Georgia laws

[poccodiablo]

I'm looking at relocating to Georgia and North Carolina,Washington, Arizona, Florida, and Texas for work. What are the laws regarding keeping corns in these states? I thought I read somewhere that its illegal in Georgia to keep corns. If so then I'll leave my guy here in Saskatoon with a babysitter till I get back. I'm doing 3month stints in different states working on highway wieght stations, so I'd be in Georgia for only 3 months.

Jeff Robertson

[CAV]

No problems in Texas, and it is a whole lot warmer in the winter!

[Simon]

The problem that I see here is for you to get the snake from Canada to US. Cause you can't just ship or bring your animal on the plane. You'll need a licence and vet checked your animal before you can put it on board.......unless you have eveything prepared it is not wise to do anything other than that. Besides if you can get a snake sitter for your snakes then it is better to do so since getting the licence and the vet checked is quite expensive

hope everything works well for you

[poccodiablo]

Oh my god.. Mabey I'll avoid Georgia all together. Seems all snakes are illegal there (Corns,Hognose,Kings,Milks,Rats). Damn.. sucks to live there.

Jeff Robertson

[CAV]

Well, we TX doesn't have any native corns, but there are some really nice native species. What part of the state were you looking at?

[pinatamonkey]

In FL you need a permit to keep crocodilians or venomous reptiles, but that's about it.

[poccodiablo]

I'm working in Georgia,Florida,Tennese,Alabama,& Kentuky. This is going to be cool to work where corns live. Its almost a dream come true.

Jeff Robertson.

[wolfman38]

Here in North Carolina and in South Carolina, the only thing you need is a permit for venomus(SP) and crocidilian anilmals. Other than that, that is about it.

[Richbreaks]

what is the site that you saw the laws on keeping a snakes in Georgia?

[poccodiablo]

I found this site which pretty much states that anything thing that crawls on Georgian soil is illegal to keep as pets.
http://grare.org/legal/state/ga/dnrcomp.html
Which sucks because I'm moving there for the next year or so. : ( I so wanted to bring my little guy with me but its illegal to keep him, so I have to find him a new home.

Jeff Robertson

[pinatamonkey]

Yeah, georgia's laws are backwards. A simple corn snake is illegal, but you can capture and keep all the rattlesnakes you want without a permit.

[AztecPrince]

I thought that some cornsnakes were infact native to texas because some are native to Northeastern Mexico

[carl3]

Both Georgia and New Jersey have laws banning the ownership of cornsnakes (and lots and lots and lots of other species). Stay away from these states!!!!

[elrojo]

Does anyone know anybody (even a friend of a friend) that has had the Ga. laws affect their keeping of reptiles? I've sold many a corn to a fella in Georgia. Not that I'm an "outlaw" but it's a pretty arcane system. I kept eastern indigos for years and was prepared to call them black milks should my lack of a permit ever cause issue. I'm involved in a herp society and get calls for rescue, etc. so I am probably too high profile now and would get neccessary permits, but the average Joe six-pack could call any animal anything and no one would be the wiser. Not that I'm suggesting lying...
I wish we herpers would all flood the mailboxes of representatives of these states. I've sent my share, but with no network like we have with the Internet.
Pocco, PM me if you'd like. But I wouldn't sweat getting "busted" in your temporary housing with a cornsnake. Just my 2 cents...

[CornCrazy]

I know someone in GA who does have corns. He is a teacher and has a special permit to have them.

