That was just to explain how the law works.

Because of burms, retics, anacondas... keeping of all boids (including pythons) was banned, back in 1992

__________________
Regards,
Joao

I think we had this discussion a while back,, I am an avid believer in a lot of the larger boids need to be monitored,, I think there are too many ignorant people who get them, and they can and have caused seroius problems due to the owners ignorance. However the way yours laws are written are a little peculiar to me, lol.

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

Actually as bad as the name makes it sound, not all "rear fanged venomous colubrids" are dangerous. Our common hognosed snake falls into that catagory.
But as usual you have people making broad laws that when taken as written are absolutely ludicrous!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

It´s true Nicole and I totally agree with you.
But there is a "half way".

Just to clarify, the way our law is written is very simple. Basically it says that "keeping snakes of the Boidae, Elapidae and Viperidae families is forbidden".
Since it was written in 1992, it was also ment to include other families,at the time seen as sub-families (v.g. Pythonidae, as a sub-family of the Boidae).

Its a clear case were..."size doesn´t matter"

__________________
Regards,
Joao

Yikes. I'm one of those people who also thinks the sale of snakes of a certain size or temperament should be limited, because too many people who buy them don't know how to take care of them and end up hurting themselves or the snake.

But I definitely do not think that should rule out entire families. They should do some careful research and restrict only the breeds that they are having problems with.

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

I like how they wrote the laws here in the city I live in, Absolutely NO venomous species of any kind or no snakes over 10 feet. Period. Pretty cut and dry and to the point. However if you live in the county you can have a cobra farm and they cannot do nothing. So the little 18 year old with no experience keeping hots can buy 20 and keep them


Merlin,, if I am remembering correctly arent some of the rear fanged colubrids able to make you ill if you are bitten by one of them? Not seriously but enough to give you flu like symptoms? Maybe I am confusing these with some other kind of snake. I remember some sort of controversy over it,, hmm, now I will have to find out lol. I realize there are a lot of snakes that are completely harmless classified in this section. Forgive my ignorance on that part of the snakes. My philosophy is,, if they are venomous even just slightly they do not come in here, lol. The only thing I need to know when it comes to venomous is, if I should stay still or run, lol

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

LOL To cloud the issue there is arguement as to whether the modified saliva should even be classified as venomous. I know with hog nosed snakes people have been bitten with no effect. It may be like a bee sting. To the majority of people it is no big deal but to those who happen to have an allergic reaction it could be a problem.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Hi Nicole,

I would have some doubts if I read a law just saying that. For example:

A) as regards the length

1- can you keep any snake until it reaches 10ft? And if it gets bigger, keeping it becomes illegal ? or
2- the "10ft mark" concerns the record, the usually accepted maximum or average length of a considered species ? (take the boa constrictor constrictor/"red tail boa", for instance: record 14,5ft; maximum up to 12ft; average 7-8ft - if my fonts are correct. Can you keep one ?)

B) as regards the venom

1- only front fanged snakes or also rear fanged ? (including, for instance and as Merlin said, the so popular Hognoses)
2- what is the position on modified saliva. Is it considered venom for this effect? (lots of colubrids, including milks and kings)

This is just to point out that in my opinion you may only have an accurate law if you go family by family and within these, species by species

After that you may opt for listing the ones that are ruled out or the ones that people are allowed to keep.

The Portuguese law only went half-way, unfortunately. It´s a "stupid" law, if you consider the effects (as I tried to point out before) but it´s very clear for everybody.

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Regards,
Joao

I think the same problem we have here is probably also in effect in Portugal!
If they regulate it on a species by species basis then they would be required to employ people who actually know the difference between species. They would have to either create an entirely new group of law enforcement that was herp knowledgable or else train the existing staff in what to look for. Either way it takes money. But by simply passing blanket coverage laws they avoid this.
They just make them all illegal!
And turn honest people into criminals!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

You´re sooooooooooo right, Merlin !

The inspectors know nothing about snakes...And if they have any doubts as regards the species, they apprehend.

I´ve been cooperating with a (new) Portuguese Reptile Association that is trying to obtain an agreement with the Authorities to issue certificates with the species and the owner´s names and a picture of the snake. A kind of ID card of each snake kept in Portugal. Those certificates would be issued by the Association and recognized by the Authorities to prevent mistakes.

Some people at the Association think that if that works well, maybe in a few months/years the Authorities are willing to accept changing the law, allowing some small boids and pythons, on a species-by-species basis, as long as they have the ID card.

But I´m not so positive. At least in a "months" period.

__________________
Regards,
Joao