Living With Venomous Reptiles

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TradClimber
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Re: Living With Venomous Reptiles

Post by TradClimber »

Gordon posted:
Does being married count??
No. Not unless she is a cold-blooded vertebrate. :P

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Jerry Feldner
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Re: Living With Venomous Reptiles

Post by Jerry Feldner »

Sandman wrote>>> "Really, they are kinda shy creatures and dont really like to hang around humans."

That is true but people are their own worst enemies when it comes to contact with rattlers. We tend to be a bit sloppy in putting dog food outside which rodents will also eat. Also, we tend to plant many things which rodents love to eat. Simply put, Rodents=rodent eaters (i.e., snakes in this case).

One other thing. If you have bushes that you tend in your yard, make sure to cut the bases up about six inches above ground for visibility. A new trend in bitees has arisen lately. These are seniors tending their gardens who reach under bushes where they can't see. Just another warning not to put hands where you can't see them.
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Re: Living With Venomous Reptiles

Post by LDMGOLD »

Hi....

I have often told my classes that outdoor night lights attract insects, insects attract rodents and rodents attract snakes. Some times very large Western Diamond Backs Crotalus atrox such as the one pictured here. This was a very large snake. He was almost 1.5 m in length and very heavy. I believe he had fourteen or fifteen rattles. This snake was the star of my Snake Alert posters. He could really sing when he got excited. Yes, I had a permit from the Arizona Fish and Game Department. I thought you gentlemen would enjoy this photograph of a large Western Diamond Back taken about fifteen years ago. I kept him in captivity for approximately 5 years then returned him to his original habitat. He was an easy snake to feed and care for, but required a little more work than I was use to at the time.

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Re: Living With Venomous Reptiles

Post by reptilist »

Very nice rattle on that snake! I bet even I could hear it.
;)

As a side note... No permit is necessary to keep a venomous reptile in Arizona so long as it's native to this state; except to collect one from the wild, then a valid hunting license is required. The bag limit on rattlesnakes in Arizona is 4 per year per species (that pertains to keeping and killing!). Four species of Arizona rattlesnakes are protected and may not be captured, harmed, killed, pursued, etc... Those are the Desert Massasauga, the Twin Spotted Rattlesnake, The Banded Rock Rattlesnake, and the Ridge Nosed Rattlesnake. Non native venomous snakes are prohibited in Arizona.

Also, it is not legal to release a captive animal in Arizona. Sometimes captive reptiles carry germs that can be detrimental to the wild population.... A long term captive reptile will actually forget how to effectively hunt and hide, thereby becoming easy prey itself and/or starve for lack of hunting success.
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Re: Living With Venomous Reptiles

Post by LDMGOLD »

TERRY:

My boss required me to secure a permit from fish and game. I acquired an annual holding permit and display permit. The conditions of my holding permit at the time required me to release a capture animal (if I were to release him) in the habitat of the capture. I rotated my animals every two years. I could hold any specie of wildlife that was on my permit. I had a Gila Monster for a while that the State loan me for display. He was difficult to feed so I returned him to the state. My last permit with the State of Arizona was issued in 1997. My first permit was issue in 1978. The permit was not for having the snake, but for holding and displaying the snake in public. Honestly I doubt the State of Arizona requires that anymore. If I can find ones of my permits I will post it online for you, however I doubt very much I saved any of them. I am sure the laws have changed because of cut backs in personal to save money. As I recall it was illegal to possess a Grand Canyon Rattlesnake, Ridge Nose Rattlesnake and I believe a Twin Spotted Rattler. I have been out of the loop for about thirteen years.

Tom K.
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Re: Living With Venomous Reptiles

Post by reptilist »

Interesting.
(Grand Canyon Rattlesnakes are only protected within the national park.)
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Re: Living With Venomous Reptiles

Post by LDMGOLD »

Terry:

You are correct about collecting, however you must have a valid Arizona Hunting License. I didn't have a hunting license during those years. Also I had a wildlife holding permit issued by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. The Holding Permit was for holding and displaying life specimens of
Arizona Wildlife including all rattlesnakes. They have to approved all Wildlife Holding Permits. Also they required you be professionally associated with some institution such as a university or hospital. Occasionally they have approved permits for just individuals that contributed to the protection and care of Arizona wildlife. As I recalled there were only about eight or nine individual in the state when I had my permit, however I could be wrong. There were several institution that had permits for rehabilitation of wildlife. Also if I can find my poster child (snake) poster I will post a copy for you to see.

Thanks for the information and those shots of the Grand Canyon were beautiful.

Tom K.
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Re: Living With Venomous Reptiles

Post by reptilist »

These days a holding permit is what it takes to "have" a Gila Monster... I've been offered the permit several times by a certain G&F officer, but I just don't have enough room to keep one!

BTW...I didn't mean to insinuate that you were breaking the law with my first post, just trying to shed light on the legalities for our readers... I know that you respect the laws as much as I do, and it is apparent that they do change from time to time.
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Re: Living With Venomous Reptiles

Post by LDMGOLD »

Terry:

Part of the problem I dealt with was public liability. When I made Snake Alert presentation in the community we were basically responsible for the information we presented. Especially the information we presented as emergency treatment for venomous snake bite. All institutions and even individuals can be held liable for information they present. The old adage is "you can be sued for anything." My recommendation for venomous snake bite was to treat for shock and then transport to a medical clinic or center. Of course, Terry you and I know this could be a major problem under a lot of conditions. No Terry, I didn't think you were indicating I was breaking the law in anyway. Years ago I was well know by the Fish and Game Department in this state. Take care and I enjoy your photographs. I would put up some of venomous snake bite photos, but I am afraid I would make some people very nervous who use this board. Oh, probably one of the biggest changes involving Holding Permits now is that G & F officer can issue one. It use to be the G & F Commission was the only one who could approve Holding Permits.

Tom K.

PS...Terry, I just talked to an old friend about the holding permit. Yes, now days you can get a holding permit from regional law enforcement in the G & F. The entire system has been change. You never know without asking.
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Re: Living With Venomous Reptiles

Post by Jerry Feldner »

LDMGold wrote "...insects attract rodents,..."

To which I say, "Wha'?" Name the rodent which eats strictly or mostly insects. Most rodents are plant or seed eaters. I have never heard of a rodent which is attuned to insects as a matter of diet. Of course, I am leaving out a great number of Asian and African rodents with which I have no familiarity. So, what rodent eats mainly insects?? Read>>>

http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/apr/papr/packrats.html (Packrats)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vole (Voles)

http://www.sdnhm.org/fieldguide/mammals/pero-man.html - (Deer mice - one that does eat a lot of insects)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse (mice- read to the bottom)
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