[rosemeow]

Does anyone know anybody (even a friend of a friend) that has had the Ga. laws affect their keeping of reptiles? I've sold many a corn to a fella in Georgia. Not that I'm an "outlaw" but it's a pretty arcane system. I kept eastern indigos for years and was prepared to call them black milks should my lack of a permit ever cause issue. I'm involved in a herp society and get calls for rescue, etc. so I am probably too high profile now and would get neccessary permits, but the average Joe six-pack could call any animal anything and no one would be the wiser. Not that I'm suggesting lying...
I wish we herpers would all flood the mailboxes of representatives of these states. I've sent my share, but with no network like we have with the Internet.
Pocco, PM me if you'd like. But I wouldn't sweat getting "busted" in your temporary housing with a cornsnake. Just my 2 cents...
Hey,
There are many people in Georgia who keep pet corn snakes. I've seen snakes on the "can't keep" list for sale in pet stores. I've never heard of anyone having a problem...though, it seems likely that someone, sometime, has run into some sort of minor problem over keeping one of these snakes.

I kept corn snakes for about 20 years in South Georgia. Lots of people including police, professors, and pets stores knew about it. Perhaps the rules against keeping these snakes are just not enforced?

[sdmessmer]

I'm looking at relocating to Georgia and North Carolina,Washington, Arizona, Florida, and Texas for work. What are the laws regarding keeping corns in these states? I thought I read somewhere that its illegal in Georgia to keep corns. If so then I'll leave my guy here in Saskatoon with a babysitter till I get back. I'm doing 3month stints in different states working on highway wieght stations, so I'd be in Georgia for only 3 months.

Jeff Robertson


Arizona is great for keeping reptiles, we can even keep, breed and give away our native species, even "hot" species like rattlesnakes. We just cannot ask for money or trades for our native herps, they must be gifted away. Check out AZ Game and Fish for specific laws http://www.gf.state.az.us/ and our local herp club which has a great forum and herp info http://www.sloanmonster.com/index.php

While we don't have local corns to go out and find there are a few people that breed them here. We have a great warm climate, perfect for field herping our native species most of the year. Our local herp club is great if you are into meeting like minded herp people. Come on over, we love more snake people here!

Silvia :wavey:

[Chris Olson]

We moved to Savannah, GA in July....mostly we keep and breed boa constrictor ssp. and morphs, but we are also working with a small number of corns. Of all the snakes I've kept....corns are the last one I thought would ever get me in trouble. I've spoken with Fish and Wildlife, and the Dept. of Natural Resources. I've corresponded with the Director of special permits....it is VERY difficult to get a permit from my experience...and possesion comes with a $1000 fine PER VIOLATION. Suddenly my Corn Snake population doesn't seem so small. BTW - This is just one of the many examples of rampant ignorance in the south. If anyone knows anyone with a permit that would be willing to share their experience with me...please put them in touch...

What town will you be living in Jeff?

Chris Olson

[tat2d1]

here in illinois it's illegal to keep great plains rat snakes without a permit, but i've seen them sold as Emory's Ratsnakes and Western Cornsnakes in pet shops. if anyone asks, couldn't you just say it's a great plains ratsnake - unless they're illegal in georgia too.

[cowboyman13]

Being a native georgian. That kinda of surprises me that keeping a Captive Bred snake would be illegal. In GA it is illegal to molest or kill any non-venomus snake seen in the wild. The capture of such would also probably require a permit. My interpation of the law is that it is illegal to capture or keep an native animal captured as a pet. I dont feel that an Captive bred animal falls under this catagory. But to make sure i am right or wrong i have emailed a friend with The GA DNR with the question. I will post a response when i get one.

[Santa]

Here in North Carolina and in South Carolina, the only thing you need is a permit for venomus(SP) and crocidilian anilmals. Other than that, that is about it.

Sorry there wolfman, but you had better read up on your laws.

NC law requires that you have a wildlife "collecting" license from the Wildlife Resources Commission to posess native species (including cornsnakes) even if you purchase them out-of- state. Reference: G.S. 113-261 and 272.4. The fee for said permit is a whopping $5 annually.

You can get an application by writing to: WILDLIFE COLLECTING LICENSE, Division of Wildlife Management, 1724 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699.

