- receiving a phone call in the weekend from a friend saying that he knows a guy that sell all sort of snakes. In my city and only at a 10 min. drive from home;

- arriving at a flat and seeing all sort of (baby) boas and pythons for sale...you name it: blood, burmese (inc. albino), reticulated, ball and jungle pythons, boa constrictor constrictor, boa constrictor imperator and ETBoas, among others. Most of them at moderate prices (apparently he co-owns a Spanish company that sells these snakes - legally - in Spain. From time to time, he "brings" a few to Portugal...);

- being really tempted by a baby Jungle Python at € 300.

RESISTING to temptation is:

after seeing all of this lovely animals just saying to the guy:

"as you know, keeping (and, obviously selling !) boids and pythons is illegal in Portugal so I can´t buy any of these and am looking for an Elaphe schrenkii (russian rat) instead. That one you could legally sell me, if you have any"


I know that being a model citizen would be to notify the authorities, but I didn´t go that far. I fear for the snakes destiny.

And just imagine that - in my ignorance - I though that the Portuguese residents that own boids drove to Spain to get them... Some people bring them to our front doors !

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Regards,
Joao

Well, that guy probably did go to Spain to get them and I'm sure there are plenty more like him around. Unless you feel that the animals are being housed or cared for inappropriately, I wouldn't report him.
This guy's taking a risk breeding and selling illegal snakes, but probably no one would know if you decided to keep one little jungle python...
-- I know I'm being really really evil adding to your temptation.

Good luck!

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Andrea

You are being mean Andrea...

But my kids would know and I don´t want them to think it´s ok to break the law whenever you think the law is stupid.

The older one is almost teenager and at that age... most (if not all) of the laws are stupid. I cannot give that example to them. As you know, they (we...) always look at the bad example of our parents; and not always at the good ones...

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Regards,
Joao

I'm proud of you Joao! I am sure that you were biting your lip the whole time!
Sometimes we have to sacrifice what we want for the good of our youngsters.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Of course, you're absolutely right!! Good for you. I hope this guy has connections to get you a Russian Rat snake!
(I'm really happy I don't have kids!)

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Andrea

Still am Merlin...still am.
I´m not even sure I still have lips...

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Regards,
Joao

thats a horrible situation to be in, lol. Kids,,, they get you every time. And you definitely have to practice what you preach or it will be used against you in the future. Poor you, lol. But, good for you for holding firm, even though you don't agree with the laws!

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

I really don´t Nicole.

I can´t keep a ball python or a jungle python, because they are..brrrr...pythons; I can´t keep a rosy or sand boa because they are...brrrr(again) boids,

But I can keep, for instance, a 6´bull snake, big racers like the 10´ Spillotes pullatus (don´t know the English name) or even rear fanged venomous colubrids, because they are..... "mere" colubrids.

It´s difficult to accept !

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Regards,
Joao

It's really clear that the people making the laws are not well informed about what they are allowing vs restricting. That makes it all the more frustrating to abide by!

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Andrea

you can keep a rear fanged venomous colubrid because it is a colubrid, but not a ball python? That is ridiculous! I would rather take my chances with a ball python than one of those, lol

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead