Are Corn snakes native to New York?

Just wondering, since NY has some very strict laws about possessing any native animal, whether it came from in-state or out-of-state.

I have read they range as far North as New Jersey, as far south as the Florida Keys, and from the East Coast as far west as the base of the Rocky Mountains. But I'd be willing to bet that those include all the "Extremes" and the majority of the Native Born Corn snakes would probably be located well inside those boundaries. So technically, yes you could probably find them in New York, but you'd have a better chance of seeing one in North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama etc....

Thanks, for your input, but I'm not really concerned if they are common, just whether NY State considers them a native species. I see them for sale in NY, but I don't doubt that many would still sell them, even if it were illegal.

Hopefully someone with better knowledge can chime in. I know at least one big name breeder is located in New York, Long Island maybe? so they must not be flat out banned but there might be some restrictions on them. And that might vary by county, city and town too. I know New Jersey has the semi stupid condition that all red eyed, amel based morphs are okay to own but black eyed morphs are not, since that's the distinction they use in assuming the one must be captive bred and the other is too hard to tell if it might have been wild caught and wild caught are illegal there, so you can't own one at all.

Only restrictions on corn snakes in the U.S. that I know of are Georgia and New Jersey. They are not native to New York.

Originally Posted by DollysMom

Only restrictions on corn snakes in the U.S. that I know of are Georgia and New Jersey. They are not native to New York.

Thanks, that is good to know.

Unfortunately, the law is what it is. However, the ban against owning a 'native' snake is one of the most frustrating. If your snake escapes, he goes back to his native environment. No huge problem or threat to the native population already there. However, if you live in Orlando and your non native King Cobra escapes, now there is a real potential problem. I could see a ban on non native species much better than one on a native species from an environmental point of view.

There are a few restrictions in Tennessee, where they are native. You can keep them, there are just a few requirements you need to do, I don't remember the details any more though. So I'd definitely check with the local regulatory agencies and whatever state agency would likely have the state rules on it.

Originally Posted by Myca

Unfortunately, the law is what it is. However, the ban against owning a 'native' snake is one of the most frustrating. If your snake escapes, he goes back to his native environment. No huge problem or threat to the native population already there. However, if you live in Orlando and your non native King Cobra escapes, now there is a real potential problem. I could see a ban on non native species much better than one on a native species from an environmental point of view.

I agree, but it seems the state's biggest concern is creating a market for people who would collect wild specimens for profit. New York's reptile laws are ambiguous at best. It appears they also do not want you collecting another state's reptiles and reselling those, which is why it's so confusing.

Originally Posted by Myca

Unfortunately, the law is what it is. However, the ban against owning a 'native' snake is one of the most frustrating. If your snake escapes, he goes back to his native environment. No huge problem or threat to the native population already there. However, if you live in Orlando and your non native King Cobra escapes, now there is a real potential problem. I could see a ban on non native species much better than one on a native species from an environmental point of view.

The bans or restrictions on keeping native snakes is not due to a potential threat if it got loose, but rather to prevent people from collecting wild ones and keeping them.

A captive bred snake can pose a problem to native population if it is carrying something that might spread to native population.
That is why even wild caught animals are restricted from being released into the wild if they have been captive for a certain period of time.