[cowboyman13]

Here is the answer i recived
Answer
Mr. Perry,

Although the Law doesn't seem to make sense to you, you understand it
correctly. The Law in Georgia provides protection to all non-venomous
snakes and that protection is not tied to abundance. Therefore, even the
abundant rat snakes in Georgia are protected and may not be killed,
molested or possessed.

Our advise/guidance on this issue has long been to simply choose a
non-venomous species that does not occur in Georgia. Non-venomous
snakes that don't occur in this state are not regulated and may be kept
as pets and bred or sold.

I'm sorry it isn't what you want to hear but that is the current law
in Georgia.

Scott Frazier
Special Permit Unit
(770) 761-3044
scott_frazier@mail.dnr.state.ga.us

>>> <cowboyman13@msn.com> 3/7/2005 8:11:19 AM >>>My orginal question

Name: James Perry
Phone number: (813)
E-mail address: cowboyman13@msn.com

As a native of GA i was curious about the keeping of a pet snake. I now
reside in FL where Captive Bred cornsnakes are avalible for purschase at
most pet shops. I know the law in GA says that you must not harm or
molest any non venomus snake in GA. But does law prevent you from owning
a Captive Bred Cornsnake or other native species from GA that is not on
the endangered or threated list. It seems odd that this would be the
case. I could understand a species like the indigo snake here in FL that
is protected. But a species like the abudant Rat, and Corn in GA would
be hard to comprehend. Please help me clear up this for I dont plan to
remain in FL forever my intention is to return home to North Georgia
where I am from.

Well there you have it straight from the mouth of The Ga DNR.

[elrojo]

Yep, you can't even sell morph corns at shows or in pet shops. Not that this would deter me in the least.

[Sisuitl]

I bet creamsicles and whatnot are legal though. I know that hybrids are not protected under federal law, and you could probably present the same argument in a state court, that your animal is not a pure corn and so the law does not apply. With a lot of the crazy bright colored morphs we have, you could probably claim that it's a hybrid, even if it's only 10% black rat or whatever, and there'd be no way of proving otherwise without doing a DNA test. Heck, with the number of emory crosses being bred, I wonder just how many "pure" corns have got one or more in their background.

I know a lady who breeds hybrid north american X siberian lynx. They are legal to own since they aren't protected under any species laws.

Generally what I have noticed about laws like that is this:

They don't go around busting down your doors looking to see if you have any illegal herps. Usually unless a game warden finds you molesting wild snakes or
they bust into your house because you have a meth lab, they just don't care.
It seems to be one of those charges that's tacked on when you are arrested for something more serious. I'm not saying that they won't ever fine or arrest you for only breaking that law, but your chances of getting away with it are pretty good if you don't break any other laws.

On a side note, corns are 100% legal in Washington state.

[elrojo]

[QUOTE=Sisuitl] I'm not saying that they won't ever fine or arrest you for only breaking that law, but your chances of getting away with it are pretty good if you don't break any other laws.[QUOTE]

I'd venture to say your odds are near 100%.

[Lampro-king]

I just went and veiwed the link you provided . WHAT A STATE !!!!!. You can pretty much kill any animal that they consider a nuisance but you cant keep it as a pet. But I bet you can have a cat that can, will and does eat the large majority of of every mammal, reptile and avian species listed as protected on their site. Tell all the people in a state they can't have a cat and see what happens----yeah. All i can say is pet shops in georgia must be really boring. And I'll never LIVE OR VACATION THERE.

[Alias47]

This link is for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources

http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=6&txtPage=2

It has a list of animals that are prohibited...
I have spoken with Georgia DNR in the past...doing a little research for a friend...they made it clear that it is easy to get a permit for an educator or zoo...but impossible for hobby/commercial breeding or pets.
There has been legislation introduced and discussed but never made it to law to allow for captive breeding and obtaining captive bred animals of some of these species...people in Georgia need to get proactive...even the DNR guy I talked to said it makes no sense...but must be changed by the State Legislature...and has been put on the back burner...