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Some Really Stupid Laws in WV

WingedSweetheart

WingedSweetheart

New member
Back in 2012 I was told I needed to have a permit just to own corn snakes. Or any native snake for that matter. So, I decided to contact the local DNR for information.

This is the email that was sent to me in reply:

" Thanks for contacting us regarding purchasing and owning snakes. In West Virginia it is legal to own snakes that were purchased from reputable,licensed pet stores and you don’t need a permit. These stores have the necessary permits to sell snakes. The snakes sold in pet stores are all born in captivity and none were taken from the wild. It is illegal to have in your procession any snakes that were taken from the wild without having the necessary permits. It is also illegal to catch native snakes then try to sell them. We also do not want people releasing any snakes that were purchased in pet stores. This can spread diseases and compromise their genetic make-up. Hope this clears things up and if you have any other questions,please let us know.

Jim Fregonara
WVDNR Wildlife Resources
Section Wildlife Diversity Program
phone: 304-637-0245
fax: 304-637-0250
email: [email protected]"
Click to expand...

Everything was all good and well. My owning of corn snakes was perfectly legal.

However I was reading the new reptile and amphibian regulation revision and I had a few questions. So, I emailed the local DNR again. I used toads in my example as I do own American toads.

This is the reply I got this time:

"Thank you for contacting us with your questions about the reptile regulations. The answers to your questions are below.



Q: Does this only apply to native toads?

A: The possession limit of four only pertains to American and Fowlers Toads. The possession limit for spadefoot toads is zero.



Q: Does this limit apply to captive born and bred animals? Or just field collected animals?

A: A native species is a native species whether wild caught or born in captivity so the limit applies to both captive bred and wild caught.



The Reptile and Amphibian Regulations are available online at the WVDNR website. You can reach the link at ,

http://www.wvdnr.gov/ and clicking on the black bear at the top of the web page. That link will take you to a page with all WVDNR publications. The reptile and amphibian regulations are at the bottom with the hunting and fishing regulations. The regulations will also provide you with a list of reptile and amphibian species native to West Virginia.



I should also remind you that,

1) it is illegal to sell or purchase any native species even if they are captive bred and,

2) bringing native species into the state is not permitted.



If you have any more questions please feel free to contact us.



Kieran O’Malley



Kieran O'Malley

WVDNR

1 Depot Street

Romney, WV 26757

Ph (304) 822-3551

Fax (304) 822-7331

Kieran.M.O'[email protected]"
Click to expand...

So, if it is illegal to buy or sell any native species (captive born or not) the only way to legally own one is to collect it from the wild? That doesn't make any sense to me at all.
 
I could email him specifically. I don't know if he is still working for the DNR though. As that was in 2012.

I just usually send my emails to the email address provided on the WVDNR website. I get a different person each time.

Mainly I just wanted to point out what the second email said. I got this email today. I was shocked. First guy told me captive born is legal. So I guess this is a new change? Because now this year, this person is telling me that even captive born is illegal. However you are allowed to collect up to four native snakes from the wild.
That is what the regulation pamphlet says, anyway.
 
Well in Florida you can keep two Eastern box turtles, but you may not buy or sell them. So I guess you have to either catch them or be given them as a gift???
 
In Colorado you cannot buy or sell native reptiles, but you can own up to six of each native reptile. I think it is ridiculous that we cannot raise captive snakes and sell their CBB offspring, they can only be given as a gift.

Yet, the crappy petstore in my city sells western hognose snakes and native box turtles. Whatever.
 
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