Question for my Oregon Peeps!

[MedusasOwl]

Firstly, all the eggs/pippies/babies lately.... Loving the pics and congrats to everybody who I may not have gotten a chance to comment on!

Secondly, we've been planning to move to Oregon for some time now ( Ford the River!) and Karen's graduation date grows ever closer. We're thinking Beaverton (tacky as that may sound, all things considered) as that's where the jobs she's looking at are, and I was warned to check out the laws in certain counties regarding reptiles. This is all I've been able to find so far, which basically says "Don't set your giant Boids and hots loose on the general Public" as per the anti-snakes on a plane clause as far as I can tell, which obviously would not be a problem for me. Does that sound about right, or do I need to dig deeper and if so where? The Portland area seems SO right for us I could almost cry, so as long as we can find a place that's cool with us and our babies up there, I'm on cloud nine.

And thirdly, my neighbor came over with her son today to meet our snakes! I love talking with her, and she adores our snakes. I think Gomez just talked her into getting a BP, although she adored the corn colors. SO in the market for a sweet smaller snake. She had a Berm a long time ago, but couldn't keep her and really misses having a snake around. If she had a computer, I'd send her straight over here. I knew they were coming over so I put off Gomez's feed day till tomorrow.

Her son was kinda scared of him at first, but very quickly got over it. Especially after holding our much more active little corn Falkor who's harder to keep up with! He liked Gomez better, because he was being a cute lump and just chilling with us. Gomez is great with kids! My neighbor loved Ma-tsu too, who graced us with her presense for a while, and hopes we'll still be living here when we do get our first clutch so she can experience the process too. So funny... we're finally getting to know and click with our neighbors just before we really get focused on moving. Go figure.

[Rorryy]

I am in Olympia Wa, only a short hop skip from Portland and have relatives there. There is an Expo in Hillsboro (suburb of Portland) every February. I picked up my Boa there although it was by far the least favorite Expo I have been to. I like all reptile expos I can't stand seeing thousands of caged finches and such or the larger cats in cages. It just bothers me. In addition they had a HUGE crocodile with a rope around it's snout you could pet. Not a happy place for me.

Anyhoo, I am sure you will love Oregon. I do! Don't forget when you move there to check out the Oregon Country Fair in Eugene in July (not your typical fair by far).

Angela

[sweety314]

Sheree,


I'm farther south in Linn Co, and I'm not sure about the laws in Multinomah Co, but I can do some digging for you. I haven't heard of anything restrictive. We're pretty lucky here in Oregon that there's not a lot of the obnoxious crazies causing problems for the hobby here, passing the dumb laws. (One fine example is that no matter how many times it comes to a vote < last count 9x > Oregonians refuse to pass a sales tax law.)

Here is some info I picked up @ the earlier herp shows I hit in Eugene.....which is too far? from where U want to be, but there are a couple REALLY big ones that are scheduled in Wilsonville & then in Wa. Portland's is in June.

The next one is in Hillsboro 9/23 & 24--the Unique Animal Expo and Pet Fair

Northwest Herptile Keepers Assoc www.nwhka.org (Gresham...just a hop, skip and big jump from Portland)

Oregon Herp Soc. a P.O. box in Eugene. They have a site, but it's thru Yahoo Groups. www.groups.yahoo.com/group/oregonherpetologicalsociety/


The ppl sponsoring/organizing the herp shows in Eugene are starting to have them in Salem, too.

At least most? of yours wouldn't be considered dangerous...."

Pythonidae

or Boinae, unless incapable of growing

to eight feet or more in length". I don't think Mat-su is even considered dangerous, since she's not python or boid...right? If if she DID get to be longer than 8'.

N-Eway, let me know. Maybe I can get some more info for you.

RuLyn

[MedusasOwl]

From what I hear, Angela, very little about Oregon is "typical". I'm looking forward to it! I've heard about a number of very cool fairs over there I'd love to attend!

That's all I've found too, RuLyn, and as the Beauties aren't Boids and pretty much stop at 8ft, not to mention Ma-tsu's about as dangerous as a *****cat... a pampered house *****cat. lol! And Neptune's all hiss, a really a big baby... I think I'm in the clear with Gomez and my colubrids! And I've definitely decided on the Caulker Cay when I go boa, and they tend to top out at about 5ft. So woot!

I've been trying to look into bird legalities too for our pal Amarin whom we are dragging with us, who has pampered house peafowl (I kid you not, they throw a fit if you try to put them outside. Spoiled!) and button quail and a few bantam chickens... What I've found has said that poultry is prohibited in the city *except* for house pets, and all her birds oddly enough are hand raised house pets. So I'm pretty sure she's in the clear too.

We were actually hoping on Eugene at first, as we hear it's a pretty cool town, but the companies Karen and Amarin work for are up in Beaverton by Portland. Which sounds great as well, so it's all good!

Thanks for the help! If you hear of anything up there regarding herp and bird restrictions, please let me know! But so far so good!

[MedusasOwl]

Hit the wrong button, just meant to edit the above post not quote myself.

[sweety314]

Growing up, ppl up the road had both peafowl and guineahens. But that was in the rural.........If U don't mind the commute up the I-5 corridor, you could live in Eugene, and drive to Beaverton. (only about 3-3.5 hrs. )

Yeah, yeah...not the greatest way to spend the majority of your life, unless you "just die for" audiobooks.

