corn snakes illegal in nj?

after much thought, i have decided that a corn snake would be better for me than a leopard gecko. my question is that in calling around at pet stores i keep hearing that they can only sell albinos because it's illegal to sell them in jersey. now i can understand if they meant the ones indigenous to the area but they are telling me otherwise. what is the deal? i did find one store that has an aztec and a blizzard. are there any recommendations as to whom to purchase from? i'm truly interested in the lavenders. i already have the tank set up and ready for the little one, just need to find the one for me. thank you for your time and answers.

Hi Jessica,
Yes corns are illegal in NJ the catch is if they appear to be indigenous (of Normal Color) then you can't have them if they are albino or of a strain that can not be confussed with a wild one you would be ok to have it because there would be no doubt that it was purchased and not caught.
hope this helps, John

it does john thank you. i thought so but i have talked to several pet stores in my area and they all said the same thing. i asked why only albinos and was told all others were illegal. i thought that didn't make sense. sometimes it's just easier to give an answer no matter if it's right or wrong. thanks again

Jessica, if you want an opinion on where to purchase them from, my first inclination is to say anywhere but a pet store, lol. There are SO many good corn snake breeders right here on Fauna, I couldn't imagine buying one from a pet shop. I would think it would be a whole lot easier to find a lavender from a breeder as well. Take a peek through the cornsnake forum and ads, and check out anyone who you see with ads there. Off hand, I know Rich has some outstanding lavenders....I'm sure there are others here that do as well.

If you feel buying one from a shop is your only choice, be sure you make a close inspection of ALL of their animals and facilities for cleanliness and proper setup. Find out what kind of guarantee they offer, and how much they know about the animal to make sure it has been properly cared for while in their care.

thank you cat for the info and recommendations. the only reason i was looking into pet stores here is because the temps here are so cold that i didn't think shipping was an option. we are hitting the low 30's here in jersey and i would think that would be hard on the poor snake. i know some people won't ship with those temps. i do plan on thorough exams if i do find one in a store that i like. i am still searching for the "one". thank you so much for your help. when i find him there will be pics.