Re: Newbie questions

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Posted by notpitr on October 21, 2002 at 19:50:21:

In Reply to: Re: Newbie questions posted by Saker on October 21, 2002 at 19:25:02:

:Hi Peter! First Keeping rattlesnakes is fairly easy. The only hard part would of course be the extra safety precautions necesarry in keeping venomous snkaes.
:I also live in a canyon in CA(La Verne). Maybe sometime we could get together and catch some snakes?
:Also, I would like to applaud you for taking the time to relocate rattlesnakes. I'm trying to setup a snake rescue relocation program for some of the CA foothills. I also planned to do educational exhibits but in L.A. County this would just be too hard.

I'm down in San Diego County. I've never actually gone out *looking* for snakes - I'm content to nab bluebellies in my backyard when I get bored (catch & release). I get calls from my neighbors when they've got a crawly problem. It's usually something nonvenomous (fortunately).

Most of the time I just collect the animal and walk into the canyon with it and (carefully) let it go. So far, every snake I've caught has been more frightened than annoyed and has done its best to get AWAY as quickly as possible. Only rarely have I had to actually bag the critter and take it away (far away) to appease a frightened parent.

I've done a few "classes" with my pythons to show people what to do when they see a snake. This consists mostly of "get the kids and dogs in the house and call me or Animal Control ASAP", but I also let them hold the pythons to dispel the snakes-are-slimy myth.

Going "hunting" sounds like fun, tho....

:If you have any idea where the rattlesnakes is from(city). It would aid in identification.

I'll check - but I don't want to seem TOO eager. I've just sold my house and bought a new one, and I don't want to add someone new to the Zoo in the middle of all this chaos. :)

I'm also a bit unsure of the legalities of keeping a venomous animal in the City of San Diego. I know that in San Diego, it's illegal for a reptile owner to display the animal in a "non-educational" manner (i.e. don't go about town with your harmless python in your shirt - you'll get a ticket!). This warrants more research, I venture.

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Re: Newbie questions Saker 10/21/02 (0)