what would you honestly do and why?

[kevin c.]

I pose this question to all of my fellow herper's and all the members here on fauna. first i want to say, answer this honestly and not with some philosophical b.s. or from a holier than thou position. and i am in no way advocating breaking any legitimate law, this is just a hypothetical question, one i'm afraid we may really have to answer one day.anyway here it is: if the government passed a law and said absolutely that the snakes you keep were now illegal and that if you were caught in possession of these snakes, you would not only be fined but do jail time. so what would you do? knowing yes, most people would not get caught the government doesn't have the man power, but still many would. and by government i mean mostly federal although this scenario will most likely be played out in the states. anyway, federal or state i would really like to hear everyone's comment and opinion.

 

[mxracer4life]

You know they would euthenize them if you handed them over. I pay my taxes, I drive 55mph. This is the land of the FREE. Enough said.

 

[RJK890]

I got out of keeping Burms because the state of FL was heading in that direction with the ROC permit.
They actually arrive at this hypothetical situation as far as the ROC's are concerned at midnight tonight.

Anyway, I started putting together a BCI collection until I said to myself, "Self, BCI will probably be added to the ROC list before too long."
So we decided to get out of BCI as well, and keep only BP's.

If BP's are ever added to the list I guess I will have to start working with CornSnakes.

 

[RyanT]

"Honestly"?...They can kiss my ass.

My snakes are going NOWHERE...ever. No matter what. Just the way it is. I live by the rules and orders that I CHOOSE to accept and live by. I hurt NOBODY...ever. And have zero tolerance for the paranoia and stupidity of idiots and the "laws" that are made by and for them...Honestly.

 

[mxracer4life]

 

[aareptiles]

Yep, they can eat it. I think I read somewhere someone say that it's just gonna be the next underground hobby. As unfortunate as that is I say lets start to learn to see in the dark!

 

[snowgyre]

There are so many thousands of captive snakes currently in collections that the government has no choice but to grandfather personal collections into any legislation they pass. They can, however, put a moratorium on breeding any of these snakes or purchasing and shipping them in from out of state, such as the laws New York State passed on large constrictors a few years ago.

There is not going to be any forced euthanasia of current collections, and to even suggest it is adding to a paranoia that doesn't help anyone, and only encourages people to violate any legitimate laws that are passed. I think the question is moot.

 

[Magic Merlin]

Like my guns, they will have to pry them out of my cold dead hands.

 

[AtrociousOne]

i wish there was an emoticon giving the bird. that would sum up exactly what they can do. sit and rotate. because of the harsh restrictions florida is implementing i'm moving to texas. if it's bad there, ill move again, and again. i own snakes and lizards, and even if it became federal, i think most on this site would agree, they can put it somewhere unpleasant ::wink::

 

[gsrept]

just like my gun you can pry them from my cold dead fingers

 

[Dawn Zimmerman]

I just got my first snake 3 weeks ago, and I adore him! I can't imagine having to part with Riley because of the stupidity of others. The thought of this hypothetical situation coming to pass is unnerving as not only would it mean that keeping my snake would be breaking the law and there would be legal consequences if caught, more than that it would mean that in order to keep him I would have to live a lifestyle that required me to lie to the many people who know I have a snake telling them I got rid of him and lieing to anyone else who would ever ask. So the choice would be to give up your snake and be legal, or keep your beloved pet and become a liar. Sounds like a no win situation to me. Given all that, though, I still can't imagine having to part with Riley!

 

[Captive Bred Herps]

There is always a way to get a permit......

 

[dturner100]

I think the fact that the government thinks that with the crap going on that they actually have time to worry about my pets is a joke to begin with.

As well if it truly came down to somebody trying to confiscate my snakes whether it be a corn snake, or all the way up to my 16' burm I'd say good luck getting through the front door without an extra hole in ya.

I was born with the right to persue happiness, and I will die by whatever means necessary protecting that right.

Call me a redneck if you will but I strongly believe that the government breaking into my home to "STEAL" my property would be treated no differently than your common criminal would be.

