letter to delaware department of ag

a letter I am sending to to the delaware department of Agricutlute. In hopes t ohelp get the permits changed to allow some breeding in regards to reptiles. I though of this as a response since they decided to hint I a pain in the ass when it came to calling ( daily) about were others and myself fall that want to breed smaller snakes like ball pythons, corns kenya snad boas just to name a couple. I know it is impossible to get a acredited zoo permit for most of us.


To animal health



Hi I do want to first off say sorry if I seem to been a pain about calling in regard to the permit changes. I among others that contacted me have multi reptiles and such single permits would be a drain on our money in times that are already tight for many. I know with all the time on my hands It given me time to worry about my love for the hobby of keeping snakes ( I got 2 that are well over 15 years old) I am open to inspection/visits anytime ( mainly a just a call to make sure I am home all I request ( **********) since some days I am running my mother or grandmother to a doctor appointment, it also good to give out for snake removals( that my other hobby catching snakes.)
In the past I have helped other fill out the permit apps for snakes ( mainly those that adopted ( tried to) from me.) I Can understand and am will to renew permits every 3 years as in the single animal case and as you know I want to try my hand at limited breeding of ball pythons(mainly I want to try and be a first to do a combo butter and pied morph and maybe a axanthic butter combo.)

I also agree that such snake ( until the future of S373 is decided) that snakes such as the burmese python, retic pythons and large boa's should be limited and put on hold for now with so many people getting rid of these snakes once they get so large. ( only place I know breeding burmese python right now is the Seaford pet shop on 13. Since they house their large albino and het albino together all the time in a single cage.

I though of a possible answer to mine and other reptile owners that want to breed smaller snakes like corns, ball pythons, Kenya sand boa (which does not get large I believe they smaller than corns in length full grown)

why not add 2 more permit levels and have them fall under most the same guild lines as a single permit? These could be set to reptiles and even possible restricted to ball pythons, corns and such for the reptile hobbyist one.


Reptile hobbyist permit: that allows for X number of snakes and limited breeding this would still prevent breeding of the so called dangerous snakes

a multi reptile permit : that valid for x number of snakes and list the snakes with a photo ID on their file

With both permits charge maybe double the single permit rate. and have it set to follow most the other permit requirements. AS well as a inspection by a person to make sure it not a puppy type factor. I also think such a way would not risk most people reptiles, and solve many of the issues.





On another issue some people find the rack type system of keeping snakes inhumane, but in most cases they actually closer to the animals prefer life.. Corns spend their time in mole burrows hunting rodents during the summer (why so hard to find at time if field herping. And ball pythons spend most their time in animal burrows to avoid over heating in the sun plus they are out only at night so they like dark tight places.( try it in a closed room - set a ball python loose in a room and come to find it later. ( don't watch it ) most likely you will find it in a tight dark place and only find traces of it moving around at night.

I built my racks myself they not perfect but they work and are secure since I design my rack to have the tub lid on and still locked on. I have not had an escape from the tubs since I went with this design over 4 years ago. Before hand glass tanks, and small square cages with sliding plexi glass front were prone to a good push and they were loose. In the case of my large redtail boa her cage has glass sliding doors that were design to close so the edge of the glass sat inside the frame and had no true give. The snake cannot get out of the reptile room even if the escape since I have a board attached to the bottom that only allows for a really small gap(it won't allow an ink pen to roll under it).

In the 15 years since I first gotten my permit I been the person most people call to remove a snake from sheds, garages , houses and such . I release most native species back to the wild at the closest woods near the place of removal. Non native are mostly snake given up due to moving, kids lost interest in the snake and such. So far the redtail boa was my only loose snake that I been called about most are native species. I have since about December required a form to be sign for nonnative snakes that are given up to me( most people have been here and as I loading the snake the leave( now with the regulations I am going to require the form to be signed first.) since most snakes come with the tanks and other supplies I will send them with a snake once it adopted out (I don't need all these glass tanks) I also have a a form that I require people to sign when they adopt a snake. ( I plan on keeping these for at least a decade in case they people bring the snake back. ) I will only adopt out a snake that I consider doing fine ( eating weekly , normal sheds. And gut movements) any problem eaters ( not had any so far once they start to eat) or really abused animals are kept and set aside for my private collection. And rescues are consider part of my private collection until I find them a home. I do use a quarantine process for any rescue/ new snake they are kept in another room for at least 30 day to make sure are healthy.

Thank You
Terry Rogers