I've been in email contact w/some that have the larger snakes and live in Portland, but I'm sure they don't take them out to the park for "walks" either. *****cat or not, despite Oregon being pretty laid back, all U need to do is PI** one neighbor off, and if your snake's illegal you've got issues. Gomez, Falkor are okay.

I know most of the concern (like just about anywhere) is because of the idiots that get a big snake, and then turn it loose. But all it takes in one uninformed doofus to ruin it for the rest of us.

That's one reason why the nutria (muskrat cousin rodent...see "coypu") is such a nuisance and problem in Western Oregon.......someone had the "brilliant" idea they'd make good fur products, and then when the market went bust, they got released to the wild. Now they kill and eat everything, rarely have any fear of humans, and are just a general problem.

Let me know when y'all get here. We'll have to start our own little BP.net get-togethers.

Our state fair is pretty awesome, as well as a lot of the counties' too. Once you get settled in, you've GOT TO GO to OMSI and the Japanese Gardens.

(Hmmmmmm, I wonder if Farrell's is still open by the Lloyd Center......)

Hey! I just got the wonder-thought....when U move, I could actually DRIVE & pick up one of your little VBB babies. Coooooooooooooool


RuLyn

[MedusasOwl]

Luckily, Beauties don't look as big as they are. Nobody believes they're 8ft when they see them because they're so skinny and loop around everything, lol. Not that I tend to take them out anywhere anyway, because I'm paranoid. I'd love to roam around with Ma-tsu for a bit somewhere, lol, but it's probably never going to happen. The law doesn't say anything about colubrids though too, just giant boids and pythons, so I think even at a skinny 8ft I'm pretty safe.

You should see Amarin with her "wooster" though... that bantam rooster carried around like one of those purse dogs, peering around everywhere... People loose their minds in "Is that a CHICKEN?" way. It's very whimsical, lol.

OMG, Real fairs and museums and gardens!!! *dies* Karen and I can't wait! We really can't... it's crazy. And I would LOVE to have you come and pick up your hatchling in person! Hanging out must ensue! It's exciting and nerve wracking, kinda starting anew in the NW. We're in for some serious culture shock, I'm sure! lol!

Although, having no car as of yet, I'm thinkin a lengthy commute is out of the question for us for a while. My aunts adored Eugene, and if they'll move there we'd totally be popping down for visits regularly. Erm, once we have a car that is. I'm trying to get most of my Mom's side of the family to join us along the Oregon trail!

FORD THE RIVER!

[sweety314]

Ummmmmmm, yeah culture shock is gonna happen....!

Right now it's cooling off, but a few weeks ago, it was over 110* in areas. For WESTERN Oregon, that's EXTREMELY hot!!!!!!!

Please be prepared to drive in rain that's coming down so hard and fast, that a car can hydroplane on I-5, and semi trucks spray it so thick your "fast" wipers can't clear it and you're blind for a couple of seconds while U drive. You'll definately want to start growing the webbing between your toes.

Portland area is far enough north that it will even get enough snow and ice so that the freeways are closed and every neighborhood stops. (Not every winter, but it DOES happen...be prepared for the occas. power outage.)

I can tease....but I wouldn't live anywhere else. I'm Oregonian born and bred. Too bad the Portlanders have a hard time realizing that the state DOESN'T end in BEND! *%%&%^$%&%*%*(%( Sheesh!

I'm sure the banty rooster will get even weirder looks around HERE, just b/c they're FARM animals, and not just pets. Even "up north" i.e. Portland, there are semi-rural sections where horses, cattle, etc. aren't unusual. hahahahaha

Yeah, REAL fairs. And if you're into country music, the Sweet Home Jamboree is one of THE biggest get togethers of the top country stars. Today is the last day of the event and Charlie Pride, Randy Travis, Gretchen Wilson were just 3 of the headliners.

What else?....Strawberry Festival (Lebanon), Scandinavian Festival (Junction City), Ocktoberfest (Mt. Angel), the Rose Garden, OMSI and the zoo in Portland, the Country Fair near Veneta. Some of the best skiing only a couple hours away at HooDoo & Mt. Bachelor, Bend/Sun River.

Gimme a little more time and I can probably come up with even more reasons for U to move here.

R.

[sweety314]

You can put the sign on your moving van "Oregon Trail or Bust" and be RIGHT!

[MedusasOwl]

110?? That is hot! Although we win in Phoenix at 118. And it's still getting hotter... we won't get any relief over here till probably late Sept and Nov. And even then, it's like Summer weather in CO. "Ooh, it's so cold, it's like... 70! I should wear my sweater!"

Yeah, we're gonna be pretty pitiful our first few winters. We don't even own heavy jackets let alone winter coats! lol! But man... we WANT that rain! We miss it! We haven't even had a decent monsoon in a couple of years! I want a bike, even, and want to bike in the rain. Out here, biking means risking heat stroke and hit by drunk drivers so I'm practicing at the nice safe air conditioned gym.

Amarin's totally gonna want some of that semi-rural goodness! For future birds anyway, her current ones would have a fit, lol. I'm just happy so long as I get a snake room, LOL.

I'm not big on country, sadly, I'm more of a David Bowie, Jrock (Malice Mizer, w00t!), 70s & 80s rock kinda gal. Not that this deters me at all! We're so excited, all that good stuff and cultural festivals and we've even heard about Shakespeare festivals and all kinds of artsy things that will keep us busy and broke too. You're preaching to the choir, we are sold!

Meanwhile... the most positive thing I can say about Phoenix at the moment is that the cops caught our serial snipers. So that's something! 2 down, 1 to go. Otherwise... bleh.