 

[Piratepythons]

I would give them a REAL reason to arrest me But it wouldnt come to that for two main reasons First the country is broke and the cost of undertaking an endevor like this is huge Second Our jails are filled past capacity in most cases with real criminals Also all you have to do is look at the "War on Drugs" to see how successful the government is at banning things If they cant control drugs what makes them think they can control snakes Anyway thats how I will handle it

 

[gluttony]

Its like anything else in this country, they pass these laws out of paranoia. Did anyone ever notice that anything that people can sell or propagate on their own without TAX is made illegal. They can eat a D@#k with their laws. Im going to keep my snakes and turtles, my guns and my cigarettes and smoke a bowl to ease my paranoia...lmfao

 

[kevin c.]

I live here in Kentucky on property that has been handed down from one generation of my family to the next. and i like others would not give up my pets, our commonwealth had been for over 200 years a place where we could grow our own tobacco,corn, hemp etc. we could own practically any animal as long as we were responsible for it, more or less a "frontier spirit" for decades. in the last 20 years we have radically changed for the worst. so-called progressive cities like Louisville,Lexington etc. were(and still are) pumping out "social engineering" politicians and lobbyists. in July of 2005 a law was passed making exotic pets(crocodilians,wolf hybrids,big cats etc.) illegal. if you had the animals prior to that, you could keep them but could not sell,replace or propagate them. all you had to have was proof of you're ownership. many hundreds of pet owners did not have a receipt(no one thought they would have to have one years ago) so were made to give up their beloved pets. all of this legislation was passed so fast it left most pet owners in disbelief that it could happen in a place where we never had a problem with exotics. as a snake owner i feel i and my fellow herpers will be next. like the last law there will be no intelligent reason behind it, it will simply be "nobody should have a snake as a pet it's not normal!" and "that they pose a danger to the general public" that was the logic(although insane) of the last bill! [ CSA "fighting terrorism since 1862"]

 

[robincopereptiles]

this may sound a little bit crazy but me and some friends are planning on building an underground "bunker" to house all of our soon to be illegal reptiles. i live in fl and have my roc but if an all out ban passes then im literally going underground. the government can kiss it. they are opening pandoras box. imagine all of the riots as soon as s373 or a similar bill passes. thats alot of pissed off reptile keepers. this is my passion, job, hobby, and it took me years to ge what i have now. i just started selling but i have been breeding and keeping reptiles fo as long as i can remember. im not giving up now after all these years. bill nelson can kiss my ass.(s well as anyother person who tries to take this away from us)

 

[AbsoluteApril]

I agree with Vanessa that they would most likely have to grandfather in all existing pet reptiles, so hoping that is the case, I would just have to be happy with what I have and not get anything new. If they were outlawed 100% with no grandfather clause I'd have to move to where they were legal to keep. I'd love to live in Hawaii but can't have snakes there, so I will never live there. Can't have snakes over 6' in San Francisco, so I will never live there. I do try to obey *most* laws.

 

[WillArt]

"Honestly"?...They can kiss my ass.

My snakes are going NOWHERE...ever. No matter what. Just the way it is. I live by the rules and orders that I CHOOSE to accept and live by. I hurt NOBODY...ever. And have zero tolerance for the paranoia and stupidity of idiots and the "laws" that are made by and for them...Honestly.

Perfect answer. Again I pay taxes and this is a free country.I actually would not mind sitting in front of a judge just to ask him to repeat himself and ask him how did that sound to you when you sentenced me jail time for owning a snake?
Ask yourself that and if it felt right as a man of the law, putting me away for a python,as the rapist behind me is laughing probably getting off better than me.
How many dogs kill and injure people a year?This is so crazy.To answer your question - its not breaking the law unless your caught,dont get me wrong I will not purposely buy an illegal animal and look for trouble but if I have it,it will be with me until I sell it or it lives out its life.

 

[lnlexotics]

I remember something in government class about ex-post facto law, meaning you can't be charged with a crime if the "illegal activity" occurs BEFORE the law making it illegal has passed. I would think those people already in possesion of the animal being made illegal to own would have a right to keep said animal, but not to aquire new ones.