep* Should I just keep my snakes secret? This is rediculous.
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[eddie]

That sounds about typical....

I would call AC back and ask for a supervisor that deals with exotics, not dangerous.
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[Voodoo]

They consider snakes to be "dangerous."
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[najaboy]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> *weep* Should I just keep my snakes secret? This is rediculous. </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Honestly, I would. The fewer government entities that know what you keep, the better off you are- regardless of legality.

For a variety of reasons, not the least of which is a city ordinance banning exotic pets, only one person locally has seen my collection.
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[JuliusSqueezer]

That's how I play it naja...I figure if the software police have never popped in to see where I got my copy of photoshop...the snake police won't come knocking either. They seem to be concerned with commercial business only and unless a cobra gets out and bites a kid...they don't get too worked up over who keeps what where. I hardly think a ball python is ever going to create a stir anywhere if ya just don't go around shoving it in people's faces.
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[Hibidyjibidy]

I was trying to find something similar for myself Voodoo.
I also had the blindman' runaround at the beggining of the endeavour.

My suggestion is to contact the DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE in your state and then ask for LICENSING/PERMITS on reptiles. Ask for the head of the department and your request should be answered. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Be prepared to make a couple of calls as they seem to be too busy to help you out?
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[Voodoo]

Well, at some point (like when I have my own house), I plan on getting a large snake, either a burm or a retic. And if the cops have to come over cause, er, I get broken into or something, I don't want to end up with a huge fine/having snake taken away because I couldn't figure out how to get a frikkin' permit.

I've had snakes since January, and I know plenty of people who don't have permits or anything, but I really would like to be a responsible keeper, y'know? I don't want to add to the stereotype of people having snakes being irresponsible with them.

Y'know what I'm saying?
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[najaboy]

Hibidy- Michigan has no state laws governing the keeping of reptiles as pets, so contacting a ste-run entity would be pointless.

Voodoo, cities &amp; counties that have ordinances that restrict &quot;dangerous animals&quot; don't generally grant permits. It's a total ban, with no variances being granted.

There is an old saying to the effect of, &quot;It is easier to ask forgiveness than it is to ask permission.&quot; I wish it weren't true, but it is.
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[Voodoo]

I called Kalamazoo County AC, and in K'zoo, all snakes are banned completely. But in Portage (same county, city I live in), they told me that you can get a permit for dangerous animals. Like, they'll come inspect your cages to make sure they're secure, make sure the snakes aren't &quot;too big and dangerous,&quot; etc. It's not a complete ban. I mean, dogs over 4 mo here need to be registered.
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[ChrisRezendes]

Wow. Kalamazoo sucks. Personally, I try to obey the law wherever I can, you know, no drug use, no speeding, no fighting, stuff like that. But where it comes to laws that are so ridiculous as to ban something you have an immense interest in for no real reason other than ignorance, I think I'd have a tendency to ignore. Personally I don't keep large boids or any hots, the biggest snake I've had at this point was a slightly over 6' long black racer (Coluber constrictor constrictor), a species that tends to be too thin and non-muscular(not as muscular as a constrictor, anyway) to cause any harm to a human. Where I live, you can pretty much keep whatever you want, as long as it isnt' considered dangerous. I know you need a permit for varanids(but, oddly enough, not tegus) crocodilians, and venomous reptiles, and I'm fairly certain you need one for the larger boids (anacondas, retics, afrocks, etc.). You also need one for animals considered threatened, endangered, or under special concern. Oddly, here you have to watch out, as it was recently pointed out to me that not only do you have to watch out about keeping snakes protected by the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act, but you also have to check with Fish and Wildlife as well. The only unreasonably reptile restriction within this state is that you may not keep an endangered animal without a permit regardless of it's status where it came from. For example, the Black Rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta) is considered endangered in Massachusetts. It is not elsewhere. You still would not be allowed to keep a Black Rat that came from, say, South Carolina just because it is endangered here. Other than that, I believe all the restrictions are very reasonable and I intend to follow all of them.
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[Ed_r]

Hey if &quot;Don't ask Don't tell&quot; works for the military I think it would work perfectly for keeping herps. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img] [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img]
ATm all mine are legal, but that could change soon.lol
But everyone I know that keeps snakes and even large constrictors(Burms &amp; Retics) NO ONE gets a permit.
No one is going to throw a hissy fit if you take your Ball Pythons outside. As long as your not out being irresponsible with it/them you will either get funny looks, or the oh cool what is it? Only time you have to worry is if you have a large constrictor. Then they just don't go outside. Cuz the minute they do go outside and your neighbors dog happens to run away.... you'll be where all the fingers will be pointing.

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[Joltman]

I would talk to your local herp society
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[Kohm]

I agree, Ed. I don't tell anybody about the stuff in my house. Anyway, I think our local police has the same attitude towards herps as to transvesites. Technically illegal, but if no one complains, they turn a blind eye. And if you tell no one, no one'll complain.

Of course, I think that since we play an illegal game, then we have to be respnsible. I.e no snakes getting into neighbours houses and biting folks, etc. And if we go around showing off, I think we ask for it when the police come knocking. And be careful of what you do. i heard one guy locally got busted after his neighbour saw him feeding a live mouse to his snake and complained. Now that's perfectly normal as it goes, but you never know people ...

I think so Chris, no keeping of endangered species, etc. Since many laws are meant to protect such. using discretion to keep only those we know are safe and c/b, rather than taken from threatened populations.

And hopefully, local laws are relaxing. The only herp that is by law, legal, is the RES. But some other species are now legal, though unannounced, like Fly River Turtles, Snakenecks, softshells, Horned toads, etc. Keeping our fingers crossed for lizards and snakes soon. Though, I'm not waiting that long...
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