WARNING for Florida herpers!

****WARNING****
Everyone here in Florida selling/buying ANY snake or anything considered a wild animal(tame or otherwise) MUST have a $50 permit from the FWC.
Today I met a guy to sell a pastel ball python, no big deal, right? Well, as soon as the money changed hands,
FWC pulled up lights flashing, guns drawn. I've been trading for a few years now and this is the first time
anyone ever mentioned the fact that you must possess said permit. I would have had it had l known,
but ignorance of the law doesn't matter. Now I have a court date and so on.
Be for warn......
Now I'm scared to use my cell phone, no mention of meeting time/place ever mentioned on anything but our phones, WOW! Scary Stuff.

WOW :tricho:

So was the guy undercover? Wow. That's an experience.

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Originally Posted by helmethead

now i'm scared to use my cell phone, no mention of meeting time/place ever mentioned on anything but our phones, wow! Scary Stuff.

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n.s.a.

Is this for real???

Sounds pretty stupid to me....do they consider tarantulas and stuff to be wild?? What about fish??

http://myfwc.com/license/captive-wildlife/

Just a quick read I don't think this permit applies to Ball Pythons.


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^ Reptiles or amphibians (nonvenomous, unprotected species that are NOT listed as endangered, threatened, species of special concern, conditional reptiles, or otherwise regulated)

Balls are not included, the officers who rolled on you are out of line.

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Here is some more info from the same site, I don't see anything Ball Python related.

The following species are now listed as conditional snakes and lizards:
Indian or Burmese python (Python molurus)
Reticulated python (Python reticulatus)
Northern African python (Python sebae)
Southern African python (Python natalensis)
Amethystine python (Morelia amethistinus)
Scrub python (Morelia kinghorni)
Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus)
Conditional reptiles are not allowed to be acquired for personal possession. Reptile dealers, public exhibitors, researchers and nuisance trappers may apply for a permit to import or possess conditional snakes and lizards. Individuals that possessed of any of these reptile species as personal pets and that were properly licensed under a Reptile of Concern license before July 1, 2010 may keep their animal and must maintain a valid Reptile of Concern license for the remainder of the animal's life.

Conditional snakes and lizards must be kept indoors or in outdoor enclosures with a fixed roof and must be permanently identified with a microchip when the animal reaches one inch in diameter, unless the animal is to be exported out of the state within 180 days. Conditional snakes and lizards must be double-bagged and placed into a secure container for transport. Owners of conditional snakes and lizards must submit a Captive Wildlife Critical Incident/Disaster Plan and must maintain records or their inventory.


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This is a very tricky subject because the way the rules were written is very vague. I've spoken with multiple FWC people and have gotten different answers every time.

Some think that BP's don't need a permit as they are exempt, while others say they do becausle they aren't specifically mantioned as exempt.

Here is where the confusion comes from:

This:

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Reptiles or amphibians (nonvenomous, unprotected species that are NOT listed as endangered, threatened, species of special concern, conditional reptiles, or otherwise regulated)

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vs.

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E. Class III Wildlife

A permit is required for personal possession, exhibition or sale of Class III wildlife. Class III wildlife are all species not listed as Class I or Class II; and not among those species that are specifically listed as not requiring a permit for personal possession in rule 68A-6.0022, FAC.
There is no formal list of Class III species. You must check the lists of Class I, Class II, and species not requiring a permit to determine if an animal in question is a Class III species. Florida residents 16 years of age and older may apply for permit to possess, exhibit or sell Class III wildlife.

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The issue is that there isn't a formal list of either so it can very easily be twisted into whatever the person wants.
My advice to anyone in Florida, or looking to deal in Florida is to just get a Class III permit. Better safe than sorry. Another way to get around this is to have a business license that proves that these animals aren't for personal possession but rather a business.

Wow, scary stuff...
With everything going on in the world why would any government(city, state or federal) be worried about the sale of snakes, let alone ball pythons one of the least dangerous ones.